Legends of Day and Night 4-5

LEGENDS OF DAY AND NIGHT

LEGENDS OF DAY AND NIGHT

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will merge their scientific knowledge of why we experience day and night with their exploration of Inuit literature. This will be achieved by first examining a Inuit legend that depicts the story of how day and night came to be. Students will integrate theatre techniques into the retelling of the Inuit legend. Finally, students will apply their knowledge of day and night to craft their own original legend of day and night.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can scientifically explain why we experience day and night.
  • I can write a legend about the origin of day and night.
  • I can communicate a story through tableau.

Essential Questions

  • How can theatrical techniques be tools to communicate ideas?
  • Why do we experience day and night?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

S4E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to model the effects of the position and motion of the Earth and the moon in relation to the sun as observed from the Earth. a. Develop a model to support an explanation of why the length of day and night change throughout the year. b. Develop a model based on observations to describe the repeating pattern of the phases of the moon (new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full). c. Construct an explanation of how the Earth’s orbit, with its consistent tilt, affects seasonal changes.

Arts Standards

Grade 4:

TA4.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA4.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA4.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

Grade 5

TA5.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA5.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA5.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5: 

5-ESS1-2. Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.

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.

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Narration - The act of telling a story
  • Storytelling - Conveying events in words and images, often by improvisation or embellishment
  • Legend - A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated
  • Sun - Center of the solar system; a star; a hot ball of glowing gasses
  • Moon - An object that revolves around a planet
  • Earth’s axis - The imaginary line around which the Earth rotates
  • Rotation - Spinning motion of an object on its axis
  • Revolution - The action of going around in an orbit
  • Waxing Moon - After a new moon and before a full moon; the illuminated area increases
  • Waning Moon - After a full moon and before a new moon; the illuminated area decreases

Arts Vocabulary

  • Tableau - A “living picture” in which actors pose and freeze in the manner of a picture or photograph
  • Actor’s Neutral - A neutral position which includes a good center of balance, aligned posture, and no unconscious areas of tension in your neck, shoulders, or spine
  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Character - A person, an animal or other figure assuming human qualities, in a story
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Dialogue – Conversation between characters
  • Ensemble - All the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered

 

Materials

  • Anchor chart paper
  • Paper
  • Pencils

The Origins of Day and Night by Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt (Author), Lenny Lishchenko (Illustrator)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips:  Use cueing methods when directing tableau in your classroom: “3-2-1- Freeze” and “Actor’s Neutral”. Make your expectations for when students work together to craft their legends explicit and go over these before the group work begins. Write them up so that students can refer back to them if they need to during their group working time.

 

  • 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 to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Introduce the art forms of storytelling and tableau with a warm-up: Character Statues.
    • Students will spread out in the room standing in a neutral position called “Actor’s Neutral”.
    • Students will form character statues when prompted.
      • Examples of prompts: An actor surrounded by fans wanting autographs, an upset principal, a clown juggling, etc.
      • Encourage students to pair up and create tableaux of the following relationships:  A parent and child, a doctor and patient, two friends who haven’t seen each other in years, etc.
        • Be sure that students understand that a tableau is a frozen picture.

 

Work Session

  • Story Whoosh: Form a class circle. Tell students that they will be reading a legend about the origin of day and night as told by the Inuit people. Review what a “legend” is as a class and show students where the Inuit people live (scroll down for map).
  • Read The Origins of Day and Night by Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt (Author), Lenny Lishchenko (Illustrator).
    • As you read, pause and allow students to come into the center of the circle to form a tableau that dramatizes that section of the legend. Say “Whoosh!” to indicate the actors in the middle returning to their places in the circle and allow other actors to come to the center.
    • Continue this activity until the entire legend is finished being shared.
  • Review the concept of how day and night are created by the Earth’s rotation on its axis so that it’s facing towards or away from the Sun.
    • Divide students into small groups. Provide each group a piece of anchor chart/poster paper and markers. On it, they should write down everything that they know about the scientific concepts behind day and night.
    • Bring the class back together to create a “master list” of facts that students know about why we experience day and night, such as:
      • The earth orbits the sun in 365 days. The earth rotates on its axis in a full circle taking 24 hours. The moon orbits the earth, taking about 28 days to orbit Earth. The position of the earth, sun and moon affect the phases of the moon and which parts of the moon we can see. The moon does not produce any light, it reflects light from the sun.
  • Tell students that each group will be creating their own original legend explaining the origins of day and night, much like the Inuit one they explored earlier.
    • Students will be merging fact and fiction in their legends.
    • Go over the group guidelines:
      • Include at least two scientific facts about day and night in your legend.
      • Include a clear problem and solution that explains why we have day and night.
      • Include a tableau performance with expressive narration of the legend.
    • Provide time for students to write and practice. Circulate the room to work with students and check for understanding.

 

Closing Reflection

  • After writing and practicing their legends and tableaux, students will perform for the class. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • After group performances, reflect using the following questions as prompts:
    • What did you like or notice about this group’s performance?
    • What did you notice was different about your legend from the Inuit legend we read today?
    • What did you notice was similar about your legend from the Inuit legend we read today?
    • How did the scientific background knowledge you had about the Sun and Moon help you in developing your legend? Did understanding science make it more challenging to be creative?

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of scientifically why we experience day and night, and collaboration with groups to write their own legend and create a tableau to accompany it.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can scientifically explain why we experience day and night.
  • Students can write a legend about the origin of day and night that meets criteria.
  • Students can demonstrate key parts of their legend through tableaux.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • Students can turn their legend into a play with dialogue, practicing the different parts and presenting for the class.
  • Have students do additional research on how other groups of people throughout time have sought to explain day and night.
  • Optional technology extensions:
    • ThingLink.com:
      • Demonstrate how to use the website ThingLink.com, a website that allows students to hyperlink different websites and student-created captions to an image.
      • Each student will find an image or a diagram of the placement of the Earth and the moon during a 24 hour period and attach various captions and hyperlinks that explain the science behind night and day.
      • Coordinating these images with their legends, students will demonstrate sound understanding of presented science concepts.
    • Using apps:
      • Demonstrate how to use Puppet Pals app which allows students to choose characters and backdrops and record their voices to create a show.
      • Demonstrate the Toontastic app, which uses a 'story arc' with characters, setting, plot, and a conclusion. Coordinating with the study of elements of fiction, this app gives students the ability to create and move characters while recording their own voices to tell their stories.  Students can practice retelling the legend they created in small groups by creating dialogue for the major events in the story.

Remediation: 

  • Write a legend as a class. Then, have groups create tableaux depicting different important parts of the story. Have students present their tableaux in sequential order as the class legend is read aloud.
  • Provide sentence starters and/or graphic organizers to structure writing.

 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: Jessica Rosa Espinoza. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Living Summary 4-5

LIVING SUMMARY

LIVING SUMMARY

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will learn the technique of tableau (frozen picture). They will then form a tableau to tell a summary of a story passage from Because of Winn Dixie.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • Students can summarize a text through theatre techniques and in written form.

Essential Questions

  • How can theatre techniques be used as a tool of communication?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

ELAGSE4RL2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

 

Grade 5:

ELAGSE5RL2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

Arts Standards

Grade 4:

TA4.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA4.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA4.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

Grade 5

TA5.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA5.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA5.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

READING – Literary Text

Meaning and Context

Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of thematic development

6.1 Determine the development of a theme within a text; summarize using key details.

 

Grade 5:

READING – Literary Text

Meaning and Context

Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of thematic development.

6.1 Determine and analyze the development of a theme within a text; summarize using key details.

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.

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

Summary - A short version of a text that highlights key points and main ideas

Arts Vocabulary

  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Ensemble - All the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered
  • Tableau -  A “living picture” in which actors pose and freeze in the manner of a picture or photograph

 

Materials

  • Story excerpts from Because of Winn Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo (or other text)
  • Various scenarios for sample tableaux written on 3x5 cards

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: If each of the activities are taking too long, have the students make one or two examples from “Family Portraits” at the same time as a whole class.

 

  • 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 to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Play “Family Portraits”.
    • Break the students into groups. Each group must go on to the rug and make a family portrait.
    • The leader calls out a type of family and students must pose as that family. They have three seconds to get into pose and freeze when the teacher indicates (use a drum, a clap pattern, etc.).
      • Types of families could include: Crazy family, sick family, magical family, loving family, fighting family, goofy family, circus family, dancing family, rock’n’roll family, gymnastics family, swimming family, movie star family, athletic family, lion family, teacher family.

 

Work Session

  • Explain to students that what they just did, is called tableau in theatre. A tableau is a “living picture” in which a group of people takes on various poses and maintains the poses silently in order to illustrate an abstract idea or communicate a concrete image.
  • With note cards that have different scenarios written on them, have the students pull different situations randomly from a bucket, such as:
    • A train robbery
    • Seeing a big bear
    • Shopping at the grocery store
  • Students will practice making tableaux in their same groups from the activator demonstrating these scenarios.
  • Tell students that they will be making a tableaux to demonstrate summaries of various passages from a book they are reading. Ask students to listen for the key points of the passage and think about how they can be shown in a single picture.
    • Read an excerpt from Because of Winn Dixie (or passage from another book). Ask students to listen for the key points of the story, answering the questions who, what, when, where, and how.
      • Students should write down notes as they listen/read along.
    • After reading the excerpt, ask each group member to compare their notes with their group and take several minutes to plan their tableaux.
    • After planning time, announce, “On a count of three, show me, 1-2-3 freeze!”.
    • Move around the room and discuss the success of each of the tableaux and how they show a summary of the passage.
    • Read another excerpt and repeat the process.
  • Assign different groups different passages that they enacted using tableau.
    • Each group member should write their own summary.
    • Then, allow students time to share with other students in their group. Students will then synthesize their summaries creating one summary for the group.
    • Students should then create a final version of a tableau to summarize their passage.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Students will read their summaries and present their tableaux for the class in sequential order. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to groups presenting.
  • After each presentation, students should discuss how the group showed the summary using their bodies.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, demonstration of tableaux, notes on each passage, and participation in summary tableaux.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can demonstrate the summary of a text using tableau.
  • Students can write a summary of a text including a main idea and essential supporting information.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: Students can rewrite the passage as a scene using dialogue. Students in the group can practice their scene and perform it for the class.

Remediation: 

  • After reading the passage, answer the questions of “who, what, when, where, how and why?” together as a class. Then, spend time brainstorming ideas as a class for how a passage could be summarized using tableau.
  • Rather than summarizing a passage into one tableaux, break the passage into several key events; students can make several tableaux demonstrating each event to summarize the passage.

*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: Mary Gagliardi. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Microorganism Freeze Frame 4-5

MICROORGANISM FREEZE FRAME

MICROORGANISM FREEZE FRAME

Learning Description

Students will explore the concepts of beneficial and harmful microorganisms using their bodies to act in scenes and tableaux. By enacting different bacteria and viruses, students will learn scientific information kinesthetically.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can demonstrate my understanding of tableau by freezing and moving when appropriate.
  • I can demonstrate my understanding of the difference between bacteria and viruses using tableaux.
  • I can demonstrate my understanding of helpful and harmful bacteria by identifying the type of bacteria represented in each group performance.
  • I can use my body to demonstrate my understanding of viruses and bacteria (both helpful and harmful).

Essential Questions

  • How can theatre techniques be used to understand microorganisms?
  • How are viruses and bacteria different?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5

S5L4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how microorganisms benefit or harm larger organisms.

Arts Standards

Grade 5

TA5.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA5.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA5.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5

5.L.4B.3 Construct explanations for how organisms interact with each other in an ecosystem (including predators and prey, and parasites and hosts).

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.

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Microorganisms - Living organisms so small that we need a powerful microscope to see them. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and algae.
  • Bacteria - Single celled spherical, spiral, or rod-shaped organisms. Bacteria can be helpful or harmful to humans.
  • Viruses - The smallest of the microorganisms, viruses are infectious agents that can only replicate inside the cells of other living things. They cause infectious diseases like chickenpox and measles.

Arts Vocabulary

  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Scene – The dialogue and action between characters in one place for one continuous period of time
  • Improvisation - A creation that is spoken or written without prior preparation
  • Ensemble - All the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered
  • Tableau -  A “living picture” in which actors pose and freeze in the manner of a picture or photograph

 

Materials

  • Notecards with helpful and harmful bacteria listed on them
  • Pictures of bacteria and viruses
  • Chart/poster paper and markers

 

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 to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Begin the lesson by introducing the basics of tableau.
    • Stop/go: Tell students that when you say, “Go”, they should walk around the classroom. When you say, “Stop”, they should freeze in place. Repeat several times.
    • Now, tell students that when you say, “Stop”, they should freeze in place, but that you will tell them how you want them to freeze (happy, sad, angry, etc.). Repeat several times.
    • Now, tell students that when you say, “Stop”, you will tell them what you want them to be (car, tree, wall, cat, dog, etc.). Repeat several times.
    • Now, tell students that when you say, “Stop”, you want them to freeze as if they are doing something (eating, running, kicking a ball, planting a plant, cooking). Repeat several times.
    • Tell students that in this activity, they were making a tableau. A tableau is a frozen living picture.
  • Have students return to their seats.

 

Work Session

  • Review/teach about microorganisms, the smallest living things.
    • Review two types of microorganisms: bacteria and viruses.
    • Divide students into small groups of 2, 4, or 6. Provide each group with chart/poster paper and markers. Students should divide their paper into two sections: bacteria and viruses.
      • With their groups, students should write down characteristics of each type of microorganism.
      • Provide time for groups to share and revise their work.
      • Next, groups should discuss how they could use movement to demonstrate the different characteristics of each.
      • For example, as a bacteria, students are able to completely take care of themselves; they are able to feed themselves and they are able to replicate.
      • As viruses, they must find other ways to eat and get energy because they are not self-sufficient. They must find other living cells in which to replicate.
      • Tell students that in their groups, students will act out each type of microorganism when prompted.
        • An example of what this might look like is two students moving the same way close together as a single bacterium and then splitting off into separate entities to show replication.
    • Next, assign each group to be bacteria or viruses.
    • Have the students make a tableaux of their microorganisms. Establish a cue to tell students to come to life.
    • Circulate the room discussing how the different groups demonstrated their microorganism, pointing out the differences between viruses and bacteria.
  • Helpful and Harmful Microorganisms
    • Introduce the concept that some bacteria are helpful and some bacteria are harmful.
    • Discuss examples of helpful bacteria, such as live bacteria in yogurt, bacteria that breaks down organic material and turns it into compost, bacteria that breaks down chemical waste to help the environment, etc.
    • Discuss examples of harmful bacteria, such as bacteria living on raw meat, bacteria living on dirty hands after touching a public handrail or a cell phone, bacteria that can cause an infection when you hurt yourself and don’t clean the injury, etc.
    • Pass out cards to groups with each of these types of bacteria on them.
    • Ask the group to use their bodies to act out the location and the type of bacteria that would be found there (harmful or beneficial). Remind students to use their facial expressions and whole bodies as tools of communication in their scenes.
    • Provide time for students to plan and practice. Circulate to support students and check for understanding.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Each group will perform for the class. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • The class will decide if the group is showing helpful bacteria or harmful bacteria based on what they see. Ask the class to give a thumbs up if it is helpful or thumbs down if it is harmful.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the tableau activator, review of microorganisms, and use of movement and tableau to demonstrate their understanding of microorganisms.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can demonstrate their understanding of the difference between bacteria and viruses using their created tableaux.
  • Students can demonstrate their understanding of helpful and harmful bacteria by identifying the type of bacteria represented in each group performance.
  • Students can use their bodies to demonstrate their understanding of viruses and bacteria (both helpful and harmful).

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • Students can write a scene that uses dialogue to demonstrate harmful or helpful bacteria. The setting for the scene would be where the bacteria lives (cell phone surface, yogurt, etc.). Students can take this one step further by turning their scenes into shadow puppet performances.
  • Students can write and illustrate a story (can be in the form of a comic strip) that uses dialogue to demonstrate their understanding of bacteria and viruses. An example could be creating a villain who is harmful bacteria causing an infection and a superhero who is white blood cells fighting the bacteria villain.

Remediation: 

  • Provide a graphic organizer or guided notes for students instead of having students write about viruses and bacteria on chart paper. Students could also use printed strips of paper with characteristics on them that they glue down under headings of bacteria or viruses.
  • Scaffold this lesson by pausing throughout the lesson to brainstorm movements as a class to represent viruses and bacteria. This will help students who might struggle with ideas when they work in their groups.

 

*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: Mary Gagliardi. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: June 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Multiplication / Division Hula 2-3

MULTIPLICATION/DIVISION HULA

MULTIPLICATION/DIVISION HULA

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will be empowered by seeing their physical bodies solve multiplication and division problems. They will step into the world of “math stories” to enact and solve math problems. Allowing students to become part of the equation in real time enables them to better visualize problem solving methods.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can solve and write “math stories”/multiplication and division problems using hula hoop visualization.
  • I can create and perform my own “math story”/multiplication and division problems using acting.

Essential Questions

  • How can acting and movement help us understand multiplication and division?
  • How are multiplication and division related?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2: 

2.NR.3: Work with equal groups to gain foundations for multiplication through real-life, mathematical problems.

 

Grade 3: 

3.PAR.3: Use part-whole strategies to solve real-life, mathematical problems involving multiplication and division with whole numbers within 100.

3.PAR.3.2 Represent single digit multiplication and division facts using a variety of strategies. Explain the relationship between multiplication and division.

3.PAR.3.4 Use the meaning of the equal sign to determine whether expressions involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication are equivalent.

3.PAR.3.6 Solve practical, relevant problems involving multiplication and division within 100 using part-whole strategies, visual representations, and/or concrete models.

Arts Standards

Grade 2:

TA2.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

Grade 3:

TA3.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3: 

3.ATO.1 Use concrete objects, drawings and symbols to represent multiplication facts of two single-digit whole numbers and explain the relationship between the factors (i.e., 0 – 10) and the product.

3.ATO.2 Use concrete objects, drawings and symbols to represent division without remainders and explain the relationship among the whole number quotient (i.e., 0 – 10), divisor (i.e., 0 – 10), and dividend.

3.ATO.4 Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers when the unknown is a missing factor, product, dividend, divisor, or quotient.

3.ATO.6 Understand division as a missing factor problem.

Arts Standards

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

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Multiplication - Creating or counting equal groups; a mathematical operation where a number is added to itself a number of times
  • Division - To break apart into equal parts or groups
  • Dividend - The number that is being divided
  • Divisor - The number you divide by
  • Quotient - The answer to a division problem

Arts Vocabulary

  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Character - A person, an animal or other figure assuming human qualities, in a story
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Dialogue – Conversation between characters
  • Scene – The dialogue and action between characters in one place for one continuous period of time
  • Ensemble - All the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered

 

Materials

5-10 hula hoops

 

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 to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Ask students what some of their favorite stories are–movies, TV shows, books, etc. Ask students to share what they like about them–the characters, story, etc.?
    • Tell students that today, they will be looking at math like a story with characters, a setting, a problem, and a solution.

 

Work Session

  • Begin by creating a vocabulary movement for each mathematical symbol that students will use in the lesson. Change the pitch of your voice every time that you say the word.
    • Example vocabulary movements:
      • “=” equals to (forearms horizontal and parallel in front of body)
      • “+” to add to (forearms in a cross in front of body)
      • “-” to take away (right forearm in front of body and swipes down right)
      • “x” groups of (forearms in an ‘x’ in front of body)
      • “÷” to break apart (forearms together with balled fists on either side of middle, then fists separate to the side)
    • Show each movement and ask students to guess which part of the math story you are acting out. Once the students guess, draw the operation on the board.
    • Practice making the movements and saying their meanings with students.
  • Introducing “Math Lands”:
    • Tell students that there are different “lands” or settings in which the math stories take place.
    • First, there is Addition Land, where we add to and take away from/subtract. Only addition and subtraction take place in Addition Land.
      • Characters in Addition Land:
        • Sum – Answer to the addition problem
        • Difference – Answer to the subtraction problem
    • There is also Multiplication Land, where we count groups of numbers and also break numbers apart into groups/division.
      • Characters in Multiplication Land:
        • Quotient – Answer to the division problem
        • Product – Answer to the multiplication problem
        • Dividend – The number that is being divided first
        • Divisor – The number going into the dividend; it breaks up the number
    • Tell students that division does not live in Addition Land and subtraction does not live in Multiplication Land.
    • Now, introduce the other characters that can go to both Addition and Multiplication land, zero and one. Tell students that they will act differently depending on which land they go to.
      • ZERO:
        • Zero is the "nobody" of Addition Land because when it is added to or taken away from a number, the number doesn't even think anything happened. It just shrugs and walks away unchanged.
        • But, if zero goes to Multiplication Land, look out! It feels very powerful as it annihilates anybody it comes into contact with! Any number multiplied by “0” equals zero!
      • ONE:
        • On the other hand, one is the "nobody" of Multiplication Land. It doesn't have any effect on anyone in this land. It’s kind of like zero in Addition Land. 5 x 1 = 5 , 100 x 1 = 100,  5 ÷ 1 = 5
        • Yet, when one goes over to Addition Land, it can cause numbers to subtly change. 100 + 1 = 101, 5000 + 1 = 5001
  • Let’s live in Multiplication Land today and tell some stories from there. In this land we will talk about multiplication (groups of) and division (break apart into groups).
    • Tell students that division and multiplication are like distant relatives who live in the same land.
    • Division is the inverse or opposite of multiplication. We are breaking a number apart into groups when we divide, and we are grouping numbers when we multiply.
    • Let’s look at how they are related by looking at a math story (use the hula hoops to demo the story):
      • 5 x 2 = 10: If we have two hula hoops on the floor, and five students in each hula hoop, how many students do we have in total? Inversely, if we have ten students and two hula hoops, how many students will stand in each hula hoop? 10 ÷ 2 = 5
      • Place three hula hoops on the floor, ask six students to divide themselves equally into the three hula hoops. Write out the problem on the board: 6 ÷ 3 = 2. Ask students how it could be written as a multiplication problem: 3 x 2 = 6. Continue to model division using this method.
      • Increase the number of hula hoops and students; for example, instruct students to evenly place 20 students into five hula hoops.
      • Write out the equations as students act them out.
    • Add interest and energy to the problems by bringing them to life through word problems. Have students physically embody/act out the objects or people in the word problems.
      • Example multiplication problems to enact:
        • There are three houses. Each house has four people living in it. How many people live in the houses? 3 x 4 = 12
        • If you have two boxes and put five apples in each. How many apples do you have? 2 x 5 = 10
        • There are four spider webs and each spider web has two spiders in it. How many spiders are there in total? 4 x 2 = 8
        • A tree at the park has four branches. Each branch has five birds on it. How many birds are in the tree? 4 x 5 = 20
      • Example division problems to enact:
        • Jerry picks twelve flowers from her garden. She wants to put the same number of flowers in each of the three vases. How many flowers should she put in each vase? Lay out three hula hoops/vases and place four flowers/students in each hula hoop/vase. 12 ÷ 3 = 4
        • Barry has eight spiders to divide equally in four jars. How many spiders will be in each jar? 8 ÷ 4 = 2
  • Divide students into small groups. In their groups, students should write their own “math story” as both a multiplication and division problem. Students will need to determine what the hula hoops will represent and what object will be put into each hula hoop. Students should practice acting out their math story and using their bodies to become the characters in their stories.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Students will perform their “math stories” for their classmates. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • After each performance, the audience should be able to determine what the “math story” is showing in terms of the mathematical equation.
  • The performing group should then read/show their “math story” to class.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, ability to use their bodies to make mathematical symbols, engagement in class discussion, participation in acting out the “math stories”, and collaboration with their groups to create and perform a “math story”.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can accurately solve and write “math stories”/multiplication and division problems using hula hoop visualization.
  • Students can create and perform their own “math stories”/multiplication and division problems using acting.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • Have students turn their “math stories” into full scenes. Challenge students to include at least three different equations in their story. Students should incorporate dialogue into their scenes that explains what is occurring mathematically.

Remediation: 

  • Focus on multiplication in one session and division in a separate session rather than discussing them together in this lesson.
  • Rather than having groups create their own equations to act out, assign equations to groups to act out.

*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: Susie Spear Purcell. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

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Our Alien Problem K-1

OUR ALIEN PROBLEM

OUR ALIEN PROBLEM

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will demonstrate their competency in the writing process by integrating theatre, visual arts and writing. Integrating theatre and visual arts with writing will help students to create and embody their character’s identity and communicate their planet’s problem to their audience.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create and embody a character using my voice and body.
  • I can use color, shape and texture to create an alien.
  • I can create a background for my artwork.
  • I can write a fictional narrative that establishes at least one character, a setting, and a problem and solution.

Essential Questions

  • How can I use drama and visual art to inspire a fictional narrative?
  • How can I use drama and visual art to create a unique character?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten: 

ELAGSEKW3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

 

Grade 1: 

ELAGSE1W3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

Theatre

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

 

Visual Arts

VAK.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VAK.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

 

Grade 1:

Theatre

TA1.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

Visual Arts

VA1.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten: 

WRITING - Meaning, Context, and Craft

Standard 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well structured event sequences.

3.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, to tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and to provide a reaction to what happened.

 

Grade 1: 

WRITING - Meaning, Context, and Craft

Standard 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well structured event sequences.

3.1 Explore multiple texts to write narratives that recount two or more sequenced events, include details, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

Arts Standards

Theatre

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

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Visual Arts

Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Fictional narrative - A story created from the imagination rather than based strictly on fact or real events
  • Problem/conflict - A challenge or obstacle that the characters must face and attempt to overcome
  • Solution/resolution - The outcome of the problem or conflict that the characters face; it is the way in which the challenge is addressed or overcome, bringing closure to the story
  • Character - A person, animal, or being that takes part in the story's events
  • Setting - When and where a story takes place

Arts Vocabulary

Theatre Vocabulary:

  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Expression - A look on the face that indicates mood or emotion
  • Character - A person, an animal or other figure assuming human qualities, in a story
  • Voice – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character speaks or sounds
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Improvisation - A creation that is spoken or written without prior preparation

 

Visual Arts Vocabulary:

  • Color - One of the Elements of Art; reflected or absorbed light
  • Texture - How something feels or looks like it feels
  • Shape - An enclosed line; it is always two-dimensional and can be geometric or organic
  • Background - What is farthest away from the viewer in an artwork

 

Materials

  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Crayons or markers

 

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 to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Explain that students will explore different characters by changing their walk and physicality. Use simple prompts to get students thinking about different ways to walk and move. Call out various types of characters and ask students to walk around the space embodying those characters. Examples include:
    • A bird searching for a worm to eat
    • A tree blowing in the wind
    • A hungry lion
    • A happy dog
  • Now, ask students to add a sound to accompany their movements.
  • Debrief with students by asking them how they used movement and sound (body and voice) to become the characters. Tell students that they will be using their bodies and voices to become a character that they will create.

 

Work Session

  • Begin the lesson by asking students to share what comes to mind when they think of aliens. Record answers on the board. Ask students to think about what the alien would look like–what color would it be? Would its skin have texture? What shape would its body be?
  • Show students example cartoon pictures of aliens. Talk about how artists depict aliens differently because no one has actually ever seen an alien.
  • Ask students to imagine that they are aliens. Ask them to think about what they might look like.
    • Pass out paper and crayons or markers. Students will use their imaginations to draw themselves as an alien.
    • Encourage students to draw BIG and use lots of details in their drawings–does their alien use eyes to see? How many eyes do they have? Does their alien communicate by speaking or some other way? Does it have a mouth? How does their alien move around? Swim, walk, fly, or do all of those things?
    • After students have drawn their alien, they should give their alien a name.
    • Allow students time to share their artwork with a neighbor.
  • In the background of the picture, students should draw their alien’s planet. Encourage students to use lots of details–is it rocky, covered in forest, completely liquid?
    • Students will then be asked to come up with a name for the planet on which they live and one problem that their planet is having. This information will be used in the writing portion of the lesson.
  • The students will now use theatre techniques to embody their aliens.
    • Ask students to think about how their alien would move. Show students an example by walking around as if you were an alien. Now, allow students to walk around/move as their aliens.
    • Next, ask students to use their voices to add sound to their aliens.
    • Ask a few students to introduce themselves as their alien using their alien voice.
    • One way to allow students to share is by creating a talk show and interviewing students.
  • Using the details and pictures from the activity, students will now begin the process of writing out their alien’s story.
    • Each story needs to include the name of the alien (character), planet name (setting) and the problem they are having on their planet. Each student also needs to describe a solution to their planet’s problem.
    • Remind students that their stories should have a beginning, middle, and end.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Allow time for students to share their stories and artwork with a partner or with the class.
    • Establish guidelines for appropriate audience participation if students are presenting their stories and art to the whole class.
    • If students are sharing with a partner, model how to take turns sharing and listening.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, class discussion, creation of alien characters and planets, and conferencing with students during the writing process.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can create and embody a character using their voices and bodies.
  • Students can use color, shape and texture to create an alien.
  • Students can create a background for their artwork.
  • Students can write a fictional narrative that establishes at least one character, a setting, and a conflict and resolution.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: Students will draw an alien, create a name, and a planet. Then, instead of creating their own problem, they will do research to find a current event or world problem to use in their creative story. They will then write a creative writing piece to highlight the problem on the alien’s planet and one way the alien will solve the problem; students will defend/explain their solution.

Remediation: Provide scenarios of common daily problems (ex: My shoe is untied. My hands are dirty). Students will work together to create solutions to each problem. Students will choose one problem and illustrate how their alien solves it. Students will write or dictate 1 – 2 sentences for each picture.

ESOL Modifications and Adaptations: ESOL teachers will provide students with a graphic organizer that will allow students to write the name of the alien and planet, the problem occurring or happening on their planet, and a solution to the problem. The graphic organizer should allow students to write a sentence that they will be able to transfer into their writing.

WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards

Standard 1: English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting.

Standard 2: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

 

*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: Greg Sena and Susie Spear Purcell. Modifications, Extensions, and Adaptations Contributed by: Peggy Barnes, Candy Bennett, Lindsey Elrod, Jennifer Plummer, and Vilma Thomas. Reviewed by Michael Miller. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

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