I notice a lot of mask making projects out there but one part is missing!
THE PERFORMANCE!
Masks that are not used for protection or disguise are used for performance. Here are some fun and meaningful ways to use students' Animal MASKS in performance.
1. Try a SYMPHONY
We made animal masks (read about it here) so I asked students to make the sound their animal would make while wearing their masks. The students became the orchestra (of animal sounds) and I became the conductor. Whenever my hands went high the students sound went high, whenever my hands went low their sound went low. Most importantly we had a signal for stop! It is very impressive to hear the loud animal symphony come to a screeching halt with the wave of my hands. This is a great warm up for little ones to get used to performing in their masks.
3. Walk like a Gorilla?
In this performance activity students walk around the classroom to music like their animal would. I demonstrate this and send one student at a time, adding a student to the mix every few seconds (our class sizes are large so half of the class has to be the audience.) When the music stops they have to freeze when the music starts they can walk, dance, and move like their animal.
4. Got a Problem?
We'll solve it!
Students work in groups of three to act out a problem in front of the class. Examples from my class were, "my ball was stolen at recess" and "my last cupcake from my birthday party was eaten by my mom's boyfriend!" Both problems were real in the students life. They were allowed to act out their problems as if they were their animal (they could only use animal noises and no dialogue) After they acted out their problem audience members (students in their animal masks) were allowed to go in and try to help. If no solution was reached that was OKAY! We simply talked about the feelings that surrounded the problem and some constructive ways we can manage our feelings.
I have lots more Performance Ideas!
Let me know if this interests you and please add any ways you've used performance art in your classrooms.
THE PERFORMANCE!
Masks that are not used for protection or disguise are used for performance. Here are some fun and meaningful ways to use students' Animal MASKS in performance.
1. Try a SYMPHONY
We made animal masks (read about it here) so I asked students to make the sound their animal would make while wearing their masks. The students became the orchestra (of animal sounds) and I became the conductor. Whenever my hands went high the students sound went high, whenever my hands went low their sound went low. Most importantly we had a signal for stop! It is very impressive to hear the loud animal symphony come to a screeching halt with the wave of my hands. This is a great warm up for little ones to get used to performing in their masks.
3. Walk like a Gorilla?
In this performance activity students walk around the classroom to music like their animal would. I demonstrate this and send one student at a time, adding a student to the mix every few seconds (our class sizes are large so half of the class has to be the audience.) When the music stops they have to freeze when the music starts they can walk, dance, and move like their animal.
4. Got a Problem?
We'll solve it!
Students work in groups of three to act out a problem in front of the class. Examples from my class were, "my ball was stolen at recess" and "my last cupcake from my birthday party was eaten by my mom's boyfriend!" Both problems were real in the students life. They were allowed to act out their problems as if they were their animal (they could only use animal noises and no dialogue) After they acted out their problem audience members (students in their animal masks) were allowed to go in and try to help. If no solution was reached that was OKAY! We simply talked about the feelings that surrounded the problem and some constructive ways we can manage our feelings.
I have lots more Performance Ideas!
Let me know if this interests you and please add any ways you've used performance art in your classrooms.
3 comments:
What a great follow up to the masks! I love your problem solving activity - it ties in anti-bullying and stop-think-do concepts. Lots of scope for increasing emotional intelligence, I love it! :)Elizabeth
So impressed. Love the orchestra especially. Kids love making noise, and giving them permission to do so in a controlled manner is such a win-win activity.
I like this idea a lot! Did you invite anyone to the performances or was it just for each class?
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