Workshop Overview
Age: 17. Goal: Close-read the first lines of Book 19 of Augustine's City of God, parse each word using a Michael Clay Thompson T-model (parts of speech for every word, phrase identification, sentence function labels, sentence structure and type), then perform a memorized mock court speech in a playful legalese style with an Ally McBeal cadence. This worksheet scaffolds the parsing and performance and offers exemplar and rubriced feedback at exemplar, proficient, meeting and beginning levels.
Step 1: Insert the text
Paste your chosen English translation of the first lines of Book 19 here:
Step 2: Read once for sense, twice for sound
- Read silently to understand meaning.
- Read aloud marking pauses, strong syllables, and any inversion or archaic word order.
- Decide on the sentence(s) you will parse and memorize for your mock court speech.
Step 3: T-Model Sentence Parsing Template (blank for student)
Below is the T-model. Print and write in the blanks. Use circles for phrase types and square boxes for word-level parts of speech.
Original sentence (write it exactly):
Word-by-word column (one line per word). For each word write the word, then in the box label its part of speech.
Function labels (write subject, predicate, object, complement, modifier for each relevant chunk):
Phrase identification (circle type):
Sentence-level labels:
Step 4: Performative notes for memorized mock court speech
Adopt playful legalese and an Ally McBeal cadence: light, conversational, with comedic timing and sudden, emotional dips and rises. Imagine you are an advocate before Time itself. Use strong opening demand lines, legalistic phrases, and rhetorical questions. Use well-timed pauses and a final flourish.
Short performance checklist (memorized delivery)
- Memorization: no more than one small prompt card.
- Cadence: vary pitch and tempo, use breath to shape clauses.
- Pacing: legal pause after each clause; dramatic pause before the final claim.
- Gesture: one or two controlled gestures, palms up for appeal, finger-tap for emphasis.
- Eye contact: sweep to three points (left, center, right) across the room.
Exemplar model (worked example)
Example sentence (teacher-provided example, not necessarily the Augustine line):
Word-by-word parsing (parts of speech)
Phrase labels
Clause and sentence structure
Detailed teacher comments on this exemplar parsing
- Note the role of 'Behold' as an interjection that modulates speech rhythm and marks emphasis; it will affect your performance cadence.
- 'Dead' and 'just' are adjectives used as nouns. Label them as nouns in the parts-of-speech column but add a note: nominalized adjective.
- Identify auxiliaries separately from main verbs; they form the tense and modal structure of the clause.
- Ensure punctuation is recorded and used to plan pauses in your speech.
Performance exemplar (memorized mock court speech in Ally McBeal cadence)
Performance notes for the exemplar
- Delivery: Slow opening, quickening mid-sentence, then a soft but charged final line.
- Emphasis: Strong on 'behold', delayed emphasis on 'rise' and 'final verdict'.
- Gesture: Right palm up at 'behold', index finger tap at 'I submit', wide sweep at 'decide'.
Rubrics and marking guide
Sentence parsing rubric
Use out of 20 marks: Parts of speech (10), phrase identification (4), sentence-level labels (4), clarity and notation (2).
- All parts of speech correct; nominalizations and auxiliaries clearly noted.
- All phrases identified and correctly labeled as NP/VP/PP/AdjP/AdvP.
- Sentence structure and type correct; voice correctly identified.
- Neat, full explanations for tricky words; insightful comment about archaic constructions.
- Most parts of speech correct; 1 or 2 minor mistakes (eg article vs adjective) that do not misread sentence meaning.
- Phrase identification mostly correct; one missed phrase or minor mislabel.
- Sentence-level labels correct; teacher notes tiny errors.
- Good clarity; some missing footnotes about nominalized adjectives or archaic word order.
- Several parts of speech mislabelled; confusion about auxiliaries vs main verbs or nominalizations.
- Phrase identifications incomplete; sentence structure guessed rather than inferred from clause boundaries.
- Some correct labels but insufficient justification.
- Many incorrect parts of speech; phrases largely unlabeled or misidentified.
- Sentence-level labels missing or incorrect; minimal engagement with grammatical function.
Oral mock court speech rubric (memorized performance) out of 20
Delivery (8), Memorization (6), Use of cadence and legalese (4), Stagecraft (eye contact, gesture) (2).
- Full memorization; expressive and controlled delivery; cadence mirrors Ally McBeal style with comedic timing and emotional sincerity.
- Legalese is playful but intelligible; rhetorical devices used effectively; pauses and emphasis are purposeful.
- Excellent eye contact and simple, strong gestures; confident finish.
- Mostly memorized; minor prompting; good cadence and some legalese play; delivery mostly confident.
- Some gestures and eye contact; pacing occasionally uneven.
- Reading from text at times; cadence uneven or inappropriate; limited use of legal register.
- Gestures minimal; eye contact inconsistent.
- Not memorized; monotone or inaudible; no effective cadence or rhetorical shaping.
- No stagecraft; minimal audience engagement.
Comments and scaffolding tips for teachers
- If students struggle with nominalized adjectives, have them substitute a noun phrase to test: the dead -> the dead people. Does the grammar change? Use this to justify POS label.
- Model the Ally McBeal cadence live: exaggerate pitch and pauses and ask students to mimic one clause at a time.
- Encourage peer feedback using the rubrics: 2 stars (what worked) and 1 wish (area to improve).
- For advanced work, ask students to rewrite the sentence in plain modern English, then parse both versions and compare choices in emphasis and word order.
Quick teacher exemplar feedback phrasing
Exemplar student comment: Excellent parsing. You correctly labeled nominalized adjectives as nouns, identified auxiliaries, and used punctuation to plan your dramatic pauses. Performance: memorized, dynamic, and theatrically apt.
Proficient comment: Strong parsing overall with a missed auxiliary labeling. Speech was engaging but read from text twice; more memorization will free your gestures and cadence.
Meeting comment: Work on distinguishing auxiliaries from main verbs and practice short memorized chunks to smooth your cadence. Focus on one gesture and consistent eye contact.
Beginning comment: Check part-of-speech definitions and label one clause at a time. For performance, learn two lines by heart and practice pausing between clauses.
Use this worksheet, paste the Augustine lines you are studying, and either complete the blank T-model or give it to students as a printed handout. If you want, paste the exact first lines here and I will produce a fully worked parsing and a memorized mock-court speech exemplar tailored to that translation.