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Love In Hate Nation At-Home Activities

Inspired by Love in Hate Nation

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Kate Cordaro

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Perfect Picture

Appropriate for: Grades 7-12

Appropriate for: Advisory, English, Drama

INTRODUCTION

Turn and talk: “Is what you see on social media an accurate reflection of someone’s life?”

Discuss:

  • “What ideas came up with your discussion partner?”
  • “What does it mean to ‘filter’ your life?”
  • “Is social media honest? In what way? In what way is it dishonest?”
  • “Consider magazines and news articles, particularly in terms of lifestyle or community interest. How does this idea of ‘filtering’ play into what you read or see photographed?”
  • “What kinds of ‘behind the scenes’ things do you not see, on social media, in a spotlight story, or in a magazine feature?”

PERFECT PICTURES

Create a photograph (as if for social media or a magazine feature) of one of the following:

  • The perfect family
  • The perfect vacation
  • The perfect wedding
  • The perfect child
  • The perfect friendship
  • The perfect student

Present your images.

Discuss:

  • “What do you see here? What’s happening?”
  • “What relationships do you see?”

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alter your ‘perfect’ pictures to show ‘what’s really happening.’

Consider:

  • Making changes small enough that the original image is recognizable.
  • “Is the thing that’s ‘really’ happening something very big and dramatic? Or is it small, but significant?”

Present your first image, then change into your second.

Discuss:

  • “What’s changed?”
  • “What’s the story?”
  • “What title would you give these two images?”

PLAY CONNECTION

Ms. Asp is excited to have Life Magazine document her institution, and is determined to have an ideal story printed.

Power Over Me

Appropriate for: Grades 7–12

Appropriate for: Advisory, English, Humanities, Drama

PLAY CONNECTION

Most of the characters in “Love in Hate Nation” have been institutionalized by someone with power over them. Taking control of one’s own life is a theme in the play.

BOAL’S COLUMBIAN HYPNOSIS

This game’s name comes from its point of origin: While in exile from his native Brazil, Theater of the Oppressed founder Augusto Boal developed many wordless techniques with indigenous Latin Americans. It was with a group of non-Spanish-speaking Colombians that Colombian Hypnosis was first realized.

  1. In pairs, students find a space in the room.
  2. Students decide who is A and who is B.
  3. A holds their hand up to B’s face, about an inch away.
  4. B’s job is to keep their face exactly that distance from A’s hand at all times.
  5. A ‘leads’ B, moving their hand slowly.
  • Try walking forward or backward, moving up and down, moving on different levels.
  • A’s job is to keep B safe, so that B can concentrate on A’s hand.
  • Pairs should work in silence.

Debrief:

  • “What was that like?”
  • “Bs, were you able to get into a concentration space where you were able to focus completely on A’s hand?”

As and Bs switch, so B is leading.

Debrief:

  • “Who preferred leading to following? Why?”
  • “Who preferred following? Why?”
  • “What was it like to have the power to move your partner?
  • “What was it like to have your partner hold the power?”
  • “What was the transition from one to the other like?”

DISCUSSION

Discuss: “Who has power over young people?”

  • “Why do these people/systems/etc. have power over you?”
  • “How does this power manifest?
  • “How do you know that those with the power are acting in your best interest?”

Consider:

  • How can Columbian Hypnosis be used to show power?
  • What kind of power is it? Deliberate? “For your own good?” Kind?

Optional: look up the posters for your favorite musicals! What design elements do you notice?

Musical of My Life

Appropriate for: Grades 7–12

Appropriate for: Advisory, English, Drama, Music, Art

MATERIALS

  • Writing materials
  • Optional: markers or colored pencils
  • Optional: show poster template

INTRODUCTION

  • “What musicals have you seen?”
  • “When a character or characters break into song, what’s the reason? What kinds of moments get music?”
  •  “Why a song? What does a musical number give the audience that dialogue couldn’t?”

PERSONAL THEME SONG

Brainstorm what existing song might serve as your personal theme song, if a musical were made about your life.

MUSICAL OF MY LIFE

  1. Design the poster for the musical of your life, using your name as the title.
  2. The poster should include the title of your personal theme song.

Consider:

  • “What would the poster design look like?”
  • “What would the title of this musical be?”
  • “What kind of lettering would be used?”
  • “What kind of musical is it? How can you show that in the poster?”