Another cold morning. No snow last night, just cold winds. I heard tonight we are expected for another 2cm or so. I guess that means everything BUT UVIC will be closed. We’ll see.
Today, A quote: “We learn through story and we think in metaphor” –Anon
Today’s Lineup:
-Video: Art for Art’s Sake, Barb Hall
-Warm-ups
-Circle Clap: As suggested by the name, we are in a circle formation. With a partner and our arms stretched to each side we mime each to each other a clap, in unison. We then turn around to the next person in line and continue this all around the circle. This was a quick, fun activity.
-Pass the Squeeze: In circle formation and holding hands, start by squeezing the hand to our right (not too hard. This will need to emphasised for boys in class) and immediately pass the squeeze to the next person. Make a point of drawing their attention to the fact that they can usually visually see the squeeze as it moves. Extensions: Speed up the squeezes (time them) start more than one going in opposite directions. I liked this game.
-Energy 1-10: In a circle we demonstrate energy levels using our bodies and then as an extension we add facial features and verbal. I don’t know why, but I’m not really a fan of this activity. Hmmmmm!
-Zip, Zap, Zoom: In circle formation; when someone says ZIP, the person immediately to the right then says ZIP, ZAP or ZOOM. If the second person says ZIP again, then the person to their right gets a choice of zip, zap or zoom. Should someone say ZAP this just means to start going to the LEFT and if someone says ZOOM they then get to pick someone else out in the circle and they then decide what they want to do. To increase the difficulty two ZZZ can be run.
-Tick, Tock:
-For my Next Trick:
-Emo Orchestra: Emotional orchestra. In our example the entire class was broken down into three smaller groups. Each group was assigned an emotion that we were to come up with a phrase and a movement to represent. Ours was Love: I can’t live without you (while holding out hands clenched together over our hearts). Phil stood on a chair subbing as a podium and conducted the three groups. If we were given the go, we were to repeat our phrase “ I can’t live without you” until cued to stop. Have fun with this one. Use lots of dynamics and tempos.
-Yes, Lets!!: I don’t like this one at all. Again, not sure why, I just don’t find it fun.
-Bang: Thanks Phil for the great idea of using a Camera instead of a gun for the younger ages. Upon hearing “Standby” everyone listens for their name or the name of either the person on their right or left of them. Should your name be called, you are to duck and cover as the people on either side of you are going to try and shoot you. If they get you before you duck out of the way then you are to leave the circle and become the new judge and call “standy”. If the person whose name was called does get out of the way fast enough then both the shooters shoot at each other and one of them will be the next judge.
-Structures (tools to help make moral meaning): Hot seat and the Wave: Structures allow us to explore parody in closer depth. It’s important when doing parodies that everyone is aware of for instance the Fairy Tale. This was a very good point. Many cultures don’t use the nursery rhymes so we can’t expect them to be as creative with the process when they have no frame of reference. I think that before we did something like that, a quick read through or video clip of the original context be done.
In Hot Seat Ashley was picked to be the mother of Cinderella. She was to sit in the chair at the front of the class. Before she sat down she was to stand and face away from the class. Phil then asked of us and Ashley that we believe that she’ll be in role as Cinderella’s step mother. We all agreed and Ashley sat down. We now could ask her any question that we wanted and she was to reply as if she actually was Cinderalla’s step mother.
The wave: This one I didn’t fully understand but I think it goes something like this: We all stand in a line and as we go, we drop someone off. By drop them off I mean that they stop in a pose that represents their interpretations of the THEME in question. After the first goes then the next person so on and so forth. The last person turns around and begins to come back, picking up each person from their frozen pose.
I have volunteered at KELSET Elementary to teach an Autism Awareness Program to three grade two classes. I’ve so far use two of these activities that I’ve learned here from Phil in the classroom. They kids LOVED KUNGFU Punctuation, and GOTCHA!!