Literary Characters Come to Life K-1

LITERARY CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE

LITERARY CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE

Learning Description

Students will use their bodies, voices, facial expressions, and emotions to bring literary characters to life. They will take turns in the “Hot Seat” to speak from their character’s point of view, answering questions from their classmates.  Drawing- or Writing-in-Role will help students embody the character and the story as they delve into their written responses.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can think and speak from someone else’s point of view.
  • I can use my whole self to create characters from stories.

Essential Questions

  • How does acting help me to understand and communicate with others? 
  • How can becoming a character help me learn more about a story?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

ELAGSEKRL3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

Grade 1:

ELAGSE1RL3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

 

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

TAK.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.a. Use voice to communicate emotions.b. Use body to communicate emotions.c. Cooperate in theatre experiences.d. Assume roles in a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. narrated story, pantomime, puppetry,dramatic play).

 

Grade 1:

TAK.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

  1. Use voice to communicate emotions.
  2. Use body to communicate emotions.
  3. Cooperate in theatre experiences.
  4. Assume roles in a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. narrated story, pantomime, puppetry, dramatic play).

 

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

READING-LITERARY TEXT - Meaning and Context

Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.

8.1 With guidance and support, read or listen closely to: a. describe characters and their actions; b. compare characters’ experiences to those of the reader; c. describe setting; d. identify the problem and solution; and e. identify the cause of an event.

 

Grade 1

READING-LITERARY TEXT - Meaning and Context

Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.

8.1 Read or listen closely to: a. describe characters’ actions and feelings; b. compare and contrast characters’ experiences to those of the reader; c. describe setting; d. identify the plot including problem and solution; and e. describe cause and effect relationships.

 

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts. 

 

 

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Character – A person, or an animal or object that has human qualities, in a story.

Arts Vocabulary

  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Facial Expressions – The ways that the eyes, mouth, cheeks, forehead and other parts of the face convey feelings
  • Voice - An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character speaks or sounds
  • Pitch – How high or low a voice is
  • Pace – How fast or slow someone’s speech is
  • Volume – How loud or quiet a voice is

Emotions – Feelings

 

Materials

  • A preselected book, story, poem, or literary excerpt (preferably with a variety of characters)
  • Paper & pencils
  • Box (any shape, size or color.)

     

     

    Instructional Design

    Opening/Activating Strategy

    THIS IS NOT A BOX 

    • Hold up a small box and offer an imagination challenge for the group. 
      • The object of the game is to transform the box into something it is not. 
      • For example, “This is not a box. This is a butterfly.” (making the box open and close to fly like a butterfly.) 
    • Ask students to describe what you did.
      • Reference the performance skills that actors use to transform an object including the voice, body, face, mind, descriptive language, etc. 
    • Explain that each person in the circle will take a turn. 
      • They will say: “This is not a box. It is a …”
      • They will use their gestures, bodies, facial expressions, and voices to transform the object into something new. 
    • Pass the box around the circle so that each participant can transform it. If students repeat the same actions as their peers, encourage them to act out new ideas.  Provide ideas as needed (be prepared with suggestions, in case students can’t think of new ideas.  For example, depending on the size of the box: a drum, a birthday present, a box of cereal, a frisbee, a box of popcorn at a movie, an old video camera, a hat, a hamster box, a shoe, etc.).
    • The pace of the game is dependent on the needs of the group, but the teacher should keep the goals of spontaneity and creativity in mind.

       

      Work Session

      READ ALOUD 

      • Discuss how the activity activated the entire class’s imagination: the actor conveyed an idea through their acting, and the rest of the class had to visualize or imagine that idea as they observed.  Explain that this lesson will use a similar process to explore characters in literature.
      • Read the selected text aloud.  Model expressive reading by using different voices for the characters, conveying emotion through facial expressions, and employing simple gestures.  Ask students to identify and visualize the characters as they listen.  As appropriate, bring students into the reading as much as possible, providing sound effects, repeating phrases or dialogue, and doing simple movements indicated in the text. 

       

      CHARACTER GROUNDING

      • Ask students to imagine that they are a character from the story. 
      • Model creating one of the characters.  Select a character, then use voice, body, facial expressions, and gesture to become the character, introducing him- or herself to the class.
      • Group Character Creation: Choose a character for the entire class to enact.  It can be the same one that the teacher enacted or a different one.  Guide the students through a step-by-step process to depict the character from the story.
        • Teacher says, “How do we stand, move, or walk as ______ (the character)?”. Use observational language to promote student choices (“I see Olivia is standing tall; Manuel has his shoulders pulled back,” etc.)  
        • Encourage a variety of possibilities – individual actors can interpret the character differently. 
        • Have students stay in their spots or allow them to move, as appropriate for the class and the space.
      • Teacher says, “Let’s add our faces.  How would _______’s face look?  How would he/she use his/her face to express his/her feelings?  Use your eyes, eyebrows, mouth, cheeks; use the angle of your head.”  Listen to students’ ideas, and validate various choices.
      • Teacher says, “How would _______’s voice sound?  Would it be high or low?  Loud or soft? Would he/she talk fast or slow?”  Listen to students’ ideas, and validate various choices.
      • Teacher says, “Characters feel emotions, and actors use their bodies, facial expressions, and voices to convey characters’ emotions.”  
        • Discuss different emotions (happy, sad, angry, frightened, nervous, excited, frustrated, brave, etc.).  
        • Discuss the feelings that the selected character experienced at different points of the story.  
        • Guide students to convey those emotions, modeling as needed.  
        • Solicit a line of dialogue for each, whether drawn directly or inferred from the story.  
        • Using body, facial expressions and voice, convey the emotion while speaking the line, either standing in place or taking a few steps, as appropriate.

       

      HOT SEAT

        • Explain that the class will use an activity called Hot Seat, in which an individual actor will play the character, and the class will have the opportunity to ask the character questions.
      • Generate questions: Give a sample question or two for the character, such as: 
      • How did they feel at different points in the story
      • Why did they do what they did in the story 
      • What did they learn from what happened
      • How they feel about other characters
      • What did they plan to do in the future based on the events of the story
      • Remind students that ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, and other questions that require some sort of description or explanation, are preferable to ‘who’, ‘when’, and ‘where’ questions, and other questions that only require a brief answer, or a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. 
        • For example, “Why were you so angry?” or “How did you feel when . . .?” or “What do you like about . . .?” are stronger than “Were you excited when . . .?” or “How old are you?” or “Who is your best friend?”).
      • Model Hot Seat:  
        • Sit in a chair in front of the class and assume the character from the story in character (with body, facial expressions, and voice).  Speak in first person as the character (“Hello, everyone, I’m __________.  Who has a question for me?”).
        • Select students to ask questions from the group brainstorm, reminding or prompting as needed.  Model strong character choices, making sure to add details and emotional context while answering questions from the Hot Seat.
      • Student Hot Seat Warm Up:
        • Assign students to work in pairs.
        • Have them decide who will go first.  Instruct that student to go into the role as the character (with body, facial expressions, and voice) and introduce themselves to their partners in character. 
        • Instruct the partners to ask questions of the character.
        • Have partners switch and repeat the process.
      • Students in Hot Seat:
        • Draft one student to walk like their character to the front of the room and sit in a chair facing the audience.
        • Start the Hot Seat questioning by asking the student/character to introduce himself/herself (if needed, remind the actor to maintain their character choices). 
        • Ask a question of the character.
        • Give other students the chance to ask questions.

      Teacher note: Be prepared, if necessary, to interject or prompt students with probing questions that get to the heart of the character and the story.

       

        • Optional variations:
        • The above process can be conducted using the same character throughout, or students can be given the option to become other characters in the story.  If necessary, take time to develop questions for each different character.
        • After establishing the practice of Hot Seat, expand it into a panel, having several students sit in a row of chairs, assuming different characters from the story.

        WRITING-IN-ROLE

        • After participating in Hot Seat, ask all students to return to their seats and tell them that they will draw the character and, if appropriate, write something the character might think or say in a thought or speech bubble.  Invite students to have the character say something that a) they said in the story, b) they said in the Hot Seat activity, or c) the student could imagine the character might say or think.

         

        Closing Reflection

        Ask students to respond to one or more of the following reflection questions:

        • How did it feel to become the character?
        • What did you learn about the character from our activity?
        • How did we use our bodies, voices, and facial expressions to play the character(s) and convey their feelings?

        Assessments

        Formative

        Teacher will assess student understanding by:

        • Noting student observations and inferences about the characters.
        • Listening as pairs of students ask and answer questions.
        • Observing as students portray the character in pairs and in the Hot Seat.

         

         

         

        Summative

        CHECKLIST

        • Were students able to step into their role and talk, move, walk, and write from their character’s point of view? 
        • Were the students able to recall and retell a key point of the story from the character’s point of view?

         

         

         

        Differentiation

        Accelerated: 

        • Students in the audience take on another character from the book and speak from that character’s point of view while asking questions to the character in the Hot Seat. 
        • Students can also pick different characters and talk to each other from their seats. They can then improvise and write a scene with the two characters. 

        Remedial: Teacher in the Role - The teacher becomes the character and then asks a student to copy what they are doing, so that the teacher and student are playing the same character at the same time. The teacher then invites other students to ask questions, with prompting as needed.  Teacher and student answer questions together. Then, allow students, who are willing, to take turns in the Hot Seat as the same character.

         

        *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

        Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann

        Revised and copyright:  April 2023 @ ArtsNOW

         
        Back to Modules

        WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION 4-5

        WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

         

        WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

        Learning Description

        Students will examine the parts of the water cycle through theatre. After a group of students demonstrates a tableau of the water cycle, the class will break up into groups to enact each part of the cycle and attach vocabulary inherent to each section. The room will be flowing with the water cycle coming to life!

         

        Learning Targets

        GRADE BAND: 4-5
        CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & SCIENCE
        LESSON DOWNLOADS:

        Download PDF of this Lesson

        "I Can" Statements

        “I Can…”

        • I can work with others to enact the parts of the water cycle.
        • I can demonstrate my understanding of water conservation methods using pantomime.

        Essential Questions

        • How can acting deepen understanding of the water cycle?
        • How can I demonstrate my understanding of water conservation practices using pantomime?

         

        Georgia Standards

        Curriculum Standards

        Grade 4

        S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.

        1. b. Develop models to illustrate multiple pathways water may take during thewater cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation)

           

           

          Arts Standards

          Grade 4

          TAES4.3: Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situationsand environments.

           

           

           

           

          South Carolina Standards

          Curriculum Standards

          EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY (ESS3)

          5-ESS3-1. Evaluate potential solutions to problems that individual communities face in protecting the Earth’s resources and environment.

           

          Arts Standards

          Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

           

           

          Key Vocabulary

          Content Vocabulary

            • Clouds – Accumulations of particles of water or ice suspended in the air that are visible above the earth’s surface 

             

            • Collection – The process by which water that returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation gathers in bodies of water; collection happens in oceans, lakes, rivers, and in accumulations of groundwater.

             

            • Condensation – The process by which a gas turns into a liquid; when vapor in the atmosphere gets cold it changes from gas back into liquid in clouds.

             

            • Conservation – Responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.

             

            • Cycle – Something that happens over and over again in the same way
            • Evaporation – The process by which a liquid becomes a gas; in the water cycle, liquid water evaporates and turns into water vapor. 

             

            • Gas – A substance that is able to expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape and no fixed volume; water in gas form is water vapor.

             

            • Groundwater – Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

             

            • Liquid – A substance that flows freely without a firm or consistent shape, but of constant volume: water in liquid form is water.
            • Precipitation – The process by which water returns to the surface of the earth in liquid or solid form; precipitation takes the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

             

            • Solid – A substance that is firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid; water in solid form is ice.
            • States of Matter – The forms in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, and gas 

             

            • Transpiration – The passage of water vapor from a living body into the atmosphere; plants transpire through their leaves; people transpire through sweat.

           

          Arts Vocabulary

            • Act – To pretend; to play a role

             

            • Collaboration – Working together, teamwork

             

            • Pantomime – Pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre

            Tableau – A frozen picture created by actors (plural: Tableaux)

           

           

          Materials

          • 10 sets of photos of the four stages in the water cycle (Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Collection). These should each have two holes punched in top corners and a string through them so that students can wear each photo around their neck to allow their hands and body to move freely.  The photos should have Velcro to attach the words below.
          • 10 sets of paper strips with the following words: Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Groundwater, Transpiration, Vapor, Clouds. Each strip should have Velcro on the back so that they can be attached to the pictures above.

          Index cards with the conservation methods written on them. One method for each card.

           

          Instructional Design

          Opening/Activating Strategy

          WATER CYCLE MOVEMENTS

          • Have students stand up in place.  Teach and lead them through movement sequences for four stages of the water cycle, coordinated with articulating the words.  Describe what each movement signifies:
            • Evaporation – 

          “E” – arms out like a body of water circled in front of belly (water)

          “vap” – fingers intertwined and rolling like a body of water (liquid)

          “or” – palms flat out like the sun’s rays (sun)

          “a” - fingers wiggles up in front of face (vapors) 

          “tion” – fingers wiggle up above head to disappear (gas)

          • Condensation  – 

          “Con” – wiggly fingers above head (gas)

          “den” – shiver and hands above heads shake (cold)

          “sa” – hands wave fluidly above head (water)

          “tion” – hands grasp together above head (cloud) 

          • Precipitation –

          “Pre” – arms circled above head like a cloud

          “ci” – wiggles fingers down like rain in front of face (rain)

          “pi” – hands blink open, closed like snowflakes (snow)

          “ta” – punch right fist down (sleet)

          “tion” – punch left fist down then left fist (hail) 

          • Collection – 

          “Col” – arms rounded out in front (lake)

          “lec” – hands out like waves (ocean)

          “tion” – hands moving down low (groundwater)

           

           

          Work Session

              • ACTIVATING THE WATER CYCLE
                • Introduce the concept of tableau – a frozen picture created by actors.  Explain that the class will be creating tableaux of the water cycle.
                • Invite four students to the front of the class.  Work with the students, with suggestions from the rest of the class, to create a tableau that portrays the water cycle.  
                  • Remind the class that the water cycle is not linear, so the students should not be standing in a line. 
                  • Remind them that there is no proper beginning or end – it’s a continuous cycle.
                  • Encourage the students to be creative in determining how they can use their bodies to convey the cyclical nature of the processes.  As appropriate to the class rules and culture, allow students to take positions up on chairs or down on the floor.
                • Have students wear the photo that correlates with their part of the cycle.
                • Ask other students to come up and velcro the appropriate vocabulary word to the appropriate part of the cycle where it belongs.
                • Activate the cycle by having students adopt movements – heads, hands, arms, legs, full bodies – that convey what is happening in their part of the water cycle, and add in any appropriate sounds. Remind students of the motions they used at the beginning of class.

                 

                GROUP TABLEAUX

                • Divide the class into groups of four.  Have each group create and then activate their own tableau of the water cycle.  Encourage them to find different ways, from what was modeled for the class, to position themselves and move for their parts of the water cycle, and to interact with others in their group as well.
                • Give each group the photo visuals and ask each person to wear one part of the cycle.  Then have them attach the appropriate vocabulary to their part.
                • Have groups show their cycles to the rest of the class.
                • Reflect on the different interpretations of the different groups, and how each conveyed concepts about the water cycle.

                 

                WATER CONSERVATION

                • Ask the class: “Do you think that we will have water forever?”  Explain: “Water does keep cycling but we can misuse and overuse water and some places are in danger of drought.”
                • Remind students that, “Water is one of our most important resources.”  Ask students: 
                  • “Why is it so important?  What do we use water for?  Is it important to other organisms as well?”  
                  • Be sure to discuss that we use water to produce and prepare food, clean our bodies, wash our dishes and clothes, process our waste, and manufacture and transport goods; we use it for recreation, and to produce hydroelectric power.  
                  • As individuals, we use large amounts of water:  it is estimated that the average American uses around 180 gallons of water a day.
                • Discuss Conservation – the responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.
                • Introduce and discuss the following list of water conservation practices: 
                1. Avoid watering the lawn or garden between 10 am and 6 pm.
                2. Take shorter showers.
                3. Wash the car over the lawn instead of the driveway.
                4. Turn off the water when brushing teeth. 
                5. Use wastewater from cooking to water plants.
                6. Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.
                7. Keep water in the refrigerator for cold water.
                8. Fix leaky faucets and hoses.
                9. Do not use the toilet as a garbage can.

                Brainstorm other ideas that the students might have.  Put those on additional cards.

                 

                WATER CONSERVATION PANTOMIMES

                • Introduce Pantomime - pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre.
                • Model and practice a simple pantomime activity (e.g., sweeping the floor, eating a sandwich, swinging a baseball bat, etc.).  
                  • Encourage students to think about the size, weight and shape of the objects in their pantomimes; to be specific with their movements; and to include facial expressions.
                • Have students come up one at a time, or in small groups, and pick a card with a water conservation practice on it.  
                  • Have the individual or small group pantomime the action on their card. They should not speak during the pantomimes.
                • Have other students guess which water conservation practice they are showing.  After guessing, have the class describe the specific aspects of the pantomime that conveyed the water conservation practice.

               

               

              Closing Reflection

              • Review the words and movements for the parts of the water cycle.
              • Review the drama strategies used – Movement, Tableau, and Pantomime.
              • Ask students to reflect on how their thinking about water and the water cycle has changed through the lesson.
              • Ask students to discuss steps they might take in their lives to use water responsibly.

               

               

              Assessments

              Formative

              Teacher will assess understanding of the water cycle and methods of water conservation through the opening activity, class discussion, and observation.

                 

                Summative

                • CHECKLIST: 
                  • Students can accurately identify the key components of the water cycle and match vocabulary words with steps of the water cycle.
                  • Students can work together cooperatively to create tableaux.
                  • Students can use their bodies expressively, and create tableaus with a variety of angles, shapes, levels, and facial expressions.
                  • Students can pantomime water conservation practices silently and with detailed movements and facial expressions

                   

                  • Have students draw a diagram of the water cycle, with each part labeled accurately.
                  • Have students draw a picture, using stick figures in particular poses, to portray their group’s water cycle tableau.
                  • Have students write a paragraph about their own water use and how they plan to incorporate water conservation practices into their daily lives.

                 

                Differentiation

                 

                Acceleration: 

                • Rather than using predetermined movements for the activator, have students collectively come up with the movements for each syllable.
                • When adding movement to the tableaux, have students speak a sentence as their part of the water cycle (e.g., “I am precipitation – I love raining down on the mountains and plains, and on cities and towns and making everyone have indoor recess!”)

                 

                Remediation: 

                • Encourage groups to come up with alternate ideas for the water cycle tableaux, but allow them to replicate what was done in the model tableau.
                • Rather than have students guess each other’s pantomimes, work together as a class to develop a short pantomime sequence for each water conservation practice card.

                 

                 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                 

                *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

                 

                Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann and Susie Spear Purcell

                 

                Revised and copyright:  January 2024 @ ArtsNOW
                Back to Modules

                WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION 6

                WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

                 

                WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

                Learning Description

                Students will examine the parts of the water cycle through theatre. After a group of students demonstrates a tableau of the water cycle, the class will break up into groups to enact each part of the cycle and attach vocabulary inherent to each section. The room will be flowing with the water cycle coming to life!

                 

                Learning Targets

                GRADE BAND: 6
                CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & SCIENCE
                LESSON DOWNLOADS:

                Download PDF of this Lesson

                "I Can" Statements

                “I Can…”

                • I can work with others to enact the parts of the water cycle.
                • I can demonstrate my understanding of water conservation methods using pantomime.

                Essential Questions

                • How can acting deepen understanding of the water cycle?
                • How can I demonstrate my understanding of water conservation practices using pantomime?

                 

                Georgia Standards

                Curriculum Standards

                Grade 6

                S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.

                1. Plan and carry out an investigation to illustrate the role of the sun’s energy in atmospheric conditions that lead to the cycling of water. (Clarification statement: The water cycle should include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, infiltration, groundwater, and runoff.)

                S6E6. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the uses and conservation of various natural resources and how they impact the Earth.

                1. Design and evaluate solutions for sustaining the quality and supply of natural resources such as water, soil, and air.

                 

                 

                 

                Arts Standards

                TA6.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

                 

                 

                 

                 

                South Carolina Standards

                Curriculum Standards

                6-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

                 

                Arts Standards

                Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

                 

                 

                Key Vocabulary

                Content Vocabulary

                  • Clouds – Accumulations of particles of water or ice suspended in the air that are visible above the earth’s surface 

                   

                  • Collection – The process by which water that returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation gathers in bodies of water; collection happens in oceans, lakes, rivers, and in accumulations of groundwater.

                   

                  • Condensation – The process by which a gas turns into a liquid; when vapor in the atmosphere gets cold it changes from gas back into liquid in clouds.

                   

                  • Conservation – Responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.

                   

                  • Cycle – Something that happens over and over again in the same way
                  • Evaporation – The process by which a liquid becomes a gas; in the water cycle, liquid water evaporates and turns into water vapor. 

                   

                  • Gas – A substance that is able to expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape and no fixed volume; water in gas form is water vapor.

                   

                  • Groundwater – Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

                   

                  • Liquid – A substance that flows freely without a firm or consistent shape, but of constant volume: water in liquid form is water.
                  • Precipitation – The process by which water returns to the surface of the earth in liquid or solid form; precipitation takes the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

                   

                  • Solid – A substance that is firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid; water in solid form is ice.
                  • States of Matter – The forms in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, and gas 

                   

                  • Transpiration – The passage of water vapor from a living body into the atmosphere; plants transpire through their leaves; people transpire through sweat.

                 

                Arts Vocabulary

                  • Act – To pretend; to play a role

                   

                  • Collaboration – Working together, teamwork

                   

                  • Pantomime – Pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre

                  Tableau – A frozen picture created by actors (plural: Tableaux)

                 

                 

                Materials

                • 10 sets of photos of the four stages in the water cycle (Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Collection). These should each have two holes punched in top corners and a string through them so that students can wear each photo around their neck to allow their hands and body to move freely.  The photos should have Velcro to attach the words below.
                • 10 sets of paper strips with the following words: Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Groundwater, Transpiration, Vapor, Clouds. Each strip should have Velcro on the back so that they can be attached to the pictures above.

                Index cards with the conservation methods written on them. One method for each card.

                 

                Instructional Design

                Opening/Activating Strategy

                WATER CYCLE MOVEMENTS

                • Have students stand up in place.  Teach and lead them through movement sequences for four stages of the water cycle, coordinated with articulating the words.  Describe what each movement signifies:
                  • Evaporation – 

                “E” – arms out like a body of water circled in front of belly (water)

                “vap” – fingers intertwined and rolling like a body of water (liquid)

                “or” – palms flat out like the sun’s rays (sun)

                “a” - fingers wiggles up in front of face (vapors) 

                “tion” – fingers wiggle up above head to disappear (gas)

                • Condensation  – 

                “Con” – wiggly fingers above head (gas)

                “den” – shiver and hands above heads shake (cold)

                “sa” – hands wave fluidly above head (water)

                “tion” – hands grasp together above head (cloud) 

                • Precipitation –

                “Pre” – arms circled above head like a cloud

                “ci” – wiggles fingers down like rain in front of face (rain)

                “pi” – hands blink open, closed like snowflakes (snow)

                “ta” – punch right fist down (sleet)

                “tion” – punch left fist down then left fist (hail) 

                • Collection – 

                “Col” – arms rounded out in front (lake)

                “lec” – hands out like waves (ocean)

                “tion” – hands moving down low (groundwater)

                 

                 

                Work Session

                    • ACTIVATING THE WATER CYCLE
                      • Introduce the concept of tableau – a frozen picture created by actors.  Explain that the class will be creating tableaux of the water cycle.
                      • Invite four students to the front of the class.  Work with the students, with suggestions from the rest of the class, to create a tableau that portrays the water cycle.  
                        • Remind the class that the water cycle is not linear, so the students should not be standing in a line. 
                        • Remind them that there is no proper beginning or end – it’s a continuous cycle.
                        • Encourage the students to be creative in determining how they can use their bodies to convey the cyclical nature of the processes.  As appropriate to the class rules and culture, allow students to take positions up on chairs or down on the floor.
                      • Have students wear the photo that correlates with their part of the cycle.
                      • Ask other students to come up and velcro the appropriate vocabulary word to the appropriate part of the cycle where it belongs.
                      • Activate the cycle by having students adopt movements – heads, hands, arms, legs, full bodies – that convey what is happening in their part of the water cycle, and add in any appropriate sounds. Remind students of the motions they used at the beginning of class.

                       

                      GROUP TABLEAUX

                      • Divide the class into groups of four.  Have each group create and then activate their own tableau of the water cycle.  Encourage them to find different ways, from what was modeled for the class, to position themselves and move for their parts of the water cycle, and to interact with others in their group as well.
                      • Give each group the photo visuals and ask each person to wear one part of the cycle.  Then have them attach the appropriate vocabulary to their part.
                      • Have groups show their cycles to the rest of the class.
                      • Reflect on the different interpretations of the different groups, and how each conveyed concepts about the water cycle.

                       

                      WATER CONSERVATION

                      • Ask the class: “Do you think that we will have water forever?”  Explain: “Water does keep cycling but we can misuse and overuse water and some places are in danger of drought.”
                      • Remind students that, “Water is one of our most important resources.”  Ask students: 
                        • “Why is it so important?  What do we use water for?  Is it important to other organisms as well?”  
                        • Be sure to discuss that we use water to produce and prepare food, clean our bodies, wash our dishes and clothes, process our waste, and manufacture and transport goods; we use it for recreation, and to produce hydroelectric power.  
                        • As individuals, we use large amounts of water:  it is estimated that the average American uses around 180 gallons of water a day.
                      • Discuss Conservation – the responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.
                      • Introduce and discuss the following list of water conservation practices: 
                      1. Avoid watering the lawn or garden between 10 am and 6 pm.
                      2. Take shorter showers.
                      3. Wash the car over the lawn instead of the driveway.
                      4. Turn off the water when brushing teeth. 
                      5. Use wastewater from cooking to water plants.
                      6. Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.
                      7. Keep water in the refrigerator for cold water.
                      8. Fix leaky faucets and hoses.
                      9. Do not use the toilet as a garbage can.

                      Brainstorm other ideas that the students might have.  Put those on additional cards.

                       

                      WATER CONSERVATION PANTOMIMES

                      • Introduce Pantomime - pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre.
                      • Model and practice a simple pantomime activity (e.g., sweeping the floor, eating a sandwich, swinging a baseball bat, etc.).  
                        • Encourage students to think about the size, weight and shape of the objects in their pantomimes; to be specific with their movements; and to include facial expressions.
                      • Have students come up one at a time, or in small groups, and pick a card with a water conservation practice on it.  
                        • Have the individual or small group pantomime the action on their card. They should not speak during the pantomimes.
                      • Have other students guess which water conservation practice they are showing.  After guessing, have the class describe the specific aspects of the pantomime that conveyed the water conservation practice.

                     

                     

                    Closing Reflection

                    • Review the words and movements for the parts of the water cycle.
                    • Review the drama strategies used – Movement, Tableau, and Pantomime.
                    • Ask students to reflect on how their thinking about water and the water cycle has changed through the lesson.
                    • Ask students to discuss steps they might take in their lives to use water responsibly.

                     

                     

                    Assessments

                    Formative

                    Teacher will assess understanding of the water cycle and methods of water conservation through the opening activity, class discussion, and observation.

                       

                      Summative

                      • CHECKLIST: 
                        • Students can accurately identify the key components of the water cycle and match vocabulary words with steps of the water cycle.
                        • Students can work together cooperatively to create tableaux.
                        • Students can use their bodies expressively, and create tableaus with a variety of angles, shapes, levels, and facial expressions.
                        • Students can pantomime water conservation practices silently and with detailed movements and facial expressions

                         

                        • Have students draw a diagram of the water cycle, with each part labeled accurately.
                        • Have students draw a picture, using stick figures in particular poses, to portray their group’s water cycle tableau.
                        • Have students write a paragraph about their own water use and how they plan to incorporate water conservation practices into their daily lives.

                       

                      Differentiation

                       

                      Acceleration: 

                      • Rather than using predetermined movements for the activator, have students collectively come up with the movements for each syllable.
                      • When adding movement to the tableaux, have students speak a sentence as their part of the water cycle (e.g., “I am precipitation – I love raining down on the mountains and plains, and on cities and towns and making everyone have indoor recess!”)

                       

                      Remediation: 

                      • Encourage groups to come up with alternate ideas for the water cycle tableaux, but allow them to replicate what was done in the model tableau.
                      • Rather than have students guess each other’s pantomimes, work together as a class to develop a short pantomime sequence for each water conservation practice card.

                       

                       ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                       

                      *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

                       

                      Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann and Susie Spear Purcell

                       

                      Revised and copyright:  January 2024 @ ArtsNOW
                      Back to Modules

                      DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS 2-3

                      DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS

                      DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS

                      Learning Description

                      Using Ansel Adams photographs for inspiration, students will explore creative writing, directing, and acting.

                       

                      Learning Targets

                      GRADE BAND: 2-3
                      CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & ELA
                      LESSON DOWNLOADS:

                      Download PDF of this Lesson

                      "I Can" Statements

                      “I Can…”

                      • I can use a photograph as inspiration for creative writing and acting based in a particular setting.
                      • I can work with a group to bring to life a scene inspired by a photograph.

                      Essential Questions

                      • How can visual art be a catalyst for writing and acting? 

                       

                      Georgia Standards

                      Curriculum Standards

                      Grade 2:

                      ELACC2W3  Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. 

                       

                      ELACC2SL4  Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.  

                       

                      Grade 3:

                      ELAGSE3W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

                       

                      ELAGSE3SL4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details,

                      speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

                       

                      Arts Standards

                      Grade 2: 

                      TAES2.2 Developing scripts through improvisation and other theatrical methods.

                        

                      TAES2.3 Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.

                       

                      VA2.RE.1 Discuss personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                       

                      VA2.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

                       

                      Grade 3:

                      TAES3.2 Developing scripts through improvisation and other theatrical methods.

                        

                      TAES3.3 Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.

                       

                      VA3.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of

                      art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                       

                      VA3.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

                       

                       

                       

                      South Carolina Standards

                      Curriculum Standards

                      Grade 2:

                      ELA.2.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences. When writing: 

                      1. establish and describe character(s) and setting; 
                      2. sequence events and use temporal words to signal event order (e.g., before, after).

                       

                      Grade 3:

                      ELA.3.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences. When writing: 

                      1. establish a setting and introduce a narrator or characters; 
                      2. use temporal words and phrases to sequence a plot structure; 
                      3. use descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop characters.

                       

                       

                      Arts Standards

                      THEATRE

                      Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

                       

                      VISUAL ARTS

                      Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

                       

                       

                       

                      Key Vocabulary

                      Content Vocabulary

                      • Character - Actor or actress in a specified role.
                      • Setting - Environment or place of action. 
                      • Plot - List, timetable, or scheme dealing with any of the various arrangements of a story or play.

                       

                      Arts Vocabulary

                      • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama.
                      • Photography - the process of capturing an image – a photograph – with a camera, either on paper or through a digital medium.

                       

                       

                      Materials

                      • Index cards and lined paper 
                      • Pencils 
                      • Copies of Ansel Adams photographs (old calendars are great sources for these)

                       

                      Instructional Design

                      Opening/Activating Strategy

                      Settings

                      • Have students stand by their desks, or in open space.
                      • Call out a setting (e.g., desert, baseball stadium, birthday party, or under the ocean), and have students enact a person or thing in the environment.  As appropriate, allow students to use voices and make sounds, or instruct them to be in the setting in silence.
                      • Use observational language to comment on student choices (e.g., “I see Sara has her arms to be a cactus” or “Dylan is wiggling his body as a snake on the rug.”)
                      • Continue to call out a variety of settings.  Alternate between natural settings and human settings.  Allow students to be objects or natural forces in the settings, or people interacting with the settings.

                       

                      Work Session

                          Process 

                          • Pass out Ansel Adams photos to the students. Explain that Ansel Adams was a famous American photographer known for his photos of American outdoor landscapes including Yosemite, Big Sur, the Sierras.  
                          • Ask the students to study their photo and examine the visual details:  “What is the first thing your eye is drawn to?  What lines and shapes do you see in the photo?  Did Adams take it from near or far?  How do the light and dark areas work together?  Where is the light source in the image, and which areas are in shadow?  Why do you think Adams chose to take this photograph?”
                          • Have students imagine/visualize details about the setting in the photo, saying:  “Where is this place?  You can make it up. It can be anywhere in the world. What season is it--winter, early spring, etc.?  What time of day is it - early morning, high noon, sunset? What sounds and smells are there? Is the wind blowing? Are birds chirping or other animals making sounds even though you can’t see them? Can you smell pine trees, flowers, or the ocean? If you could place yourself in this picture, where would you be?” 
                          • Tell the students:  “Place the picture in front of you and stand or sit as you imagine you would be in the picture. Now, close your eyes and take a deep breath of the clean air in this place. Listen to the sounds in your environment. Take another deep breath and smell the beautiful aromas.”
                          • One at a time, ask each student to make a sound that they hear in their environment. 
                          • Ask students to think of 3 descriptive phrases about their environment. For example, instead of saying, “the wind,” describe “the loud blowing wind”, “the fierce cry of an eagle,” or the “steep, snowy mountainside.”   Even though the pictures are black and white, encourage students to feel free to use color in their descriptive phrases.  Have the students write down their phrases on a card or piece of paper.  Ask them how they can expand or add to their phrases to make them more descriptive – suggest including texture, color, size, shape, temperature, or other qualities or details.
                          • Have students practice using their descriptive phrases in sentences to describe their settings.  Instruct them to speak as if they are in the setting (e.g., “I am standing with my feet on the edge of the babbling stream.  The water is as cold as ice and shiny like a mirror.  I see silvery fish swimming by with lightning speed.”)  Coach and assist students as needed.
                          • Ask student volunteers to come up and present, imagining themselves in the setting in the photograph.  They should use their voices and bodies to express the feelings and elements in their writing.

                           

                          Bringing the Photograph to Life 

                          • Select a student and guide them to cast three classmates as elements in their setting. The student should announce the element and then choose a classmate to portray it. (E.g., “Someone will be the grass blowing in the wind.”)  Once chosen, the classmate should come to the front and view the photograph.  
                          • Guide the student to direct the elements, telling each classmate where they will be in the live picture, how they will stand or move, and what sounds they will make.  
                          • Once the setting is established, have the student walk/hike/swim into their environment, take their place, use their body and voice to inhabit the setting (e.g., shivering for a cold setting, speaking loud for a distant setting, walking carefully over sharp stones, using a hand to block out the bright sun) and then describe their setting using their descriptive phrases.  
                          • Show the photograph around the room, and solicit comments from the class on how the students brought the setting to life.
                          • Have additional students volunteer to cast, enter, and describe.

                          Possibly:  once the process is established, allow the students to work in groups in different areas of the room, taking turns to use their group-mates to create their settings.

                           

                          Closing Reflection

                          Ask:  “How did we get ideas of what to act from the photos?  How did we use our voices and bodies to become elements of the different settings in the photos?  Also:  How would you describe Ansel Adams’s photos to someone who hasn’t seen any of them?”

                           

                          Assessments

                          Formative

                          • Students created and used three descriptive phrases.. 
                          • Students effectively communicated their ideas.
                          • Students responded appropriately to the Adams images.

                             

                            Summative

                            • Students cast and directed their scenes effectively
                            • Students enacted their roles in the scenes effectively.
                            • Students’ written phrases show awareness of the senses and evocative details.

                             

                            Differentiation

                            Acceleration:

                            • Have students write out their ideas in full paragraph format.
                            • Allow students who are playing elements of the setting to speak from the viewpoints of those elements:  “How does the tree feel?  What is the lake thinking?”

                             

                            Remediation:

                            Use a single photograph with the entire class, and model the process all together.  Cast a small group as elements in the setting, and then model being the person entering and inhabiting the setting.  Repeat the process with a second photo, drafting a student to be the person entering the setting.  You may want to use a photo and have the entire class become elements in the photo, allowing multiple students to be the same thing:  mountains, rocks, trees, clouds.

                             

                             ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                            • http://www.anseladams.com 
                            • http://www.archives.gov/research/anseladams/ 
                            • “Ansel Adams Original Photograph - Black & White Photography.” The Ansel Adams Gallery, shop.anseladams.com/collections/original-photographs-by-ansel-adams. Accessed 28 June 2023. 

                            *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

                            Ideas contributed and updated by: Susie Spear Purcell and Barry Stewart Mann

                            Revised and copyright:  June 2023 @ ArtsNOW
                            Back to Modules

                            APOSTROPHE TABLEAU 2-3

                            APOSTROPHE TABLEAU

                            APOSTROPHE TABLEAU

                            Learning Description

                            Apostrophes are so much fun – let’s learn about the apostrophe’s uses!  Students will collaborate in word tableaux, creating sentences of their own, to differentiate between the plural and possessive uses of apostrophes.

                             

                            Learning Targets

                            GRADE BAND: 2-3
                            CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & ELA
                            LESSON DOWNLOADS:

                            Download PDF of this Lesson

                            "I Can" Statements

                            “I Can…”

                            • I can tell the difference between plural and possessive nouns and know when to use an apostrophe.

                            Essential Questions

                            • How and when do we use apostrophes in plural and possessive nouns?

                             

                            Georgia Standards

                            Curriculum Standards

                            Grade 2:  

                            ELAGSE2L2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.     c. Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.

                             

                            Grade 3:  

                            ELAGSE3L2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.   d. Form and use possessives.

                             

                             

                             

                            Arts Standards

                            Grades 2 & 3: 

                            TA.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

                             

                             

                            South Carolina Standards

                            Curriculum Standards

                            Grade 2:  

                            ELA.L.5.2 Use apostrophes to form contractions and singular possessive nouns. 

                             

                            Grade 3:  

                            ELA.L. 5.2 Use apostrophes to form contractions and singular and plural possessives.

                             

                            Arts Standards

                            Anchor Standard 1: I can create scenes and write scripts using story elements and structure. 

                            Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

                             

                             

                            Key Vocabulary

                            Content Vocabulary

                            • Punctuation – Marks used in writing to separate sentences or to clarify meaning.

                            • Apostrophe – A punctuation mark used to indicate either possession or the omission of letters or numbers (as in contractions).

                            • Contraction – A combination of words in which omitted letters are replaced by an apostrophe.

                            • Possessive – Indicating possession or ownership.

                            • Plural – Indicating more than one item.

                            • Singular – Indicating only one item.

                             

                            Arts Vocabulary

                            • Tableau – A frozen picture created by actors.

                            • Line – Words or sentences spoken by an actor.

                            • Vocal expression – Conveyance of meaning using the elements of voice.

                             

                             

                            Materials

                            • Apostrophes-on-a-stick (made with the attached enlarged apostrophe. Other options include an apostrophe printed or by hand, on cardstock. Simply glue onto the handle (a stick, ruler, straw, pencil, or other similar item).  Have enough of these for each group of 4-5 students.

                             

                            Instructional Design

                            Opening/Activating Strategy

                            • Teach and sing (to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”):

                                   I see an s at the end of a noun.

                                   Apostrophe in or leave it out?

                                   If it has something to possess

                                   Then it should be ‘s.

                                   But if it’s a plural – more than one,

                                   No apostrophe – that’s how it’s done!

                            Collectively develop gestures to go along with the song (e.g., draw an S in the air, arms embracing to convey “possess”, thumbs up for “that’s how it’s done,” etc.).

                             

                            Work Session

                              • Introduce/review what an apostrophe is, and its various uses: possessives, contractions, omitted letters.  Focus on possessives.  Discuss how a possessive is formed in general by putting ‘s at the end of a word; a plural is formed by putting an s at the end of the word; and these two formations are often confused with one another, so people put in an apostrophe into a plural where it doesn’t belong, and people often leave it out of a possessive where it does belong. 

                                          Optional:  Do an online image search for ‘misused apostrophes’ or “signs with incorrect       

                                          plurals’ for real world examples showing this common confusion.

                               

                              Drama Instruction: 

                              • Introduce the Drama strategy of Tableau – a frozen picture created by actors.  Model tableau with a small group – create a tableau of a playground.  Encourage different shapes within the tableau, allow actors to be both living and non-living elements in the tableau, and be clear that all must be in the same picture.
                              • Introduce the idea of making a tableau of a word – choose a simple 3- or 4- letter word.  Draft students to use their bodies to create a tableau of the word, e.g., L-I-O-N (one student shapes herself into an “L”, one into an “I”, etc.).  
                              • Remind them that they can use their full bodies, or certain parts, and that there are many ways to create each letter. Possibly, have all students stand to make the shapes of the letters, to give the actors a variety of ideas. 

                               

                              • Then add another actor to be an “S” at the end – L-I-O-N-S.  Solicit a suggestion of a sentence with the word as a plural, e.g., “The lions are all asleep.”  Have the group say the sentence together, inserting the spelling (spoken individually by each letter) after the word, e.g., “The lions - L-I-O-N-S - are all asleep.”  This is their line of text.  
                              • Discuss elements of vocal expression:  tone of voice, volume, articulation. Have students, or the entire class, explore how to say the line with vocal expression.
                              • Next, develop a sentence with the word as a possessive, e.g., “The lion’s mane is very shaggy.”  Have one of the actors – either the actor who is the last letter of the word or the “S” actor – hold up the stick apostrophe in the correct location in the word tableau.  Have the group say the new sentence together, inserting the spelling again, spoken individually by the actors, after the word, e.g., “The lion’s – L-I-O-N-apostrophe-S – mane is very shaggy.”  Have students say this line also with appropriate expression.
                              • If deemed necessary, repeat the modeling process with another example, perhaps with another type of noun, e.g.,  “I have a hundred rocks – R-O-C-K-S – in my collection,” and “Look at this rock’s – R-O-C-K-apostrophe-S – weird shape,” or “Great minds – M-I-N-D-S – think alike,” and “I see it in my mind’s – M-I-N-D-apostrophe-S - eye.”
                              • Brainstorm a variety of 3- or 4-letter nouns – write them on the board or on a screen.  They can be animals, objects, even abstract concepts, e.g., dog, book, sun, love, tree, plum, cup, wind.  Avoid nouns ending in “S” (e.g., boss, mess) or with irregular or more complicated plurals (e.g., wolf, man, box, fish).  Use nouns that pluralize with -s.
                              • Divide the class into working groups of four or five students.  Instruct them to replicate the modeled process with one of the brainstormed words (or an appropriate noun of their own choosing):  
                                • Create a word tableau with an s at the end, using their bodies creatively to make the shapes of the letters.
                                • Create a sentence with the word as a plural. 
                                • Speak the sentence with the spelled-out word, using their voices expressively.
                                • Create a sentence with the word as a possessive
                                • Insert the apostrophe in the appropriate place. 
                                • Speak the sentence with the spelled out word, including the apostrophe.
                              • Have each group present their two tableaux to the class.  After each, examine the choices the group made and determine if they included or left out the apostrophe correctly.

                               

                              Closing Reflection

                              • Reflect on the process of creating the groups’ tableaux. “How did you work together to create it, and then to say your lines?  How did you use your bodies to represent the letters?  What are the two forms that we focused on?  What is the difference between them, and which one generally uses an apostrophe?”
                              • Return to the song and sing it again, using the gestures developed by the class at the beginning of the lesson.

                               

                              Assessments

                              Formative

                              • Assess understanding of the difference between the possessive and the plural, based on prior knowledge and/or after learning and singing the song.
                              • Observe how students use their bodies to create the letters, and how they use their voices to express their lines.
                              • Observe and listen in on group processes for creating their tableaux and lines, looking for respectful collaboration, sharing of ideas, and inclusion of all group members.

                                 

                                Summative

                                Have students choose three words from the word bank on the board and write two sentences for each, one with the word as a plural, and the other with the word as a possessive. Stipulate that they cannot use the word that their group used, and they cannot repeat sentences that any of the groups used.

                                 

                                 

                                 

                                 

                                Differentiation

                                Acceleration: 

                                • Challenge the students to make their sentences connect in meaning and context.  (e.g., “All of the pigs – P-I-G-S - were snorting.  We heard one pig’s – P-I-G-apostrophe-S – squeals above the chorus of snorts.”
                                • Add in plural possessives, to clarify the use of apostrophes there, so that the modeling offers three lines, and each group must come up with three lines (e.g., “There were so many toys – T-O-Y-S – in the playroom.  One toy’s – T-O-Y-apostrophe-S – speaker was playing some very irritating music.  The toys’ – T-O-Y-S-apostrophe many colors were like a kaleidoscope.”
                                • Add in contractions for “is” to further differentiate.  E.g., “That pig’s about to run away” or “the noisy toy’s getting on my last nerve.”
                                • Focus on pronoun exceptions – possessives without apostrophes (its, not it’s; whose, not who’s; hers, not her’s; ours, not our’s; yours, not your’s; theirs, not their’s).
                                • Practice with words that end with s – “Here come the buses/the bus’s wheel is flat”; the Davises are coming to visit/Mr. Davis’s mother is with them.”

                                Remediation: 

                                • Cycle all students through groups in front of the class, rather than having groups work independently.
                                • Have the whole class decide on and practice a shape for each letter.
                                • Do fewer examples and use longer words so more students can be in each (if guided by the teacher in front of the class).
                                • Use words for items visible in the classroom, and make the sentences correspond to visible phenomena, (e.g., “There are lamps L-A-M-P-S – in our classroom,” and “The tall lamp’s – L-A-M-P-apostrophe-S shade is white.”)

                                *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

                                 Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann

                                 Revised and copyright:  August 2022 @ ArtsNOW
                                Back to Modules