Title - Jump Into the Story

By - Jennifer Dalke Subject - Language Arts, PE, Other Grade Level - 3-4
Learning Standards:25.A.2b, 25.B.2, 26.A.2b, 26.B.2b, 27.A.2a
Integrated Subjects:Reading
Instructional Goals:* Students will understand how they can use their bodies to act out situations or to tell a story* Students will participate in acting out a story that was recently read in class
Materials:* Several short stories
Anticipatory Set:1. The teacher will make movements with her body and ask the children what she is doing. For example, she can move her legs as if she is running or walking, and see if the children recognize what she is doing.2. After this short activity, the teacher will talk about drama and acting. She will explain how small movements can be used to signify larger movements.3. The teacher will ask volunteers to act out a movement and let the other students guess what it is.
Activities:1. The teacher will ask the students to get into groups of four. Within their groups, they must pick one of the short stories off of a front table.2. After each group has chosen a story, the teacher will tell the children that they will need to act out the story however they think is best, but they are not to use their voices. They may use any objects that they have at their desks, as well.3. After the children have had about 15 minutes to prepare, the teacher will instruct the students to arrange their seats in a circle. Each group will take turns acting out their story while the teacher reads the written story.4. After each group has presented its story, the children can discuss the different body movements that their classmates used to indicate activities.
Teacher’s Role:The teacher is an encourager in this activity. The teacher should encourage any and all creativity. She should emphasize that things can be expressed in many, many, different ways, so children should be as creative as possible and they should not feel as if they need to stick to any guidelines.
Creative Question Suggestions:1. How is it possible that such small movements can indicate much larger movements or activities?2. What did your classmates do that you thought was very creative?3. Did any group or person do anything that you never would have thought of? Can you think of anything that you would have done differently if you were in a different group?
Troubleshooting:* Some students may have trouble with the limited guidelines or restrictions. In these cases, the teacher may find it necessary to guide certain groups a little bit more than others.
Evaluation:1. Students will be evaluated on their group work. Did they participate well with the group? Did they cooperate to produce an act?2. Did the student participate in the final act? Did the students act appropriately in the presentation?