OBJECTIVES:
The student should be able to:
• Create original Haiku poetry
• Use body movement to create original and dynamic interpretations of student created poetry
TIME: 60 minutes
MATERIALS
Pictures/photographs of scenes in nature
chart paper
markers
digital files of photo image
projector
computer
INTRODUCTION/PREPARATION/ANTICIPATORY SET:
In groups, students will create original Haiku poetry and perform their original poetry. Students will perform each poem by utilizing body movement, rhythm, and voice inflection to generate original and dynamic interpretations of student created poetry.
ACTIVITY:
Teaching Model: The teacher will ask to students to close their eyes as she reads a Haiku. Afterwards, the teacher will lead students in a discussion about the “picture” the Haiku paints in the mind of the listener. The teacher will reread the Haiku (from task focus), and lead the class in a discussion of the characteristics of Haiku poetry (review/previously taught). The teacher will use leading questions and probing to illicit student responses that include the following important characteristics of Haiku:
Usually about something in nature
3 lines
syllabification is 5, 7, 5
non-rhyming poetry
strong imagery (appeals to the senses)
Guided Practice: The teacher will ask student volunteers to demonstrate how body movement could enhance the imagery of the Haiku read by the teacher. Together, the teacher and students will choreograph movements for the Haiku. As a class, the Haiku will again be performed by adding movements as the poem is recited. The teacher will lead the class in discussing types of body movement that were used to present the Haiku.
Independent Practice: Students will be grouped heterogeneously according to ability level. Student groups will create an original Haiku. The teacher will provide pictures of natural scenes to each group. Groups will choose one of the pictures and the teacher will instruct them to create a Haiku that interprets some part of this scene. Students will write their original Haiku on a sheet of chart paper. Student groups will then choreograph and use body movement to enhance the Haiku they have composed. Students will be instructed to choreograph body movements that will enhance the Haiku they have created. The teacher will emphasize the following dance elements and encourage students to incorporate them into their productions:
Personal and General Space
Motion and Stillness
Selected Non-locomotor movements (reach, stretch, circle, swing)
Selected Locomotor Movements (stomp, walk, jump, thump, stamp)
Levels in Space (high and low)
Student groups will perform their Haiku for the class. As student groups perform each Haiku, the digital image of the picture that prompted the poem will be displayed using a projector (integration of technology).
Closure: The teacher will lead the class in giving each group meaningful feedback about each performance. Students and teacher will discuss each group’s Haiku and performance with regard to syllabification, theme, imagery and movement in the performance. Students and teacher will also discuss each group’s performance with regard to integration of movement (use of space, non-locomotor and locomotor movements, and use of levels as well as other elements of dance)
EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT:
Informal assessment will be ongoing throughout the lesson. The teacher will monitor groups as they compose a Haiku. The teacher will provide feedback to student groups with regard to poetry compositions and keeping with the Haiku form/format. The teacher will also monitor groups’ progress as they add movement to the performance of their poem. The teacher will informally evaluate the integration of body movement into the performance. The teacher will pay close attention to students’ use of space, non-locomotor and locomotor movements, and movement on different levels as well as other elements of dance. Groups will be redirected when needed.
A unit assessment of poetry will formally measure student understanding of the concepts in the Unit 6 poetry unit of the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum taught in the classroom.
ART CONTENT/CONCEPTS:
none provided
COMPREHENSIVE
CURRICULUM, GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS:
GLE:
Language Arts GLE 25C-Writing for various purposes, including explanations of stories and poems using retellings, examples, and text-based evidence
Dance Content Standards:
D-CE-M2 Demonstrate self-monitoring and effective use of space
D-CE-M3 Demonstrate the ability to use dance as a language and means of communication
D-CE-M4 Use improvisation, choreography, and choreographic forms to sequence movements into dance phrases
D-CE-M5 Perform informal and formal dance compositions individually and in groups
MODIFICATIONS | ACCOMODATIONS:
Students will be grouped according to ability. This will allow higher functioning students to assist lower functioning students with concepts they have difficulty with. A paraprofessional will assist special education students throughout the activity. The teacher will display the characteristics of Haiku poetry during the lesson presentation. Students will use this information as a reference if needed during independent practice.
VARIATIONS | ENHANCEMENTS:
none provided
TEACHER REFLECTION:
Implementing this lesson was a valuable experience for my students and me. Students were actively engaged in the creative process. In one sixty minute class period, students were able to write original poetry, choreograph a performance, and perform for their classmates. Truthfully, just before teaching the lesson, I wondered if I had “set the bar too high” and given students a task that could not be achieved in the class time allotted. My thinking was that students would be able to write their Haiku poetry during this class, but the performances would have to happen during a later class session. To my surprise, students were able to both write and perform the poetry in one class session. After the lesson, reflection time was given where students were able to reflect and evaluate this lesson. One student, who often struggles to complete tasks in a subscribed amount of time, stated that she liked the lesson, but thought more time should have been given. I encouraged her to look at the time constraint as a motivation for creativity. She agreed that having the “clock ticking” did help to push her a little. Other students added the group this student was in gave a very creative performance. Other feedback was given by the paraprofessional in our class room. She thought this creative exercise was positive for all students and especially gave the special education students in the class room a chance to shine. The positive effects of this lesson have been long lasting. It has been nearly two weeks since the lesson was implemented, and students still gather and read the poems (I created a display of students’ poems and the pictures that inspired them outside of the class room) and talk about how much fun this lesson was. I will definitely include this activity in future poetry lessons.
REFERENCES:
http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/haiku.htm, http://www.imonk.com/angela/lessons/creating_movement.html, Photographs of natural scenes
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