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Being and Doing supports Understanding.The residency, Acting Out How and Why, helps students overcome the challenges of abstract scientific concepts by visualizing and experien... Read more

Being and Doing supports Understanding.

The residency, Acting Out How and Why, helps students overcome the challenges of abstract scientific concepts by visualizing and experiencing what is too big, too small or too far away to actually see. Improvisation and movement exercises tap into natural curiosity to effectively make the invisible, visible and the misunderstood, understandable.

Drama activities nurture self-regulation skills as students initially work simultaneously "alone together" , focusing on their own participation and allowing others to do the same. Based on guided reading of selected texts and images, students then work creatively and collaboratively with partners and in small groups to "become" the relevant structures, elements, forces, organisms, systems or processes from the selected Science unit. Combining facts and imagination, young students physically explore how and why things work, as they actively turn difficult concepts into exciting discoveries.

For example, students physically create the land formations and vegetation of a particular Habitat and explore interactions with the unique animal life it supports. Or students become water molecules and determine how they move and change to represent phases of the Water Cycle and various sources of water on the Earth.

Throughout the creative process each participant gains insights, makes connections, clarifies sequences and builds comprehension and retention. As a culmination the entire class brainstorms, improvises and problem-solves; integrating movement, sound, poetry and/or narration into a unique Sharing of scientific concepts. Presenting to others, reflecting on their own work and giving/receiving feedback solidifies the learning.

Teachers may select any Science Unit or Topic and a Related Text from the Language Arts Curriculum. Collaboration with the Teaching Artist ensures that activities appropriately align with content to fully support student learning.

*See Additional Notes for Topics, Reading Connections, and a sample Long-Term Project.

Five, 45-60 minute sessions with a final Sharing during Session 5 Sessions typically once or twice a week to best integrate with selected Science unit Schedule determined at pre-pla... Read more

Five, 45-60 minute sessions with a final Sharing during Session 5
Sessions typically once or twice a week to best integrate with selected Science unit
Schedule determined at pre-planning meeting and based on school needs
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Open space in classroom or multi-purpose space large enough for entire class to participate on their feet simultaneously or spread out to work in small groupsA large space or auditorium re... Read more

Open space in classroom or multi-purpose space large enough for entire class to participate on their feet simultaneously or spread out to work in small groups
A large space or auditorium reserved for Session 4 and Session 5, if sharing with the whole grade level

I can use size and shape (realistic/abstract) to explore and demonstrate an element, structure or organism from a scientific topic such as Animals, Habitats or Space.I can use ... Read more

I can use size and shape (realistic/abstract) to explore and demonstrate an element, structure or organism from a scientific topic such as Animals, Habitats or Space.

I can use movement qualities (rate, weight, energy) to explore and demonstrate a scientific process or procedure, such as Forces, Changing Landscapes or the Water Cycle.

I can work with partners to use shapes and movement to create a group drama/theatre work to share with peers that shows stages of a cycle, interactions in an environment, steps in a process or how a system works.

ACTive Learning residencies integrate theatre into any curricular unit and are structured to provide opportunities for students to: 1) participate comfortably in theatre in the classroom; ... Read more

ACTive Learning residencies integrate theatre into any curricular unit and are structured to provide opportunities for students to: 1) participate comfortably in theatre in the classroom; (2) delve deeply into a specific topic through specially designed drama activities; (3) collaborate creatively on a unique demonstration of their discoveries (4) share and reflect honestly on their work; and (5) give/receive feedback to solidify learning in Theatre and the curriculum.

Choose a topic:
Properties of Matter, the Solar System, Animals (particularly Mammals and Reptiles), the Five Senses, Life Cycle of Plants, Energy and Motion, Re-cycling, Sound and Light, Geology/Land Formations, Flight, Weather and Climate, Ecosystems, Natural Resources, Inventors and Inventions

Connect to Literary or Informational Texts:
Water Cycle-One Well by Rochelle Strauss and All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson
Solar System-Thirteen Moons on Turtle"s Back by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London (Native American poetry)
Mammals/Reptiles-Animal poems or stories such as Mossy by Jan Brett or Native American Legends
Habitats-Over in the Meadow and companion books on desert, forest, grasslands, arctic and ocean
Natural Resources and Ecology-A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry

Consider the program supporting a Long-Term project:
Teachers selected a residency on Habitats (specifically the Jungle) for four classes of 1st-3rd year students as a precursor to participation in a school play, "The Jungle Book" .

*All ACTive Learning Through Drama programs have been developed and implemented by a professional Theatre Educator in collaboration with Classroom Teachers and Arts Specialists.