Drama with the Integration of Climate Change

The following lesson is a cross-curricular lesson blending Drama and Geography designed for Grade 7's. I found this lesson inspiring because it introduces climate change topics in a way that allows students to express their feelings on these issues using their own choice of drama strategy. From a teacher's perspective, I think that this activity is a great opportunity to assess student understanding of climate change topics, and it also provides a segway to conduct a class-wide discussion about students' interpretation of each climate change issue.

Curriculum Expectations:

The Arts - Drama:

Overall Expectation:

B1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to process drama and the development of drama works, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas, and multiple perspectives

Specific Expectation:

B1.1 Engage actively in drama exploration and role play, with a focus on examining multiple perspectives related to current issues, themes, and relationships from a wide variety of sources and diverse communities

Geography: Physical Patterns in a Changing World

Overall Expectation:

A3. Demonstrate an understanding of significant patterns in Earth’s physical features and of some natural processes and human activities that create and change those features

                               

Specific Expectations:

A3.7 Describe some key natural processes and other factors, including human activities that create and change climate patterns

Elements and Strategies of Drama:

Role/Character: Considering motivations of historical and fictional characters; considering various facets of multidimensional characters; revealing character through the use of props and movement/blocking; maintaining commitment to role

Overheard Conversation: A conversation that would not normally be overheard by others is disclosed in order to add tension or provide information. The conversation can be heard in a variety of ways - a telephone conversation, one side of a telephone conversation, in groups, in pairs or individually.

Meetings: Students in role come together in a meeting to present information, plan action, suggest strategies, solve problems.

Mantle of the expert: Students assume the roles of experts in a designated field that is relevant to a specific dramatic situation or problem. Roles might include: historians, geographers, environmental specialist, mountain climbers, etc.

News reporting: Students adapt the role of either radio or television news announcer and present a news item they have written.

Guiding Theory:

Rudolph Laban’s Movement Theory

Laban’s theory looks at “movement as a two-way language process through which the body could communicate by giving and receiving messages”. He believed that the way a person moved represented their beliefs and what was going on in their inner world.  In this theory, human movement (dance) is analyzed through four major categories: Body, Effort, Space and Relationship.

In this activity, students will convey messages about global warming by using body movements to create a piece that represents their understanding of David Suzuki’s quote; which advocates for change [Body]. Students will create an ongoing flow of movement to express their energy, inner emotions, and strength [Effort]. Students will also decide the direction of their movements, pathways they take, their group formation, and the proximity of the group members [Space]. Lastly, students will explore their emotional connection as a group, and discuss their strategies for leading, following, meeting and parting [Relationship].

Overview of the Activity:

●   Explain to the students that they will be working in groups of 4-5 to create a drama performance (using one of the strategies) based on a news headline. Each headline connects to the geography topic that we have been exploring -- how human activities have a significant impact on the Earth’s physical features

●   Students will be prompted to get into groups of 4-5. Assistance will be provided if they are having difficulty forming groups

●   Once students are in their groups, inform them that they will be picking (at random) a news headline that surrounds a global issue.

a.     Pipeline spills oil on First Nations land in southeast Saskatchewan http://globalnews.ca/news/3200192/pipeline-spills-oil-on-first-nations-land-in-southeast-sask/

b.     Italy earthquake: 6.6 Magnitude tremor rocks nations center http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/30/europe/italy-earthquake/

c.      The Arctic sea ice collapse is happening before our eyes — and it's a worrisome sign of what's to come http://www.businessinsider.com/arctic-sea-ice-collapse-winter-extent-2017-1

d.     Climate Change Is Turning Minor Floods Into A Major Problem http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nuisance-flooding-climate-change-threat_us_58b86002e4b02a4e8ddb2af6

e.     Canada to have more mild days while other regions hit harder by climate change http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-to-gain-nice-days-under-climate-change-study/article33653666/

●   Once students have their headline, prompt students to think of the following:

What are some things you may have to establish before deciding on a drama strategy? Which strategy do you think will help articulate your headline? What can you do to help you understand your headline?

●   Students will create a performance that demonstrates their interpretation of the headline as well as the following:

a.     Use one of the drama strategies (overheard conversation, meetings, mantle of the expert, news reporting)

b.     Each student must have a role in the performance

c.      Clearly demonstrates the element of role/character through; commitment to the role, use of props and movement

●   Have students create and present their drama performances to the class.

An example of an image you could present to students.

Potential Modifications:

●   Post meanings of the four drama strategies with examples and pictures for students to refer to while planning their performance.

●   Simplify the activity by providing students with an article that goes with the headline. This will make it easier for students to interpret the meaning of the news headline.

●   Provide additional articles for students with lower reading levels.

●   Provide students with a picture from the news article that  that enhances their understanding of the headline.

●   Students can have the option to use hand-puppets or shadow puppets to perform their drama element and strategy

●   Students can have the option of performing their final pieces in front of the class or from another classroom which would be live streamed to the home classroom