Curriculum Calendar

“THE MIGHTY GATINEAU RIVER” DRAMA PRODUCTION

Combine the Arts to Enhance Student Learning: Create a Play!
Here’s How to do it!

Note: The Drama Production is available in PDF format.

In 2003 a Grade 5 and a Grade 6 teacher at Chelsea Elementary School in Chelsea, Quebec, studied different aspects of water with their students. In order to reinforce concepts through the arts, they decided to have the students create a play using some aspect of their theme on water. This is the model for creating a children’s play that uses the mediums of art, drama, music and dance to deliver a particular message about a segment of our science curriculum.

It is an excellent interdisciplinary method that teaches problem solving and cooperation and engages students in a democratic process. Research has shown that when curriculum is integrated with the ‘arts’, the level of enthusiasm and engagement increases, and students gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the subject. These effects were clearly noted in our experience. This process has been so extremely successful with our students in Chelsea School that we have adapted it to meet other curriculum and have met with the same success. We have documented the process with the hopes of sharing it with other teachers.

In brief, following three weeks of study on water, each of the four classes mentioned above developed an act about an issue related to the local river. The play was titled “The Mighty Gatineau River”. The following year, the same format was used and the students studied various aspects of wetlands. They then created and performed a play called, “Once Upon a Wetland.” In both cases, students followed the same model. They studied the science aspect for a period of 3-4 weeks and then demonstrated what they had learned in an arts based theatre production.

SYNOPSIS OF “The Mighty Gatineau River”

Opening scene - how the river was created
Act 1- how the river was used for logging
Act 2- how dredging up the logs from the river’s bottom disturbed the ecosystem
Act 3- how damming the river for hydroelectricity purposes jeopardized the use of the river for eco-tourist businesses
Act 4- how construction to widen an existing bridge endangered the existence of a rare fish
Finale- group song performed by all students from all play components

TASK BREAKDOWN PER WEEK

Teacher Preparations prior to Week One	Week One
Volunteer Parent Preparation	Week Two
Student Prepartion	Week Three
Some Options

Teacher Preparations prior to Week One

Determine the issue/message/information to be delivered.
Brainstorm with experts/resource people/guest speakers, to gather information about the issues.
Determine how many scenes are needed depending on the number of students and the complexity of the message being conveyed.
Determine a date for experts to present information to students in an interesting and age appropriate manner.
Send a newsletter to parents (Appendix 1) indicating that volunteers are needed to help in the six play components: art, set design, scriptwriting, drama, dance and music. It is essential to emphasize that no previous experience or talent is required in these areas. When parents indicate that they would be willing to volunteer make it clear that a meeting will be held at a later date when the procedure will be explained further. (Appendix 2)

Contact the parent volunteers that you feel are best suited to be the coordinator position of each play component and they will in turn contact members of their group from a list that you provide them.

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Volunteer Parent Preparation

At the meeting:

Parents are walked through the process. (Appendix 3)
Coordinators are asked to develop a schedule with the parent volunteers of their respective groups at the meeting. (Appendix 4)
At the meeting, responsibilities of each of the groups are explained. (Appendix 5)

It is important to review with parents that the main objective of this activity is that ideas are generated from the students; they are coordinated by parents and approved by the teacher.

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Student Preparation

Right after the students have listened to guest speakers discuss the issues surrounding the topic for the play, students learn about the different play components (drama, art, dance, music, script writing, set design and art) and the activities related to each of these components.

In the Chelsea Elementary School model, each act was produced by a different class. Each class had groups responsible for the different components

Students are asked to indicate in which area they want to work by ranking their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices on a sheet of paper.
Look through the student’s requests and place students in groups of between 4-6 students.

** Responsibilities of Each Student Group

Drama – responsible for assigning parts, memorizing lines, staging and finding costumes.
Music- responsible for making instruments and sound tracks appropriate for different parts in the act.
Dance- responsible for adding movement to the act, costumes
Set design- responsible for creating a backdrop or mood pieces for their act.
Art - responsible for creating any props that are needed for their act.
Any costumes needed were gathered from each other, older brothers/sisters or parents. They do not need to be made, bought or rented.

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Week One

The scriptwriters work for approximately one hour a day under the direction of a parent in a separate location from the classroom. The scriptwriters complete their work in a four or five-day period, while the rest of the students continue to do their scheduled work in the classroom. (Novel Study: Gr. 5 The Big Wave by Pearl Buck, Gr. 6 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit)
When the scriptwriters complete their work, the teacher edits and types a final copy. (Appendix 6)

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Week Two

Day 1, students gather with parent volunteers into their assigned groups (dance, drama, music, set design and art) read the script and generate ideas about how their component can contribute to the play. After the scriptwriters have caught up on the class work that they missed from the previous week, they are assigned to groups needing extra help.

Each group works in a separate designated area. As the week progresses, the groups begin to watch each other and blend their ideas together in order to share and problem solve how the different components can fit together.
On Day 2, the dance and music groups work together.
On Day 3, the dance, music and drama come together to share their progress and continue blending their work for the rest of the week.
By the 3rd day, any additional props or design products that are needed by the drama group are assigned to the art and set design groups.
The process is fluid and the students meet and modify their work as required.
The flow between the groups is directed by the teachers.
All parent volunteers finish their work with groups of students at the end of the 5th day and parent volunteers are thanked for their contribution.
By this time, all groups should be well practiced and prepared to come together for rehearsals the following week.
Design and distribute a newsletter flyer to parents about sale of tickets and how to purchase them. (Appendix 7)

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Week Three

Teachers rehearse with students one scene at a time (each scene enacted by a different class) before they are brought together for a final full dress rehearsal on the third day. Students not involved in the particular act are the audience and give feedback.
All students bring costumes in for teacher approval.
Final full dress rehearsal is on the third day.
Play programmes are designed and photocopied by a parent volunteer (cover illustrated by students) (Appendix 8)
Tickets are sold by students after school. (Appendix 9)
Three shows are performed on the fourth day.
Parent volunteers supervise the children who are not on stage, help with make up, costumes, props, cast party/bake sale.
A gesture of thanks and appreciation is given to parent volunteers at the close of each performance.
Several days following the performance, parent volunteers are asked to complete an evaluation form of the process and the performance. (Appendix 10)
Bills are paid and finance records completed.

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Some options:

Rent floodlight and any other technical equipment.
Have students create a program and design the cover.
Host a cast party/bake sale after the show (Fundraiser).
Publicity people sell tickets.
Video the final show.
Dress rehearsal performed for other classes in the school in the morning.
Afternoon performance and Evening performance for the public.
Organize a photographer and sell copies of pictures.

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