Unit Overview // Aperçu

Context:

This unit focuses on making connections between the performative nature of poetry and the use of performance to heighten understanding of the poetic form. The unit assumes students have basic levels of classroom trust and knowledge of the use of tableau. Students would benefit from an understanding of the roles of Director, Actor, Designer and Tech. Placement of this unit any point after an opening or introductory unit would be appropriate.

Summary:

This unit allows students to explore the poetic form through the use of movement, voice and technical theatre conventions (costumes, props, lighting and sound). Literacy connections are created by engaging students in meaningful performance interpretations of a variety of poems either from the grade 9 English cannon or of the students' and/or teacher's choosing.

Unit Guiding Questions

  • What is poetry?
  • What is movement?
  • How is voice used in performance?
  • How is poetry a form of performance?
  • How is language a form of art?
  • How can performance heighten our understanding and appreciation of poetry?
  • How can our own performance of work written by another artist help us better experience the meanings in the art?
  • How do the roles of director, actor, costume designer, set designer and technical designer work in small group creations?

Questions directrices de l'unité

  • Qu'est-ce que la poésie ?
  • Qu'est-ce que le mouvement ?
  • Comment la voix est-elle utilisée dans la performance ?
  • En quoi la poésie est-elle une forme de performance ?
  • En quoi la langue est-elle une forme d'art ?
  • Comment la performance peut-elle améliorer notre compréhension et notre appréciation de la poésie ?
  • Comment notre propre interprétation d'une œuvre écrite par un autre artiste peut-elle nous aider à mieux percevoir les significations de l'art ?
  • Comment les rôles de metteur en scène, d'acteur, de costumier, de décorateur et de concepteur technique fonctionnent-ils dans les créations en petits groupes ?

Lesson Guiding Questions // Questions directrices des leçons

Lesson 1 - Moving for Meaning //
Leçon 1 - La recherche d'un sens à l'action
 What is poetry? What is movement? Qu'est-ce que la poésie ? Qu'est-ce que le mouvement ?
Lesson 2 - Language as Art //
Leçon 2 - La langue comme art
 How is poetry a form of art? En quoi la poésie est-elle une forme d'art ?
Lesson 3 - Poetry Out Loud //
Leçon 3 - La poésie à voix haute
 How can poetry be performed? Comment la poésie peut-elle être jouée ?
Lesson 4 - Poetry in Creation //
Leçon 4 - La poésie en création
 How can poetry, voice, movement and performance heighten the understanding of a specific piece of poetry? Comment la poésie, la voix, le mouvement et la performance peuvent-ils améliorer la compréhension d'un morceau de poésie spécifique ?
Lesson 5 - Poetry in Performance //
Leçon 5 - La poésie en spectacle
 How can choices in performance help heighten the understanding of a piece of poetry for the audience and for the artist? Comment les choix de performance peuvent-ils contribuer à améliorer la compréhension d'un morceau de poésie pour le public et pour l'artiste ?

Assessment and Evaluation: How will students demonstrate their learning?
Assessment of learning

Culminating Performance Task

Culminating Task Rubric - PDF #3 Rubric
Assessment for Learning

Five checkpoints and a final performance checklist

Checkpoint #1 - Lesson #1

Group discussion and brainstorming - anchor chart
Warm-up movement observation
Journal reflection #1

Checkpoint #2 - Lesson #2

Creation and performance
Peer feedback
Peer direction
Exit cards

Checkpoint #3 - Lesson #3

Creation and performance
Group discussion
Peer observation
Journal reflection #2

Checkpoint #4 - Lesson #4

Creation and rehearsal
Group reflection on past work
Group brainstorming
Identification of next-steps by individuals
Journal reflection #3

Checkpoint #5 - Lesson #5

Creation and performance
Artistic choice defence
Peer feedback
Review and changes to anchor chart
Exit card

Performance Checklist - Lessons #4 + #5

Checklist use throughout creative process of culminating task

 

Unit Lessons: How will assessment and instruction be organized for learning?

Approx. Duration 1 class= 70

minutes

Lesson 1

Leçon 1

Moving for Meaning //
La recherche d'un sens à l'action

Students explore and identify the concepts of poetry and movement and explore methods of non-verbal communication.

 1 class

Lesson 2

Leçon 2

Language as Art // La langue comme art

Students explore and identify the ways in which performance and writing can combine to allow for heightened understanding of language.

 1 class

Lesson 3

Leçon 3

Poetry Out Loud // La poésie à voix haute

Students use voice and movement to explore meaning in poetry.

 1 class

Lesson 4

Leçon 4

Poetry and Creation // La poésie en création

Students use the creative process to develop a final performance of an assigned piece of poetry. Focus is on heightening meaning through the use of movement and voice. They will also use costumes, props, set and technology as a means to enhance their own performances.

 1-2 classes

Lesson 5

Leçon 5

Poetry in Performance (Culminating Task - Performance) // La poésie en spectacle

Students share their final performance piece for their classmates.  The aim for students is to create a performance piece that demonstrates an appreciation of how poetry can be explored using movement, voice, costumes, props, set and technology and how the text's meanings can be heightened through the use of performance.

 1-2 classes