Introduction

This guide provides 101 actionable prompts for educators and students of the IB Diploma Programme Literature and Performance (SL) course. The prompts are designed to be used with Generative AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude to enhance teaching, learning, and overall engagement with the curriculum. They are based on a thorough analysis of the course’s objectives, which uniquely blend literary analysis with the practicalities of theatrical performance.

How to Use These Prompts:

• Copy and Paste: Simply copy the prompt and paste it into your chosen AI tool.
• Customize: Replace bracketed text [e.g., text] with your specific details (e.g., a particular play, a specific literary device, or a performance concept).
• Iterate: Use the AI’s initial response as a starting point. Ask follow-up questions to refine and deepen the information.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts (50)

A. Planning & Curriculum Design (15 Prompts)

1. Syllabus Outline: “Generate a semester-long syllabus for IB Literature and Performance SL, focusing on the theme of [e.g., ‘Power and Corruption’]. Include two literary texts (one play, one poetry collection) and one performance tradition [e.g., Theatre of the Absurd]. The syllabus should map out weekly topics, key activities, and formative assessment points.”
2. Unit Plan: “Create a 4-week unit plan for the study of [Play Title] by [Author]. The plan should integrate literary analysis of the text with practical performance workshops exploring key scenes. Include learning objectives, essential questions, and suggested activities.”
3. Cross-Textual Connections: “Suggest three compelling ways to connect the literary study of [Text 1] with the performance-based exploration of [Text 2], focusing on shared themes like [e.g., ‘identity and exile’].”
4. Performance Tradition Introduction: “Design an introductory lesson plan for the [e.g., Butoh] performance tradition. The plan should include a brief history, key practitioners, core aesthetic principles, and a simple, practical exercise for students to experience its physicality.”
5. Assessment Calendar: “Create a clear assessment calendar for the two-year IB Literature and Performance SL course. It should include deadlines for the Internal Assessment (Performance), the formal essay, and mock written examinations, with suggested timelines for drafting and feedback.”
6. Resource List: “Compile a list of digital and print resources for studying [Author’s Name]’s dramatic works. Include academic articles, video recordings of performances, interviews with directors, and relevant critical theory texts.”
7. Differentiated Instruction: “Provide three strategies for differentiating instruction in a mixed-ability IB Literature and Performance class during a workshop on [e.g., physical characterization]. Offer extension activities for advanced students and support for those who are struggling.”
8. Essential Questions: “Generate five essential questions for a unit exploring the intersection of poetry and performance, using the work of [Poet’s Name].”
9. Interdisciplinary Links: “Suggest three interdisciplinary project ideas connecting IB Literature and Performance with IB History, focusing on the historical context of [e.g., post-war British theatre].”
10. Vocabulary List: “Create a glossary of 20 key terms for the IB Literature and Performance course, divided into ‘Literary Analysis’ and ‘Performance Theory’. For each term, provide a concise definition and an example.”
11. Guest Artist Plan: “Outline a plan for a guest artist workshop. The artist is a [e.g., professional lighting designer]. The plan should include pre-workshop activities for students, questions for the Q&A session, and a post-workshop reflection task.”
12. Scaffolding the IA: “Design a series of scaffolding activities to guide students through the Internal Assessment (Performance). The activities should break down the process into manageable steps: text selection, concept development, rehearsal, and writing the rationale.”
13. Integrating Theory: “Develop a lesson plan that introduces students to the critical lens of [e.g., Post-colonialism] and applies it to both the analysis of [Literary Text] and the conceptualization of a performance piece.”
14. Ethical Performance: “Create a set of discussion prompts for a lesson on the ethics of performance, focusing on issues of representation, cultural appropriation, and audience responsibility when staging [Specific Play or Scene].”
15. Year-Long Pacing Guide: “Generate a high-level, year-long pacing guide for the IB Literature and Performance SL course, ensuring balanced coverage of all syllabus components and assessment tasks.”

B. Lesson Delivery & Activities (15 Prompts)

1. Warm-up Exercises: “Provide five 10-minute performance warm-up exercises that connect to the theme of [e.g., ‘transformation’] in [Play Title].”
2. Scene Analysis to Staging: “Take this passage from [Play Title, Act, Scene]: [Paste passage]. Generate a step-by-step guide for a student-led activity that moves from literary analysis (subtext, rhythm, imagery) to practical staging choices (blocking, gesture, vocal delivery).”
3. Worksheet Creation: “Create a worksheet for analyzing the use of [e.g., metaphor] in [Poem Title] by [Poet]. The worksheet should prompt students to identify examples, explain their effect, and brainstorm how to translate them into a physical or vocal performance choice.”
4. Discussion Prompts: “Generate 10 thought-provoking discussion questions about the role of the audience in [Play Title]. Frame the questions to encourage both literary interpretation and consideration of performance dynamics.”
5. Improvisation Scenarios: “Create five improvisation scenarios for pairs of students, based on the relationship between [Character A] and [Character B] from [Play Title]. The scenarios should explore moments not explicitly shown in the text.”
6. Staging Challenge: “Design a ‘staging challenge’ where students must stage a 2-minute section of [Text] using only [e.g., three chairs and one piece of fabric]. Ask for guiding questions to help them focus on minimalism and symbolic representation.”
7. Lighting Design Intro: “Explain the basic principles of stage lighting (intensity, color, direction, focus) in simple terms. Then, create a task where students design a lighting state for a key moment in [Play Title] and justify their choices.”
8. Sound Design Task: “Create a sound design task. Students must create a 3-minute soundscape for the opening of [Play Title] using only found sounds (objects in the classroom) and their own voices. Provide a list of effects to consider (e.g., ambient sound, specific cues, underscoring).”
9. Character Journaling: “Generate a writing prompt for a character journal entry from the perspective of [Character Name] after the events of [Act, Scene] in [Play Title]. The prompt should encourage reflection on both internal thoughts and physical sensations.”
10. Transforming Prose: “Provide a short paragraph of descriptive prose from [Novel/Short Story]. Create a guided activity where students must transform this prose into a performable script, making decisions about dialogue, stage directions, and structure.”
11. Role-Play Debate: “Set up a role-play debate between two literary critics with opposing views on [Author’s] work. Provide a summary of each critic’s perspective and a list of key points for students to argue.”
12. Physicalizing a Poem: “Choose a short, imagistic poem like [Poem Title]. Design a workshop activity where students, in small groups, create a physical ‘sculpture’ or short movement piece that embodies the poem’s central theme.”
13. Director’s Notebook: “Create a template for a ‘Director’s Notebook’ for the Internal Assessment. It should include sections for concept, textual analysis, design ideas (set, costume, light, sound), rehearsal notes, and reflections.”
14. Peer Feedback Protocol: “Develop a structured protocol for students to give constructive peer feedback during rehearsals. Include sentence starters like ‘I was really struck by the way you…’ and ‘I wonder what would happen if…'”
15. Analyzing a Performance: “Find a publicly available video of a professional production of [Play Title] on YouTube. Create a viewing guide with 10 questions that prompt students to analyze the director’s choices and the actors’ performances in relation to their own reading of the text.”

C. Assessment & Feedback (10 Prompts)

1. Rubric Creation: “Generate a student-friendly rubric for a formative performance task based on the IB Internal Assessment criteria. The rubric should cover ‘The transformation of text in/into performance,’ ‘The application of performance and production elements,’ and ‘Performance skills.'”
2. Mock Exam Question: “Create a mock Paper 2-style essay question comparing the presentation of [e.g., ‘social conflict’] in [Play 1] and [Play 2].”
3. IA Rationale Exemplar: “Write an exemplar 300-word rationale for an Internal Assessment performance based on a scene from [Play Title]. The performance concept is [e.g., ‘to stage the scene as a memory play using fragmented, non-linear lighting’]. Ensure it connects textual interpretation to performance choices.”
4. Comment Bank for Feedback: “Create a comment bank with 15-20 specific, constructive feedback statements for student performances. Categorize them by strengths (e.g., ‘Excellent vocal clarity and projection’) and areas for growth (e.g., ‘Consider how your posture can better reflect the character’s status’).”
5. Essay Outline Generator: “Act as a student who needs to write an essay on [Essay Topic]. Generate a detailed essay outline, including a thesis statement, topic sentences for three body paragraphs, and suggested textual evidence from [Text 1] and [Text 2].”
6. Self-Assessment Questionnaire: “Design a self-assessment questionnaire for students to complete after their IA performance. The questions should prompt reflection on their process, challenges, successes, and understanding of the text.”
7. Paper 1 Practice: “Take this unseen text [Paste a short, dramatic prose passage]. Generate a set of guiding questions in the style of Paper 1, focusing on how the writer creates dramatic tension and develops character.”
8. Grading Justification: “Here is a student’s short written analysis of a scene [Paste a 200-word student sample]. Using the IB assessment criteria for written work, provide a grade and a justification for it, highlighting strengths and weaknesses.”
9. Improving a Thesis: “A student’s thesis is: ‘Shakespeare’s Hamlet is about revenge.’ Refine this into three stronger, more argumentative thesis statements suitable for an IB-level essay.”
10. Oral Presentation Rubric: “Create a rubric for a short oral presentation where students analyze a director’s concept for a production they have seen. Criteria should include analysis, use of evidence, and clarity of presentation.”

D. Enrichment & Extension (10 Prompts)

1. Creative Project Ideas: “Generate five creative project ideas that extend the study of [Play Title]. The projects should offer alternatives to a traditional essay, such as designing a marketing campaign for a new production or creating a podcast series discussing the play’s relevance today.”
2. Further Reading List: “A student is fascinated by the performance style of [Performance Practitioner, e.g., Bertolt Brecht]. Create a ‘further reading and viewing’ list for them, including key theoretical texts, biographies, and landmark productions.”
3. Connecting to Current Events: “Find a recent news article about [e.g., a political protest]. Create a task that asks students to connect the themes and tactics described in the article to the strategies of protest in the play [Play Title].”
4. Adapting for a New Context: “Propose a concept for a modern adaptation of [Classic Play Title]. Set the play in [e.g., a contemporary tech startup] and explain how this new context would change the characters’ motivations and the play’s central conflicts.”
5. Playwriting Prompt: “Write a short playwriting prompt that asks students to write a two-page scene inspired by the style of [Playwright’s Name], featuring two characters in a single location, with a clear central conflict.”
6. Theatre History Research: “Generate a research project outline for a student investigating the influence of [e.g., the Harlem Renaissance] on American theatre.”
7. Critical Lenses: “Explain the critical lens of [e.g., Ecocriticism] in simple terms. Then, generate three discussion questions applying this lens to [Play Title].”
8. Student-Led Club: “Outline a plan for a student-led ‘Lit & Performance Club’. Include a mission statement, potential activities for the year (e.g., attending local theatre, holding a monologue slam), and roles for student leaders.”
9. Festival Proposal: “Write a proposal for a mini ‘Festival of Student Work’ to showcase the IA performances. The proposal should be addressed to the school administration and outline the educational value, logistical needs, and potential audience.”
10. Career Pathways: “Create a list of 10 potential career pathways for students who excel in Literature and Performance, beyond acting or directing. For each career, briefly explain the role and the skills from this course that would be valuable.”

Section 2 – Student Prompts (50)

A. Understanding Concepts & Texts (15 Prompts)

1. Explain a Concept: “Explain the performance theory of [e.g., ‘Verfremdungseffekt’ (Alienation Effect)] as if you’re explaining it to a 10th grader. Use an example from a modern film or TV show.”
2. Character Analysis: “Provide a detailed character analysis of [Character Name] from [Play Title]. Focus on their objectives, obstacles, and key relationships. What is their super-objective in the play?”
3. Theme Summary: “Summarize the theme of [e.g., ‘the illusion of freedom’] in [Play Title]. Identify three key scenes where this theme is most apparent.”
4. Context is Key: “Provide a concise summary of the social and historical context in which [Playwright’s Name] wrote [Play Title]. How might this context have influenced the play’s themes and style?”
5. Literary Device: “What is the effect of the literary device [e.g., dramatic irony] in [Play Title, Act, Scene]? Explain how it affects the audience’s understanding of the characters and the plot.”
6. Performance Tradition: “I need to understand [e.g., Commedia dell’arte]. Give me a bullet-point summary of its key features, stock characters, and performance style.”
7. Unpacking a Quote: “Unpack this quote by [Character Name]: [Paste quote]. What does it reveal about their state of mind? What subtext might be present?”
8. Compare and Contrast: “Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the motivations of [Character A] and [Character B] in [Play Title].”
9. Visualizing the Set: “Based on the stage directions and dialogue in [Play Title], describe what the set might look like. What is the overall mood or atmosphere created by this setting?”
10. Author’s Style: “Describe the key features of [Author’s Name]’s writing style in three bullet points, using examples from [Text].”
11. Simplifying Theory: “I’m reading an article by [e.g., Antonin Artaud] and it’s confusing. Can you summarize the main argument of his ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ in simpler terms?”
12. Plot Summary: “Provide a scene-by-scene summary of Act 2 of [Play Title].”
13. Symbolism: “Identify three key symbols in [Play Title] and explain what they represent.”
14. From Page to Stage: “I’m reading this poem: [Paste poem]. What are some initial ideas for how I could turn this into a short performance piece? What is the central feeling or idea I should focus on?”
15. Key Terminology: “What’s the difference between blocking, gesture, and posture in acting? Give me a simple definition for each.”

B. Practicing & Applying Skills (15 Prompts)

1. Monologue Selection: “I am a [e.g., 17-year-old female] actor. Suggest three suitable monologues for me from published plays. One should be classical, one contemporary dramatic, and one contemporary comedic. The monologues should be around 1-2 minutes long.”
2. Scene Work: “My partner and I are working on [Play Title, Act, Scene]. I am playing [Character A]. What are my character’s objectives in this scene? What tactics could I use to try and get what I want from [Character B]?”
3. Vocal Warm-ups: “Give me three vocal warm-up exercises to improve my diction and projection before a rehearsal.”
4. Physical Characterization: “I need to play a character who is [e.g., very old and frail]. Give me five practical exercises to help me develop the physicality for this role, focusing on posture, gait, and gesture.”
5. IA Brainstorm: “I need to develop a concept for my Internal Assessment performance. The text I’ve chosen is [Text]. Brainstorm three different performance concepts for me, each with a unique directorial vision.”
6. Rationale Draft: “Help me start my IA rationale. My concept is [e.g., to explore the theme of confinement using a minimalist set and intense sound design]. Write an opening paragraph that clearly states my intention.”
7. Lighting Design Ideas: “I’m designing the lighting for a scene. The mood is [e.g., tense and suspenseful]. What colors and angles should I consider using? Explain why.”
8. Costume Concept: “Generate a costume design concept for the character of [Character Name] in [Play Title]. The design should reflect their personality and social status. Provide a sketch description or a mood board of ideas.”
9. Memorization Techniques: “Give me five effective techniques for memorizing my lines.”
10. Blocking a Scene: “Here is a short two-person scene [Paste scene]. Suggest some basic blocking for the characters. Where should they move and when, and what does this movement communicate?”
11. Subtext Practice: “Take the line: ‘I’m fine.’ Write three different versions of this line, each with a different subtext (e.g., angry, heartbroken, lying). Suggest how an actor could deliver the line to convey each meaning.”
12. Essay Outline: “I have to write an essay comparing how [Play 1] and [Play 2] explore the theme of [Theme]. Help me create a point-by-point outline.”
13. Thesis Statement Builder: “Help me write a strong thesis statement for an essay about the use of language in [Play Title]. My main idea is that the characters’ language hides their true intentions.”
14. Finding Evidence: “I’m writing a paragraph about how [Character Name] is ambitious. Find me three short quotes from [Play Title] that I can use as evidence.”
15. Integrating Criticism: “I found this quote from a critic: [Paste critic’s quote]. How can I integrate this into my essay? Show me how to introduce the quote and then explain its significance.”

C. Revising & Self-Assessment (10 Prompts)

1. Flashcard Creation: “Create a set of 10 digital flashcards for [Play Title]. On one side, put a key quote. On the other, put the character who said it and a brief analysis of its significance.”
2. Revision Guide: “Generate a one-page revision guide for the performance tradition of [e.g., Noh Theatre]. It should include key history, aesthetic principles, stage elements, and key terms.”
3. Self-Correction: “Here is a paragraph from my essay draft: [Paste paragraph]. Check it for clarity, argumentation, and use of evidence. Suggest two ways to improve it.”
4. Quiz Me: “Quiz me on the plot of [Play Title]. Ask me five questions about key events in the play.”
5. Concept Map: “Create a concept map or mind map that shows the connections between the key themes, characters, and symbols in [Play Title].”
6. Rehearsal Reflection: “Give me five questions to ask myself in a rehearsal journal after I’ve worked on a scene. The questions should help me reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what my goals are for the next rehearsal.”
7. Check Against the Rubric: “This is the draft of my IA rationale: [Paste draft]. Using the official IB assessment criteria, give me feedback on what I’ve done well and where I can improve.”
8. Explain It Back: “I’ve just learned about [Complex Theory]. To check my understanding, I’m going to explain it back to you. [Student’s explanation]. Is my understanding correct? Clarify any misconceptions.”
9. Top 5 Mistakes: “What are the top 5 most common mistakes students make in the IB Literature and Performance written exam? For each mistake, explain how to avoid it.”
10. One-Sentence Summaries: “Help me revise. For each act of [Play Title], write a one-sentence summary of its main action.”

D. Preparing for Assessment (10 Prompts)

1. Paper 1 Strategy: “Give me a step-by-step strategy for tackling the Paper 1 unseen commentary. What should I do in the first five minutes of reading time?”
2. Paper 2 Planning: “I have 45 minutes to write my Paper 2 essay. Give me a realistic time management plan for planning, writing, and proofreading.”
3. Unseen Text Practice: “Act as the IB examiner. Give me an unseen prose passage (around 300-400 words) with a dramatic quality. Then, provide a guiding question for a written analysis.”
4. IA Rationale Checklist: “Create a final checklist for my IA Rationale before I submit it. It should include things like word count, connection between intention and performance, and use of course terminology.”
5. Performance Day Warm-up: “Design a 15-minute physical and vocal warm-up routine specifically for the day of my performance assessment. It should help calm my nerves and focus my energy.”
6. Essay Introduction Practice: “Here is a Paper 2 question: [Paste question]. Write two different opening paragraphs for an essay responding to this question.”
7. Connecting Texts: “For my Paper 2, I’m comparing [Play 1] and [Poetry Collection]. Give me three strong points of comparison between the two texts regarding the theme of [Theme].”
8. Anticipating Questions: “After my IA performance, the teacher might ask me questions. What are three likely questions I could be asked about my process and my choices? Help me practice answering one of them.”
9. Command Terms: “Explain the difference between the IB command terms ‘Analyse,’ ‘Compare,’ and ‘Evaluate.’ What does each one require me to do in an essay?”
10. Final Mental Prep: “It’s the night before my written exam. Give me three practical tips for final preparation and for managing stress on the day.”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt (1)

1. The Pitch: “You are a team of theatre-makers and literary analysts pitching a new, immersive performance experience to a funding body. Your task is to synthesize the core themes and literary style of [Literary Text, e.g., a collection of Sylvia Plath’s poetry] with the aesthetic principles of a specific performance tradition [e.g., Japanese Butoh].

Generate the following:
* **A Title and a Tagline:** A catchy title for the performance and a one-sentence tagline that captures its essence.
* **The Concept (150 words):** A concise explanation of your directorial vision. How will you merge the text and the performance style? What is the central experience you want the audience to have?
* **Audience Journey:** Describe one key moment in the performance from the audience’s perspective, explaining how the fusion of text and performance creates a powerful impact.
* **Justification (100 words):** Briefly explain why this specific text and performance tradition are a compelling match.”