Contextual Drama based on “Animal Strike at the Zoo”
by Karma Wilson
*drama rules: 1) believe in the make believe. 2) build upon ideas.
Materials:
-fun fur
-chart paper, markers
-bristol board, markers or paint, paint sticks or rulers, masking tape.
-CD player
-Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum CD. Songs: Mysterious Island and Evening Samba
-storybook “Animal Strike at the Zoo” by Karma Wilson
Introductory Activities:
1) Meetings/Teacher in Role – Welcome all the attendees to the meeting. We are all owners and workers at the zoo that is going to be opening up soon. What kind of animals should we have at our zoo? (brainstorm). Decide ONE thing that each type of animal will need to be happy and comfortable.
2) Parallel Play/– students pick an animal to be based on our brainstorming list. The students are to mime the actions of that animal in the wild. No voices. Students must use bodies to go through a day in the life of that animal. ♫ Mysterious Island – Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum CD.
3) Sidecoaching – as students are acting like the animals, teacher directs their actions. “eg. Show me how this animal wakes up from a nap” “show me how this animal gets food” “show me how this animal plays” “show me how this animal moves on whatever type of land it is on. Eg. Ice, forest, cave, tunnel…. “show me how this animal hides from danger” ♫ Mysterious Island – Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum CD.
Main Activities:
4) Meeting – zoo owners decide on how many of each animal they will have at the zoo. (enough for each role of student in class).
5) Mime/parallel play – students become the animals at the zoo. In groups, they mime their experience in the zoo with each other.
6) Tableaux– students freeze in an animal shapes as teacher walks through zoo.
7) Storytelling – Read first page of storybook. What is a strike? Why do people go on strike? Why do you think the animals would go on strike?
8) Flashback/Meeting of the Animals – animals have been in the zoo a while. They have decided to hold a meeting to talk about the conditions in the zoo. What needs might each animal group want? What is the difference between needs and wants? Are the animals being treated fairly and properly? Do they want things that are unreasonable? What are things they may want but don’t necessarily need? Animals take turns talking. Teacher in Role – calls meeting (costume item). “If” and “then”. Have students finish statements. If the zoo owners don’t ______then we ______.
9) Drawing/Painting – animals make STRIKE signs. What will we put on the signs?
9b) Animal Rhythm Chant – Students get into animal groups. Each animal group comes up with what luxury they want. Make up rhyming words with the item. Insert into chant.
EG. Animal Strike at the Zoo, Animal Strike at the Zoo,
We want more treats, and lots of meat,
Animal strike at the zoo!
Giraffes: We want a T.V., Not any fleas!
Dragons: We want a castle, not any hassle!
Crocodiles: We want more room, not a mop and broom!
Pandas: We want a pool, not any rules!
Cheetahs: We want a Pizza Hut, not any nuts!
Animal Strike at the Zoo, Animal Strike at the Zoo,
We want more treats, and lots of meat,
nimal strike at the zoo!
10) Story Drama – read parts of book while students act out each scene. Read up until “what can the zookeeper do? There’s an animal strike at the zoo!”
11) Hotseat – zookeeper and owners. Animals gather to fire questions about what the zookeeper is going to do to make the animals happier. Teacher could be zookeeper or students could take turns.
12) Questioning/Reflection: Ask students if they think the animals will be satisfied now. Why or why not? What will happen if needs aren’t met? How do you compromise?
13) Flashforwards – have students mime getting some of what they need but wanting more. Have animals complain about conditions still. Show what life at the zoo would be like.
14) Story Drama – read up until “And she’s begged for this trip for a year!”
15) Role – all students take on role of sweet little Sue or Sam. As teacher continues to read, students act how it would feel if those things were happening. When teacher says “freeze” students freeze in frozen pose.
16) Tapping IN – teacher taps one student to hear “thoughts” from the child in response to seeing the zoo like this. Read until “a deep hush of sadness falls over the place…”
Concluding Activities:
17) Dance Drama – students compose a “wild dance” of the animals. Take a action word from each animal. Students in groups of 4. Each student teaches others their action. Put all together as one dance. Use action words from book (peeping, big, small, soaring, creeping, leaping, prowling) Must have a “wild free” section in middle. ABA form. ♫= Evening Samba Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum
WILD DANCE for Little Sue
A section: soaring, creeping, leaping, prowling.
B section: Have each animal group come up with one action word. Do all action words from each group in the B section. Eg. Hopping, walking, slithering, flying, sneaking.
A section: end dance by repeating A section.
*play with levels and tempo, pathways!
18) Reflection/Discussion – how should we treat animals? What do you think about keeping animals in the zoo? In the circus? What are some good and bad things about having animals in the zoo. What should the animals have as needs? As wants? What did they like about the drama? What was easy? What was hard?
Name / Displays a willingness to enter into the fiction of the drama / Adopts roles in dramatic situations and accepts/responds to others in role / Contributes ideas appropriate to the drama / Listens and recognizes the need to respect the contributions of othersDrama in Context Assessment
N=needs improvement
M=meets expectations
E=exceeds expectations
Comments and notes: