Drama

Story Thinking: Understanding and Comparing Text through Drama

Daniel A. Kelin, II/Linda Taira

1st grade/Mauka Lani El

In this drama integrated language arts experience, 1st graders explore two stories through drama. As they reflect on the characters, themes and key vocabulary, the students consider ways the two stories compare. In the end, they demonstrate how the two texts are both similar and different.

Stories Have Messages and Lessons We Can Learn From

Lily Brennick/Bethany Yamaguchi, 1st grade/Kaneohe El

A drama based language arts curriculum with the goal of dissecting stories to find out what they teach us. Through storytelling, mind-mapping and character creation with voice and body 1st grade students were able to compare two stories; characters, events and themes to unlock the inner messages and lessons. They were then asked to reflect on their own knowledge of stories and if they noticed a trend of similar themes, characters, events and messages. Students walked away with the understanding that even though stories are different, they can still be same.

Good Citizenship Builds Successful Communities

Lily Brennick/Norene Ajimine, special ed/Kalihi Kai El

This diverse kindergarten class included some students who had never been in a school setting before, special education as well as english language learners. Through various stories, including The Grouchy Ladybug, they explored the idea of welcome and unwelcome behavior and applied it to various places and aspects in school; the classroom, on the playground, in the library, etc. This drama based curriculum addressed both language arts and health standards and benchmarks. In the end, students gained an understanding of positive ways to treat and interact with each other and other individuals they come in contact with in their school in order to create a positive community.