Sandy Faison
Oct. 10, 2005
Joe Salvatore Seminar
LESSON PLAN #1
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire (or cellophane)
Goal/Objective
Both a “safe environment” in the
classroom as well as the specific environment of the radio play.
Assessment:
See Blueprint for the Arts, Benchmarks 5th Grade-
Page 20
1)
Students explore elements of theater shared with other art
forms.
Students will be able to apply
learning from other disciplines, such as music and language arts, to extend
their understanding of theater.
a.
Language arts- students use literature as the basis to create
a radio play
b.
Music- students use music and sounds to underscore and enhance
dramatic scenes.
See
Blueprint for the Arts, Benchmarks 5th Grade- page 21
2)
Students exercise and refine the actor’s instrument- the voice
and mind, through ongoing exploration of the vocal and characterization
components of acting.
3)
Students participate in a variety of group and solo activities
in rehearsal and performance, demonstrating self-discipline and the ability to
work collaboratively.
a.
VOCAL I- students will be able to use a variety of vocal
skills, including tone, rhythm, projection, character voice and emotional
quality.
II- Participate in solo and group speaking
and readings
III- Use the voice in a variety of ways to
express clear choices of character and emotion.
b. Students sustain concentration, focus and
commitment in collaborating
on group activities with a shared performance goal.
New York State Learning Standards
STANDARD 1:
Theater
*Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts. (Specifically, creating a radio play.)
STANDARD 4 :
Theater
*Students will dramatize stories
and folk tales from various cultures. (Specifically, a folk tale from Africa)
STANDARD 1: Music
Audience/Developmental Considerations
This lesson is to take place at a private school, The
Collegiate School, in Brooklyn, New York. Mrs. Smith’s 5th grade
class is one of three 5th grade classes at Collegiate. It is made up
of 21 boys and girls. They have created a 12 minute play based on an African
folk tale. It is for Black History
month. Five students do not want to perform it. Mrs. Smith informs me that they
suffer from “stage fright.” She wants my help in getting them over their stage
fright and their fear of failure.( Last semester, she had them hand out
programs, but she does not want to do that again.) The class is getting
impatient with them for not standing up and at least trying to speak their
character’s lines. Also, some of her male students have lost interest since the
play is not progressing fast enough. They want to move on to something else.
That being said, there is also a group of ten students who love to act and want
to finish what they began. They have become irritable with the rest of their
class. Since the other 5th grade classes are currently performing their
“plays,” Mrs. Smith is afraid that her class is feeling frustrated, that their
self-esteem has been hurt, and that various opposing “camps” have started to
form.
Previous Knowledge
The class has just finished reading AFRICAN FOLKTALES by Roger Abrahams. According to Mrs. Smith, the class voted on their favorite story to perform. It was “The Three Tests.” Students should know the plot of this story very well. They wrote the 12 minute version themselves.
Organization
One desk needs to be designated as the spot for the
microphone. There also needs to be space for the students to make noise around
the microphone. Desks can be pushed back to make room for the choir/orchestra,
but if that is not possible, the choir can remain in their seats.
Materials
Procedures The students have drama, once a week for 90
minutes. This class is broken down as follows:
A) Ice Breaker- to literally get them to make sounds without editing or judging and to establish a classroom management tool.
B) Viola Spolin’s Vocal
Sound Effects Game
Purpose: 1) to create an environment using sounds
2) to employ a “low focus” exercise which will help in the production of the radio play while creating a safe environment for all.
The class of 21 students is divided into three groups by counting off in threes. Then have them all face the conductor.
ICE BREAKER- 2 minutes
· Teacher in role as the self appointed, rather silly conductor. (Lower status.)
· All students are now a part of the world famous…
o “Smith’s Sensational Singing and Sound Symphony.”
· Conductor asks the students to follow his/her lead. When the conductor’s hands are placed next to his face, with both index fingers pointing upward, “it means we are about to begin and all eyes must be on me, and there must be total silence.” Practice this with the students. “Once we get underway, you must still focus on the conductor. I will show you when to get louder and when to get softer and when to cut off the sound. Sometimes the cut off will be very gentle and sometimes it will be a very sharp cut off. But you won’t know unless you follow the conductor.”
Vocal Sound Effects Game: 20 minutes
Now the class will divide into their three groups
· Assign Group #1 the beginning of the folk tale “The Three Tests,” group #2 the middle, and group #3 the ending. Each group agrees on and practices sounds that will let the audience know WHERE they are and enhance what is happening in the story of “The Three Tests.” They have 10 minutes to create 2 minutes of sounds that tells the audience about the play.
· A tape recorder is placed on the desk, near the students. They can use it or not to experiment.
· When it is their turn, group #1 stands by the microphone and creates sounds that they think would illuminate the beginning of the play. Groups two and three close their eyes and try to guess the sounds.
· During their sound performance, the conductor still conducts, making certain sounds louder, or more ferocious, or making them softer. This also allows him to encourage all the students to participate. It also keeps it within the allotted amount of time. It also helps in keeping the students’ focus on someone other than themselves. (Low focus.)
· Spolin suggests students can also utilize numerous everyday items such as cellophane (for the cracking of fire), or a straw in a glass of water (to create the effect of the babbling brook,) but this is not necessary.
· Group #2 then goes, with group #1 and #3 closing their eyes. Have students again guess what they heard.
· Finally, group three goes.
· The groups select their own sounds. These sound effects are called Foley effects. Let the students know that people do this for a living in movies. (Give the job respect.)
· Since the students know the story very well, they will most likely know what sounds the students are trying to create. (Low failure rate.)
· For 8 minutes- play the tape back for all to hear and discuss.
o Did the sound effects sound the same? Could they still tell what it was? Would they change anything if they were to do it again later on? Ask them to keep thinking about it because we will be coming back to it.
The African Song…..
Na Nu Ma Y I A, Na Nu
Ma - 15 minutes
· Conductor: “I am going to teach you a very simple song. It only last 30 seconds. I am going to sing it to you first, without anyone joining in. I want you to listen to the melody and feel the beats. The beats of music AND the beats of silence. Then, after that, we are all going to sing it together. Okay? Any questions yet?
· When we learn it, we are going to add it to the wedding ceremony at the very end of the play.
· Okay. I will now sing it through once by myself, with you using your best listening skills.
· Repeat after me… “Na Nu Ma Y I A, Na Nu Ma.” You say it four times in a row in the song.
· Along
with the conductor, group sings song through twice
· Now adding to your listening skills, I want you to listen to each other when we sing. In order to become the famous Smith’s Sensational Singing and Sound Symphony we must blend and make one harmonious sound. We are creating an ensemble. Let’s try it one more time and listen to each other.
· Okay. Good. You ready to add on to this? Yes? No?
· If ‘no,” the group can sing song in unison. If they feel ready, they can try the round.
· If they are ready…..”I will now divide the group into your three sections, making the song into a round. Can anyone give me an example of a round?” (Row, Row, Row, your boat. Yes.)
· “Here is how Smith’s Sensational Singing and Sound Symphony are going to sing this as a round.” Conductor illustrates how he will lead each group in every two measures. “I will lead your individual group in, one at a time. Like this. (Show example.) Remember it’s still very important to watch the conductor, that’s me.
· One time through the entire symphony sings, and one time through with your smaller group.
· Sing it through. Sing it through again.
12- 15 minute play + 5 minutes set
up time.
The play will now be longer due to
the added song and sound effects.
· Okay, now we are going to try “The Three Tests” as a Radio Play. We will record it, listen to it, give ourselves notes, and then next week make our final recording.
· There will be no acting on stage in this play. It will all be done with sounds; however, I need some volunteers to read the text. (Chose people and assign parts.) I will need the chorus to be the villagers and to perform all the sound effects you created before.
· I may conduct you to become louder of softer or to become completely silent. And we will all sing Na Nu Ma for the final Wedding scene. I will conduct that as well. But I need each of you to feel when to come in with your own individual sounds. Listen to the story. Your focus should be completely on the story. If you listen carefully, you will know when to come in. Trust your instincts. You know this script.
· Conduct the performance. Have the soloists on one side near the microphone. Have the chorus sit on the other side.
Thoughts?
How did that work? Did it work?
What seemed right?
What seemed off ?
Let’s listen! Have the class
listen to their performances on tape.
What could we do to improve this
for next week’s recording?
Do we need more non-vocal sound
effects?
Did we have too many sound
effects?
Did the sound effects help tell
the story or did they overwhelm it?
Did we establish that we were in
Africa? Did we give a sense of the surroundings, the animals, the birds, the
air, and the water?
Or did it feel like we were still
in the classroom?
· Over
the next week, try to think of some things that we might add to make the story
more clear for our audience.
· Try
some different sound effects at home. Bring them in and share them with us.
· Ask
your relatives or neighbors if they ever heard a radio play? Do they remember
one in particular? Did your grandparents own a radio? If no one remembers any,
try looking up radio plays on the internet. Write a paragraph on what you
discover.
· Write in your drama journal what you thought of this project. Were you interested? Did you participate? Did everyone participate? What could you do better?
Modifications
This radio play and the process
can easily be adapted for middle school children. The play can be made longer
and more actors can be included. Simply add more dialogue, less narration. The
middle school students should also be able to handle the round easily, and be
extremely imaginative with homemade sound effects.
Teacher
Reflection
· Did
I get everyone to participate in the play?
o Did
the students who like to act participate and seem to enjoy it?
o Did
the students with “stage fright” participate ?
o Did
the students who had become “bored” rehearsing the play become interested
again?
o What
did Mrs. Smith feel? Ask for her feedback.
· Did
the exercises support each other, building towards the ultimate goal of getting
the children to speak up and participate?
· Did
I help reduce the feeling of opposing camps in the classroom?
· Did
I create a sense of ensemble?
· Did
I create a safe environment?
· Did
the tape recorder help or hinder?
· What
would I change?
· Would
I do this again?