Lesson 3: Homes Rebuilt - The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Critical Learning	Guiding Questions
In this lesson, students build on their understanding of the devastation created by the loss of homes during Hurricane Katrina and the necessity to rebuild. Students use soundscape to depict the impact of the hurricane discuss the emotional impact of the disaster on the survivors. Using caption-making, tableaux, thought tracking and hot seating, students depict the difficulties survivors experience in trying to rebuild homes and start again. Students examine the role the media plays in reporting on such disasters through the creation of public and private images of Hurricane Katrina.	How do our essential needs become different when home is lost? Who can help in a time of emergency? Who can we turn to when we have been abandoned? What actions must people take on the brink of loss? What feelings may someone experience in such loss? What responsibility does the media have in reporting on tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina?
Curriculum Expectations	Learning Goals
A1.1 develop interpretations of issues from contemporary or historical sources as a basis for drama A1.2 select and use appropriate forms to present identified issues from a variety of perspectives. A1.3 use role play to explore, develop, and represent themes, ideas, characters, feelings, and beliefs in producing drama works A2.1 use the elements of drama to suit an identified purpose and form in drama presentations A2.2 use a variety of conventions to develop character and shape the action in ensemble drama presentations A3.2 use a variety of expressive voice and movement techniques to support the creation of character or atmosphere. B1.2 analyse a variety of drama works to compare and assess how they explore universal themes and issues. B2.2 explain how dramatic exploration helps develop awareness of different roles and identities people have in society C1.2 use correct terminology to refer to the forms, elements, conventions, and techniques of drama C2.2 describe ways in which contemporary dramas show the influence of social trends C3.3 demonstrate an understanding of theatre and audience etiquette in the classroom	At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: use role play to depict and empathize with those without home use information about an event to create and sustain a role understand how media can manipulate emotions to achieve different goals when reporting on news stories
Instructional Components
Readiness This lesson builds on students' knowledge of role play, tableau and scene work from previous lessons. It should be delivered in sequence with other lessons in this unit. This unit explores issues that resonate personally with students, and so caution and sensitivity on the part of the teacher is of great importance. Depending on the individual backgrounds of students, teachers may wish to reorder or re-emphasize certain lessons in order for students to feel comfortable and safe when discussing issues of home in their personal lives. Issues of trust, safety and sensitivity should be addressed prior to this unit of study and throughout the duration of the unit (e.g. giving students the right to pass, mutual respect, etc.) Terminology Soundscape Teacher in Role Caption-Making Tableaux Thought tracking Hot-Seating	Materials Sound/Action Cards (consider colour coding cards for easier grouping) Sound tracking instruments (optional): Drums Paper Rice in a box Rain stick Newspaper headlines, images, and/or video footage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina BLMs BLM #7 - Hurricane Soundscape Guide BLM #8 - Newspaper Headline Captions

Approximately 40 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Class > Discussion > Soundscape Recap the events of last class, when Hurricane Katrina was imminent and residents were preparing to leave their homes. Inform students that today they will be exploring the impact the hurricane had on New Orleans, both physical and emotional. Consider the suggestion in Link and Layer to go further in-depth in your discussion of the physical qualities of hurricanes and why they occur. Distribute the Sound/Action Cards in BLM #7 - Hurricane Soundscape Guide that indicate specific sounds and actions they will make to create the hurricane. Invite students to gather in their assigned groups indicated by the colour code of their cards. Give students time to practise creating their sounds together using the directions guide to assist them. Once the students have mastered their sounds, explain that they will be simulating the approach of Hurricane Katrina through a soundscape. The groups gather in the space and present their sounds. You may wish to "conduct" the groups by gesturing to specific groups at specific moments, and increasing their volume as the hurricane gets closer. When the soundscape is concluded, explain to students that the hurricane has hit and their homes have been destroyed. Invite students to express one word that signifies how they might be feeling at this specific moment in time (e.g. despair, horror, hope, sadness).	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Circulate and give feedback to students as they rehearse their tableaux presentations. Offer formative feedback on their work. Give feedback on their written reflections. Assessment as Learning (AaL) Use the written journal to gauge students' learning throughout the lesson. Revisit ideas if they were unclear and share interesting and relative responses with the class. Differentiation (DI) Use the posted home on the wall as a reference to students having difficulty when asked to generate thought tracking about home loss. Allow students to pass in hot seating situations if they are unable to improvise answers in role. Give students the option to reflect orally rather than in writing at the end of the lesson. Quick Tip There are many excellent resources online for images and newspaper information on Hurricane Katrina. If licensing permits, consider showing clips from news coverage or documentaries on Hurricane Katrina, such as Spike Lee's When the Levee Breaks. Use the cards from the soundscape to assist in creating the small groups for tableaux by numbering and colour coding them. Link and Layer The soundscape activity provides an opportunity to make links to other subjects, such as geography and world issues, when exploring the physical phenomena of hurricanes. By examining the role of the media in covering natural disasters and other such events, students can exercise their critical literacy skills and gain new understanding of how the media contains bias and may privilege some information while diminishing the voices of others in their coverage. This discussion raises great ethical questions: e.g. How appropriate Is it to profit from work that exploits the misery of others? What responsibilities does the media have toward those who have been affected by a tragedy? Hyperlinks in the Lesson BLM #7 - Hurricane Soundscape Guide BLM #8 - Newspaper Headline Captions For more information on critical literacy, see the Critical Literacy Guide at EduGAINS.
Approximately 25 minutes Action!
Small Group > Viewing and Discussion In small groups, students examine and discuss materials that depict the aftermath of the hurricane, such as sample newspaper articles or front pages, photographs, or video clips. Key Questions for Discussion: What is being depicted in these materials? What emotions do these images and headlines elicit in you, the viewer? How has the media chosen to convey this story? Is it realistic? Dramatic? Sensationalist? Whose voice is represented in these stories? Whose voice is absent? What is missing from these stories? Small Group > Caption Making > Public and Private Tableaux Give each group one newspaper headline from Hurricane Katrina (BLM #8 - Newspaper Headline Captions ). Inform students that they are to use the headline as a caption for an original tableau that depicts the aftermath of the event as the public might see it depicted in media. This tableau may in fact feature the media as a presence in New Orleans, such as reports, film crews, etc. After groups have rehearsed their public tableaux, instruct them to create a second tableau that shows the private side of the aftermath, from the point of view of the survivors in New Orleans. This tableau may depict private emotions or efforts of individuals to start over and rebuild their homes and lives. Invite groups to show their tableaux: first, the public image with caption, and then transitioning into the second private tableau. During the second tableau, thought track students to reveal their thoughts and feelings. Alternatively, ask students in the tableau to touch their heads and reveal what they are thinking or touch their hearts to reveal what they are feeling.
Approximately 10 minutes Consolidation
Whole Class > Hot Seating Invite students from the various tableaux for hot-seating in role as their characters (survivors, rescue workers, media people such as reporters and camera people). Pose questions to the individual and allow the interviewed student to respond in role, giving them the option to pass if they are unable to answer a particular question. You may also wish to invite the rest of the class to pose questions as well. Questions for Hot-Seating Residents: What was your home like before Katrina? Why didn't you leave earlier? Do you have other family to help you? Where will you go now? What will you do to support yourself and your family? Where is your home now? What is your home like now? Questions for Hot-Seating Media People What brought you to New Orleans? Why is it important to you to cover this story? What have you seen here? How does what you have seen made you feel? Do you feel that the media has a duty to tell the story of the hurricane? Do you feel guilt about being here and witnessing such tragedy? What are you going to do to help? Whole Group > Discussion Invite students to share their responses about what they have seen and heard. With whom do they empathize? How do they feel about the role of the media in covering events like Hurricane Katrina? What do they think should happen next? Individual > Reflection Ask students to reflect on these questions in the form of a written journal and/or in role as their tableau character, setting out their action plan to find a new home.