First graders have been exploring the transformation of Charlie Caterpillar into a butterfly using scarves for a cocoon and then wings. They have also acted out stories with a chorus including The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. Using Sweet Dream Pie by Audrey Wood second graders prepared imaginary sweet dream pies and pantomimed the dream creatures that crept through the streets after their townspeople ate too much pie.
The story Those Shoes was used to help third graders discuss the difference between wants and needs. As the character of a young, jealous boy they had to decide whether or not to give shoes to a friend who had less then he had. I loved how the students made personal connections to the story. We are just finishing creating the characters and scenes from the African folktale A Story, A Story. Our focus has been on creating characters with some dialogue from the story.
Have you ever seen a group of five students create a sculpture of one car or parachute? The fourth graders did just that using levels and looking for interesting composition. They created the setting with their bodies for the story Fortunately and had to do it silently with the story read expressively by their group's narrator. Fourth and fifth graders are working on making clear actions for characters as well as adding reactions (emotions) to make stories more detailed and interesting.
Fifth graders have been creating tableaus (frozen pictures) to enhance their memoirs. I have been collaborating with the fifth grade classroom teachers to help students add sensory and emotional detail to their memoirs as they act as the director of the tableau. We are investigating how drama can help the writing revision process. I have enjoyed helping the students become more invested in their stories.
Imagination can carry us to so many worlds!