Community Helpers Lesson How can group juggling teach students the importance of community? This lesson provides a fun and effective way to teach students in grades 1-2 about how every individual plays a crucial role in their community. Starting with a game of “Team Juggling,” this lesson will also guide you and your class through … Read more
American Pioneers Lesson Teaching all the complexities of westward expansion to students in grades 4-6 may seem overwhelming at first. However, in this lesson, students have the chance to apply what they have learned in social studies into creating a drama that explores the economic and geographic factors that affected Americans from 1800-1861, causing many … Read more
The Package Poem Watch out! This poem may just give your students ideas about how NOT to use the US Postal Service. Students in grades 1-4 can practice collaboration, imitation, and body object skills by working together to tell the tale of a mischievous older sibling who puts their little brother in a package and … Read more
Does Anybody Have a Stamp? Poem Why is it that we never get fun mail anymore? In this hilarious poem, all the narrator wants is to finally receive a real letter instead of junk mail – but the mailman has other ideas. This poem provides a great opportunity for students in grades 3-6 to practice … Read more
Summer Poem Who doesn’t love summer? This short and sweet poem provides a great opportunity for students in grades K-3 to practice imitation and collaboration skills. Students can work in pairs or small groups to imitate all the different summer activities mentioned. You may choose to integrate Language Arts by discussing how the author creates … Read more
“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 3): Taking Risks Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times. This lesson (3rd of 3) continues the previous lesson with a focus on risks. The students will discuss and then enact the risks the pioneers took while traveling on an arduous journey westward. They … Read more
“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 2): Dealing with Conflicts Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times. This Life Drama (2nd of 3) continues the previous lesson with a focus on conflict. The pioneers (students) traveling on an arduous journey westward encounter challenges. As a family group, they must cooperatively … Read more
“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 1): A Life Drama Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times. This Life Drama begins a series of three lessons with a common theme. The students create a fictional group of pioneers preparing for an arduous journey westward. Students work through an improvisational process … Read more
The Long Ago Community Lesson: Remembering & Celebrating Important Events Objective: students demonstrate improvisation to show how drama is used to celebrate and remember important events. This Life Drama takes place over several days and has the students creating a fictional tribe of people facing calamity, surviving, and then celebrating the outcome. Students work through … Read more
Communities Lesson Objective: students demonstrate collaboration and cooperation. The story (included) for this lesson is “The Bad Joke That Ended Well.” This short story brings much merriment and laughter to the telling and playing but also provides an opportunity for students to experience community in a deeper sense. Students begin by discussing what qualities make … Read more