Teacher: Jerilyn Brown

Grades: 6th - 8th grade self-contained students

Date:
5/7/2015
Subject: English
Stage 1 Desired Results
Content Standard(s):
Theatre 2.5.2 Demonstrate examples of character traits through movement, pantomime,
improvisation, and/or voice.
Theatre 2.5.3. Portray a character's traits through movement, voice and/or dialogue in a
dramatized idea or story.
W.7.3.b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing and description, to develop
experiences, events and/or characters.
Enduring/Essential Idea:
Beyond the classroom, students will be able to calmly communicate with others
while using their imaginations to solve problems and remember important
information.
Understanding (s)/goals
Students will understand that:

They can calmly communicate with

others

They use their imagination and

communicate it with others

They can solve problems while calmly

communicating

They can remember important

information and communicate it to
others

Essential Question(s):

Of the different assignments you

did for the Elberts Bad Word
project what would you say was the
most difficult part of this
assignment: communication while
creating the tableaux, communication
in writing the script, or the
communication while working with a
group? Explain your answer writing 5
or more sentences.

What could you do differently in the

future to help make the
communication easier? Write 5 or
more sentences.

Of the different assignments you

did for the Elberts Bad Word
project what would you say was the
easiest part of this assignment:
communication while creating the

tableaux, communication in writing

the script, or the communication
while working with a group?
Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:
Demonstrate a character's traits from the childrens book, Elberts Bad Word,
through movement, pantomime, improvisation, and/or voice.

Portray a character using tableau, through writing/speaking dialogue in a dramatized

event.

Write four transitional segments of a dramatized event using

informative/explanatory dialogue.
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
Other Evidence:
Four different Tableaux of events
Pre-Assessment: Anticipation guide
from Elberts Bad Word. There will
about what students know regarding
be a beginning, two middle and one
Tableaux (or what they think it
ending scene.
might be)

Each student will speak who/what

they represent and a short
description of what they are doing
(shoulder touch technique).

Each group will discuss and write a

script where the entire book will be
played out through movement,
scripted voice and Tableaux showing
all four scenes.

Each student will show they can

calmly work with the other students
in their group.

Rubric will be used to grade the

assessments

Formative: Students will write the

story of Elberts Bad Word, in script
format, using their own words.

Formative: Students will act out the

four transitional segments of a
Elberts Bad Word, using
informative/explanatory dialogue.
The Acting Right Rubric will be used
to assess.

Verbal and Written Reflection:

Students will discuss as a class and
then reflect through individual
writing what they have learned from
the Actors Toolbox, and what they
have learned about communication in
a group.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
EVERY DAY begin with The Contract from the Actors Toolbox
Day 1 Pre-assessment anticipation guide. Introduce the vocabulary word,

TABLEAUX. Show/do mini versions of Tableaux in the form of Freeze game.

Day 2 Teacher will read first two sections of Elberts Bad Word, to the class.
Students will form groups of 4-5 people and act out a scene from each section in the
form of Tableaux
Day 3 Teacher will read sections three and four of Elberts Bad Word, to the class.
Students will form the same groups of 4-5 people and act out a scene from each
section in the form of Tableaux
Day 4 Students will form same groups and discuss what four scenes they would like
to perform Tableaux to tell the whole story.
Days 5-6 Students will write the script to transition from one scene to the next.
Students will practice with one another. Students will decide if each one will take a
turn in speaking the transitional script, or only one person speaking, or if they will do
it as a chorus, pair up, or a combination.
Days 7-8 Students will perform their transitional Tableaux for the class audience.
Day 9 Students will discuss verbally and then individually write what they have
learned from the Actors Toolbox; body, voice, imagination, concentration, and
cooperation, and what they can improve upon.
Day 10 Students will discuss verbally and then individually write what they have
learned about communication in a group, and what they have learned about how they
communicate and what they can improve upon.

INTRODUCTION
Set the stage for the lesson.
Examples of introductory
activities may include notetaking, group activities,
predicting, etc.

Pre-assessment Anticipation Guide

Intro Tableaux
Play Freeze game

DAILY REVIEWS
Provide review for short-term
memory of recently taught
material.
Provide immediate and
meaningful feedback
when correcting
homework.
Keep reviews and
homework checks
brief.

Review at the beginning of each day what was

accomplished the day before.

DAILY OBJECTIVE
State and post the
objective(s) before
introducing the lesson.
Have students record
the objective(s).

Review the objective(s) for the day/unit

Correct any misunderstandings

Give on-going feedback

CONCEPT AND SKILL

DEVELOPMENT AND
APPLICATION
Teach the big
concepts.
Provide the why for
rules.
Link concepts to
previously learned
material and/or realworld experiences.
Use a variety of
techniques to address
student needs,
including oral
recitation, note-taking,
and activities.
Hold students
accountable for taking
notes and keeping
records.
Use ongoing, formative
assessment to make
instructional decisions.
GUIDED / INDEPENDENT /
GROUP PRACTICE
Conduct practice at
different times
throughout the lesson
to help students
process information.
Use a variety of
activities and groupings
to address student
learning needs.
Structure classroom
time for student
reflection, inquiry,
discovery, discussion,
problem-solving, and
analysis.

HOMEWORK
Assign homework that
aligns with curriculum

Continue with the Learning Activities as stated

Guided Practice:
Show Tableaux and the Freeze game
Show what the transitional scripts might look and sound
like
Have them do it with teacher
Independent Practice:
Give mini Freeze game scenarios
Group Practice:
Have students practice the four different Tableaux in
Elberts Bad Word story

Day 1-3 Students will play the Freeze game

three different times with their family over the
next three days. It must be three different

objectives and
reinforces skills and
concepts taught.
Include a variety of
activities and
assessment items.

CLOSURE
Review the skills
and/or concepts
taught.
Provide a variety of
ways for students to
explain what they have
learned and how to
apply the concepts.
LONG-TERM REVIEW
Integrate ongoing,
periodic review into
lessons to maintain
student skills, address
deficiencies, build
conceptual
understanding, and
prepare for high stakes
tests

ARTISTS/ARTWORKS
High quality resources
that are appropriate
for the standard(s)
used. List the
resources you used
here.
Please include or attach all
rubrics, handouts, URLs,
PowerPoints, Prezis, etc. to
this lesson

Assessment:
Anticipation Guide
Tableaux

activities (examples might be-eating dinner,

picking up toys, brushing teeth). They will talk to
their family about the experience and how they
felt about it.

Day 4 Students will write about their experience

playing the Freeze game with their families.
Class will review, discuss and then reflect
through individual writing what they have learned
from the Actors Toolbox, and what they have
learned about communication in a group.

Art will continue to be introduced to the students

through the following:
Tableaux in core curriculum. For example:
English-class novel, Math-Angles, Science-The
Water Cycle, Social Studies-The Civil War
Artworks in the core curriculum: For example:
Show artwork in English to learn about nouns,
verbs and adjective. Math to find the various
angles in artwork
Music can be introduced in a social studies unit
about the Civil War and the kind of music
listened to at that time

Elberts Bad Word by Audrey and Don Wood

Pageant of the Masters YouTube Video
Tableaux Videos from YouTube

Transitional Tableaux
Reflect and Write

The students have reflected on what they learned from the Actors Toolbox. In general,
most of them realized they need to work harder in the area of cooperation. They stated
that cooperation is harder in a group, but not as hard when just two people are working
together. They also recognized that when they kept the Actors Contract things went more
smoothly. They discovered that some of the students were leaders in this activity, where
others were leaders in more academic activities. Communication was something nearly every
student agreed they needed to work on; either by explaining something better or listening
more carefully. Some of them discovered that the more people there are in a group, the
harder it is to get everyone to listen at the same time.
As the teacher, my colleague and I have discovered that this kind of assessment told us
things about each of our students that we didnt know before. Some of our kids who are
very shy and barely speak during standard academics lessons were the ones who blossomed
in this activity. They took a leadership role and many of the kids who shine during standard
academics lessons were very uncomfortable and were happy to let them take the leadership
role.
I learned that in some activities I need to be much clearer in my directions. I had to
correct, reteach, and redirect in some instances. I was hesitant to show examples of what
needed to be done because I didnt want to have them use the same ideas or become
inhibited. However, I discovered that by giving them a few examples of what something
might look and sound like actually helped them to feel more comfortable and they went on to
use their imaginations and perform quite well. Since this was the first time either my
students or I have tried anything like this Im sure it was helpful to see examples, but now
they have a better understanding of what is expected I will not need to show them what is
going on in my imagination and they can simply move forward using their own.