Each week in class we focused on the incorporation of Drama and
another subject in the classroom, using different strategies to
enrich student learning. Along with this, there have also been
activities that we have completed through our modelled strategies
lessons and class warm ups that I believe also fit into the different
subjects.
Drama and Math
Within our first week we looked at the incorporation of Drama in Math
class, using different strategies to learn about shapes. For
instance, we did an activity in which we were working with two and
three dimensional shapes by using the "in a group
of..."strategy. During this time we all walked around the room,
in no particular direction, and Kari-Lynn would say instructions like
"in a group of 4 form a trapezoid" at which point we would
stop walking, form groups of 4 people, and create trapezoids as
groups using different body parts and elements of tableaux.
In this instance Kari-Lynn would also show us the shape, as we were
working in the mind set of class being in a primary grade, in which
they may not remember what all of the shapes look like. However, this
same strategy could also be modified to be used in math for older
grades by not having the visuals, and/or creating more of a challenge
by incorporating different types of angles. Another modification for
an older level that Kari-Lynn showed us, was incorporating flips and
rotations of the shape. In terms of rotation, this could be used by
simply asking the students to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise,
yet it can also be modified more to a more challenging level by
asking them to rotate a certain degree in a certain direction.
Drama and Science
Another subject we looked at was Science, in which we read the story
Ladybug Garden, during which
we were separated into groups, with each group being either bees,
wasps, aphids, ladybugs, or caterpillars/butterflies. Each group was
given a separate text to read about their own insect, for which they
were assigned to read using two elements of choral work as a rolling
theatre activity while reading the story. In my group, we were
caterpillars/butterflies, and our text was on the life cycle of a
caterpillar/butterfly, for which we used an ensemble of soft voices
and incorporated in our own actions to match what was occurring in
the text. Another activity that would go well with this subject, that was conducted during one of our modeled strategy lessons, was that of using connector webs for students to show the life cycle of an animal. This can also be modified to be used in science for the parts or life cycle of plants for younger grades, and can be used for older students when studying human anatomy, and the different bones that are connected to one another. As well as in Language classes to assure the teacher that students know proper sentence or essay structure depending on the grade level.
Drama and Physical Education
In terms of Physical Education there are a lot of ways that you can
incorporate Drama and the elements of movement into the classroom.
For instance, one strategy we used in class was "when a chair is
not a chair". For this strategy we did an activity that could be
used for younger students involving the story/song Going on a Bear
Hunt, in which the class can sit
in their chairs, reciting the story/song along with their teacher,
and use different actions and elements of movement while
incorporating their chairs into their movement. However, this
strategy can also easily be modified for older students, by creating
safety rules, and allowing them to create their own dance routines or
scenes of some sort, involving chairs being used as something other
than just chairs.
Drama
and Social Studies
In
our forth week in class we were supposed to be focusing on how Drama
and Language Arts could be connected through the story Lily
and the Paper Man. However,
I also saw a strong tie to the Grade 5 and 6 Social Studies
curriculum due to the theme of poverty/homelessness.
This
was also a theme that we explored through drama strategies such as
collective drawing, in which we formed groups and collectively drew
pictures of what home means to us. Following this, we used position
mapping to show and discuss our different degrees of knowledge on the
topic of homelessness. These could be used as introduction
activities, as well as a form of diagnostic assessment before diving
into this theme. While the strategy of collective drawing could be
modified to be a visual representation students' views on what it
could mean to be homeless. As well as, in terms of older students who
have learned about poverty and homelessness, what they could do to
help people in poverty.
Drama
and Language Arts
As
previously stated, Language Arts is another subject that we have been
able to incorporate Drama into. One connection between the two
subjects that I was able to make was through using rhythm reading to
read the story In the Tall, Tall Grass. In
this activity we broke into groups, and with the use of Boom Wackers,
created our beats, which we then played along with a drum during our
sections of the reading. In this activity, our beats simply went
along to the drum beat to form a more rhythmic, interest reading of
the story. However, this activity could also be modified for older
children to involve a more difficult text, or rhythm. While the Boom
Wackers could be incorporated further into the lesson through having
them used for a certain number of syllables, or when a rhyme occurs.
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