Will Whitten

Download “Remembrance Day Tableau” Lesson Plan Here

Class: Mrs. Anderson Gr.6/7                                     Date: November 9^th, 2017

Topic: Remembrance Day                                          Subject: Social Studies & Arts Education

 

 

Remembrance Day Tableaus

 

Content

Students will develop a deeper understanding of the importance and significance of Remembrance Day. They will identify who has Power and Authority in the children’s book, “The Enemy: A book about peace” by Davide Cali. Students will discuss the First Nations Poppy. They will also learn the symbolism of the poppy through poetry. They will then respond to the poem please wear a poppy through drama using tableau, choral speaking and creative technologies to create a multi-media art.

 

Outcomes and Indicators

Arts Education:

Outcome CH6.2: Identify ways that First Nations,
Metis, and Inuit artists express cultural identity in contemporary work.

1. Analyze and discuss how artists reflect cultural identity in their work.
2. Make connections between traditional expressions of cultural identity (e.g., throat singing, quill work) and the ideas of contemporary artists.

 

Outcome CP7.5: Use drama elements, strategies, negotiation, and collaboration to help shape the direction of the drama and/or collective creation.

1. Contribute to the choice and use of drama strategies such as tableau, tapping in, writing in role, improvisation, and a variety of others to achieve purpose.
2. Investigate the many possibilities for structure and direction of dramatic works.
3. Recognize that co-operative effort is essential to satisfaction in drama and collaborate with others to help direct the course of the drama work.
4. Negotiate, accept the ideas of others, and work toward consensus in dramatic work.
5. Identify and discuss the importance of focus to successful drama work.
6. Identify and discuss the presence of tension and contrast in own drama work.
7. Identify the objects or events in drama work that function as symbols.
8. Reflect on and describe the contributions and the work of each group member.

 

Outcome CR7.1: Respond to professional dance, drama, music, and visual art works using analysis, personal interpretation, and research.

1.     Demonstrate critical and creative thinking using one or more approaches such as those described in “Responding to Arts Expressions”.

 

Social Studies:

Outcome PA6.1: Examine the relationship between an individual’s
power and authority and the power and authority of others.

1. Identify and examine the characteristics of local, provincial, national, and international leaders and organizations in order to:

•      Understand how individuals and organizations identified obtained power
•      Explain how the individuals and organizations identified use influence, force, or authority
•      Show the relationship between the power and authority of those individuals and organizations, and the power and authority of others.

 

English Language Arts:

Outcome: CC6.5/7.6: Use oral language to interact appropriately with others in pairs, and small and large group situations (e.g., asking questions to explore others’ ideas and viewpoints, discussing and comparing ideas and opinions, completing tasks and contributing to group success).

1. Engage in partner, small-group, and whole-class discussion to accomplish a task (e.g., develop a class plan of action).
2. Show an understanding of when to speak and when to listen when participating in conversations and in small and whole group discussions.
3. Contribute to structured discussion and dialogues to explore perspectives, ideas, and issues and to complete tasks.
4. Maintain conversations with classmates and adults and consistently follow guidelines for interacting (e.g., listening to others without interrupting, speaking respectfully to peers, using appropriate language and tone to disagree).
5. Exchange ideas and concepts with teacher, peers, and adults.
6. Ask questions to sustain and extend interactions.

 

Assessment

Informal assessment will take place with an exit-slip assessment that will be conducted where students will respond to the question, “What does the poppy mean to you?”.

 

Lesson Preparation

Equipment/Materials:

• Computer
• Projector & Sound system
• Poem Handout
• Camera
• Audio Recording Device

 

Resources:

The Enemy: A book about Peace by Davide Cali

Indigenous Poppy Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/11/10/remembrance-day-poppy-andy-everson_n_4251535.html

Please Wear a Poppy Poem:

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/remembrance/please_wear_a_poppy.htm

Indigenous Veterans:

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/historical-sheets/aborigin

 

 

 

 

Presentation

Set: (30 minutes)

• Class begins with students quiet and ready for a reading of  “The Enemy: A book about peace” by Davide Cali.
• Elder and Mr.Whitten will read the children’s book while the students observe and analyze the illustrations that will be shown on the projector.
• Students will then be asked- what they thought of the story, then some questions for deeper consideration (who told the soldiers to stay in their holes? Who has power in this story and what kind of power is it? Who is responsible for peace? What kind of power do they use to create peace?)
• Students will then be asked- who has(d) power (what type of power?) in the actual wars that occur/have occurred in the world and who is responsible for peace?
• It will be discussed how Canadian citizens did not have a choice to go into the war as it was decided for them (the conscription crisis). This will relate to the fact that Indigenous people were exempt from conscription and many still chose to fight in the war in order to protect their land.
• Students will then take a look at the First Nations Poppy that was created by Andy Everson.
• A discussion will partake with the following question

-What is different about the First Nations Poppy than the other poppy’s that you have seen?

 

BRAIN BREAK TIME!

Big Bang Theory

OR

5,4,3,2,1

 

Development: (30-40 minutes)

• After the brain break, we will re-focus into our lesson.
• Students will each be given the poem handout (“Please Wear a Poppy” by Don Crawford)
• Elder and Mr.Whitten will read the poem out loud to the students.
• Students will then be grouped into groups of three and each group will be assigned a stanza from the poem that they will have to reflect using a dramatic tableau.
• Students will then begin creating with their group members. They will have roughly 30 minutes to work on this project.
• As students are working Mr.Whitten will record the group or a member from the group reading their stanza aloud and take a photo of their tableau

 

Closure: (10-20 minutes)

• Each group will share their tableau going in order with what stanza they were given.
• Whitten will then take the Students tableau photos and readings and put them into a digital presentation.
• Students will then be asked to write a short response to the following questions

-What does the poppy mean to you?

 

Please Wear a Poppy

by Don Crawford

 

“Please wear a poppy,” the lady said

And held one forth, but I shook my head.

Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,

And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made

There remained a smile that refused to fade.

 

A boy came whistling down the street,

Bouncing along on care-free feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,

“Lady,” said he, “may I have one?”

When she’d pinned it on he turned to say,

“Why do we wear a poppy today?”

 

The lady smiled in her wistful way

And answered, “This is Remembrance Day,

And the poppy there is the symbol for

The gallant men who died in war.

And because they did, you and I are free –

That’s why we wear a poppy, you see.”

 

“I had a boy about your size,

With golden hair and big blue eyes.

He loved to play and jump and shout,

Free as a bird he would race about.

As the years went by he learned and grew

and became a man – as you will, too.”

 

“He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,

But he’d seemed with us such a little while

When war broke out and he went away.

I still remember his face that day

When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,

I’ll be back soon, Mom, so please don’t cry.”

 

 

“But the war went on and he had to stay,

And all I could do was wait and pray.

His letters told of the awful fight,

(I can see it still in my dreams at night),

With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,

And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.”

 

“Till at last, at last, the war was won –

And that’s why we wear a poppy son.”

The small boy turned as if to go,

Then said, “Thanks, lady, I’m glad to know.

That sure did sound like an awful fight,

But your son – did he come back all right?”

A tear rolled down each faded check;

She shook her head, but didn’t speak.

I slunk away in a sort of shame,

And if you were me you’d have done the same;

For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,

Thought our freedom was bought – and thousands paid!

 

And so when we see a poppy worn,

Let us reflect on the burden borne,

By those who gave their very all

When asked to answer their country’s call

That we at home in peace might live.

Then wear a poppy! Remember – and give!