DIDACTIC UNIT Theatre: Forest animals

Marta Barberena, Jone Ariz and Mónica Andrade

Didáctica del idioma extranjero en educación

infantil: inglés

Universidad Pública de Navarra

2014/2015

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INDEX

Justification …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2-5

Contextualization……………………………………………………………………………………..…….. 6

Objectives………………………………………………………………………………………………..……… 6

Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………….…………. 6-7

Sequence of activities……………………………………………………………………………..…. 7-11

Suggestions for variation/catering for diversity……………………………………..… 12-13

Evaluation………………………………………………………………………………….…………………. 13

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….………………. 13

Attached…………………………………………………………………………………………….……. 14-23

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FOREST ANIMALS

1. JUSTIFICATION

The topic that we have chosen is forest animals and theatre. We have chosen it to practise forest

animals using theatre.

We have worked on forest animals because we think that this topic is of the interest of children

and we think that it is very important to work on topics that are interest them because in this

way they feel more motivated. And we have used theatre to practise this as it an entertaining

and motivating way to work on the topic.

We work the 3 areas of the curriculum with this topic, Self-knowledge and personal autonomy,

Environment knowledge and Languages: communication and representation.

In the first area these are the objectives and contents that we work:

These are the objectives that we have worked with this topic:

Formarse una imagen ajustada y positiva de sí mismo, a través de la interacción con los

otros y de la identificación gradual de las propias características, posibilidades y

limitaciones, desarrollando sentimientos de autoestima y autonomía personal.

Identificar los propios sentimientos, emociones, necesidades o preferencias, y ser

capaces de expresarlos y comunicarlos a los demás, identificando y respetando,

también, los de los otros.

Adecuar su comportamiento a las necesidades y requerimientos de los otros

desarrollando actitudes y hábitos de respeto, ayuda y colaboración, evitando

comportamientos de sumisión o dominio.

These are the contents that we have worked with this topic:

Bloque 1. El cuerpo y la propia imagen.

Identificación y expresión de sentimientos, emociones, vivencias, preferencias

e intereses propios y de los demás. Control progresivo de los propios

sentimientos y emociones.

Bloque 3. La actividad y la vida cotidiana.

Hábitos elementales de organización, constancia, atención, iniciativa y esfuerzo.

Valoración y gusto por el trabajo bien hecho por uno mismo y por los demás. –

Habilidades para la interacción y colaboración y actitud positiva para establecer

relaciones de afecto con las personas adultas con los iguales.

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In the second area these are the objectives and contents that we work:

These are the objectives that we have worked with this topic:

Relacionarse con los demás, de forma cada vez más equilibrada y satisfactoria,

interiorizando progresivamente las pautas de comportamiento social y

ajustando su conducta a ellas.

These are the contents that we have worked with this topic:

Bloque 2. Acercamiento a la naturaleza.

Identificación de seres vivos y materia inerte como el sol, animales, plantas,

rocas, nubes o ríos. Valoración de su importancia para la vida.

Observación de algunas características, comportamientos, funciones y cambios

en los seres vivos. Aproximación al ciclo vital, del nacimiento a la muerte.

Curiosidad, respeto y cuidado hacia los elementos del medio natural,

especialmente animales y plantas. Interés y gusto por las relaciones con ellos,

rechazando actuaciones negativas

In the thirds area these are the objectives and contents that we work:

These are the objectives that we have worked with this topic:

Utilizar la lengua como instrumento de aprendizaje, de representación, de

comunicación y disfrute, de expresión de ideas y sentimientos y valorando la lengua oral

como un medio de relación con los demás y de regulación de la convivencia.

Expresar sentimientos, deseos e ideas mediante la lengua oral y a través de otros

lenguajes, eligiendo el que mejor se ajuste a la intención y a la situación.

Comprender las intenciones y mensajes de otros niños y niñas así como de las personas

adultas, adoptando una actitud positiva hacia las lenguas.

Comprender, reproducir y recrear algunos textos literarios mostrando actitudes de

valoración, disfrute e interés hacia ellos.

Acercarse al conocimiento de obras artísticas expresadas en distintos lenguajes y

realizar actividades de representación y expresión artística mediante el empleo de

diversas técnicas

These are the contents that we have worked with this topic:

Bloque 1. Lenguaje verbal.

1.Escuchar, hablar y conversar

1.1 Comprensión de la idea global de textos orales de uso social y escolares.

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1.2 Comprensión de la idea global de textos orales en otras lenguas del currículo, en

situaciones habituales del aula y cuando se habla de temas conocidos y predecibles.

1.4 Utilización adecuada de las normas que rigen el intercambio lingüístico, respetando

el turno de palabra, escuchando con atención y respeto.

1.5 Utilización y valoración progresiva de la lengua oral para evocar y relatar hechos,

para explorar conocimientos; para expresar y comunicar ideas y sentimientos y para

regular la propia conducta y la de los demás.

1.6 Descubrimiento y conocimiento progresivo del funcionamiento de la lengua oral

con curiosidad e interés por el análisis de sus aspectos fónicos y léxicos

1.7 Actitud positiva hacia las lenguas.

1.8 Uso progresivo, acorde con la edad, de léxico preciso y variado, estructuración

gramatical correcta, entonación adecuada y pronunciación clara.

1.9 Interés por participar en interacciones orales en otras lenguas del currículo, en

rutinas y situaciones habituales de comunicación.

2. Aproximación a la lengua escrita

2.1. Aproximación al uso de la lengua escrita como medio de comunicación,

información y disfrute. Interés por explorar algunos de sus elementos

3. Acercamiento a la literatura

3.1. Escucha y comprensión de cuentos, relatos, leyendas, poesías, rimas o

adivinanzas, tanto tradicionales como contemporáneas, como fuente de placer y de

aprendizaje.

3.4. Dramatización de textos literarios y disfrute e interés por expresarse con ayuda de

recursos extralingüísticos.

Bloque 4. Lenguaje corporal.

Descubrimiento y experimentación de gestos y movimientos como recursos corporales

para la expresión y la comunicación.

Representación espontánea de personajes, hechos y situaciones en juegos simbólicos,

individuales y compartidos.

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2. CONTEXTUALIZATION

Our school is situated in Pamplona, it is public school and the first language of the children is

Spanish. This year there are 350 students and most of them are from Pamplona. In preschool

we have 6 teaches and 2 assistant teachers and in primary school 12 teachers and 2 assistant

ones. Apart from this they are teachers of specific subjects like gymnastic, music and art and

they are five English teachers.

In our class there are 18 students between 5-6 years old, of which 10 are boys and 8 girls. In our

class there aren’t any students with special needs. All of the students of this class are from

Pamplona except two, who are from a nearby village and the first language of this children is

Spanish.

3. OBJECTIVES

To know and develop vocabulary about forest animals

To know and develop vocabulary about theatre

To distinguish between different kind of animals, in this case to identify forest animals

To recognize the different sounds of animals

To respect and accept different opinions when they are speaking and deciding in group

To contribute ideas when they are in small groups and big groups.

To listen to other schoolmate contributions

To take part choosing the characters

To demonstrate abilities working with different materials such as crayons or markers

To help the class-mates when they have problems: to express, to do something they don’t know…

To work the writing by doing the invitations

To memorize the dialogue and movements they have to make on the performance

To learn to make the costumes they are going to wear in the performance

To learn to discuss in group and to come to an agreement

To know how to interpret different characters

To feel interest for the foreign language as a way of communication.

To produce short sentences progressively in the foreign language

4. METHODOLOGY

In this didactic unit we will use above all the Direct Method. The reason we will use it, is because in many activities of this didactic unit we will focus on the development of oral skills, for example doing the final performance and doing oral activities to work in small or big groups. There will be a special emphasis on oral communication in different communicative situations. Therefore, the teacher’s role will be to ensure the use of oral skills by motivating and encouraging students to use English in class. Although the Direct Method predominates in the methodology we have used, we have used the Audio-Lingual Method too in one of our activities where the teacher provides a stimulus to which children have to respond.

In the development of this didactic unit we think that is important to consider a series of methodological considerations:

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It is important to organize the activities with different types of groups, in this way individual work will be combined with group work promoting creativity and dynamism so that the teaching-learning process will be enriched.

It is required to take into account the characteristics of the students group. Adapting the different resources that are going to be used in the lessons.

The teacher has to answer the needs of the students. The teacher must use clear language when he/she gives instructions to the pupils. The teacher will let clearly that students could use they first language in case they don’t

know how to express themselves.

5. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

In “We are Broadway actors!” project we are going to present a performance to work on forest

animals, and for this, firstly we are going to read a story to introduce the topic. In addition, we

will create some characters and a plot to do our performance, and, in the same way, we will

prepare the set, costumes and masks to make our drama more realistic. Apart from that, we are

going to invite student’s parents, so we will write some invitations. In the next table are all the

activities explained, and it is important to say that we consider that the timing must be adaptable

to class’s needs, so it can change depending on the situation. In spite of some activities are long,

we have divided the largest ones and respect the shorter ones to keep children attention,

although, the activities that are related to painting are larger because they don`t need as much

attention than others. About the materials that we are going to use on the project, all of them

are in the attached.

5.1. List of activities

A C T I V I T I E S

Explanation of the activity Timing Grouping Materials

1. Let’s talk about animals!: This activity will be useful to introduce the topic to the children.

AC

TIV

ITY

SEQ

UEN

CE

1.1. The large tree: Firstly the teacher will read an easy and simple story related to the forest.

5 minutes for the story

All the class - The large tree story (1st attached)

1.2. What is your opinion? After that, the teacher will talk with the student about different aspects like: if they liked the story, why, which animals appeared in the story, which animals lived in the forest.

5-8 minutes to talk about the story

All the class

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1.3. Which is this animal? To ensure that all the students know the names (most basics animals) of the forest animals, the teacher will make use of some podcast. Firstly, the teacher will show all the postcards, saying loud and clearly the name of each animal ones or twice. Secondly, the teacher will ask the students the name according to the picture to ensure that they know all the names.

5-10 minutes to work with the podcast

All the class - Postcards of animals. (2nd attached)

2. Broadway actors!: We will suggest to make a performance about the topic of forest animals. For that, firstly we will need to choose some different characters; secondly we will make a plot, thirdly we will make conversations between characters and descriptions of the narrator to tell the story, and finally we will read it among all the class to approve the drama.

2.1. The stage play: Children will be organized on groups of 5-6 people, and they will create different characters, they can be animals, or trees, or plants... anything that we can found in the forest. For that, they will make drawings to have a description of the characters and think about their personalities.

15-20 minutes

In groups of 5 children

Paper, pencils, rubbers, crayons

AC

TIV

ITY

SEQ

UEN

CE

2.2. Presenting our original characters: All the groups will present the character done before to the rest of the class. For that, they will use the drawing done before. The teacher will help children giving the description of the character if they have any difficulty. Finally, the teacher will ask for thinking about which of the characters they prefer, for that, children will have long time to think about it.

15-20 minutes

All the class

Drawings

2.3. Deciding which character to choose Having made the presentation of all the characters, children will decided during a long time between exercises, which ones will they choose to make the

5-8 minutes

All the class

Drawings

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drama, so they will vote which ones do they prefer.

2.4. Making the plot!: To ensure that all the students take part of the construction of the plot, in a specific order (list order or in the order that they are sitting) will ask all the students to do a contribution, and the teacher will wrote down them in the blackboard. So little by little they will build the story, if they need help to think about what happened in the story class-mates can help each other. And if it is necessary they can use their mother tongue. When they finish the story the teacher will read it to the students to approval it. If they want the can make changes in the story in this moment. *If the exercise became long, it will be done in two or three times.

10-30 minutes

All the class Blackboard and chalk

3. First rehearsal: We will rehearsal our performance, to practice what to do and to say, also, we will see the complete performance, so if we consider that is necessary to change something agreed before, this is going to be the moment for that.

10-20 minutes

All the class Performance guide made by the teacher

4. We are painters!: According to the story children will design and decorate the set that they will use in the performance. *This exercise can be done in different times, when be work in workshop /corners.

30-90 minutes

In groups of 5-6 children

A very big piece of paper (as long as a mural), pencils, paint, crayons, markers, scissors

5. Rehearsal: We will rehearsal the performance to practice all the dialogues and movements that children have to do.

10-15 minutes

All the class Performance guide made by the teacher

6. Let’s invite our families!: For our performance we will invite all the families of the students, for that we will write an invitation.

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AC

TIV

ITY

SEQ

UEN

CE

6.1. What are we going to write down?: Firstly, we will decided what to write in the invitation, so we will discuss about things that are important for make the invitation, E.g. date, place... Once and for all we get a point of agreement, all students will write down the invitation.

10-20 minutes

All the class - Pieces of paper, pens or pencils

6.2. Decorating our invitations!: Children will decorate the note and the envelope as their please, for giving to the families.

20-30 minutes

- Envelopes, pens or pencils, crayons, markers

7. We are fashion designers!: All children will make the costumes and masks to the character that they are going to perform, in the case of costumes they will be help by the teacher.

10-20 minutes

In groups of 5-6 children

Different masks-stencils according to the characters, crayons, markers, plastic of different colours, adhesive tape, scissors

8. Final Rehearsal: Will make this rehearsal before the real performance to ensure that all the children know what to do and say.

10-15 minutes

All the class Performance guide made by the teacher

9. Building our theatre!: Children will prepare the class as a theatre, putting the set, putting chairs for the families and help them, giving the welcome and sitting down.

5-10 minutes

All the class The set, chairs,

10. Performance: To finish the project, children will make the performance in the presence of the familiars.

15-20 minutes

All the class Masks, costumes, the set

5.2. Timeline

Here we can see the timetable of the class; this structure is the basis of the education exercise.

In this way, the project will be develop above this timetable for two weeks, and all the exercises

explained before are going to be developed in their time according to the activity type, with only

one exception the last one, that is going to be on a Friday afternoon to make easier parents

assistance.

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1st Week:

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9:00-9:30 Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome

9:30-10:00 In circle In circle In circle 2.3 Exercise

In circle In circle

10:00-10:30 Free game Free game Free game Free game Free game

10:30-11:00 Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

11:00-11:30 Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

11:30-12:00 Guided exercises 1 Exercise

Guided exercises

2.2 Exercise

Guided exercises

2.4 Exercise

Guided exercises

2.4 Exercise

Guided exercises 3 Exercise

12:00-12:30

12:30-13:00 Farewell Farewell Farewell Farewell Farewell

13:00-13:30

LUNCH TIME 13:30-14:00

14:00-14:30

14:30-15:00

15:00-15:30 Corners 1.3, 2.1

Exercises

Workshop

Corners/ workshop 4 Exercise

Workshop 4 Exercise

Corners

15:30-16:00

16:00-16:30

2nd Week:

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9:00-9:30 Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome

9:30-10:00 In circle In circle In circle In circle In circle

10:00-10:30 Free game Free game Free game Free game Free game

10:30-11:00 Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

Mid-morning snack

11:00-11:30 Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

Toilet and play-ground

11:30-12:00 Guided exercises 5 Exercise

Guided exercises

6.1 Exercise

Guided exercises 5 Exercise

Guided exercises

Guided exercises 8 Exercise

12:00-12:30

12:30-13:00 Farewell Farewell Farewell Farewell Farewell

13:00-13:30

LUNCH TIME 13:30-14:00

14:00-14:30

14:30-15:00

15:00-15:30 Corners

Workshop 6.2 Exercise

Corners/ workshop 7 Exercise

Workshop 7 Exercise

Corners 9, 10

Exercises 15:30-16:00

16:00-16:30

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6. SUGGESTIONS FOR VARIATION/CATERING FOR DIVERSITY

When teaching this unit, we have to take into account that there can be some boys and girls

with difficulties to follow the rhythm of the classroom due to some of them are coming from

other countries and therefore can have social and school integration problems and can also be

underdevelopment pupils. Moreover, we have to keep in mind that there are students who

always progress faster than the other students in the classroom.

The next suggestions for the pupils with difficulties are activities that can be followed by them

so we are naming only the activities we think that can have some difficulties for them:

1.2. What is your opinion?: Pupils with difficulties are going to be asked more often than the

others to make sure they understand the story. If the teacher realizes they have not understood

it, he/she will repeat the story.

1.3. Which is the animal?: If the teacher realizes that pupils with difficulties don’t name the

animals in the postcard he/she will ask again the name of the animals to the hole group again.

2.1. The stage play: Once the suggestion of making a performance is made we will do this

activity, as it is in group the teacher could try to make pupils with difficulties to participate more

by approaching the groups where pupils with difficulties are and helping them with the draws.

In short, the teacher will make encouragement participation.

2.2. The stage play: In this activity, which consist on presenting their draws, the teacher will

propose that pupils with difficulties present them.

2.4. Making the plot: When the teacher asks one by one to contribute to the story if children

with difficulties need the teacher will guide them giving them some key words.

4. We are painters: As this activity is in groups, like in the 2.1. activity the teacher will make an

encouragement participation.

6. Let’s invite our families!: When they have to make the invitation the teacher will help to

pupils with difficulties keeping them close to him/her and guiding them around the process.

7. We are fashion designers!: As this activity is in groups, like in the 2.1.and 4. activities, the

teacher will make an encouragement participation.

As we have said before, we could have students who always advance faster than the others and

finish the activities before. For this students we have three proposal: Firstly we think that it is

important that children help other children so we propose that when they are in groups and

they finish their activities they could help the others, above all that children who have

difficulties. Secondly, the other proposal we have made is when they have finished doing the

activity they have to do some posters to decorate the scenery on the performance day. And

finally, the other proposal we have for when they finish, is tat they can write down the characters

that the groups have thought to have it all together and the other children could see them.

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7. EVALUATION

By the end of this unit the students have be able to:

To know the forest animals that we have chosen, and classify these according to where

they live.

To pronounce the names of common forest animal

To speak in big and smalls groups respecting the turn and other students

To express their opinion clearly

To understand the structure of the theatre and be able to do the story together

To understand the structure of invitation

To do a theatre with the proper pitch and doing necessary gestures

To have a attitude with other language, English in this case

To understand that English have other phonetic, grammatical and lexical structure

To evaluate this in the students we will use observation, in this way during the unit the teacher

will notice in all moments on everything we see. When we finish the unit we will organize all

information, this information will be very useful to know the student better and to know what

they have learned or to know the aspects on which they have more difficulties. We can use this

observation to organize others units, taking account their needs and interests.

8. Bibliography

The large tree story. Short story. Recovered on April 16th, 2015 on:

http://shortstoriesshort.com/story/the-large-tree/

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9. ATTACHED

1st Attached: The large tree story

Once, three Crows and two Sparrows lived in a forest. They all were good friends. They would meet every day and fly around together from one place to another. The Crows would constantly look for food and the Sparrows for a place to make their nests. One day, the Crows said, “Let’s explore this part of the forest. Someone told us there is lots of food here.” The new part of the forest was beautiful and there was, indeed, plenty of food. However, there was only one large tree. The Sparrows and the Crows wanted to live there. The Sparrows told their aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and friends about the new place. Everyone wanted to live there. The Crows also did the same. Soon, a big fight broke out among the birds. The Crows said: -We found the place first, so we will live on the tree. The Sparrows said: -So what? We will live there. We found the tree first. After this, the two Sparrows and three Crows also could not be friends. They constantly fought with each. –You Crows are bad!-, - You Sparrows are fools”-. Thus, they went back to their own kind. Birds of a feather flock together.

2nd Attached: Animal postcards

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S P A R R O W

C R O W

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R A B B I T

S Q U I R R E L

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M O U S E

F O X

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B E A R

D E E R

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O W L

W O L F

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3nd Attached: Materials for the set

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4th Attached: Materials for masks and costumes

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