History Repeats Itself
Winter Kallah 2007
Written By: Michael Goodwin, Rachel Stern, and Zach Larsen
Touchstone Text: “When we listen to each other… when we understand one another there will be peace in the world” – Rick Recht
Goals:
- To take a look at how history repeats itself and how we can prevent it from repeating.
- To alert participantsabout issues which plague our society, while also having it be somewhat enjoyable.
Objectives:
- PP’s will recognize the perplexities in how history repeats itself.
- PP’s will develop their own solutions to current issues which they can work to try to implement.
Materials:
- Pens
- Paper
- Scripts for performances (copies)
- Scripts for participants (copious copies)
- Costumes
People:
- PP’s
- GL’s (1-2 each group)
- Skit Performers (10 people)
- Timekeepers
Space Needed:
- Beit
- Mo
Time Table:
00:00-00:15: Skit/Intro
00:15-00:19: Explain Activity
00:19-00:20: Split
00:20-00:40:Discussion
00:40-01:00: Activity
01:00-01:15: Presentations
Detailed Procedure:
00:00-00:15: Skit/Intro
Some of the GL’s will perform a variety of skits (Appendix A) that all focus around one central idea, being hazed.
00:15-00:19: Explain Activity
GL’s will be leading a discussion based on the skits that were just seen. After, PP’s will have a chance to change history and re-write the skits and perform them to the rest of the groups.
00:19-00:20: Split
PP’s will be divided into 7 groups based on a sticker on their name tag.
00:20-00:40:Discussion
-What is a similarity you saw in all of the performances? (Point them in the direction of what it is)
-Why do you feel like these things repeat themselves?
-What are other examples of things that repeat in history? (Hypothetical and/or historical)
-Is history repeating itself inevitable?
-Is it better to learn from the past or forget about it so you can move on?
-What are the best ways to prevent history from repeating itself?
00:40-01:00: Activity
GL’s will give each PP a copy of the same skit they previously saw in a modern day version (Appendix B). This skit will now be worked on and altered by the PP’s so that they can prevent history from repeating its self.
01:00-01:15: Presentations
Each group will have the opportunity to present their change of history to the rest of the groups.
Appendix A
Narrator: 1995
Bill: Hey, let’s get them now.
John: If those freshmen think they can play varsity they can stand this.
Bill: Yeah sounds good.
John: Bill, did you bring the eggs and ketchup?
Bill: Got them right here.
Max: Guys you sure we should do this?
Bill John (Together): Yeah it happened to us.
John: Stop complaining and do it.
Max: I’m not going to do it.
Bill: Here they come…
George: Man that sucks. I’m not going to do it when I’m a senior.
Larry: Yeah, it sucks being a freshman on varsity.
George: It’s what we have to deal with though.
Narrator: 4 years later
George: Today’s the Day
Steven: Yeah, it’s a perfect day.
George: Everything we need is right here. We’ve got the itching powder, grasshoppers and my mom’s stinky shoes.
Steven: Why your mom’s shoes
George: You know how bad they smell.
Larry: Guys we said we weren’t going to do it when we were seniors.
George: Shut up and just do it, it’s something they’re going to have to deal with to play varsity.
Steven: Here they are…
Tom: Those Seniors are jerks.
Scott: Let’s not do it when were seniors.
Tom: Agreed
Narrator: 4 years later
Tom: Here come those stupid freshmen.
Sam: They think they’re the word we’re not allowed to use because they made varsity.
Tom: Let’s make them see what it means to play varsity.
Sam: Remember, today’s freshman slam day.
Tom: This will be so much better than when we were covered with itching powder and bugs
Sam: and those smelly shoes
Scott: This is just as bad as that. We shouldn’t haze them.
Tom: What are you a girl?
Sam: Just make them cry.
Matt: Why’d they hit us so hard today?
Jeff: I’m not sure but it sucked and I don’t want it to happen to me again.
Matt: It shouldn’t happen; it’s their way around getting in trouble for hazing.
Jeff: We will be better than them when we’re seniors.
Appendix B
SKIT TO ALTER….keep the characters and the problem but you can change anything else…and stop history repeating itself by changing the outcome!
Narrator: 4 years later - 2007
Matt: Guys remember when we were hazed
Wyatt: Yeah I do. It sucked.
Matt: Well today let’s make it even worse for these freshmen. They act all high and mighty.
Wyatt: Yeah
Matt: Let’s bring them down to ground level
Wyatt: Sounds good to me.
Jeff: Guys we said we weren’t going to do this.
Matt: That was then this is now.
Wyatt: Here they come…
Frosh 1: This was one of the worst days of my life.
Frosh 2: Yeah those seniors didn’t have to make it so bad.
Frosh 1: Let’s not do it when we’re seniors.
Frosh 2: Yeah defiantly.