Image of a banner with the text "Creativity Task Cards" in white on a pink background. The left side features a book titled "Maybe Something Beautiful" with an illustration of a child and colorful flowers, evoking the magic of theatre. A yellow and green background displays "2-3" to the right.

Art Form: Theatre

 

Supplies Needed

Maybe Something Beautiful book

Colorful and non-colorful household items (ex: colorful
towel, t-shirt, etc.)

Vocabulary

Pantomime - show or represent without using sound

Story Elements:

Character - a person or thing in the story

Setting - a place where a story takes place

Plot - the main events of a story

 

 

Instructions

1. Read the book together.

2. Have the children identify the different settings in the story. Examples: city, park, house, school

3. Explain to the children what pantomime is.

4. Demonstrate a simple pantomime, like eating an apple. Add details, like picking the apple up, wiping it on your sleeve, taking a big bite, chewing, and swallowing. Make sure to exaggerate the motions. Ask the children what you were pantomiming!

5. Now, let's create a pantomime for one of the characters in the story. With the children, list the characters in the story:

  • Mira (the little girl),
  • Mr. Henry (the shop owner),
  • Ms. Lopez (the lady with the sparkling eyes),
  • The muralist, etc.

Give the children a few moments to select one character and silently begin acting out things the character might do. Examples: Mira might draw and paint. Mr. Henry might restock a shelf or sweep the shop floor.

6. Next, create a pantomime for the setting. Brainstorm parts of the city and/or things you might see or do in a city: tall buildings, busy streets, cars/traffic. Give the children a few moments to select one element of the
city and silently act them out. Examples: You could shade your eyes and look at the tall building. You can
walk swiftly and dodge other busy people on the sidewalk, checking your watch.

7. Then, brainstorm the plot of the story. What happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story? Examples: In the beginning, Mira created and shared her artwork. In the middle, she met the muralist, and they began painting the city. Next, others joined in. In the end, Mira was happy.

8. Now, have children put this all together. Choose a character and begin to pantomime their feelings and actions to retell the story. Have them practice once or twice, then give the option to perform for others.

9. Remind the children that in pantomime, actors use their face and body to silently show details and tell a story.

Book cover of "Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood" by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael López. It features a theater of color with a child's face holding a paintbrush amidst vibrant elements like buildings, sun, butterfly, and birds above.
Download the complete Creativity Task Card Here

About

The REimagining and Accelerating Literacy through Arts Integration (REALAI) grant supports the literacy achievement of 3,200 students and 170 teachers, media specialists, and literacy coaches across six schools in Georgia and South Carolina.

In addition to professional learning for educators, this project contributes significantly to school library collections through the purchase of developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant books.

This grant also includes parent events to provide families with access to books and other content about how to support their child’s reading development.