OBJECTIVES:
The student should be able to:
• Analyze the importance of universal themes learned through use of historical real-life events in Drama.
TIME: 75 minutes
MATERIALS
Music (CD)
Index cards
Power point presentation
Name tag stickers
Rubric
Direction cards
Stage or other area outside of the normal classroom
INTRODUCTION/PREPARATION/ANTICIPATORY SET:
(This lesson will be a role playing lesson in which students will not know until the end, what they were actually a part of. It is an introduction into the drama The Diary of Anne Frank.)
Students will enter the room as music is being played. They will place books down and will be allowed to walk, dance, talk, and socialize with each other like nothing in class will be happening. The directions will be given to them through use of power point presentation. After 5-7 minutes, students will sit down in their seats and will get ready for the remaining replay of events that occurred during Anne Frank’s life.
ACTIVITY:
Teach / Model: The teacher will explain to students that they will be given an index card to fill out pertaining to themselves(App. 1). Each student will next be given the index card and students will answer the questions asked of them. Once students have completed the questions, the teacher will pick up the cards and will then inform students that each of them will be given a sticker with a teacher’s name on it. Once they receive the sticker, they must put it on and wait for further instructions. Upon all receiving stickers and placing them on their shirts, the teacher will place the class into four groups and will have them move to a certain section of the classroom. The first group will be allowed to talk and carry on as if nothing is happening. The other three groups will be given instructions on work that will need to be done. A set of instructions(App. 2) will be already placed at each of the four stations with the directions that must be followed on each. Once the students are in their individual groups, they will be given about five minutes to prepare for what the directions say need to be done. After the five minutes are up, each group will model their objectives to the other groups. While one group is showing what they must do, the other groups will observe. This will continue until all groups have completed their tasks.
HOTS
How did you feel being taken away from your friends and placed in a group with someone you may not know well?
Why do you think the class was separated into four different sections?
Guided Practice: Since this lesson is a discovery lesson for my students, the teacher will aid students through each task given, making sure all students know exactly what is expected of them each step of the way. The teacher will monitor through all parts of the lesson and will answer questions that students may have as each part of the lesson unfolds.
HOTS
What are your thoughts at this point as to what is happening in class at this time? Why are you feeling this way?
Is there anything that you can do to change anything that is happening or will happen through the course of this class? Explain.
Independent Practice: The students will be put in their seats, told not to talk and will instruct them to begin looking at their belongings that they have with them. After about two minutes, the teacher will have students select only one of their items, and will be told to take it with them. Students will be escorted into the hall. They will not be allowed to talk and will have to walk as quickly and quietly as possible in a straight line. The teacher will bring her class to the stage and will inform them that they need to find one place to sit/stand/etc. without moving for 3-5 minutes. Students will do as instructed and will be restricted from movement for that entire time frame. After the teacher calls time, students will be instructed to manipulate themselves around the stage without making a sound or talking to anyone for 3-5 minutes more.
Without the students knowing, the teacher will have the principal and/or resource officer come in and pretend to take away or arrest one-two students for not following procedures/directions. After they leave, the teacher and students will return quietly back to class. Once back in class, the principal/resource officer will return the student(s) back to class.
HOTS
Why do you feel that the item you selected is the most valuable to you? Explain.
How did you react to one of your peers being escorted off the stage? Why do you think you reacted this way?
Closure: On power point, the teacher will inform students that they just took part in a real-life dramatization of some of the events that Anne Frank and other Jews went through. The teacher will discuss with students what happened and how they felt through each step of the process. The class will talk about their experience and how it must have been for Anne Frank and the other Jews before, during, and after capture. The class will discuss themes (lessons) that others could have learned or learned from this tragic event in history.
EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT:
Students will write down lesson(s) that could have been learned from this experience in class as well as the real-life events that occurred. Finally, the students will write down three adjectives that described what or how they felt at any point and time during the course of the lesson. The students will next get in a group, select any three-four words and will create movement to help express the adjectives they selected. A rubric will be provided for students to know what they will need to do for their presentation to the class.
The groups will present their movement interpretations to the class. The other students will try to figure out which feelings were felt by the group presenting. The group will then write on the board the lesson they feel was best learned through this experience. After all groups have presented, the class will look at the variety of themes written on the board and will evaluate using their rubric how important these lessons are in any aspect of life.
The summative assessment will be done using the pre rubric guidelines prior to students completing their formative assessment (rubric). See appendix 3 for the breakdown of assessments.
ART CONTENT/CONCEPTS:
Social Studies: Show the effects of discrimination unchecked during the time of the Holocaust. Discuss how unfairly treated and punished the Jews were during this period in history.
Science: Discussions on what happens to a body when it is deprived of nutrients for an extended amount of time: slows brain function, movement of limbs, loss of weight, etc
COMPREHENSIVE
CURRICULUM, GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS:
ELA-6-M1 Analyze universal themes found in a variety of world and multicultural texts in oral and written responses. GLE 6
ELA-4-M2 Follow procedures from detailed oral instructions. GLE 30
GLE: Reading:
GLE 32: Adjust volume and inflection to suit the audience and purpose of presentations. ELA-4-M3
GLE 8d: use knowledge of the distinctive characteristics to classify and explain the significance of various genres, including drama. ELA-6-M3
Analyze universal themes found in a variety of world and multicultural texts in oral and written responses. ELA-6-M1
GLE: Theatre:
TH-CE-M1: demonstrate self-expression and various emotions individually and in groups. (1,5)
TH-CE-M2: demonstrate role playing individually and in interpersonal situations. (1,5)
TH-CE-M3: demonstrate physical and emotional traits appropriate to a variety of roles and characters. (2,4)
TH-AP-M6: express intuitive reactions and personal responses to theatre and other dramatic works. (1,2,4)
MODIFICATIONS | ACCOMODATIONS:
Students will be allowed to participate due to the design of the lesson. Any students who have trouble sitting on the floor will be allowed to sit on provided chairs. Any questions and/or directions that the teacher will ask will be placed on power point slides so that the students can see and hear them. A rubric will also be provided to help them know exactly what is expected of them. Because it is a role playing exercise, the teacher will make sure to place students with limited abilities in groups that will not be as demanding for them. The teacher will aid students as needed for any part they may be having difficulty with. The teacher will make sure that students are placed in groups that will not hinder their ability to participate to the best of their ability, based on other students in that particular group.
Multicultural: Through this inquiry lesson, students will use their own experiences to see first hand what life was kind of like during Hitler’s reign of terror. They will gain a better understanding of how to treat others better and as a person because they will all experience a taste of what the Jews had to endure. They will see how another culture was treated wrongly simply because of who they were. All ethnic backgrounds will have the opportunity to discuss discrimination and cruelty that happened back then and compare it to what happens in today’s society, again with all nationalities being able to share their responses.
TEACHER'S REFLECTION:
I was completely shocked, but greatly amazed at how fabulous this lesson went with all of my classes. I was surely hoping for it to be as great and wonderful of a lesson as possible, but my students went way past my expectations. To begin, I had to have my students follow all my directions without any questions, and as quickly as possible. Since this lesson was an inquiry learning lesson, I did not want to let them know at all what they were going to be doing. I began by telling each of my classes that the lesson was a sequence lesson on the proper way to follow directions as quickly, quietly, and accurately as possible. I thought that a few of my students may give me a little hesitation throughout the lesson, but was awestruck, when there were absolutely no problems whatsoever! It was an awesome experience for me, as well as for my students. Although, my students learned what I had set out for them to learn, I also had a little learning experience myself. I learned that I need to always believe that they are “all” capable of listening, learning, and participating in what I teach.
I began with allowing them to listen to music, talk, dance, etc. They really enjoyed doing this. I told them I was going to let them relax before doing our quick pace sequence lesson. I had no trouble getting them to settle down into their seats. The directions were on the television, so I had them read them as I gave out the index cards. I made the questions for them to answer a quick paced answering session, where there were no repeats. A few students asked why we were doing this, and why I was asking some of the questions, but I ignored them and moved on. To my surprise, no one asked more than once. All students answered the questions, a little puzzled, but quickly as I had instructed.
The group stations worked out as I had expected. Each group moved to their designated places in the ten seconds that I gave to them. As they got into groups, they read the instructions, and some were ready to begin what I had directed for them to do. I gave them about three minutes, then I had them listen to the following instructions: stand, freeze, begin. Freeze meant to stop their parts, stand meant to be at ease and begin was for the next group to start their parts. All my students were so interested in what each group was going to have to do, that I did not have to remind them to be quiet. They were very attentive as each group acted out their roles. I did some impromptus with each group to help the visual effect, which the students truly appreciated.
The best part of the lesson, I feel, was when I had them line up in the hall (the safety zone) and had them quickly and quietly go to the stage without being seen or heard. I waited until the hall was cleared and had my class go from the safety zone to the unsafe area back to a safe area, the stage. Once on stage, my students were instructed to remain quiet without moving except for breathing and blinking their eyes for three minutes. It was eerie to see them sit still, and it definitely helped the effect of Anne and her family hiding for so long. Next, students moved on stage without talking and without making a sound as best they could. I arranged for our SRO (campus officer) to come in at different times during each lesson to come and escort two students out of my class. The majority of the students thought they had done something wrong, just as I intended.
Once we came back to class, I discussed with each of my classes what they had just dramatized. My students said they had lots of fun and that they wanted to do it again. I asked if we had learned something today. A few caught on that we were reenacting the life of Anne Frank, but most of them realized it as I explained each step of the process. They were so interested as to why we listened to music, why I had asked so many personal questions about them, why they had to be put in those groups, why I had them take one item with them to the stage, and so on. I peaked their curiosity just as I had hoped, and when I began discussing the Holocaust and Anne’s life prior to her going to a concentration camp, all of my students understood what each step of what we did in the lesson meant.
I strongly feel that my students have a deeper connection and understanding of Anne Frank’s life through the utilization of this lesson. When we begin reading the drama, The Diary of Anne Frank, my students will have a better appreciation of what she and so many others had to suffer though doing the time of the Holocaust. This lesson was meant to help them better understand how difficult life was like for Anne so that they can better understand Anne’s character role in the drama that they will be reading very soon. I feel that they now can put themselves more in her shoes as the drama is being read.
RESOURCES:
Moger, Susan. Teaching the Diary of Anne Frank: An In-Depth Resource for Learning About the Holocaust Through the Writings of Anne Frank. New York: Scholastic Professional Books, 1998.
Sloyer, Shirlee. From the Page to the Stage: The Educator’s Complete Guide to Readers Theatre. Westport, Co: Teacher Ideas Press, 2003.
Anne Frank Center- http://www.annefrank.com/1_life.htm
Ann Frank and her Diary- http://teacher.scholastic.com/frank/diary.htm
Anne Frank: The writer/An Unfinished Story
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/af/htmlsite/
Frank, Anne. The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam Books, 1952.
TO DOWNLOAD THE APPENDICES FOR THIS LESSON, PLEASE CLICK HERE
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