Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Name tags with equivalent fractions groupings (Fraction Role Cards Template)
• Individual dry erase boards or note paper and utensils, if needed
• Image of fraction chant

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Count-Up

• Class tries to count up from the number one, one voice at a time, randomly. If two people say the same number, a new round starts. Emphasize that it is a listening game. Establish the rule that the same person can’t say the first number two rounds in a row. Stop the game and start a new round if a pattern of students participating emerges.
• After Counting Up 1-2-3-etc., count by twos, threes, fours and sixes.
• After Counting Up with whole numbers, use fractions:
  • Unit fractions: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, etc.
  • Equivalent fractions: 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, etc.

Explain that these number and fraction sequences will be useful in the day’s lesson.

Work Session

Like Denominators Chant:

• Discuss/review how to add and subtract fractions.
• Introduce the following chant (as a projection, handout, or both):

With like denominators, we just add our numerators: And keep the original shared denominator.

With unlike denominators, we’ll wait to add later: After we find our common denominator.

With like denominators, we subtract the lesser numerator: From the greater, and keep the same denominator.

With unlike denominators – we can’t subtract:  Till we find our common denominator, that’s a fact.

• Work with students to find the best rhythm for the language of the chant. Establish a beat and recite the chant in unison.
• Possibly, assign lines to individuals or pairs to recite rhythmically.

Role-Play:

• Assign each student a fraction role with a name tag. Depending on numbers, the same identity may be assigned to two or even three students.  Use the accompanying template or create tags for the following:

Hi I’m 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8

Hi I’m 1/3, 2/6, 3/9, 4/12

Hi I’m 2/3, 4/6, 6/9, 8/12

Hi I’m 1/4, 2/8, 3/12, 4/16

Hi I’m 3/4, 6/8, 9/12, 12/16

Hi I’m 1/6, 2/12, 3/18, 4/24

Hi I’m 5/6, 10/12, 15/18, 2/24

Hi I’m 1/8, 2/16, 3/24, 4/32

Hi I’m 3/8, 6/16, 9/24, 12/32

Hi I’m 5/8, 10/16, 15/24, 20/32

Hi I’m 7/8, 14/16, 21/24, 28/32

• Have students practice introducing themselves using ‘aka’ or ‘also known as’ or, simply, ‘or.’ g., “Hi, I’m 3/4, aka 6/8, aka 9/12, aka 12/16.”  Let them introduce themselves to one another randomly.
• Have students pair up. After introducing themselves to their partner, have them decide which of their identities to assume. Instruct them that their goal is to add themselves together. Redirect them to the chant and tell them to determine which couplet applies:

 

With like denominators, we just add our numerators:  And keep the original shared denominator.

With unlike denominators, we’ll wait to add later:  After we find our common denominator.

• If they have a common denominator, each using one of their several identities, they will use the first couplet. If they have chosen fractions without a common denominator, but can switch to equivalent fractions with a common denominator, they can do that, reciting the second couplet, and then the first. If they cannot find a common denominator, they will use the second couplet.  Each pair should recite the appropriate couplet in unison.
• With individual dry erase boards or note paper and utensils, have students write out the calculations that reflect their simple scene. E.g., “3/4 + 3/24 = ?; 9/16 + 2/16 = 11/16”.
• This process can be repeated with several partners.
• Then have the students repeat the process but with the instruction that their goal is to subtract. Remind them that they will have to look for common denominators, and also determine which fraction has the greater value and which the lesser.  Have them select and recite from the third and fourth couplets:

With like denominators, we subtract the lesser numerator: From the greater, and keep the same denominator.

With unlike denominators – we can’t subtract:  Till we find our common denominator, that’s a fact.

Optional: Have students trade roles, so they engage in the process with a new set of equivalent fractions.

Closing Reflection

• Ask students: What was easy or hard about the activity? What was fun or interesting?
• Ask students: How do we add and subtract fractions with like denominators? With unlike denominators?

 

Assessments

Formative

• The teacher will observe how/whether:
  • Student pairs interact, choose fraction identities, and select and recite the appropriate couplet.
  • Students work together effectively and collaboratively.
  • Students use their voices to speak the couplets clearly.
  • Students readily assume the roles of fractions.

Summative

Students accurately write out the equations that reflect their process.

 

Differentiation 

Acceleration:  Add mixed numbers to the collection of fraction roles. Remediation: Direct several pairs in front of the class to model the process clearly. Reduce the number of possible roles to simplify the range of choices.

 

Credits

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: Barry Stewart Mann, MFA

*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.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

 

Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Class set of fencing props made of paper towel rolls, rolled-up newspaper, or rolled-up craft paper
• Name tags, stickers, or other method of assigning a single digit (1-9) to each student
• Dry erase boards or paper and pencils
• Examples of fencing:
  • Basics of fencing from the US Olympic Team
  • Lebanon High School fencing team demonstration video
  • Basics of sword-fighting instructional video, from Shakespeare in Detroit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4bvsNywjQ

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Word Passing:

• Have the class stand in a circle. Have one actor turn to their right and say the word “multiply” to the next person.  Have each person then turn and say it to the person to their right in sequence.
• Once the class is comfortable smoothly passing the word, add a gesture, such as the forearms crossed to make an ‘X’, Pass the word with the gesture.
• Repeat the process for the words “fence” and “fencing match” coming up with a gesture for each.
• Option: Try to pass two or all three of the words at once, starting them at equally-distanced points in the circle. Work as a class to try and keep all the words moving.
• Explain to the students that these words are part of the day’s drama integrated activity.

Work Session

Multiplication review:

• Review multiplication and the process for multiplying two two-digit numbers. Model the process on the board or screen, showing how each digit is used as a factor in a series of products that are added to arrive at the final product.

Medieval Times:

• Ask the students what they know about medieval times. Gather prior knowledge, which might come from literature, movies, or even eponymously named dinner theatre experiences.
• Discuss Knights, who were warriors that served kings, and Squires, who were younger men who served or were in training with knights.
• Knights and Squires were called by the honorifics ‘Sir’ and ‘Master’ respectively.
• Tell students that there were female knights who were called Dames; there is no set word for a younger woman who served or was in training with a Dame, so for the purposes of the lesson such a person will be called a Lady.
• Explain that the class will be enacting multiplication problems taking on the roles of knights, squires, dames, and ladies through fencing matches.
• Show students an example of fencing (see Materials).
• Establish the wordplay between multiplication and the word ‘times’ in “medieval times”.
• Explain that in each two-digit number, the digit in the tens place will be the Knight or Dame, and the digit in the ones place will be the Squire or Lady. They will be called by the honorific and the digit they bear and the value it represents, for example, Sir 7, Master 3, Dame 4, Lady 6.
• Invite four volunteers to the front. Assign them each a role with a numerical name tag. (For the example here, name tags needed are 7, 3, 4, and 6. Have them stand in pairs side by side, with the pairs facing each other. In each pair, the actor to the left (as viewed by the audience) is the Knight or Dame, and the actor to the right is the Squire or Lady.
• Have each team state their identities/values, encouraging them to speak in the style of medieval characters. E.g.:

“I am Sir 70.”  “I am Master 3.”  “Together we are 73.”

“I am Sir 40.”  “I am Master 6.”  “Together we are 46.”

• Distribute fencing props to the four actors, who represent factors. Explain to students that they are props, to be used to enact the scenes. Explain that this activity is a form of stage combat, in which actors work together to simulate a scene of physical conflict.  Remind them about safety rules in the classroom.
• Direct the actors/factors to enact the four duels that comprise the ‘Multiplication with Medieval Times’:
  • 73 says, “46, we challenge you.”
  • 46 says: “73, we challenge you.”
  • All say, “We shall battle to the bitter end – the product!  Let us Multiply with the Medieval Times!”.
  • Master 3 says: “Master 6 I challenge you.”  Master 6 replies, “Master 3, I challenge you!”
  • Both say, “En garde!” and they bring their fencing props together to form an X.
  • Then they alternate fencing taps to count out the groupings represented in their multiplication: 6 groups of 3 feints, equaling 18!  Write 18 on a dry erase board or paper.
• The process is repeated for the other three combinations, remaining mindful of which digits represent ones and which represent tens.
  • Master 3 says, “Sir 40, I challenge you.’ Sir 40 says, “Master 3, I challenge you.”  Both say, “En garde!”.
  • They enact 3 groups of 4 feints, multiplied by ten, equals 120.
  • Sir 70 says, “Master 6, I challenge you.” Master 6 says, “Sir 70, I challenge you!” Both say, “En garde!”.
  • They enact 7 groups of 6 feints, multiplied by 10, equals 420.
  • Sir 70 says, “Sir 40, I challenge you!” Sir 40 says, “Sir 70, I challenge you!”  Both say, “En garde!”.
  • They enact 7 groups of 4 feints, multiplied by 100, equals 2800.
• The partners add up the products recorded: 18, 120, 420 and 2800. Together they say, “The sum of our individual products is our grand total product – 3,358.”
• Model with several groups with different numbers.

Variations: Depending on class behavior and teacher comfort, restrict the lesson to a series of iterations until every student has had a chance to participate; or, after ample modeling, distribute name tags and fencing props and have student work in groups of four.  If the groups are uneven, assign a fifth student to record the products and help guide the duels.

Closing Reflection

• Ask students: What did you like or learn in this lesson?  What was interesting or fun?
• Ask students: How did the medieval-style stage combat help to reinforce the process for multiplying two two-digit numbers?
• Ask students:  How did you use your voices and bodies to become medieval characters?

 

Assessments

Formative

• Students are able to work their way through the sequence of four multiplication ‘duels’ to arrive at a product.
• Students enact their roles with energy and clarity.
• Students work together with their partners and teams safely and efficiently.

Summative

• Students arrive at accurate products for their assigned numbers.
• Students explain the process for multiplying two two-digit numbers.

 

Differentiation 

Acceleration:  Give students the opportunity to multiply other combinations of numbers from one- to four-digits. Remediation: Rather than having groups do independent practice, limit the lesson to guided practice with groups in front of the class. Start with problems that multiply a single-digit number by a two-digit number.

 

Credits

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: Barry Stewart Mann, MFA

*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.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

 

Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Class set of fencing props made of paper towel rolls, rolled-up newspaper, or rolled-up craft paper
• Name tags, stickers, or another method of assigning a single digit (1-9) to each student
• Dry erase boards or paper and utensils

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Word Passing

• Have the class stand in a circle. Have one actor turn to their right and say the word “multiply” to the next person.  Have each person then turn and say it to the person to their right in sequence.
• Once the class is comfortable smoothly passing the word, add a gesture – perhaps the forearms crossed to make an "X". Now, have students pass the word with the gesture.
• Repeat the process for the words “fence” and “fencing match” coming up with a gesture for each.
• Option: Try to pass two or all three of the words at once, starting them at equally-distanced points in the circle. Work as a class to try and keep all the words moving.
• Explain to the students that these words are part of the day’s drama-integrated activity.

Work Session

Multiplication review

• Review multiplication in general, and the process for multiplying a one digit number by a multiple of 10 (10-90). Model the process on the board or screen, showing how each digit is used as a factor in a series of products that are added to arrive at the final product.

Medieval Times

• Ask the students what they know about medieval times. Gather prior knowledge, which might come from literature, movies, or even eponymously named dinner theatre experiences.
• Discuss knights, who were warriors that served kings, and squires, who were younger men who served or were in training with knights.
• Knights and squires were called by the honorifics "Sir" and "Master" respectively.
• Tell students that there were female knights who were called dames.
  • Tell students that there is no set word for a younger woman who served or was in training with a dame, so for the purposes of the lesson such a person will be called a lady.
• Explain that the class will be enacting multiplication problems taking on the roles of knights, squires, dames, and ladies through fencing matches.
• Establish the wordplay between multiplication and the word “times” in “medieval times”.
• Explain that in each two-digit number, the digit in the tens place will be the knight or dame, and the digit in the ones place will be the squire or lady.
  • They will be called by the honorific and the digit they bear and the value it represents, E.g., Sir 7, Squire 3, Dame 4, Lady 6. Note that because students are multiplying a whole single digit number by multiple of 10, the person representing the tens place will be the Knight or Dame and the person representing the ones place will be the Master or Lady.
• Invite three volunteers to the front. Assign them each a role with a numerical name tag.  (For the example here, 20 and 4). In each pair, the actors to the left (as viewed by the audience) will be the knight or dame to represent the tens place (2) and a squire or lady to represent the ones place (0), and the actor to the right is the squire or lady representing the single digit whole number (4).
  • The two students representing the multiple of 10 should stand facing the single digit number.
• Have each team state their identities/values, encouraging them to speak in the style of medieval characters. g.: “We are Dame 2 and Lady 0.” “I am Squire 4.”
• Distribute fencing props to the actors, who represent factors.
  • Explain to students that they are props, to be used to enact the scenes. Explain that this activity is a form of stage combat, in which actors work together to simulate a scene of physical conflict.  Remind them about safety rules in the classroom.
• Direct the actors/factors to enact the duels that comprise the "Multiplication with Medieval Times":
  • Two says, “Four, I challenge you.” Four says “Two, I challenge you.”
  • All say, “We shall battle to the bitter end – the product!  Let us multiply with the Medieval Times!”
  • Both say, “En garde!” and bring their fencing props together to form an X.
  • Then they alternate sword taps to count out the groupings represented in their multiplication: Two groups of four feints, equaling eight! Write eight on a dry erase board in the tens place.
  • Then, zero says, “Four, I challenge you.” Four says, “Zero, I challenge you.” Ask students how many groups of feints they will perform. Students should say “Zero”. Write zero in the ones place on the board.
• Model with several groups with different numbers.
• Variations: Depending on class behavior and teacher comfort, restrict the lesson to a series of iterations until every student has had a chance to participate; or, after ample modeling, distribute name tags and fencing props and have student work in groups of four.  If the groups are uneven, assign a fifth student to record the products and help guide the duels.

Closing Reflection

• Ask students:
  • What did you like or learn in this lesson? What was interesting or fun?
  • How did the medieval-style stage combat help to reinforce the process for multiplying?
  • How did you use your voices and bodies to become medieval characters?

 

Assessments

Formative

• Teacher will observe whether:
  • Students are able to work their way through the sequence of four multiplication "duels" to arrive at a product.
  • Students enact their roles with energy and clarity.
  • Students work together with their partners and teams safely and efficiently.

Summative

• Students arrive at accurate products for their assigned numbers.
• Students explain the process for multiplying a single digit number by a multiple of ten.
• Students use their voices to embody medieval characters

 

Differentiation 

Accelerated:  Give students the opportunity to multiply other combinations numbers. Remedial: Rather than having groups do independent practice, limit the lesson to guided practice with groups in front of the class. Start with problems that multiply a single-digit number by a single-digit number.

 

Additional Resources

• Basics of fencing from the US Olympic Team
• Lebanon High School fencing team demonstration video
• Basics of sword-fighting instructional video, from Shakespeare in Detroit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4bvsNywjQ

 

Credits

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: Barry Stewart Mann, MFA. Revised by: Katy Betts

*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.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

 

Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Class set of Reader’s Theatre Script, “The Round-Up Hoedown”

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Have students stand straight, with feet flat on the ground, and arms by their sides.
• Lead students in repetitions of a series of syllables, such as “La-la-la-la-la” and “Bo-bo-bo-bo-bo”.
• Practice a familiar phrase, such as “Twinkle twinkle little star” or “Mary had a little lamb” varying the pitch, volume, and tempo: High and low, loud and soft, fast and slow.
• Lead students in several tongue twisters, such as:
  “She sells seashells by the seashore”
  “Unique New York, Unique New York”
  “If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?”
  Others by teacher choice or student suggestion.
• Discuss which aspects of voice (pitch, volume, and tempo) help with clear communication.

Work Session

• Introduce Readers Theatre to students.
  • Explain that the class will be reading a script aloud; all students will participate; and they will have a chance to practice their parts individually and together.
  • Explain that it will be like a performance, except there won’t be any audience (unless the teacher chooses to prepare it for performance).
• Explain that the Readers Theatre script is about place value and rounding numbers up and down. Discuss what it means to round up or round down. Give examples of situations where people might round up or down (e.g., someone might owe someone else $19, so they round it up to $20 for simplicity; someone asks what the temperature is, and instead of saying 72 degrees, the other person answers that it is about 70; etc.).
• Explain that the script is about numbers although it is set in a cowboy town where the ranchers are sorting their livestock.
  • As appropriate, discuss that the script uses a metaphor in which the cows are like numbers (or discuss after reading the script).
• After distributing the script, do an initial read-through.
  • Read through the script with students in sequence reading the next speech when their turn comes; i.e., establish an order (Jesse, then Ariel, then Kayden, then Valerie, etc.), and have each student read a single speech before moving on to the next reader. Assist students with reading as needed.
• Discuss the script and how place value, rounding up, and rounding down are conveyed.
• Assign roles. Depending on class size, assign multiple students to a role, have a single student play multiple roles, and/or combine roles, as needed.
• Using lines from the script, model standing tall, holding the script out in front of the chest (not in front of the face, and not down at the waist), and reading aloud with expression. Ask students how your voice helps to convey the meaning of the lines.
• Give students a chance to practice their lines out loud, all simultaneously. Assist individual students as needed.  Encourage students to find the meaning of their lines, and to have fun with how they say them.
• Line the students up in a sensible sequence according to the script. Read through the script at performance level, with strong poise, and loud, clear expressive voices.

Closing Reflection

• Reflect on how classmates helped make the meaning come through clearly; and on how the script presents the concepts of rounding up and rounding down.
• Ask students how the script communicated the concept of rounding.

 

Assessments

Formative

• The teacher will observe how:
  • Students practice and deliver their lines in the Readers Theatre piece.
  • Students demonstrate understanding of the mathematical concepts in the lesson.

Summative

• Students stand with poise and speak with expression.
• Students can articulate the meaning of place value, rounding up, and rounding down.

 

Differentiation 

Accelerated:  Give advanced students more difficult roles in the script. Have students add gestures and movement to the reading. Have students write a sequel addressing rounding up to hundreds and thousands. Remedial: Give less advanced students simpler roles in the script. Assign multiple students to each role. Edit script as needed to simplify.

 

Additional Resources

Instructional video on Readers Theatre (for teachers)

 

Credits

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning
Ideas contributed by: Barry Stewart Mann, MFA

*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.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW