Network Initiatives

Units jump

Parts jump

Unit 6: Lesson 15Select Writing for Authors and Actors Performance

Unit 6

Authors and Actors

                

 

 

Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to ignite students’ excitement to write by giving them the tools to explore experiences in their own lives and to communicate those stories to an audience through theater and writing.
 

Unit Description

In this unit, students write personal narratives about experiences in their own lives. To prepare, students will explore writing around three different topics. With each topic, they read real authors’ stories and engage in theater exercises as they apply the writing process. Then as authors, students pick one topic to write a whole story about and use acting to support their progress. As a culminating event, the class creates a theater presentation of the stories for an audience, who can see and hear the students’ stories on stage.

 

                

 

Common Core State Standards

Arts for Learning is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. This Overview describes the scope of the standards and this Quick Reference Guide provides each of the standards fully or partially met within this A4L Unit, followed by the charts that specifically identify the standards addressed in each lesson and step in the Unit. The standards are also coded and listed at the beginning of each lesson in the unit. Arts for Learning also provides a comprehensive student assessment program in each unit. This A4L Assessment Toolkit Quick Reference Chart indicates an overview of the locations of the tasks to be scored in the unit..
 
Each A4L unit is developed on a common framework and contains a 3-part sequence of instruction that educational research suggests will help students become more self-directed, independent learners. There is a gradual hand-off of responsibility--from teacher to students-- that is supported by assessment and teacher help as needed. Throughout A4L units the arts serve as motive and means to advance reading for meaning and writing thoughtfully.
 
 

Part 3

Sharing

Unit 6: Lesson 15

Select Writing for Authors and Actors Performance

Unit 6: Lesson 15

Select Writing for Authors and Actors Performance  

 
 

LITERACY OBJECTIVE

By the end of this lesson students will be able to identify sections of their personal narratives for performance.
 
 

Literacy "I Can" Statements

"I can work with my writing group to select sections from our personal narratives for our performance."
 
 

Lesson Overview

 

 

Standards Alignment

 

Targeted CCSS

Writing & Language          
L 3.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L 3.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L 4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L 4.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L 5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L 5.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
 
Speaking & Listening          
SL 3.1a: Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
SL 3.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL 3.1c: Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.
SL 3.6: Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.  
SL 4.1a: Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
SL 4.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
SL 4.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
SL 4.6: Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.  
SL 5.1a: Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
SL 5.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
SL 5.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
SL 5.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

 

Secondary CCSS

None for this Lesson.
 

TEACHING RESOURCES

 

Classroom Charts

-Unit Overview for Students

 

A4L Student Notebooks

 

Student Materials

-Authors & Actors Performance Scripts

 

Life & Learning Skills

Unit 6 includes the following Life & Learning Skills:

-Reflective thinking
-Creative problem-solving
-Critical and analytic thinking
-Collaboration Communication

 

  Differentiation Options  

Differentiation Options will appear throughout the unit to suggest ways to scaffold or challenge student learning. Use the number of helping hands to select the level of differentiation that best supports student learning.

 

    Highest level of scaffolding. Select this option if students are learning strategies for the first time, if the text is challenging for them, or if students require more guidance during activities. The Unit is written for the highest level of scaffolding. 
 
   Moderate scaffolding. Select this option if students require some support comprehending the text or navigating the activity. 
 
  Least amount of scaffolding/Extending the instruction. Select this option if students are ready to work more independently, move more quickly through the material, or are ready for additional challenge.

 

  Leveraging Moments

Key instructional steps where the arts are used to leverage literacy-learning (and vice versa) are marked with . Smaller leveraging moments also occur throughout the lessons.

 
 
 

STEP 1: INTRODUCE PERFORM & INFORM

 
 
Process: Review the Unit Overview for Students with students to show them their progress so far. Tell students that in the next series of lessons, they get to work in their writer’s groups to create an Authors and Actors Performance, which they will present to an audience. It’s a fun celebration of their best writing that describes their personal experiences with the writing topics. They will spend time planning, rehearsing, reflecting, refining, and then performing for an audience.
 
Tell students their performances will look similar to the story endings presentation, but with some fun dramatic twists that will be revealed through the planning and rehearsal process.
 
Lesson Alternatives: Options for Final Performance
Groups Performance with Theatrical “Stomp & Topic” 
This unit is written for group performances. Students work with others who wrote on the same topic. Each student selects a section of his or her writing to perform, and the group uses the theatrical “stomp and topic” to transition between group members.
 
Pairs or Triads with Statues
Instead of creating a performance with the writing group, students work in pairs or triads to do statue(s) of the other person's writing without using the “stomp and topic” transition. Each student reads his or her piece while the partner creates a statue. This option requires less rehearsal.
 
Publishing Party
Forgo the final performance and hold a “publishing party” in which students share their published work with an audience. This option loses the motivation of a performance but is an appropriate option if time is constrained.
 
 
 

STEP 2: INTRODUCE LESSON 15

 
 
Process: Give an overview of the lesson objectives. Work with writing groups to select sections from personal narratives that will be used in the performance.
 
 
 

STEP 3: READ & DISCUSS FINAL DRAFTS IN WRITING GROUPS

 
 
Process: Students get in their A4L writing groups, which are also their performance groups. Each student reads the final draft of his or her personal narrative. After each student reads, the group engages in discussion about which part they might use for the performance. The text selection should be one to four sentences. Sentences must be sequential so that the group can create dramatic statues to match the writing. The author makes the decision in the next step, after the group has a conversation using the following discussion points.
 
ELL Support: Focusing on Discussions
It is important for ELL students that both the author and listener’s reflection discussion points be clearly explained and modeled. For example, the contextual meanings of the words “grabbed” and “satisfied” have a greater connection with the writing task when ELLs practice with their A4L writing partners.
 
It takes approximately 21 times for an ELL to hear, say, read, and write a word for it to become part of his/her academic language.
 
Suggested Dialogue
 
Reflecting on Discussion Points
For the author: What part do you like most or might you want to use for the performance? Why?
 
For the listener: What part grabbed your attention? What part used descriptions and details to create a strong image or feeling? What part left you feeling satisfied or like you learned something?
 
 
 

STEP 4: SELECT WRITING SECTIONS FOR PERFORMANCE

 
 
Process: Each author selects a section of text from his or her personal narrative for the performance. The text selection can be one to four sentences and must be presented sequentially, matching the dramatic statues. Authors highlight, circle, or underline their sections, and then share their sections with the group.
 
The group decides the order of each author’s section for their performance.
 
Teaching Tip: The Script
The Script: Authors' Reading for Performance
 
Students need a copy of their story for rehearsal and performance. They will need to highlight, underline, or circle the section of text they will read in the performance. Plan to provide this in some form at the beginning of Lesson 16.
 
 
 

STEP 5: CLOSE LESSON 15

 
 
Process: Close the lesson with a look forward and an optional closing ritual.
 
Suggested Dialogue
 
Looking Forward
"When we come back together, we’ll learn how to create dynamic statues for our Authors and Actors Performance."
 
Performing the Closing Ritual (Optional)
"To close our theater lessons, we'll appreciate our work and each other with a unified clap. 
On three we'll all clap once and say, 'Huh!' 1-2-3 (clap) Huh!"
 
 
 
 

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING LESSON 15! YOU ARE NOW READY TO MOVE ONTO LESSON 16 OF UNIT 6.

 

 

 

 

You've now reached the end of our ArtsforLearning Curriculum preview.