TH: Cr3.1.1.bIdentify similarities and differences in sounds and movements in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama)
TH: Pr4.1.1.bUse body, face, gestures, and voice to communicate character traits and emotions in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama).
Learning Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of communicating emotions and pantomime by discussing their “Successful Pancakes” experience.
Essential Questions: How can you use your body and voice differently? How can you communicate your emotions in different ways?
Materials: “Successful Pancakes” by Charles Wilkins
Hook: Making the Batter – Tell students that they will all be assisting in making pancake batter.
What ingredients do you need for pancake batter?
Put in the eggs, flour, milk, chocolate chips…
Give it a good mix
Once the batter is made, tell the students that we’re going to learn how to make the “best” pancakes. Because, “there’s a trick to making pancakes…”
Activity:
Read through the poem ‘Successful Pancakes’ one time
Have students find their own space
Poem 2nd time
“The trick is this, to flatten them as flat as they will go.”
How can you be as flat as a pancake?
How do you feel as a pancake? (Actually ask and wait for a response)
Can you show me how you feel?
Do you like being a pancake?
“Hit ’em with a dictionary, Hit ’em with a ski. Hit ’em with an elephant, Hit ’em with a tree.”
How can you show that you are using a dictionary? Is it heavy? How big is it?
Now it is ski,
how is it different from a dictionary?
Try flattening it with an elephant.
How big is an elephant?!
What sound does it make when you pick it up?
Last, you hit it with a tree.
What kind of tree are you using?
Now what if you are the pancake getting hit with all of these things
How do you feel?
Does it hurt?
I don’t think the pancakes are as flat as they can be. Can we all work together to flatten the pancake with dictionaries, skies, elephants, and trees?
Pick your object and let’s take turns flattening the pancake in the middle of the room
Now go back to your personal pancakes
“flatter than a splisher, flatter than a splat, flatter than a pancake, flat, flat, FLAT.”
Wow class, thank you for working together to make the pancake flat, flat, FLAT!
Now, “Throw ’em in the frying pan.”
What sound to they make when they hit the pan?
What color are they?
What does it smell like? Can you show me what they smell like?
“Flip them on their back”
Can you flip the pancake? Is it tricky? Is it easy? How big is the pancake?
“Cook ’em till you think they’re done”
How do you know when they are done?
“and throw ’em down the hatch.”
Eat up the pancake!
How are you eating it? With your hands, fork, spoon? Do you eat it fast or enjoy it slowly?
Assessment:
Discussion
How did you feel as the pancake? How did you show it?
How did you show the difference between the different ways to flatten the pancake?
Sometimes we need to work together to do hard things. When have you worked together to solve problems in your own life?
