Script Analysis using Aristotle’s Six Elements of Drama by Carlie Parkinson
Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the Six Elements of Drama by analyzing a
film.
** This unit was originally written to culminate in a film analysis, but can be used with a theatre
production analysis just as easily**
Class Level: Beginning (no prior experience needed)
Main Concepts: Play analysis, plot structure, identifying themes
1994 National Standards:
CONTENT STANDARD 7: Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film,
television, and electronic media productions.;
CONTENT STANDARD 6: Comparing and integrating art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music, and visual
arts, and new art forms.; CONTENT
CONTENT STANDARD 4: Directing by interpreting dramatic texts and organizing and conducting rehearsals for informal
or formal productions.
Lesson Plans
Lesson 1: Plot Structure
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of plot by participating in a group presentation of plot
structure.
Lesson 2: Theme
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of theme by identifying a theme for film presented in
class.
Lesson 3: Diction
The students will demonstrate their understanding of diction by performing a short Shakespearean
puppet show.
Lesson 4: Character
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of characters by completing a “Myspace” profile for a
character in a play read in class.
Lesson 5: Music
Students will demonstrate their understanding of music by performing a thirty-second melodrama.
Lesson 6: Spectacle
Students will demonstrate their understanding of spectacle by designing scenery for “Spectacular,
Spectacular”.
Lesson 7: Final Analysis
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the Six Elements of Drama by analyzing a film.
Lesson 1: Plot Structure
Objective
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of plot by participating in a group presentation of plot
structure.
Materials Needed
 Selection from Poetics by Aristotle (available on-line
at http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.2.2.html)
 Lecture notes for Aristotle and Poetics
 Hand out of Six Elements
 Copies of well-known children stories: (ex. Little Red Riding Hood, The Tortoise and the Hare,
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella)
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
As students enter the classroom, pass out the copies of the Poetics. Begin class by asking for volunteers
to read the first couple of paragraphs. Question the class for comprehension—most likely the question
will go unanswered or a brave student or two will venture a guess. Pose another question: What would
he [Aristotle] know anyway, he lived like two thousand years ago? The Greek’s couldn’t possibly have
contributed to our society, or have they? Discuss Greek contributions—ex. Architecture, democracy, art,
etc. Pose a final question: So is it possible that the Poetics might be relevant today?
Instruction
STEP 1: Instruction: Short lecture on Aristotle and the Poetics. See attached notes. Avoid simply telling
the information as much as possible. Ask “who is Aristotle?” or “can anyone guess what Aristotle’s six
elements might be?” Pass out the Six-element hand out. Invite the students to read Aristotle’s Poetics
but assure them all the information is simplified and summarized on the hand-out.
STEP 2: Transition/instruction/discussion: “Let’s just focus on one aspect of the Poetics today.” Have a
student volunteer read aloud the section on plot. Then, through a process of asking and lecturing, draw,
label, and define the plot structure. Identify the plot points of a popular story or a popular movie.
STEP 3: Guided Practice: Play the plot structure game. Invite the students to leave their desk, circle-up,
and assume a crouched position. Invite them to then repeat what you say and how you say it. Say
“exposition” with normal inflection and at a normal speaking level. Next say, “inciting incident” with a
greater intensity. Next say, “rising action” with a rising volume and an upward inflection. Also slowly
begin rising to a standing position. Once you and your students are standing up, lift up your arms and
yell “climax.” Slowly, lower your hands as you say “falling action” with decreasing intensity. Then, still
standing say “resolution.” Repeat this until, your students can do it on their own. Then let them play for
a few minutes.
STEP 4: Group Practice: The students will then split up into groups and each group will select a story
from a short list of classic children’s tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Tortoise and the
Hare, the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The stories can only be used once. Have copies
available of each story if the groups want to review their stories by using reading them. As a group have
them pick out the plot points in the story. They will need to summarize these points into short sentences
or words.
Assessment
The students will, as a group, present the plot structure saying the summaries with the appropriate vocal
inflection. Students will be graded as based on the attached rubric.
Lesson 2: Theme
Objective
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of theme by identifying a theme for film presented in
class.
Materials Needed
 Audio visual equipment capable of playing a DVD and movies from the internet
 Old comic commercials—for ex. Superbowl commericals
(http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads)
 30 minute television or film clip (ex. House, ER, The West Wing, etc.)
 Theme—Lecture Notes
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
Play a series of popular commercials (ex. Old Superbowl commercials ). After each commercial discuss
the message or the “point” of the commercial. What ideas are expressed by the commercial? Watch four
or five commercials and begin introducing the concept of theme.
Instruction
STEP 1: Instruction: Define and discuss theme. See attached lecture notes. Questions to consider: What
were the themes of the commercials we watched? What are common themes found in literature? Discuss
themes of popular movies? Give tools to identifying theme: what’s the moral of the piece? Consider the
action of the characters or main plot points, what happened and what were the consequences? How do
these pieces relate to society at large? What aspects of the piece support the theme? (These students are
beginning students, so if their themes are basic, simple, and even trite (like love conquers all, good is
triumphant over evil, etc.) these are a start. Identifying and supporting the theme takes practice. )
STEP 2: Activity: Play an extended clip of a serious film, documentary, or television episode. Choose a
piece that is contemporary and dramatic, for example, an episode of House about euthanasia or an
episode of The West Wing about chemical warfare. Encourage the students to take notes and begin
picking out themes.
STEP 3: Discussion: As the clip completes, divide the class into small discussion groups. Pose specific
discussion questions and write them on the board: what was this episode saying about euthanasia, or
chemical warfare, etc.? How can you state that in a theme? What other themes did you find?
STEP 4: Assignment/Assessment: After the group discussions, students will write a theme that they or
their group thought of. Each student will be required to turn in his or her own statement of theme.
STEP 5: Closure: With the time remaining, ask for volunteers to state their theme. Students might be
hesitant for fear of being wrong, but encourage a feel that there are no “wrong” answers (though, there
are certainly better ones). Question each volunteer briefly and allow them to defend their theme with
evidence from the piece.
Assessment
Theme Statements
Lesson 3: Diction
Objective
The students will demonstrate their understanding of diction by performing a short Shakespearean
puppet show.
Materials Needed
 Classroom set of short scene from a tragedy (ex. Balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet Act III,
Scene II, or murder scene from Julius Caesar Act III, Scene II)
 3 or 4 short scenes from other Shakespearean Tragedies (Ex. Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Act V Scene III; MacBeth Act IV, Scene I, Act V, Scene I; or Hamlet Act I, Scene V)
 Assignment sheet for Shakespeare Puppet Assignment
 Paper bags
 Markers, colored paper, ribbons, glue, etc.
 Peer Evaluation Sheets
 Dictionaries, Shakespearean Reference books, Shakespeare’s complete works with footnotes
(reference material)
 Shakespeare Scene Rubric
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
Pass out copies of a short Shakespearean scene as if you were the director of a group of actors in
Shakespeare’s time. This can be accomplished by incorporating simple words like “thee” and “thou”
into the instructions. For example, “I prithee players be seated. We will begin our rehearsal by assigning
part…” Assign parts, encourage others to follow along in the script, and begin reading the scene.
Instruction
STEP 1: Transition: When finished reading, check for comprehension. (End the Elizabethan speech
where appropriate). What happened during the scene? Who were the major characters? What did they
want? Did you understand the language? What separates the language of Shakespeare from our speech?
Did you like the language? What phrases did you think were particularly beautiful or poetic? How did
the characters use language to get what they wanted? Introduce the concept of diction.
STEP 2: Instruction: Define and discuss diction in terms of the six elements. “The word choices made
by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors of the language. Language and dialog delivered by
the characters moves the plot and action along, provides exposition, defines the distinct characters. Each
playwright can create their own specific style in relationship to language choices they use in establishing
character and dialogue.” (6 Elements Handout). Introduce the idea of a predominant element. Discuss
other plays or films that have diction as the predominant element.
STEP 3: Activity/ Assignment: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a short
Shakespearean scene. The students must read the script and gain a basic understanding of the characters,
the plot, and the diction of the script. Provide dictionaries, Shakespearean reference books, and scripts
with footnotes for reference. The students will then need to create, rehearse, and perform a paper sack
puppet show with their scripts for the class. Provide paper bags, markers, color paper, ribbon, etc. They
need to perform the script in a way that will help their fellow students understand the language. It will be
beneficial to brainstorm ideas on how the performers can help their audience understand their words:
using proper vocal inflections for questions or statements, picking a word in a sentence that is the most
important and emphasizing that word (operative word), know what the lines mean so proper emotion can
be used with the lines, etc. The students will have 45 to 50 minutes for this assignment.
Assessment
Students perform their scenes and grade according to rubric below. Each student will need to participate
in a performance, and each student will need to fill out an evaluation of at least two other groups.
Lesson 4: Character
Objective
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of characters by completing a “Myspace” profile for a
character in a play read in class.
**Obviously another social media site could be substituted for the MySpace profile**
Materials Needed
 Classroom set of full-length contemporary comedic script (ex. Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the
Park)
 “Myspace” profile worksheets
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
As the students enter the classroom the following journal writing assignment is on the board: “Welcome
to Your Life: A Play in Three Acts. The person who has been cast as you wants to come interview you
before he or she goes on stage. Write a half page journal entry about what you would want to tell the
person playing you.” Give the students five minutes. Then have a group discussion and create a strong
working list of what someone needs to know to play a character: hobbies, job, age, hopes, willpower,
worries, socio-economic status, wants, etc.
Instruction
STEP 1: Transition: What does Aristotle say about characters in play? Have a volunteer read the
definition of “character” from the “6 Elements” Handout. “These are the people presented in the play
that are involved in the pursuing plot. Each character should have their own distinct personality, age,
appearance, beliefs, socio economic background, and language.” Connect the definition to the working
list.
STEP 2: Assignment/Activity: Present the assignment. The students will need to read the assigned fulllength comedic play. As they read the play, they need to find clues in the text that show the character’s
traits. Then, they’ll need to pick a character, and fill out mock-Myspace page for that character.
The students will be given the remainder of class to read the script (give students the option of reading it
together, reading it in small groups, reading it as individuals, etc.) Pass out the Myspace worksheet
(Have the students look over the sheet and answer any questions.)
The analysis will be due at the beginning of the next period. (Encourage the students to also keep in
mind the plot and theme of the script).
STEP 3: Closure: Five minutes before class ends, bring the class back together and discuss any character
insights that have been found.
Assessment
MySpace Worksheet
Lesson 5: Music
Objective
Students will demonstrate their understanding of music by performing a thirty-second melodrama.
Materials Needed
 Instruction Signs Clip from a movie that relies heavily on music (ex. Psycho, Henry V, Jaws).
 4 short, evocative classical music clips (ex. Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”)
 Melodrama Handout
 Melodrama Assessment Sheet
 Hook Statements
 Peer Evaluation Sheets
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
As class begins, do not speak. Hold up Instruction Signs to explain the activity: “Welcome to class. I’m
going to put on a clip from a film. Notice what music does to the scene.” Then play a clip from a
familiar movie that relies heavily on music (ex. The shower scene from Psycho or the battlefield from
Henry V) without sound.
Instruction
STEP 1: Transition: After the clip is finished, hold up final instruction sign: “Let’s try that again.”
Rewind the clip and watch it with sound. After the second viewing, discuss with the class the difference
between the two experiences. How did music change the scene? How does music help create mood? Can
the students think of other scenes that depend heavily on music?
STEP 2: Discussion: Expand the discussion of music by reading the definition from the “6 Elements
Worksheet.” “Music can encompass the rhythm of dialogue and speeches in a play or can also mean the
aspects of the melody and music compositions as with musical theatre. Each theatrical presentation
delivers music, rhythm and melody in its own distinctive manner. Music is not a part of every play. But,
music can be included to mean all sounds in a production. Music can expand to all sound effects, the
actor’s voices, songs, and instrumental music played as underscore in a play. Music creates patterns and
establishes tempo in theatre. In the aspects of the musical the songs are used to push the plot forward
and move the story to a higher level of intensity. Composers and lyricist work together with playwrights
to strengthen the themes and ideas of the play. Character’s wants and desires can be strengthened for the
audience through lyrics and music.”
Help students understand the first portion of the definition about rhythm and dialogue with examples
from the Shakespeare scenes used in the “Diction” lesson. Discuss genres of films or plays that rely
heavily on music: Opera, musical theater, melodrama, etc.
STEP 3: Assignment: Define melodrama: “Historically, a distinct form of drama popular throughout the
nineteenth century which emphasized action, suspense, and spectacular effects; generally melodrama
used music to heighten the dramatic mood. Melodrama had stock characters and clearly defined villains
and heroes, and it presented unambiguous confrontations between good and evil.” (Goldfard, Alvin.
Wilson, Edwin. Living Theater: A History ed. 4. USA: MCGraw-Hill Companies, 2004. G6). Important
points: emphasis on action, stock characters, exaggerated or heightened action, and use of music to
heighten mood. Play the four music clips. In groups, the students will select one of four clips played in
class. The students must create a thirty-second melodrama. The stories should be very simple, but they
must include an inciting incident, rising action, climax, and a resolution. The music should heighten the
mood of the scene, and will be played in conjunction with the scene. The scenes will not have spoken
dialogue, but cue cards may be incorporated. The scene should also have a title. The students have 30
minutes to create their scene.
Assessment
The students will perform their melodramas. They will be graded on the following rubric. Students will
need to fill out an evaluation sheet for two other groups.
DUE: Myspace Character Analysis
Lesson 6: Spectacle
Objective
Students will demonstrate their understanding of spectacle by designing scenery for “Spectacular,
Spectacular”.
Materials Needed
 Moulin Rouge DVD (“Spectacular, Spectacular” scene)
 ½ hour clip of spectacular show (ex. Vareka by Circus de Soleil.)
 Paper, markers, watercolors, etc.
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
Play the “Spectacular, Spectacular” scene from Moulin Rouge.
Instruction
STEP 1: Transition: Define and discuss spectacle from the observations of “Spectacular, Spectacular”
and the “6 Elements Handout”. “The spectacle in the theatre can involve all of the aspects of scenery,
costumes, and special effects in a production. The visual elements of the play created for theatrical
event. The qualities determined by the playwright that create the world and atmosphere of the play for
the audience’s eye.”
STEP 2: Activity: Watch extended clip of a highly spectacular film. A clip from Circus De Soleil would
be especially effective because the performances have a loose plot structure, themes, and characters, but
they are chiefly spectacle. After the clip, discuss the spectacular elements in the scenery, costumes, and
special effects. Also, discuss the emerging plot structure and themes.
STEP 3: Assignment: The students are now set/costume designers for a new staging of “Spectacular,
Spectacular.” Money, laws of physics, geography, etc. do not matter (if the student wants to put the
Sphinx in the Grand Canyon and have their actors fly that’s just fine). The design needs a spectacular
backdrop, two or three special effects, and at least one idea for a costume. The students will need to
create a labeled, colored sketch of the scenery, and a short paragraph describing the different elements
and when they’ll be used in the scene. The design will be due at the beginning of the next class.
STEP 4: Review: Review each of the 6 Elements. Answer any questions about the elements. Tell the
students exactly what will be on the test. They will be required to watch a film, pick out the main plot
points of the film, state a dominant theme in the film, and give specific examples of another element
used. Any remaining time in class may be used to work on the design assignment.
Lesson 7: Final Analysis
Objective
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the Six Elements of Drama by analyzing a film.
Materials Needed
 Assessment Film (linear story-line with strong themes, with good examples of the other
elements. Ex. What’s Up Doc!)
 Assessment worksheet
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
At the beginning of class, play the plot structure game (see STEP 3 from “Plot Lesson Plan”). Quickly
review the names and dominant points of each element.
Instruction
STEP 1: Pass out the assessment worksheet. Answer any questions.
STEP 2: Play the assessment film. Encourage the students to take notes and begin filling out the
assessment worksheet during class. The worksheet will be due at the beginning of the next class period.
Students, on their honor, must complete the work on their own. Watching the film will take the
remainder of time in class.
Assessment
DUE: Spectacular Scenic Design
Author's Notes
This analysis worksheet can be attached to any kind of production: film or filmed play or a live theatre
production.