English Language Arts · 9th Grade

Active learning ideas

Symbolism in Drama

Students need to move beyond surface reading when studying symbolism in drama. Active learning works because it forces them to engage physically and collaboratively with the text, making abstract concepts like ‘meaning beyond the literal’ concrete through annotation, discussion, and movement. These activities turn what could feel like guesswork into a structured, evidence-based skill.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Concept Mapping
• 45 min · Individual

Symbol Tracker: Annotating Across the Text

Each student or pair is assigned a specific object, character, or motif to track across the full reading of a play. As they read, they record each appearance, the context, and any shift in the object's apparent significance. At the end of the reading, the class assembles their findings into a shared symbol map.

How does a recurring symbol deepen the thematic meaning of a play?

Facilitation Tip

During Symbol Tracker, model how to mark symbols with different colored pencils to separate literal mentions from symbolic resonance.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from a play (or a familiar play like 'A Raisin in the Sun'). Ask them to identify one potential symbol and write 2-3 sentences explaining its literal function and what it might represent thematically.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Object Stations

Set up stations around the room, each displaying a photograph of a key symbolic object from a play the class has read. Students rotate and write what each object meant at its first appearance, what it meant at the climax, and what the change in meaning reveals about the play's themes.

Analyze how a seemingly ordinary object can take on profound symbolic significance.

Facilitation Tip

For Gallery Walk, set a timer at each station so students focus on close observation before moving to discussion.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How might Willy Loman's seeds in 'Death of a Salesman' symbolize his desire for legacy and his failure to achieve it?' Encourage students to cite specific moments from the play to support their interpretations.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: One Symbol, Two Readings

Students read two brief critical interpretations of the same symbol offering different conclusions. Individually, they identify the textual evidence each interpretation relies on. Pairs discuss which reading they find more defensible and what additional evidence would be needed to adjudicate the disagreement.

Explain how different interpretations of a symbol can lead to varied understandings of a play.

Facilitation Tip

When running Think-Pair-Share, assign specific symbols to pairs so every object gets discussed rather than just the most obvious ones.

What to look for

During reading, pause and ask students to jot down any object, character, or action that seems to reappear or carry extra weight. Have them share these with a partner and briefly discuss why they think it might be symbolic.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with concrete objects before abstract ideas. Drama teachers often begin by having students trace a single object’s journey through a play, which builds confidence before tackling broader thematic connections. Avoid rushing to ‘the answer’—instead, teach students to document patterns and let interpretations emerge through rereading. Research shows that repeated exposure to the same symbol across scenes strengthens students’ analytical writing more than one-off lessons on symbolism.

Successful learning looks like students identifying symbols with clear textual support, explaining how those symbols accumulate meaning across a play, and respecting multiple valid interpretations. They should connect their observations to character development or thematic concerns rather than treating symbols as isolated puzzles.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Symbol Tracker, watch for students marking every object as symbolic.

  Redirect by asking them to highlight only objects that recur, are described in detail, or are tied to a character’s emotional shift. Have them justify each choice with a brief note in the margin.

• During Gallery Walk, watch for students treating each symbol as having one fixed meaning.

  Have pairs record two possible interpretations for each object on their station sheet and cite the specific moment that supports each reading.

• During Think-Pair-Share, watch for students assuming the author intended a single symbolic meaning.

  Prompt them to discuss what the symbol ‘makes possible’ rather than what it ‘means.’ Ask, ‘What emotions or ideas does this object open up for the audience?’

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Methods used in this brief

• Concept Mapping
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share