Units of Study / ARTS ACHIEVE THEATER UNIT: ELEMENTARY

Physicality in Performance

USING HISTORICAL SOURCE MATERIAL

UNIT SUMMARY | STANDARDS | OUTCOMES | RESOURCES

WEEKS 1-3 | WEEKS 4-6 | WEEKS 7-10 | WEEKS 11-12

Weeks 4-6

Student Research and Tableau Rehearsal

Students collaborate and select a specific Civil Rights topic from which to generate a theatrical tableau. Students research the topic and identify a photo that focuses their tableau work. As students develop their tableau stories, they observe clips from Henry Murdock’s silent film masterwork – Cook, Papa, Cook! -and identify criteria for physicality. Students explore the emotional and expressive content of the photos and discuss character traits and relationships. Students work in small groups and choose a director who documents the tableau sequence on the group’s iPad. The director also facilitates, with teacher guidance, peer and self- assessment using a protocol to inform revision. Teacher feedback is ongoing throughout the unit.

A Mr. & Mrs. oversleep, then the Mr. attempts to make his Mrs. breakfast in bed before heading off to work. A lost silent comedy that turned up on eBay in 2011 without its opening titles, and one of the last films made by Henry Murdock (he choked to death unexpectedly at the end of 1928).