Rebekah D. Wilson

Unit Overview

 

 

Unit Title: I Wanna Be A Mime!

 

Focus of the Unit: Teambuilding, Story Telling, Character Development, Physical Theatre,  Blocking

 

Overarching Unit Objective(s)	Summative Assessment Strategy(ies)
Students will be able to create character, environment, and action using non-verbal communication. Students will be able to discover how to effectively communicate feelings non-verbally both individually and in a group. Students will be able to analyze how a character is constructed through physicality.	Teacher will evaluate through observation during dramatic activities, which will test their ability to communicate effectively both individually and with others. Teacher will assess students’ level of communication through documenting observations and progress in an e-blog. Teacher will assess student’s understanding of character through open-ended discussion and dramatic activities.

 

A. Relevant Learning Standards

 

Relevant Strands (NYC Blueprint for Theatre):

 

NYC Grade Two: Acting

 

Benchmark 1: Imagination, Analysis, and Process Skills

-     Students activate and use their imaginations as well as the analytical and process skills associated with acting.

        -     Students participate in group activities, including creative play, storytelling, pantomime and improvisation.

 

      Benchmark 2: Performance Skills

- Students explore the physical, vocal, characterization and staging components of acting by developing the actor’s instrument: the body, voice and mind.

 

B. Context for Learning

 

• Audience: 25 students, all at or above reading levels, Cultural Makeup: majority Caucasian, but also multicultural in demographic.

 

• Modifications: One of the children has a speech impediment, which could be classified as a lisp.

 

• Previous Knowledge:

Weeks 1 and 2: The children have been introduced to drama by participating in sessions that emphasize use of body and voice, and imaginative play through a routine of vocal, physical, and diction warmups, experimenting with pitch, tone, physical control, and diction-levels. Students have also participated in activities that emphasize teambuilding skills, through games. Students have also reviewed their moral for the month of October: Responsibility.

 

Weeks 3 and 4: The children have been through a two-part unit about Tall Tales, which included a guided, active read-aloud session of the tall tale, Mose Humphries, a legendary firefighter from the 1800s [from the book, American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourne]. Following the read-aloud session, students reviewed the story and experienced a dramatic guided journey where they imagined themselves as volunteer firemen. Students have also reviewed their moral for the month of October: Responsibility.

 

Week 5: The children have been taken through a two-part unit about Tall Tales, [from the book, American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourne] which included a guided, active read-aloud session of the tall tale, Paul Bunyan, a fictional giant lumberjack. Following the read-aloud session, students reviewed the story, and have participated in an illustrated character study of Paul Bunyan. Students have also reviewed their moral for the month of October: Responsibility.

 

Weeks 6 and 7: Students have finished a unit about Respect, using dramatic activities, creative writing, and popular children’s classics and stories, including: The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson, Madlenka by Peter Sis, and Anansi the Spider, a Caribbean folktale.

 

 

Lesson  1 of 3 Overview:

Lesson Title: I Wanna Be A Mime! (Part Un) – Character

 

Lesson Objectives	Assessment Strategy(ies)
Students will identify and explore the basic characteristics of a mime.	Teacher will assess students’ understandings of mimes through observation of progress during a pre-assessment game.
Students will be able to build their basic theatre mechanics and techniques.	Students will participate in routine physical exercises which will be self-assessed by the students’ progress.
Students will use their bodies to create character.	Students will participate in a drama-based activity, which incorporates mime and imaginative play.

 

Related Common Core & Standards:

 

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students activate and use their imaginations as well as the analytical and process skills associated with acting.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students participate in group activities, including creative play, storytelling, pantomime and improvisation.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students explore the physical, vocal, characterization, and staging components of acting by developing the actor’s instrument: the body, voice and mind.

 

 

Spatial Organization:

 

The classroom is typically set up as a traditional classroom, with chairs and desks. All desks are organized according to the directions: North, South, East, and West. There is a cluster of four desks at the North West, South West, North East, and South East sections.  In the center, there is a cluster of four desks on the North Side, but Due South, there is a cluster of five desks. For this class, chairs and tables will have to be set to the far West Side of the room to make room for the students, so they can have an open space.
 

Materials Needed: Marker Board, Markers,

 

Procedures

 

Focus Question: What is a mime? What does a mime do? How can I use my body to create character?

 

I. Introduction (1-2 minutes)

A. Students will enter classroom without teacher speaking.

B. Teacher will give the following instructions without using words, instead, teacher will use her body to ask students to form a circle.

C. Teacher will conduct a silent warm-up.

 

II. SILENT Warmup (10 minutes) [All warmups begin with students in a circle formation.]

A. Physical

1. Stretch – Students will mimic teacher and stretch different parts of their bodies.

2. “Crazy Eights” – Students shake their limbs for 8 counts, counting down to one.

3. “Head, Head” – Students will repeat after the teacher, stretching and moving individual body parts (ie: head, shoulders, knees, hips, feet), and will end with shaking their bodies.

4. Mirror Exercise – Students will mimic teacher going through different emotions, without sound: happy, sad, anger, sleepiness, mischievous, etc.

5. Flashcards – Students will read the index cards created by the teacher, which holds the following message: “Today, we will be mimes!”

 

III. Lesson (25 minutes)

                A. Introduction: Teacher will now begin talking, and ask students to tell me what they think of when they think of mimes. What do they do? Ideas will be written on the board.  (5 minutes)

               B. Activity: Mute Button (5 minutes)

                 1. Students will be asked to talk to each other as loud as they can.

2. When the teacher says MUTE ON, the mute button will have been pushed, and students will continue what they have been doing, except on mute.

3. Students will be tested with MUTE ON/MUTE OFF. 

C. Activity:  Watching Marcel Marceau and Short Discussion (10 minutes)

1. Students will watch a short clip of Marcel Marceau – “The Mask Maker” creating a character using mime.

2. Students will be asked the following open-ended questions: What was the mime doing in the scene? What was he doing in the scene? How did he tell you what he was doing without words? Be as specific as possible.

                   D. Activity: Laban Walks/Character Walks (10 Minutes)

                        1. Students will be lead through a walking exercise, starting by walking slowly, and then freezing,

                        as in the Boal exercise.

                        2. Students will walk leading with, the following body parts:

            a. Nose

            b. Chin

            c. Shoulders

            d. Chest

            e. Elbows

            f. Hands

                        3. Students will use any of those walks to create a character. Students will walk throughout the space leading with one body part of their choosing and slowly morph into a character.

 

IV. Reflection /Wrap it up!  (5 minutes)

1. Students will display their characters, two at a time, and walk back and forth as their character.

2. Audience will say what they liked about the character, using what they learned about Marcel Marceau, and what they discovered in their character walk exercise.

3. Students will be asked if they would like to learn more about miming later on in the week: Thumbs up, Thumbs in the Middle, or Thumbs Down.

 

 

Lesson  2 of 3 Overview:

Lesson Title: I Wanna Be A Mime! (Part Deux) - Environment

 

Lesson Objectives	Assessment Strategy(ies)
Students will identify and explore the characteristics of a mime through exploration of environment.	Teacher will assess students’ understandings of mimes through a game-oriented open-discussion.
Students will be able to build their basic theatre mechanics and techniques.	Students will participate in routine physical exercises which will be self-assessed by the students’ progress.
Students will use their bodies to create environment.	Teacher will assess students’ progress through observation and side-coaching.
Students will discover different types of environments, which help in performance.	Teacher will assess students’ progress through peer-oriented performance evaluations.

 

Related Common Core & Standards:

 

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students activate and use their imaginations as well as the analytical and process skills associated with acting.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students participate in group activities, including creative play, storytelling, pantomime and improvisation.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students explore the physical, vocal, characterization, and staging components of acting by developing the actor’s instrument: the body, voice and mind.

 

 

Spatial Organization:

 

The classroom is typically set up as a traditional classroom, with chairs and desks. All desks are organized according to the directions: North, South, East, and West. There is a cluster of four desks at the North West, South West, North East, and South East sections.  In the center, there is a cluster of four desks on the North Side, but Due South, there is a cluster of five desks. For this class, chairs and tables will have to be set to the far West Side of the room to make room for the students, so they can have an open space.
 

Materials Needed: Marker Board, Markers,

 

Procedures

 

Focus Question: What is a mime? What does a mime do? How can I use my body to create an environment?

 

I. Introduction (1-2 minutes)

A. Students will enter classroom without teacher speaking.

B. Teacher will give the following instructions without using words, instead, teacher will use her body to ask students to form a circle.

C. Teacher will conduct a silent warm-up.

II. SILENT Warmup (10 minutes) [All warmups begin with students in a circle formation.]

                             A. Physical

                                        1. Stretch – Students will mimic teacher and stretch different parts of their bodies. [Pullies]

2. “Crazy Eights” – Students shake their limbs for 8 counts, counting down to one.

3. “Head, Head” – Students will repeat after the teacher, stretching and moving individual body parts (ie: head, shoulders, knees, hips, feet), and will end with shaking their bodies.

4. Mirror Exercise – Students will now find pairs and mimic exactly what they do, taking turns after 1 minute.

III. Lesson (25 minutes)

                               A. Activity: Guided Walks (10 minutes)

                                                      1. Students will be lead through walks in different levels of environment: from a little chilly to freezing cold, from a little too hot to sweltering, walking on hot sand, walking on rocks, walking through water, walking through peanut butter, etc.

                                                       2. Students will discuss discoveries made in the exercise, answering guided questions, like: what would be the difference physically between walking through water and walking on hot sand. They will demonstrate with their explanation.

                                                 B. Activity: A Whole New World  (10 minutes)

                                      1.  Students will be split into two groups: one group will participate, and the other will observe.

                                      2.  Students will begin the exercise on the ground and imagine that they are waking up in a brand new world, imagining that they had never seen anyone or anything before.

                                      3. Students may react, but they will remember, there is no sound.

                                      4. Students will ask what discoveries they made doing the activity both as audience members and as participants.

 

                IV. Reflection /Wrap it up!  (5 minutes)

                      1. Audience will say what they liked about each of the exercises, and then they will tie their characters to the environment by demonstrating a merging of the characters they did the last lesson with the environment.  

                      2. Students will be asked if they would like to learn more about miming later on in the week: Thumbs up, Thumbs in the Middle, or Thumbs Dow

 

 

 

Lesson  3 of 3 Overview:

Lesson Title: I Wanna Be A Mime! (Part Trois) - Action

 

Lesson Objectives	Assessment Strategy(ies)
Students will identify and explore the characteristics of a mime through action.	Teacher will assess students’ understandings of mimes through a game-oriented open-discussion.
Students will be able to build their basic theatre mechanics and techniques.	Students will participate in routine physical exercises which will be self-assessed by the students’ progress.
Students will use their bodies to create environment.	Teacher will assess students’ progress through observation and side-coaching.
Students will discover different types of actions, which help in performance.	Teacher will assess students’ progress through peer-oriented performance evaluations.

 

Related Common Core & Standards:

 

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students activate and use their imaginations as well as the analytical and process skills associated with acting.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students participate in group activities, including creative play, storytelling, pantomime and improvisation.

• Blueprint for the Arts – Theatre: Acting – Grade 2: Students explore the physical, vocal, characterization, and staging components of acting by developing the actor’s instrument: the body, voice and mind.

 

 

Spatial Organization:

 

The classroom is typically set up as a traditional classroom, with chairs and desks. All desks are organized according to the directions: North, South, East, and West. There is a cluster of four desks at the North West, South West, North East, and South East sections.  In the center, there is a cluster of four desks on the North Side, but Due South, there is a cluster of five desks. For this class, chairs and tables will have to be set to the far West Side of the room to make room for the students, so they can have an open space.
 

Materials Needed: Marker Board, Markers,

 

Procedures

 

Focus Question: What is a mime? What does a mime do? How can I use my body to create objects and  action?

 

I. Introduction (1-2 minutes)

A. Students will enter classroom without teacher speaking.

B. Teacher will give the following instructions without using words, instead, teacher will use her body to ask students to form a circle.

C. Teacher will conduct a silent warm-up.

 

II. SILENT Warmup (10 minutes) [All warmups begin with students in a circle formation.]

A. Physical

1. Stretch – Students will mimic teacher and stretch different parts of their bodies. [Pullies]

2. “Crazy Eights” – Students shake their limbs for 8 counts, counting down to one.

3. “Head, Head” – Students will repeat after the teacher, stretching and moving individual body parts (ie: head, shoulders, knees, hips, feet), and will end with shaking their bodies.

B. Warm-up Game: Flirt, Propose, Elope, Shun (5 minutes)

1. Each student will be assigned a partner. Students will walk throughout the space and listen out for the commands: propose, elope, shun, or flirt.

2. (Propose – Students will find a partner: one will get down on one knee and the other will clutch their chest; Elope – Students will find the same partner and hold hands facing each other, like a marriage ceremony; Shun – Like propose, but the person standing will push the person on their knee away; Flirt – Students will find a new partner.)

 

III. Lesson (15 minutes)

A. Activity: The Suitcase  (5 minutes)

                  1. Teacher will model a miming action: The Teacher will mime lifting a heavy suitcase, carrying it across the room, and putting it down.

                  2. Students will line up in three lines and progress with this action across the room.

                  3. Students will be asked about their discoveries around this project.

B. Activity: The Slo-Mo Run (5 minutes)

                  1. Teacher will model the Slo-Mo Run across the room.

                  2. Students will progress in three lines with the Slo-Mo Run.

                  3. Students will ask what discoveries they made doing the activity both as audience members and as participants.

C. Activity: Slo-Mo Scenes (5 minutes) 

                  1. Students will line up three at a time. Students will rotate order of turns according to the popsicle sticks.

                  2. Students will receive the following situations: [Teacher will count down from 5 to 1 to shorten the scenes.]

• You just won ten million dollars!

• You lost the lottery ticket!

• You found it again!

• But it fell in the water.

3. Teacher will side-coach throughout the scenes. Peers will say what they liked and why they liked it.

 

C. Activity: The Tug of War (10 minutes)

                  1. Teacher will model “Tug of War” with either another student or another teacher. The two will mime a tug of war game with an imaginary rope. A person will win.

2. Students will split into the pairs from the warm-up game. Each student will perform a 20 second scene: A person will win, then B person will win.

3. Students will form one large tug of war: one side will win, and then the other side will win.

 

                IV. Reflection /Wrap it up!  (5 minutes)

A. Audience will say what they liked about each of the exercises, and then they will tie their characters to the environment by demonstrating a merging of the characters they did the last lesson with the environment. 

B. Students will be asked how they felt blending the ideas from previous lessons to today's culminating lesson.