1. “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”
by Rod Serling
Before and During Reading Skills

2. Text Preview What is the literary focus in this text?
Define and describe the reading focus in this teleplay.
What is the writing focus and what are you asked to do as you read?

3. Author Information Read the “Meet the Writer” section on page 834.
Make a list of at least three important facts you learn about the author.
Write a question you would like to ask him about his work or life.

4. More Author Information
Early in his career he wrote scripts for realistic live dramas about serious issues, such as racism, ruthless business people, and union organization.
Television networks regularly censored his work.
In the late 1950s, Serling turned to science fiction, as it allowed him to address society’s problems without being censored.

5. Analyzing Visuals
Construct a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two pictures below. Be sure to include at least three facts in each section of the diagram.

6. Everyone makes snap judgments sometimes.
Quick Write
Snap Judgments
A snap judgment is when you make a decision about someone or something based on very little information.
Everyone makes snap judgments sometimes.
Think of a time when you made a snap judgment about someone else or when someone made a snap judgment about you.
Why might it be a mistake to judge people without knowing their full “story”?

7. Vocabulary
For each of the terms below, please write a definition, construct an original sentence to demonstrate your understanding of the term, and create a narrative story that includes each word and demonstrates your understand of each. Your story may be funny, silly, dramatic, or scary!!
Transfixed
Intimidated
Defiant
Idiosyncrasy
Menace
Converging

8. “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”
Read the text carefully and note the way the author uses the characters and action to tell the story.
What was Rod Serling’s message or theme based on the characters and events of this play?
Explain your thoughts and ideas and use several pieces of evidence from the text to support your response.

9. Use the chart below to keep track of the events from the play.
During Reading Skills
Use the chart below to keep track of the events from the play.
Act 1
Act 2
Characters
Setting
Events
Inferences

10. During Reading Skills Important Terms
Scripts written for television or the movies are different from scripts written for the stage.
A teleplay is a script written for TV.
A screenplay is a script written for movies.
Both kinds of scripts may contain directions for the cameras to help record the action.
Monster’s video – 25 mintues
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet – Twilight Zone (24)
Modern Clip – Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (2)
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Ride