Markheim Reader's Theatre Script -Robert Louis Stevenson -Questions -Rubric

Markheim

You know me?

The visitor smiled.

Visitor

You have long been a favourite of mine, and I have long observed and often sought to help you.

Markheim

What are you? The devil?

Visitor

What I may be, cannot affect the service I propose to render you.

Markheim

It can, it does! Be helped by you? No, never; not by you! You do not know me yet; thank God, you do not know me!

Visitor

I know you…

Replied the visitant, with a sort of kind severity or rather firmness.

Visitor

…I know you to the soul.

Included in the Markheim Reader's Theatre Unit:

22 page script

3 characters + the narrator

15 comprehension questions (with answers)

56 metacognitive/analytical questions

Student Reader's Theatre Evaluations based on 4 levels and 5 criteria.

Student Success Criteria

Student Friendly Goals When Reading

Reader's Theatre Checklist

Markheim synopsis:

Published in 1887, the title character, Markheim, kills an antiques dealer on Christmas Day so he can steal his money. Markheim wants to find the money before the antique's dealer's maid returns. He is later confronted at the scene of his crime by a mysterious “visitant" whom Markheim describes as “neither of earth nor of God.” The Visitor gives him advice on how best to escape being caught. The Visitor suggests that Markheim should kill the maid and then flee the scene. The maid is now entering the shop...What will Markheim do?

Mr. Marvel's Musings:

Believe it or not, Markheim is considered a Christmas story. It has a supernatural element to it, just like A Christmas Carol.

In the first act, Markheim enters the antiques store and confronts and kills the dealer.

In the second act, Markheim tries to find the money. The second act is heavily narrated as we learn how Markheim feels about his crime and we also learn a little bit about his past. Markheim feels paranoid at every sound and sight as he searches for the money.

In the third act, Markheim meets the Visitor, who enters the shop. The Visitor makes suggestions to Markheim as time slowly ticks down to the maid's arrival. Markheim begins to analyze his feelings as he decides what to do.

I would like to thank everyone for their suggestions :)

Do not fear the reader's theater format. Students love these adapted stories because they are listening to the story and they are a part of the story by playing a character within the story.

Reader's theatre inspires reluctant readers to join in the fun. The strongest and most advanced readers in your class will encourage other students to raise their hand and participate in the story. I also use reader's theatre to add to my drama marks.

If the reader's theatre format did not work for my students and I, then I would have stopped creating and adapting them years ago.

Reluctant readers sometimes feel anxious looking at pages of text, whereas a reader's theater script is broken up into narration and different characters speaking, thus making the story more accessible to those students who have not discovered the incredibly fun activity of reading for entertainment.

I use shorter stories with minimal characters in literature circles.

When can one make time for a reader's theatre story in class?

When I am not reading a reader's theatre unit with my class, I usually reserve Friday's for the reading of a one-off story. It is an event that the class looks forward to, since they do not know which story I will choose. Great for Librarians. I project the stories on the screen and assign characters in class. Some characters only have 1 line. A character like that is perfect for a reluctant reader.

I have read these stories remotely/online and in class/in-person.

I encourage teachers and instructors to allow students to practice their parts at home before they read in front of the class. They can try different voices and tones when they practice and it is a good family bonding activity.

I hope you, and your students enjoy reading and analyzing Markheim.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Heri za Kwanzaa!

Excelsior!

Mr. Marvel: The King of Reader's Theatre