Social Issue Monologue

Similar to the “Missing Voice Monologue,” the social issue monologue is an excellent assessment of students’ critical thinking and analysis skills as they create and perform a monologue from the point of view of a social issue. 

Grade Level/Age: 10th grade (15-16 years)

Curriculum Addressed: The focus of the curriculum is on research, critical thinking and point of view.

Process Goals: Students research a social issue and create a monologue from that the personified perspective of the social issue.  Due to the research involved, the monologues are best used more formally for a final assessment.

Materials: Any source could be adapted for use with this activity.

Desired Understandings: Students will continue to home their literacy skills as they research and create monologues from the personified perspective of a social issue.

Procedure:

1. Assign students a social issue (or let them choose one that interests them).  
2. After researching a set number of sources, students discuss and personify their social issue.
3. In groups, pairs, or individually, students create a monologue from the personified perspective of the social issue.
4. Students will present their monologues (or record them in iMovie) to the class.  A discussion of their analysis and artistic choices will follow along with a reference page of the sources consulted during their research.  A written response and explanation of their dramatic adaption could be assigned, too.

Standards:

Standard 1: Oral Expression and Listening

1. Content that is gathered carefully and organized well successfully influences an audience. 

Standard 3:  Writing and Composition

1. Literary or narrative genres feature a variety of stylistic devices to engage or entertain an audience.
2. Organizational writing patterns inform or persuade an audience.

Standard 4: Research and Reasoning

1. Collect, analyze, and evaluate information obtained from multiple sources to answer a question, propose solutions, or share findings and conclusions

Assessment:  I use our English Department’s AP Synthesis rubric to evaluate students’ monologues.  The writing rubric reinforces both the content students are learning and the writing process at the same time. 

Adaptions/Accommodations:  I expect all students to do their best in completing the assignment.  I often will let students record their monologue and present their performance as an iMovie.