Lesson Activity: Circle Tableau
The circle tableau is a creative activity that supports self expression, cooperation, literacy comprehension. Students work together to strike poses that represent events or characters from Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. Students are given a short amount of time to determine what their pose will be, and create the tableau together. This link has easy-to-comprehend images that display student tableau’s.
http://plays.about.com/od/actvities/ss/Circle-Tableau-Game.htm#showall
Teacher will divide students into small groups of three or four.
Characters will be selected by each group. On the count of 5 individuals will strike a pose that they think displays the qualities of the character. i.e. Templeton the rat. Scene selections from the book will be distributed randomly. Groups will take turns presenting tableaus to represent the excerpt. i.e. Homer, et. al. seeing “Some Pig” in Charlotte’s web. Hold discussion so students can articulate descriptive words of events tableau’s represent and identify literary conflict in story, i.e., man vs. nature, man vs. society. Types of conflict will be presented (on board or keynote) to reinforce learning about how to identify this in stories: Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Society. Teacher will record on board a list of descriptive words (for characters) that students suggest. Students write 2 paragraphs discussing literary conflict in story, and pair share these.
Grade Level: 5, ELA (English Language Arts)
Material: Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White
http://plays.about.com/od/actvities/ss/Circle-Tableau-Game.htm#showall
Core standards:
Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Anchor Standard #6
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
Anchor Standard #8
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Time: (2) 45 minute class periods