Theatre Scene Lesson

I. Rationale

It is often debated among school officials and government officials just how important the arts are in schools.  I think that the expression of ones self through the arts is a great way for students to find a way to enjoy school and focus during the rest of the school.  Personally, I believe that the arts can be incorporated into every classroom environment.

II. Overview

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Subject(s): Theatre

Topic of study: Set design

Time allotment: 30 minutes

Standards: 
PO 101. Describe and/or document the setting/environment of a story to be dramatized (e.g., through words, drawings, technical elements).

Objectives: SWBAT create a set design to use based on the book "The Night Before Halloween."

Reflection: Assessing Prior Knowledge and Planning Instruction

• Students need to have knowledge on how to use Pixie to draw.
• Students will be given about 5 minutes to play around with Pixie to ensure that they know how to use some of it's tools before they begin creating their set.
• I will incorporate time into their lesson to explore Pixie to ensure they know what they're doing.
• The content should be taught at this grade level because students will be listening to a picture book and creating a simple set that could then be used to perform a play or readers theatre of this book.
• The standard involved creating a set by doing something such as drawings.  My objective states that students will create a set through drawings.
• This lesson will be taught around Halloween time because the students can then perform their play/readers theatre for their parents around the 31st.

III. Implementation

Procedure:

1. Students will begin by opening Pixie on their computers and I will give them about 5 minutes to play around on the program.

2. Students will then push their computers aside and prepare to listen to the story I will be reading.

3. Students will listen to "The Night Before Halloween."

4. We will discuss that we will be performing a play or readers theatre on Halloween for our families

5. I will ask the students what a "set" is and how we use it in theatre.

6. Students will guess what a set is and we will have a discussion about what it actually is.

7. We will discuss that a set has a background and props that help the performance.

8. Students will be dismissed to begin working on designing their set on Pixie.

9. Students will be given 10 minutes to work on their set.

10.  We will come back together and students will share with the group their set and the rationale behind their set design.

11. Students will vote on which set they like the most and we will plan to make it for our play/readers theatre.

12. Students will save their document to the desktop under "Name Set Design."

13. We will review what a set is and what it's purpose is in a play to bring closure to the lesson.

Technology Integration: We will use the Pixie program to create our set.

Differentiated Instruction: 

Cognitive Delay - Students have the ability to ask questions as necessary.  They may have the ability to work with Pixie while we read the story if they need more time to gain an understanding of how Pixie works.  Additionally, these students can make a plan for their set on a piece of paper before they do their design on the computer.

Gifted - Students who finish their set design can then go on to practice their typing by making a rationale as to why they decided to make their set the way they did.

ELL - The picture book will help students to understand what is happening in our book even though it is written in English.  Additionally students will be drawing on the computer which doesn't require language skills.  

Reflection: Designing Instruction (Intask Standards 7 and 8)

• The point of this lesson is for students to express their creativity through the arts and have a stress free lesson while incorporating literature and Halloween into the mix.
• The multiple intelligence's have been addressed by giving students freedom with their creativity.
• Students must take what happens in a story and find a way to create something that will visually make the book come alive.  Additionally, they have to think about why they want their set to look a certain way and be able to explain their to their peers.

IV. Assessment

Procedure: 

• Students will be pre-assessed through their knowledge of a set and how it is used in a theatre setting.
• Students will be assessed by submitting their completed set and through their presentation where they will demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a set.

Instruments: I will be  using a simple checklist rubric to make sure that my students have an understanding of a set and put forth the effort in their creation.

Name: _________________________________________  Date: _____________________

Background Design  _____

Props                         _____

Effort                         _____

Stays focused             _____

Presentation               _____

Reflection: Planning Assessment (Intask Standard 6)

• My objective is that the students will be able to create a set based on the book we read and therefore by doing their presentation and turning in their set design I will be able to assess an understanding and show a completion of the activity.
• Students engage in higher level thinking because they are required to do their own set up and draw on their individual creativity.  They aren't given many limitations and therefore have to think about what they think would look best, rather than designing what they think someone is looking for.
• Students have freedom based on their own intelligence and ability level to create what they are capable of doing.

V. Materials and Resources

• "The Night Before Halloween" book
• Computers

Reflection: How does your lesson meet each of the ISTE NET's Standards?

• My lesson meets student creativity because I am not giving many parameters to their set design because I want them to make it their own.
• Students will be practicing their use of computer skills by using Pixie.
• Students will be given time to explore Pixie prior to actually creating their lesson.
• Students have prior knowledge of the use of technology and we will be further enhancing those skills by practicing on Pixie.  We won't be using any other programs or browsers and therefore this limits the amount of items that students may come across that may not be age appropriate.  We will be accepting of everyones designs and students have the ability to create what makes sense in their heads and what makes sense with their culture.