Story Reading: Using Voice

2/10/17 Drama Lesson Plan

5th grade

Objective: Students will create a character with specific character traits, perspective, and tone as they read one page of a story fluently.

Drama Vocabulary words: voice, gesture

English Language Arts Words: infer, figurative language, adjective, verb, prosody, character traits, setting, tone, point of view

Expectations:

1. I am silent when the attention cue is given.
2. I am a courteous audience member.
3. I am brave.

Reflection: Quick Write- 3 min

Remember from last time and jot down in notebook: What is my strength? What is my weakness? How will I practice making my weakness a strength today? How can I prepare to be a frozen actor in March better?

Drama Game to practice coming alive: In the Manner of the Adverb- 10 min

Everybody stands in a circle. One person is picked to go outside the room while the rest of the group decides on an adverb, such as “quickly”, “cheerfully” or “sleepily.” The volunteer is called back to stand in the centre of the circle. Her task is to guess the adverb by asking any individual or a few members of the group to mime an activity. They should do this in the manner (style) of the word.

For example, the volunteer may ask someone to “play a piano” or “dig a hole” in the manner of the word. She watches to see how that person is doing the activity. If she can’t guess the adverb, she can ask other people to mime different activities (she is allowed up to three guesses). When she gets it right, or her three guesses are up, another volunteer goes outside while the group chooses a new adverb.

Content:

Model: 7 min

Mention how good their classroom teacher is at this!

1. Read the first few pages of The Sign of the Beaver, modeling great story reading techniques.

Have students identify characteristics of a good reading.

Identify Target: I can read with expression and develop character in my voice.

Independent Guided Practice 15 min

1. Have each student find their own place in the classroom and pick one page from their own books to practice. All students read the page aloud to themselves to remind themselves of what is going on on the page.
2. Choose a character. If the story is narrated by a certain character (such as the wolf), choose which character you are going to be. If it is written by a narrator, identify who you are as the narrator, and what you think about the story as a whole. Who are you?
3. Develop the character. After characters are chosen, give each student time to develop their character.

Character qualities/traits to determine:

Goal, motivation and conflict, for both the inner life and outer life

Strengths, inherent and learned

Important relationships

Appearance

Education

Home, living circumstances

Preferred travel method

Backstory as it relates to story problem

The things in their pockets, backpack, car, satchel, etc.

Habits, mannerisms, ticks

fears

For numbers 4-11, after each cue, allow students 1 minute to practice implementing that cue into their reading.

4. Encourage them to practice reading the same part over several different ways, then choose the best way.
5. Develop how the character comes across in their voice- including accent and voice placement, facial expressions, body gimmicks, posture, and hands/feet.
6. What is the setting where your character is? Does that affect how they feel and sound? What is the tone of the passage? How are they feeling about this particular situation, and how should that come across in their voice?
7. Give them time to identify their lines and decide how their character will deliver the lines. Will any sounds be added? Where and when would certain movements or motions be appropriate?
8. Help everyone identify words in their lines they can color. Find all the adjectives on the page. How will the adjectives sound? Can “nervous” sound nervous when you say it?
9. Identify all the verbs. Can “creeping” sound like creeping? Can “explode” sound like an explosion? “Grow and grow and grow”.
10. Are there any similes or metaphors? Other figurative language? What does the figurative language make you think of? What might it add to your voice?
11. Discuss meaningful pacing and pauses. Being a fluent reader does not mean reading fast- it means reading at a meaningful pace.
12. Practice reading your final product of the story-reading you have rehearsed on that page 3ish more times. You are about to perform!

Teacher Notes

• If performing with at least one other performers, remind students that as they are performing, how another peer performs may affect how their character responds. Really help them live the moment.
• Make sure each story is practiced at least three times. Any less than that, and it really is just reading for fluency, not necessarily comprehension. Challenge students to try out different characters and personalities for the role they are assigned each time.

Assessment: - 8 min

Find a partner/group of 3 others and read your page to them. Ask them to tell you one thing you did very well and one thing they wonder if you could do better.

Reflection: 1 min

Reflect on what you did well today/what you want to improve upon. What did you notice really improved with practice? What might the value of a rehearsal be?

Standards:

RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.

RF.5.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

1. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
2. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.

5.T.CR.1 Develop imagination to create artistic ideas and work.

5.T.CR.5 Create character through physical movement, gesture, sound and/or speech and facial expression with age-appropriate outcomes.

5.T.CR.7 Recognize that participating in the rehearsal process is necessary to refine and revise.

5.T.P.5 Communicate meaning using the voice through volume, pitch, tone, rate, and clarity.

5.T.R.4 Give and accept constructive and supportive feedback; analyze and describe strengths and weaknesses of own work.