Lesson Plan: Character Immersion

Implemented Winter 2005

Focus/Context

As part of the Theatre Arts 2200 Course, students are required to explore in-context characterization.  This includes method acting, improvisation, character analysis, persona development/building, etc.  I have worked with the particular group of students for four years as a drama troupe thus, my approach to this course was directed at high level skill building.  For the unit on characterization, all outcomes were met and the unit culminated in a character immersion exercise which lasted for six class periods.  I participated within the drama exercise as a character with a carefully chosen role -- Navigator.  What follows is a lesson plan, written after the fact for Ed. 537, which outlines the lesson, the results of the lesson, and the implementation of Multiple Intelligence teaching/learning within the interactive project.

No script or detailed direction is employed in this type of dramatic activity.  The drama builds itself through character action and interaction, concluding in one of many outcomes.  See below for details.

The teacher would, at particular points within the drama, freeze the action and step out of role to offer information, set up dilemas, or simply guide the action in a preferred direction.  For example, at one point, a student took it upon himself to become 'injured' which would have been detrimental to the progress of the drama.  Sensing that this 'incident' would take away from the intended direction of the action, the teacher 'froze' the group and indicated that this 'injury' was not serious and that action should continue.  When 'thawed', the group implemented a series of actions which remedied the 'injury' and the action continued.

Materials

• Maps of the area

• Snowsuits and appropriate winter clothes

• Snowshoes/Rackets

• Ski-poles

• Backpacking gear

• 40amp breaker ("the switch")

• Bristle Board

• String

• Markers

• Scissors

• Matches

• Compass

• Axe

• Food (in sealed containers)

• Permission slips

• Notebooks (used as log books)

Activities

Day 1:  Students were informed of the project and given a general set of directions.  These directions indicated that they would be participating in a rescue mission as a search/rescue team.  The year was 1977 (chosen to eliminate any ideas surrounding GPS devices or other 'advanced' technologies) and a plane had gone down in a remote area of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, near the community of Croque.  The plane carried 13 passengers and had been missing for approximately 12 hours.  A group of specialists were called-in to form the team which would rescue the stranded passengers. Six students comprised the class (seven, including the teacher).  The students were not immersed at this point -- they had to 'create' their characters.  I left it up to the students to decide on their characters, for whom they had to create complete personas.  This first class was used to discuss the project, create appropriate characters, and to create name-tags to wear.  Very little guidance was offered on the part of the teacher.  The character personas chosen by the students were:

• A hiking guide from BC
• A retired Minister with Military training and experience
• A psychologist
• An outfitter
• A search and rescue team leader from Alberta
• A doctor (medical)
• *The teacher was a navigation specialist (chosen to offer in-context direction without having to separate from the action)

Day 2:  The action of the drama begins.  The group is assembled in an alternate empty classroom where the final directions are given by the teacher.  They each "got into character" and one by one, they left this room and entered the Drama classroom in-role.  Half of this class was taken for character introductions and discussion -- waiting for further instructions.  To enhance the 'reality' of the situation, the teacher arranged for the school secretary to enter the room in-role as a "base leader".  A prepared set of instructions was then delivered by the base leader telling the group of the situation and directing it to begin as soon as possible.  Additional dilemmas were introduced in that, the area being remote and prone to bad weather in winter, was largely inaccessible by helicopter.  The group was given "The Switch" a 'new' kind of technology which, when activated, would send a signal to an orbiting satellite and indicate the group's location for pick-up.  "The Switch" could only be used once however, so it ought to be activated either when the mission was successful or when it had failed.  The 'base leader' then gave the maps to the group.

Following this, the 'base leader' left the room, allowing the group to ready itself for departure.  The group reviewed the maps, one of which outlined the three primary search areas (approximately two square kilometers in reality).  By the end of class, the group had made plans and were ready to depart.

Day 3:  After a brief review of events to date, the group members were directed to simply re-immerse themselves in their individual roles and pick up where they left off in the freeze the day before.  Then the group departed and, on foot, began making its way into the open areas 'behind' the community.  The rest of the class was taken up walking and trying to 'make it' to a remote cabin before 'night' fell.

*NOTE:  The time of the drama's action was inconsistent with real-time.  Every class which took place allowed between one and three full days of searching.

Days 4, 5, and 6

Rather than going into deep detail here, basically this is what happened (in drama time):

• The group left the cabin and near the end of the second day, it found the first search area.  It spent a few hours searching but concluded that the plane had not crashed in the vicinity.
• The group made camp for the night. 
• The group spent day three trying to make it to the next search area but was unable to reach it due to weather.  Camp was set.
• Day four found the group in deep snow and somewhat disoriented due to heavy fog which clouded the landmarks.  The second search area was found however, and after a few hours searching (including a near death experience for one of the members), it was decided that the plane had not crashed in the vicinity.
• The group began moving towards the third and final search area but had to set camp for the night.  During the night, in an attempt to ascertain their precise location by firelight, the navigator accidentally set fire to the maps.
• The group spent the following morning trying to decide what to do -- to turn back, keep searching, or trigger "The Switch".  It was decided, after much deliberation, that the group would continue searching because it knew the 'general' direction of the third site and "The Switch" was always available if the group was in serious trouble.
• The group reached what it thought was the third area (though no one was sure) and found no plane.  This meant that 1. the plane was lost completely (covered by snow or not in the search areas) or 2. that the group was in the wrong place.
• The group decided to keep searching for one more day -- the amount of time they figured that the passengers could remain alive without aid.
• That day came and went... the morning of the following day, a great disagreement erupted and the navigator was accidentally killed in a struggle.  Additionally, in a fury, one of the members lost "The Switch".
• The final outcome of the project was that all members died and the plane was never recovered.

Contextual Analysis

The final outcome was one of four: 

1. The group was successful in finding the downed plane and rescuing the passengers
2. The group was successful in finding the downed plane but not in rescuing the passengers
3. The group could not find the plane, triggered "The Switch" and had to be evacuated
4. The group was unsuccessful and was not evacuated (everyone dies)

The teacher could not determine the action... the character immersion was such that the personas determined the action.  The mission was a failure but the project was a tremendous success.  It is not recommended that this be attempted with novice actors nor with teachers unfamiliar with constructivist approaches to teaching.  Additionally, it is clear that the teacher is not in direct control of all elements and, as such, ought to prepare for all contingencies.

All character roles were maintained throughout the project, which was indeed the project goal.  Students demonstrated character mastery and were able to meet all course outcomes associated with characterization.

Evaluation

Students were evaluated via the following methods:

• Assessment of mission logs which were kept throughout the project
• Peer-Evaluation
• Self-Evaluation
• Scoring Rubrics
• Anecdotal holistic records kept by teacher throughout project
• Rubric designed to evaluate character immersion including criteria such as: dialogue, action, persona history, etc.

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences in Context

Linguistic Intelligence:  Students were required to interact verbally and continually within the context of the drama.  Additionally, students were required to keep mission logs and present a written report at the end of the project.  Beyond this, students had to evaluate their own and others' performance within the drama.

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence:  All students were required to use the maps provided and discern directions.  The maps were actual maps of the area which enhanced the reality of the situation and provided a proving ground for real skill implementation.

Spatial Intelligence:  The students were actually required to navigate and articulate their understanding of space within the context of the search and rescue mission. 

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: The students spent four class periods trekking on snowshoes in deep snow and difficult terrain.  

Musical Intelligence:  While it was not a stipulated part of the exercise, the group tended to sing together while walking for longer periods and while "camping" for the night.

Interpersonal Intelligence: Without a strong ability to interact with peers, this project would have flopped completely.  The students, both in and out of role, had to interact on an in-depth level with all group members, including the teacher.

Intrapersonal Intelligence: As part of the character immersion, the students had to reflect inwardly both on themselves and on their chosen personas.  They not only had to evaluate their own understanding of the situation but they had to clearly understand and reflect on that of their chosen characters.

Naturalistic Intelligence:  The project took place primarily outside.  All students were required to navigate to some degree, and to make decisions based on their perceptions of weather, the landscape, etc.  

Existential Intelligence?: Ironically, this was probably one of the more inclusive intelligences.  The whole project was about the insolvable questions -- when to call it quits... when to choose self over others... etc.  Much philosophical discussion took place within the group.  Some characters made profound statements regarding the situation such as "we can't give up... God put us here to help these people.. I feel it".

Some Pictures:

The group searching	Walking in a line for safety	A hill to be searched	A closer look
Search the hill	No luck yet...	Searching an open area	Still looking...
Lost... where now?	Me-- reading the maps	One of the maps	Same map with search areas indicated

©2005

Corey Ivany