Cambridge Public Schools Drama Collaborative

CURRICULUM GUIDE Unit Title: Freedom Grade Levels: 8 Subject/Topic Areas: Freedom; American History 1770-present; Civil Rights Key Words: patriotism, human rights, civil rights, 9/11, freedom, American history from the Declaration of Independence to the present Unit Designers: Nancy Paratore, Bill Endslow School: Tobin, 2002 Time Frame: 20-25 sessions Click here for Teacher Resources: Guide for vocal warm-up exercises Theater Games Diagram of a stage Student Self-Assessment Worksheet Playwriting Resources Link to Massachusetts Standards: History and social sciences #1 (chronology and cause), #3 (research, evidence and point of view), #4 (society, diversity, commonality and the individual); Arts: Theater #1 (acting), #2 (reading and writing scripts), and #5 (critical response); Language Arts #1(discussion), #2 (questioning, listening, contributing), #3 (oral presentation). Brief Summary of Unit (including what students will understand as a result of this unit) Students will brainstorm, help write, and perform a play that exhibits what they've learned about the role of freedom in American history from the Revolutionary War to the present. They will find ways to dramatize individual freedoms such as the right to vote, the right to assemble, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equal rights under the law, and how they were earned and by whom. Drama Strategies Group scriptwriting; peer critiques and feedback; improvising scenes and tableaux; monologue performance; scene performance; structuring a performance; assessing a performance Key Concepts (What statement(s) clearly expresses what I want students to know and understand?) Americans today have freedoms that were earned over the course of history in a myriad of ways by a succession of everyday "heroes." The vision and far-sightedness of these historic individuals contribute directly to our lives today. By understanding how their actions resulted in positive social change it is possible to imagine that our own actions could do the same for future generations. Essential Questions (What specific questions will guide this unit and focus teaching and learning?) Who is or what makes an American? What is an individual's identity; what is the identity of a nation and how does it change over time? What is the "gift" of freedom and how did we get it? What can we learn from history about the courage and far-sightedness of people and how it contributed to our current freedom? How do you find balance between diversity and the need for community? Students will know Students will be able to • how to find and use good research materials • visualize historical figures in context and understand the details of their lives and the circumstances that inspired them to take action • how to work in small groups and apply themselves to a specific problem or task with each individual contributing; how to use group work to examine a subject from many points of view • share ideas and critique each other's contributions in a positive manner; summarize ideas and report to the class • drama skills: how to be comfortable standing on stage, how to focus and improvise a scene • exhibit performance skills in a production: vocal clarity and projection, ability to think quickly, ability to portray a character through expressiveness of voice and body   EVIDENCE OF STUDENT UNDERSTANDING: Summary of performance tasks and projects Students script an original performance piece based on their knowledge of freedom, American history, civil rights, and the historical personages critical to each topic. Students create a character profile for themselves Summary of quizzes, tests and prompts. Students write a brief essay after the entire project is finished: "How do you see your character answer the question, 'what is freedom?'" Other Evidence (e.g. observations, work samples and dialogues) video of performance teacher observation of peer critiques teacher observation of small group rehearsal behavior final written script of performance piece audience responses to performance end-of-project student self-assessment sheets and grading discussion props and set drawings made for the performance period costumes assembled for the performance SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES: What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings? 1. Teacher introduces five main areas of study: Immigration (the students' own background/how and why people came) Declaration of Independence, Constitution and government Industrialization and western expansion Civil War, slavery and Emancipation Proclamation Civil Rights (segregation, suffrage, union rights and social justice) 2. Discussion: What is freedom? Teacher divides students into groups and gives each group one of the following questions to discuss and report on: what freedoms do you have? What freedoms do we have as a country? What are some of the events that led to our getting our freedoms (e.g., Revolutionary War, Civil War, etc.)? Teacher writes each question on top of a big piece of paper. Each group gets up in front of the class and reports. Teacher makes note of good speaking and presenting skills. 3. Introduction to drama skills Teacher sets up rules for theater games. Leads students through basic articulation and diction exercises and simple team-building game. Establish regular "drama training" time (30 minutes) each week, beginning with vocal warm-up for improved articulation (see resources for specific exercises). 4. Introduction to expression and improvisation skills Teacher leads workshop on "neutral scenes," short scenes that can be interpreted differently by each pair of students (see resources: theater games). Students rehearse and perform the scene for the rest of the class. Discussion: what is good criticism? What is the role of the audience while watching performances? What is the responsibility of the performers? Homework: Memorize preamble of the Constitution. Be prepared to recite it out loud to the rest of the class. 5. Performance of preamble (half the class). Discussion: what tricks can you use to memorize? What are the most important elements of public speaking? 6. Working on dramatic tableaux Teacher divides students into small groups. Each group is given one "theme" word to work on, such as discrimination, protest, or pride. Students discuss the idea for five minutes, then freeze in a tableau that illuminates the word. Teacher assigns new words, repeats the exercise. After each tableau performance, the class discusses what was effective and why. Second half of class performs preamble. 7. Dramatizing photos/character research Teacher mounts photographs of protesters, victims of segregation, slavery, suffragettes, Martin Luther King Jr., and other various images relating to the theme of freedom on the walls of the classroom. Students are given five minutes to look at all the photos. Each student chooses one person from one photo to imitate. When teacher says "freeze," students form a statue of their person. One by one, teacher taps each student on the shoulder; when tapped, they say outloud a sentence they imagine their person is thinking. 8. Shaping the performance Together with students, teacher makes a list of all the ideas discussed so far that could be in a play about freedom. The list is posted in the classroom for students to add to as the process progresses. 9. Dramatic reading Students read "Declaring Independence" out loud (in Junior Scholastic Magazine, see bibliography below). 10. Scripting the performance. Teacher invents dialogue starters (two characters, a situation and the first line) for students working in pairs. Students divide themselves into A and B. A's line is written on the top of the paper by the teacher. B responds back in writing, then A responds to B, and B to A, and so on, passing the paper back and forth. The exercise is done in silence, without planning, so that the dialogue that results has the immediacy of real speech. Examples include: -Conductor from underground railroad and a slave: first line: Where are you going? -Husband and wife on ship passing statue of liberty first line: Who would have imagined this? -Two soldiers on a ship on their way to Europe during WWII first line: Would you hold this for me? -Young black woman explaining to father that she wants to go into medicine first line: Why not? 11. Casting the Play Teacher decides on the number of scenes that will be included in the play and makes up a list of parts. Students either audition for parts or choose their own parts with help from the teacher.   12. Character research Teacher brings in dozens of books about immigration, slavery, Civil War, civil rights, and more. The students look at them and get an idea of who their person was in order to write a page of background for their character: How would you look, act, feel; what would you wear? Homework: Finish character background page. 13. Academic practice and research Students complete research tasks using technology lab time, such as searching for period music and images to use for costuming or set. Information and images are reported back to the whole class. 14. Building a character Teacher leads "Who am I?" game Teacher places a post-it note with the name of a character written on it on each student's back (names can be drawn from the world of the play, such as ML King, Jr., Robert E. Lee, or John Hancock). Students must guess who they are. They can only ask yes/no questions of the other players. Once they know whose name is on their back, they may sit down. 15. Scene-specific improvisations Slavery: Students are asked to create an improvisation that involves some aspect of slavery. The improvised scene must have a beginning, middle, and end, and involve at least three characters. Students are given fifteen minutes to come up with a scene; all scenes are performed and discussed. Teacher then reads account written by a slave. Students each repeat their performances trying to incorporate the details and feelings evoked by the real-life account. Class discusses how details improve an actor's performance. Women's Suffrage: Teacher reads poem or first person account of what a woman's life could be like in the early 19th century: a slave girl, a mill worker, etc. In small groups, students invent a tableaux of women working, then give the scene movement that evokes a specific task and time. Segregation: Students discuss what church was like for African-Americans in the South in the 1950s, and talk about the role of the church in civil rights demonstrations. Teacher plays gospel music and helps students imagine what it might have been like to be in the congregation. 16. Students brainstorm what makes a performance engaging: What are the elements that go into a good performance? What makes a theater experience good from the audience's point of view? What have we learned about freedom that we want to share? How do you present what you know about history in a way that connects to a modern audience? Teacher leads discussion about the nuts-and-bolts of the final performance: what sets will we need? What kinds of clothing will people need to wear to represent eras in history? What will the opening scene and closing scenes look like? What music should be used? Teacher takes students on a tour of the theater where they will perform, talking about the parts of the stage and what they're called (see theater games in resources). 16. Teacher and students finalize script. 17. Teacher directs a read-through of the performance script. 18. Blocking and rehearsing Teacher leads a series of rehearsals directing the staging and action of the play. Students not involved as actors work on props, sets, and costume pieces. 19. Presenting the final performance Parents and/or other students in the school are invited to the performance. 20. Post-performance discussion What were the project's strengths? How well did everyone work together? Was everyone involved? Were there any surprises, thrilling moments or funny stories? What would you do differently? Students complete a reflection essay on the experience. Teacher and students complete a grading rubric together. What resources are helpful and/or necessary to accomplish this curriculum? Books, Magazines and Documents Live On Stage!: Performing Arts For Middle School, Carla Blank & Jody Roberts (Teacher Resource Book), Dale Seymour Publications, Palo Alto, CA, 1997 Theater Games for the Classroom : A Teacher's Handbook, Viola Spolin, Northwestern University Press, 1986 "Declaring Independence," Junior Scholastic Magazine, Amy Miller, October 29, 2001(a good script for this age group; useful as part of the final performance) The Constitution of the United States The Antebellum Women's Movement. 1820-1860. A Unit of Study for Grades 8-11. Susan Leighow, Rita Sterner-Hine, from the Orgaization of American Historians and the National Center for History in the Schools, UCLA Other Recordings of gospel music Movies that include 1950s black American church scenes, such as Big Momma's House (VHS, directed by Raja Gosnell, 2000); useful for giving students a sense of time and place as research for the performance Use of a technology lab for students to do internet research Materials Costume pieces for each character Props Art supplies for sets Curriculum developed by the Department of Drama and Dance, Cambridge Public School teachers and Studebaker Theater artists involved with the Cambridge Public School Drama Collaborative, a project funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. CPSDC is a multi-year teacher training program that helps teachers integrate drama into the curriculum.