Character Presentation

Grade Level: 3-4

Subjects Integrated: Language arts, Drama

Learner Outcomes:
Students will plan and collect costume and prop items.
Students will practice their monologue for presentation.
Students will present an original character through dramatic performance.

Time Frame: 60-90 minutes

Materials:  Student monologues, costumes, props

Technology Tools:  Digital camera or digital video, computer with projection device such as scan converter, LCD panel, or data projector

Teacher Notes: This is an excellent opportunity to get some good PR with parents.  Show off your hard work and that of the students and enjoy the accolades.  Ask a parent to be in charge of taking pictures or videos.

Procedures:
    1.  Students will practice reading their monologue aloud with a partner.  Voices should be
        appropriately loud and expressive.  Request that students practice more at home.

    2. Students will plan and collect costume and props appropriate for their character.
        Some items will be brought from home.

    3.  At dress rehearsal students will practice with script, voice volume and inflections
        costumes, props, gestures, and movements.  Encourage students to make constructive
        suggestions to each other.

    4. Prepare the classroom for the performance and for parents to visit.  Create the
        performance area and seating space for guests.  Simple scenery may be appropriate.

    5.  Dress for presentation.  Allow students to help each other.

    6.  When parents arrive, explain that this performance is a culminating activity to the
         of character development in  the Shiloh Unit.  Explain that it is important for students
         to use what they learned to create something new.

    7.  During performance take pictures with digital camera or digital video camera so that
         students can view their own performances later.

Modifications: Teacher or another student can help gather costumes and props for students without resources.  Allow additional practice time for students who are uncomfortable with the performance aspect.

Enrichment Activities: Students can perform for other classes in the building.

Evaluation/Assessment: Assess performances for fluency, expression, preparation of costumes and props.
 

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives

• English Language Arts:  3.12, 3.14,  4.16, 4.17

Content Standard 2

• Acting by assuming roles and interacting in improvisations

• Imagine and clearly describe characters, their relationships, and their environments
• Use variations of locomotor and non-locomotor movement and vocal pitch, tempo, and tone for different characters
• Assume roles that exhibit concentration and contribute to the action of the classroom dramatizations based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history

• Designing by visualizing and arranging environments for classroom dramatizations
• Visualize environments and construct designs to communicate locale and mood using visual elements (such as space, color, line, shape, texture) and aural aspects using a variety of sound source
• Collaborate to establish playing spaces for classroom dramatizations and to select and safely organize available materials that suggest scenery, properties, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup

References:  none