7.+Radical+Reenactments

o **How to- give specific steps for strategy implementation:** //This strategy requires an open mind and safe classroom environment. Without the safety of an accepting and open classroom, no performing arts strategies will work within your curriculum. This strategy requires students to “reenact” something that they found interesting or wanted to learn more about in a lesson. This is also a great tool for summarizing. After completing a class novel, over-arching mathematical concept, religious discussion, or scientific process, allow students to congregate in groups. After students have settled into groups, give explicit instructions on the task they are about to complete. First, have students elect a group leader. This person will record and submit the “skit” the students are about to perform to the teacher for approval. Let students work with their friends (although this may go against most teacher’s better judgment, it will make students feel more comfortable) to write and act out what you were just discussing. Second, instruct students to use as many actions as possible. Let them use their imaginations but give specific instructions to “keep it clean” or PG as it were. Students can morph the scene to be more modern or can put a funny twist on exactly what happened. Use a rubric to grade the group and individual’s involvement.// o **When to-implement in content area (provide specific justification)** After completing a class novel study, ask students to vote on what their favorite part of the story was. Students will collaborate with each other to put together their favorite scenes using creative accents, phrases, etc. After completing a study on different religions, assign a group of students a certain religion. Give them different questions and ask the students to answer the questions as if they were a believer of their assigned religion. Tell students to collaborate with each other to provide a specific response and explanation as to why they responded in the way they did. Students can perform complex math steps by assigning each member of their group a role. To complete a problem each student must know when their role is being used, such as in order of operations. Ask students to act out what happens inside a plant cell when it absorbs sunlight. Each student must play a different organelle within the plant cell. Students should create a real life situation and name themselves accordingly to act out how the processes are broken down and how energy and food are produced for the plant. o **Research and references that supports the “effective instruction” label for this strategy** The most common form of this strategy is referred to as “Reader’s Theatre”. While this strategy is mainly used in language arts or reading classrooms, the strategy can be easily adapted to fit any content area classroom that so chooses to brave its wonders. Shirlee Sloyer quotes James A. Smith as saying, “Pupils should be challenged at all times and not be allowed to slip into apathy (Sloyer, 1982, p.8).” Reader’s theatre aids students in their verbal skills, reading comprehension, social skills, listening and responding, and even creative writing. By allowing students to read from a script they have written themselves, they feel comfortable enough to where they can “cut loose” and act how they please. This aids in the social, oral, and creative writing aspects of their academic growth, while students observing the skit are listening intently to see what the other students will say next and responding appropriately to each situation.
 * **Name of Strategy:** // Radical Reenactments (Non-Linguistic) //
 * **Language Arts:**
 * **Social Studies:**
 * **Mathematics:**
 * **Science:**
 * **Benefits**
 * Students are able to get their energy out by performing.
 * The strategy breaks up the monotony of a lecture and note-taking class setup.
 * Students are more likely to remember something that they’ve related to their everyday lives, or even something that is funny enough to jog their memories every time they see a certain word or phrase.
 * **Drawbacks**
 * Some students lack the creative abilities to stray far from the beaten path.
 * Reenactments can sometimes take up a lot of time. Students with perfection issues may have a difficult time letting it be a rough production.
 * **Learning styles, modalities, intelligences, or abilities addressed**
 * Musical: Students who show a great interest in music will have the opportunity to create songs to represent their idea.
 * **Ways to assess the teaching/learning connection**
 * Assign a list of requirements and topics and vocabulary words that must be used somewhere in their skit. Use a rubric to evaluate the groups’ performances.
 * After students have performed their creations, ask students questions to probe for higher knowledge and see what they come up with as an introduction or even pre-assessment to the next topic to be covered.
 * Evaluate the transcript of their creations as well. Ask students why they incorporated certain elements or chose a certain vibe to portray for their performance.
 * **Classroom management considerations**
 * NOISE LEVEL! When students are collaborating, the noise level can rise way above what a normal classroom should be at.
 * Make sure you have enough room for groups to actually act out their productions.



Kinneburgh, L., & Jr., E. S. (2007). Building Reading Fluency in Elementary Science Through Reader's Theatre. //Science Activites //, //Spring //, 16-27.