Cambridge Public Schools Drama Collaborative

CURRICULUM GUIDE Unit Title: Why is the Sky So Far Away? Grade Levels: 3-8 Subject/Topic Areas: Storytelling, cultural studies, African folktales, ecology Key Words: Natural resources, Africa, ecology, folktale, legal system Unit Designers: Marianne Adams School: Studebaker Theater artist/educator Time Frame: One week (5 units) Click here for Teacher Resources: Guide for vocal warm-up exercises Theater Games Why Is the Sky So Far Away (text) Link to Massachusetts Standards: History and Social Sciences #4 (society, diversity, commonality and the individual), #7 (physical spaces of earth); Arts: Theater #1 (acting), and #5 (critical response); Language Arts #1 (discussion), #2 (questioning, listening, contributing), #4 (vocabulary and concept development), #8 (understanding a text), #9 (making connections), and #18 (dramatic reading and performance). Brief Summary of Unit (including what students will understand as a result of this unit) Students will study an African folktale about ecology at the same time they explore issues of individual rights vs. community needs in their own lives. They will experience a range of drama activities to help them gain a deeper understanding of individual responsibility, and of dramatic narrative and point-of-view in the folktale form. Drama Strategies Dramatic tableaux, scene performance, improvisation, peer critique, mock trial, hot seating characters, role play, scene work, teacher in role. Key Concepts (What statement(s) clearly expresses what I want students to know and understand?) In a healthy and productive society, there is a balance between what each person needs and what the community as a whole needs. Students will understand how one individual's actions (even though they may be private) can have an effect on the life of the entire village, and that although people are entitled to their own opinions (or appetites, as in the tale studied), they are responsible for their consequences. Students will also understand that a folktale, even one set in another part of the world or another time, contains universal themes. Essential Questions (What specific questions will guide this unit and focus teaching and learning?) What are the major defining characteristics of folktales? How can the actions of one person change a whole village? Why do communities need rules (or laws and courts)? What lessons can be learned from "Why the Sky is Far Away" that apply to our lives? How is our classroom/family/society wasteful? How can we change that? Students will know Students will be able to how to work in small groups to express an idea dramatically; how to talk to each other using simple theatrical terms brainstorm and choose the best dramatic ideas in a positive way; organize themselves to make a simple theatrical presenation (who will play what, what is the main idea, what is the setting, who are the characters) the elements of a folktale identify a folktale (as opposed to a fairy tale or fable) in literature basic acting principles such as voice projection, expression, and character study develop a character that performs in a short, improvised scene the vocabulary of the American judicial system: judge, jury, prosecutor, defendant, witness, testimony, bailiff, sentence, verdict role-play a trial to explore the innocence or guilt of a fictional character how to talk about performance and identify elements of drama such as character, setting, plot, conflict, etc. improvise from the point of view of a fictional character and incorporate plot points and character traits that demonstrate understanding of the material EVIDENCE OF STUDENT UNDERSTANDING: Summary of performance tasks and projects Students create tableaux that show the world of the folktale. Class collects and weighs ort (table scraps that would ordinarily be thrown away) from lunch each day for a week; creates a graph that depicts how much is wasted day by day. Students create short, improvised scenes that demonstrate wasteful moments. Students create short scenes extrapolated from the folktale that explore the villager's reaction to Adese's crime. Class puts Adese on trial in an improvised scene involving all students (with teacher in role as judge). Summary of quizzes, tests and prompts. Homework Assignments: Bring in a list of five wasteful things that you, your schoolmates, or family did today. Write a letter from any village character to Adese talking about how you feel about what she did and how it will effect you and your family. List one law (or school rule). Write what you think might happen if people ignored it. Other Evidence (e.g. observations, work samples and dialogues) Teacher observation of group rehearsals and improvisations Teacher observation of in-class brainstorming SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES: What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings? Day one: Teacher introduces "ort" The class will keep their table scraps each day to weigh. Teacher assigns students to collect uneaten food, weigh the food*, and graph the weight on a chart each of the five days of the week. After the first time ort is weighed, class sets a goal for how much ort they'd like to have by the end of the week (hopefully zero) and brainstorms ways they could waste less food. *the class's food should be weighed together as one measurement, not as individuals, The goal is to see what students can achieve as a group. Teacher leads drama warm-ups Teacher leads a sequence of activities to help students acquire vocal and improvisational skills. Teacher leads students in games: postcard and statues (see resources). What is a a folktale? Teacher introduces idea of literary genre; discusses elements of a folktale. Students help make chart that lists characteristics of folktale to hang in the classroom for the week. Dramatizing Why is the Sky So Far Away? Teacher reads the story through "everywhere the children watched the preparations in wonder." (text of story in resources) Students, in groups of 4-6, create tableaux showing an art form practiced by the villagers in the story (dance, art, storytelling, mask making, music, etc) Day two: Weigh ort. Graph weight. Assess progress towards goal. Drama warm-ups and games Teacher leads warm-up exercises that address the idea of character and acting, such as curtains or bus stop (see resources). What is drama? Teacher leads discussion of drama: what is a character, plot, setting, scene, actor, director, etc.? How do you talk about drama? What makes a good drama critique? Why is the Sky So Far Away? Teacher reads the story from where she left off through "unless they were truly hungry."   Quick takes: What do people waste? In small groups, students have five to ten minutes to come up with an improvised skit that shows people wasting resources. Discussion Teacher leads discussion about individual vs. group needs. Brainstorms with class about why there are rules and laws in society. Homework: What do you or your family waste? Name five things you or a family member has wasted today, how it was wasted and why. Day three: Weigh ort. Graph weight. Assess progress of class. If goal is not reached, brainstorm more ways of eliminating food waste. Drama warm-up and games Teacher leads vocal warm-up exercises. Demonstrates hot-seating a character using a famous person or fictional character every student knows. (see resources) Why is the Sky So Far Away? Teacher finishes reading the story. Class lists each character in the story and brainstorms his or her character traits. Teacher organizes students into three groups: one group becomes characters who are Adese's neighbors. Another creates Adese's husband's family. The third group becomes the other women in the village. Students have ten minutes to invent the actions and opinions of their characters before the improvisation begins. One student (or the teacher) plays Adese. Group number one has a few minutes to set up their scene by improvising dialogue among their characters -- they should talk about how they feel about what Adese's done. Adese then enters the scene and the improvisation continues. Adese visits each group in the same way. Homework: Write a letter to Adese as the character you played and tell her what you think about her not finishing that piece of the sky. Tell her how your life has changed and what it means for your family. Day four: Weigh ort. Graph and discuss. Read letters to Adese outloud. Drama warm-up and games Teacher leads vocal warm-up with class. Class plays fruit salad or shark to practice improvisational and listening skills. (see resources) The justice system Teacher introduces concepts behind the justice system in America: what is a trial, what does it mean to be innocent until proven guilty, what are defendants, prosecutors, bailiffs, etc. and what is their role in a trial? Drama preparation: Adese on trial Brainstorm what characters are necessary to put Adese on trial. Are witnesses necessary? How many jurors would you need? What about bailiffs, court reporters, or sketch artists? Should they videotape the trial? Teacher assigns students to be jurors, prosecutor, defense attorney, witnesses, etc Homework: Write down one law or school rule. Write a paragraph detailing what might happen if no one obeyed it. Day five: Finish ort graph. Did you reach your goal? Drama warm-up and gamesTeacher leads simple vocal warm-up. Students repeat their favorite games from the week. Drama activity: Adese on trial Set up classroom as courtroom and give students a few minutes to prepare. Teacher is "in-role" as judge, and begins and guides the improvisation of the trial of Adese. It can last as long as it's useful. If the improv lags, teacher can step in and help out the action, call witnesses, support Adese, etc. (see resources for teacher in role). Wrap-up Teacher and class discuss the activities of the past week. Students give feedback on each other's performances in the trial improvisation. If the class is pleased with the result, invite parents or another class to see a repeat performance and to hear about the ort experiment. What resources are helpful and/or necessary to accomplish this curriculum?   Books • Why The Sky is So Far Away, Mary-Joan Gerson, Little, Brown & Co., April 1995. • Dramatizing Myths and Tales, Louise Thistle, Lois Fawkes, Rachel Gage, Smith & Kraus, February, 1997. Draws upon West African, Mayan, Native American, Japanese, and British cultures and uses the narrative mime approach with multicultural myths and tales in groups of up to 35 students. Features: five full-length, reproducible scripts warm-up acting exercises illustrated dance step instructions the mechanics of producing and directing a play information on creating your own costumes, sets and musical instruments methods for both formal and informal performances directions for writing your own script playful, dramatic illustrations that set the scene for each culture follow-up research questions on culture, history and theatrical traditions   Websites Distinguishing folktales from fairy tales and fables: http://culp.uchicaggo.edu/wit/2000/teams/onceupon/whatisit.html http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/aoi/opps/spin/storyart1.html#folktales (Kennedy Center African Odyssey Interactive - storytelling and the arts)   For other African folktales to read (short and well written): http://www.toptags.com/aama/tales/tales.htm (Afro-American Almanac)   Materials Scale to weigh ort judge's (or choir) robe for teacher in role juror's handbook (for process information about trial) 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.