LOCKDOWN Learning Activity Guide

For students aged 12-19.

Before the play

Reflect on the title, Lockdown. This word seems to be in the newspapers a lot these days. What sort of play are you expecting to see? (This might be a group discussion prior to the first viewing)

Google "high-school"+"Lockdown". Collect and print out newspaper articles, editorials and other documents that you come up with. Discuss it with a group partner and, together, make a list of five questions that you both agree that you would like to have answered. Keep these until after the play. (An activity for partners)

Write down any personal experiences you may have of a Lockdown.

During the Play

Students should focus on the content (that is, the storyline, topics, issues, ideas, etc.) as well as on how the content is presented (language, music, drama, movement, etc.) If at all possible, students may jot down notes as they watch.

After the play - Group Discussion

What are the main topics/ideas of the play? Give reasons for your responses.

Get together with the partner with whom you created five questions. Decide which questions were answered while you watched the play and what remains to be answered.

Prepare to share your questions and the answers “received” during the play with your class.

What questions were the most common within the group? Were answers similar? Discuss differences and similarities in the questions and the answers. (#1 & #2 could be debriefing exercises for the whole group right after viewing.)

(The following may require seeing the play more than once)

Discuss the methods of presentation. Then, discuss their effectiveness. Would you have done anything differently? What and How? Why? Explain. (This could be a small group or partner activity.)

Individual assignments

Either:

Write a newspaper/magazine review of the play. Remember to award stars!

Or:

Discuss the play (on tape or video that you have created) as if you were a television film critic. Remember to give “thumbs up” or “thumbs down”.

Or:

Design a Lockdown Playbill. This should include a brief outline of the play as well as a short review.