Kenmore West High School

Course Syllabus

IB Theatre 2

Mr. Rigney

Course Overview:

The Purpose of this class is to provide seniors in the IB program with a rigorous class in the theory and practice of theatre techniques around the world, and synthesize all aspects of the IB Learner Profile into integrated class assessments and Internally Moderated and Externally Moderated IB Assessments.

Grading System:

Grades will be based on a combination of class grades for the IB Assessments (Practical Performance Proposal and Theatre Performance and Production Presentation), in-class activities, weekly recurrent assignments,   quarterly play/performance assessment papers, and class participation.

Exams/Assessments

There is no final exam. The two main assessments are the IB assessments. The Solo Project(HL Only)  is due in early January and is graded externally by the IB (I will give a class grade based on a predicted grade); the Research Presentation (SL and HL) is given in late February and/or early March (Externally assessed.)

Writing

One focus of this class is developing writing skills that will be required in college. Though this is not an English class, you will be expected to express your ideas cogently and using all conventions of standard English as well as MLA citation for all source materials..

Assessment/Feedback

Throughout the year, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of a variety of tools a good writer has at his or her disposal: Style, tone, vocabulary, organization, sentence structure, logic, details and a variety of rhetorical devices.  For the most part my assessment of your development and control of these tools will be through commenting on successive drafts of your writing submitted to me either electronically or via hardcopy However, other assessments will also serve as benchmarks of your progress in these areas as well. I will also offer feedback through conferences (an after school requirement) and via email when necessary. Assessments and feedback are a necessary part of any class, but because your goal is to improve as a writer, it is fundamental that you look to this aspect of the work as crucial in your progress as a writer. Late assignments will not be accepted without a medical excuse or prior arrangement.

Literature

You will be studying a wide variety of theatre practitioners and practices. Our first unit of study focuses on theoretical writings of several theatre practitioners, including Antonin Artaud, Peter Brook, Jerzy Grotowski, F.T. Marinetti, Richard Schechner and others. You will be expected to familiarize yourself with a variety of playtexts on your own, and we will be looking at the works of William Shakespeare in some depth.