Lesson 5 Oct. 20-22

This week we picked up where we left off last week! We did our 6 big question analysis, but instead of using photos, I brought in props for the kids to first analyze, and then we had a volunteer come up, try on the object, and show us how someone who was wearing that object would walk/behave:

Tough Motorcycle jacket!

Old Lady with a cane and Fedora!

Soldier from the 1960's

Super Fancy Opera Gloves! 

This was a really popular exercise - of course costumes or props always make a big impact. I think really drilling the 6 big questions with images helped the students to think more deeply and be more descriptive with the props.

This was also a great way to transition into how a character moves, and getting into our bodies.


After specialist, we did our warm-ups as usual. We also did a Robot warm-up:


But in Mrs. Paulson's (Ms. Anderson's -sub) class, Maxwell had a tongue twister he wanted to do:

One Smart Feller!

After our warm-ups, I went over the vocab words for the day: Script, Rehearsal, Blocking, Prop (Stage Property)

We then explained that our next step would be reader's theater, and that we had split them into two groups, and they would be doing a performance of the script next week. To familiarize them with the script (The Little Old Lady who wasn't afraid of anything) we had the kids watch a youtube video of a woman reading the story: The Little old Lady who wasn't afraid of anything.

A wonderful thing happened while the kids were watching the story - they got up and performed ! With no encouragement - It was great to watch! ( I have a video of them in our photos/video folder)

We then distributed the scripts, and had the kids split up into their groups, review their parts silently, then sit in a circle and do a read through or a "First Rehearsal"

After reading through the script everyone went back to their desk, and we had them visualize their character. We talked about looking for clues about our character in the script, and filling in the rest with our imaginations! You are the shirt? What kind of shirt? A Hawaiian shirt? A Pirate shirt? A Lumberjack shirt? How would each of those kinds of shirts talk and move differently? What kind of a shirt are you? And so on for each character.

The students were given a sheet of paper to draw their character - they will wear their picture when they perform to show the detail of their character creation!!

I was so pleased with how this lesson went - most of the kids were anxious that we wouldn't actually perform the play until I reminded them that the performance was next week! It was great to see them so excited to show off how they had developed a unique character and the voice and movement that they were going to use to bring them alive.

After having them analyze the props - we had them BECOME the props! This' personalization' and internalization of a character (whether human or object) is so very important to not only performance, but character analysis in reading, as well as creativity in writing.

It was Mrs. Mayer's brilliant idea to have the students draw their character - I really think it took the lesson to the next level!!