Drama
Drama was one of my most exciting units. My other language unit was based soley around the Daily 5 and the DRA, and I felt that drama was the perfect opportunity to have fun with language arts. It gave me a creative platform that was multi-modal and artistic.
I split the class into three groups and had the students choose their desired roles. The entire process was led by the students, from brainstorming the props, visualizing the sets, creating the sets and filming and directing. This project was great for students who didn’t particularly have confidence in reading or writing. Because each time we practiced, they had their peers to help them sound out words. In the end, they were so proud of the fact that they could recite the lines (I let them read their scripts during the filming portion).
The students had two weeks to practice during school and at home, and then we filmed it. I edited the film and then invited parents to come view our Reader’s Theatre sets. The students helped me bake muffins and set up the chairs. I was so grateful for all of the parents who showed up. It was so meaningful to me because it showed me that the parents were active participants of their child’s learning. I felt a really strong sense of community as the parents gathered around the screen together, laughing and enjoying the production.
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CORE COMPETENCIES
The core competencies explored in this unit were: Communication, Creative Thinking, and Positive Personal and Cultural Identity