Georgia Standards

South Carolina Standards

Key Vocabulary

Materials

• Paper and writing utensils (or student devices)

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Start with a general physical warm-up to get the students' bodies ready. Use exercises such as:
  • Stretching: Stretch all major muscle groups.
  • Shaking out limbs: Shake out arms, legs, and the whole body.
  • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
• Breathing and voice exercises: Have students stand in a circle and practice breathing from the diaphragm to project their voices. Have them say a simple sentence like, “I have an amazing idea!” and project it to the back of the room.
• Body language practice: Have students walk around the room, alternating between different emotional states (confident, shy, excited, nervous). Then, discuss how body language changes depending on their state.

Work Session

• Explain to students that just like actors perform in character, business professionals also perform when pitching ideas. They must engage, persuade, and leave a lasting impression on their audience
  • Briefly discuss:
    • The importance of body language: Gestures, posture, and eye contact to convey confidence and clarity
    • Voice projection and tone: Varying the voice to emphasize key points and using projection to ensure clarity
    • Character in business: Presenting as a confident, knowledgeable expert in the subject matter
  • Have students partner with the student with whom they made their Stabile sculptures.
  • Tell students that one partner will imagine that they want their Stabile sculpture to be displayed in a new art exhibit in a famous art museum. The focus of the exhibit is how artists use math to create artwork. The other partner will be the museum’s curator.
    • Students must write and present a short pitch to try to convince the museum curator to feature their artwork in the exhibit. Because the focus of the exhibit is how artists use math to create their artwork, students must be able to explain what mathematical concepts are used in their artwork. Students should work together on the script regardless of which role they play.
    • The museum curator must ask relevant questions of the artist about how math is used in the design of their artwork.
    • Students will write a script and will practice performing it using their voices and bodies to embody each character.
    • As students develop each of their characters, as them to consider:
      • How does your character stand? Sit? Walk?
      • What is their speaking style: Authoritative, friendly, enthusiastic?
      • What are their facial expressions and gestures while speaking?
      • Remind students to write the script as their characters, which means that they should use first person and dialogue.

Closing Reflection

• Students will perform their scenes for the class. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
• After each performance, have the audience discuss how the actors used their voices and bodies to demonstrate their characters.

Assessments

Formative

• Teachers will assess understanding throughout the lesson by:
  • Observing whether students can use their voices and bodies to act out a character
  • Explain their artwork using mathematical concepts
  • Collaborate with their group to write a script

Summative

CHECKLIST:

• Students can use their voices and bodies to create a character.
• Students can explain their artwork using mathematical concepts.

Differentiation

Credits

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

Ideas contributed 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

• Name tags with fractions written on them
• Individual dry erase boards or note paper and utensils, if needed

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Explain that fractions are parts of a whole. Today, they’ll “become” fractions and work together to add up to one whole.
• Tell the students that each of them will take on the role of a fraction and work with classmates to add up to a whole. Explain that fractions with the same denominator can be added by adding the numerators together.
• Fraction warm-up game: Play a game where students must “freeze” in shapes that represent different fractions. For instance, a “1/2” could be a shape taking up half the space, while a “1/4” might be a quarter circle. This encourages them to visualize fraction sizes.

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 like denominators, we subtract the lesser numerator

From the greater, and keep the same denominator.

• 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

• Hand out a fraction card to each student and ask them to wear it on their shirt or hold it visibly.
• Explain that each student is part of a fraction family but each family has been separated. They must work to find the rest of their fraction family so that when added together, they total one whole.
  • For example, a student with ¼ will need to find others in the “fourths family” with fractions like ¾ or two students with ¼ and 2/4.
• Have students practice introducing themselves using dialogue. “Hi, I’m ¼”. Students should articulate clearly and project their voices.
• Allow students time to experiment by joining up with different classmates, testing if their fractions add up to a whole. Encourage them to double-check their math each time they form a new group.
  • Instruct students to stay in character and introduce themselves as the fraction every time they encounter a new student. Students can use dialogue, such as, "I am ¼. Are you the piece I need to make a whole?"
  • Once a group thinks they’ve completed their fraction family, they should write down their fractions in an addition sentence (e.g., ¼ + ¼ + 2/4 = 4/4 or 1).

Closing Reflection

• Ask each group to share how they reached their solution and explain their thought process. If they made mistakes, ask them to talk about those too and how they adjusted.
  • Ask students: “What was the most challenging part of finding your whole?”.
• Talk about different ways to make one whole with fractions (e.g., two students with ½, four students with ¼). Write these examples on the board and let students observe the patterns.

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

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

Assessments

Formative

• Assess students based on their ability to collaborate, add fractions correctly, and explain their thought process.
• Observe whether students use their voices to speak the couplets clearly and readily assume the roles of fractions.

Summative

• Students can accurately write out the equations that reflect their process.
• Students can create complete fraction families that when added together, equal one whole.

Differentiation

Credits

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

Ideas contributed by: Barry Stewart Mann and 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

• Various empty cereal boxes of different sizes (ask students to bring these in prior to the lesson)
• Measuring tools (ruler, tape measure, etc.)
• Paper and pencils for script writing
• Performance space

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Tell students that you will say several different emotion words. When they hear the word they should create a facial expression for that word. After a few examples, have students add in gestures and sounds with the facial expressions.

Work Session

• Tell students that they will work in pairs or small groups to write a short script where siblings argue about which cereal box to purchase based on volume.
• Briefly review the concept of volume with the class, emphasizing how it relates to the amount of space inside a 3D object.
• Each group will choose two cereal boxes to compare by measuring their dimensions and calculating their volume.
• Discuss what a script is with students. Make sure that students understand that scripts have dialogue that is written in first person. It is not like a story written in third person.
• Ask students to consider what type of voice their character would have and how their voice might change if they’re trying to convince someone of something. Ask students to consider what gestures and facial expressions their character might use to communicate their point of view.
• Allow students time to work on their scripts. Encourage them to incorporate mathematical reasoning into their arguments. For example, they might discuss which box holds more cereal or which is a better value for the price.
• Have students peer-review each other's scripts, focusing on how well they incorporate mathematical reasoning and theatre elements. Students should provide feedback based on the clarity of their arguments and the effectiveness of their use of volume concepts.
• After writing their scripts, give students time to rehearse their performances. They should use the actual cereal boxes as props.
• Have each group perform their script for the class. After each performance, facilitate a brief discussion about the volume comparison made in the script. Ask the audience to weigh in on which cereal box they think would be the best choice based on the arguments presented.

Closing Reflection

• Ask students to reflect on the activity.
  • Did writing and performing the script help them understand the concept of volume better?
  • How did they incorporate math into their arguments?
  • How did incorporating theatre elements, like gestures, voice, and facial expressions add to their performances?

Assessments

Formative

• Observe students’ ability to use facial expressions, voice, and gestures to communicate emotions.
• Conference with students as they calculate volume and write their scripts to check for understanding.
• After each performance, facilitate a class discussion where students can reflect on the mathematical concepts presented in the scripts.

Summative

Differentiation

Credits

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

Ideas contributed by: SAIL Grant Teacher Leaders

*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

• Pre-made "commas" (paper cut-outs) for students to hold
• Note cards (one per student)
• Pencils
• Single digit numbers (one per student)
• What is Characterization video

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Introduce the "Count Up" game to students.
• Instruct students to close their eyes and call out numbers by counting on. Start with 1-2-3. Then move on to counting by tens and hundreds.
  • Example:
    • Student one says, “One”.
    • Student two says, “Two”.
  • If two students say the same number, the activity must start over.
  • Now tell students that they will play again. This time they will change the pitch of their voice to represent the value of the number.
    • The higher the voice level, the larger the number.
    • The lower the voice level, the smaller the place value.

Work Session

• Students will be put into groups of five students.
• Each student in the group will be given a digit. Each group should create a five digit number.
• Give each group a note card and pencil. Once students determine their number, they should write their number in expanded form.
  • Example: If students received the digits, 2, 5, 3, 9 and 7, they might create the number 25,397.
    • Students should write this number in standard form, placing the comma in the correct spot.
  • Each student will then write the expanded form of their digit on their individual notecard.
    • Example:
      • Card 1: 20,0000
      • Card 2: 5,000
      • Card 3: 300
      • Card 4: 90
      • Card 5: 7
    • The students will model the values of each digit using different voice levels (pitch), body levels, and placement.
      • Example:
        • Pitch: The higher the voice level, the larger the place value; the lower the voice level, the smaller the place value
        • Body level: The taller the student stands (high level), the larger the place value; the lower the student stands/crouches, the smaller the place value
        • Placement: Students should order themselves according to where their place value is located
      • When students perform their number, the number should be read in word form: “Twenty-five thousand three hundred ninety-seven”.
    • Tell students that they will repeat the process again; this time they should rearrange the digits in their number so that no digit is in the same place value.
    • Example: 25,397 becomes 79,352.

Closing Reflection

• Each group will share their performances of each number. The class will then help them determine which number performed is greater by recording each number on scratch paper and writing a “<” or “>” symbol in between the two numbers.
• Students will reflect on their process and how they used their voices and bodies to represent place value in their STEAM journals.

Assessments

Formative

• Teachers will assess student learning by observing whether students can:
  • Use their voices and bodies to represent the place value of each digit in a five digit number
  • Write numbers in standard and expanded form
  • Say numbers in word form
  • Compare two numbers using place value reasoning

Summative

• Rubric:

Differentiation

Credits

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

Ideas contributed by: SAIL Grant Teacher Leaders, Barry Stewart Mann

*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