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Comedy & Tragedy

Eighth graders learn the two ancient masks of theater — comedy, which makes us laugh and often ends happily, and tragedy, which explores serious struggle and often ends in loss — and how to tell them apart.

Grade 8Genres45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain comedy.
  • ✓Explain tragedy.
  • ✓Sort the features.
  • ✓Tell genres apart.
Essential Question

The two masks of theater — one smiling, one frowning — stand for comedy and tragedy. What makes a play one or the other?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Comedy or Tragedy?

Project this and sort each feature into comedy or tragedy.

🎭 Sort each — comedy or tragedy?Try it
😂 Comedy
😢 Tragedy
Tap a feature, then tap a bucket.
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Two Masks

5 min

The two masks of theater — smiling and frowning — stand for comedy and tragedy. Why?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show the two masks.
  • Ask what each means.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Comedy & Tragedy

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Comedy or Tragedy?
  • Sort each one.
  • Discuss them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Discuss.
  • Name.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

13 min

Students rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Act a comedic moment.
  • Act a tragic moment.
  • Feel the tone.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Comedy!
  • Tragedy.
  • Feel it.
4

Perform — Perform

11 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform a scene in one genre.
  • Show the tone.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Show it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain comedy.
  • Explain tragedy.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain it.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Theatre).

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.8

Analyze dramatic genres.

NCAS
TH:Cr1.1.8

Explore comedy and tragedy.

NCAS
TH:Re8.1.8

Interpret genre and tone.

NCAS
TH:Cn11.1.8

Connect genres to history.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Comedy/tragedy cards.
  • Sentence frame: “This is ___ because ___.”
  • Use play examples.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with funny vs. sad.
  • Sort one at a time.
  • Use clear examples.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add tragicomedy.
  • Analyze a play’s genre.
  • Rewrite a scene’s tone.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎭The two-masks image
  • 💻Comedy or Tragedy?
  • 📚Play excerpts
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

comedya play meant to amusetragedya serious, sad playgenrea type of playtonethe mood of a playwitclever humordownfalla fall from successconflictthe struggle in a playresolutionhow it ends
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Name a feature of comedy.
Makes the audience laugh, a happy ending, jokes and wit, or a light tone.
QUESTION 2
Name a feature of tragedy.
Serious sad events, ending in loss, deep emotions, or a serious tone.
QUESTION 3
What are the two masks of theater?
Comedy (smiling) and tragedy (frowning).

Reflect: which genre?

Have students think of a favorite movie or show and decide if it’s more comedy or tragedy, and why. A printable comedy-tragedy sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Comedy & TragedyFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Comedy & TragedyQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Comedy & TragedyPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: comedy, conflict, downfall, genre, resolution, tone, tragedy, wit
  1. a fall from success
  2. a serious, sad play
  3. the struggle in a play
  4. how it ends
  5. a play meant to amuse
  6. a type of play
  7. the mood of a play
  8. clever humor

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name a feature of comedy.
  2. Name a feature of tragedy.
  3. What are the two masks of theater?
Answer key — Part A: 1) downfall · 2) tragedy · 3) conflict · 4) resolution · 5) comedy · 6) genre · 7) tone · 8) wit
Part B: 1) Makes the audience laugh, a happy ending, jokes and wit, or a light tone. 2) Serious sad events, ending in loss, deep emotions, or a serious tone. 3) Comedy (smiling) and tragedy (frowning).