Content Focus: Literacy

Language Focus: Speaking, listening, reading, and writing

Vocabulary Focus: gesture, facial expression, body position, plot, theme

Standards:

• Art & Design
  • A.A.CR.11.h: Plan-Formulate original concepts by practice, experimentation, and revision
• ELA
  • R.9.1: Cite relevant textual evidence that strongly supports analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences; develop questions for further exploration.

 

Arts Integration:A.A.CR.11.h: Plan-Formulate original concepts by practice, experimentation, and revision

Lesson Objectives: 

• Students will understand the key elements of a tableau: body position, gesture, and facial expression.
• Students can create a tableau that effectively represents a given concept or scene from a story.
• Students can provide constructive feedback to their peers on their tableau performances.

 

Activities: 

• “We do” Guided Practice
  • Low-stakes Activity:
    • Divide students into small groups.
      Assign each group a season (spring, summer, fall, winter).
    • Have them create a tableau representing their assigned season.
    • Circulate and provide feedback, focusing on body position and basic gestures.
• Text-Based Tableau:
  • Select a short, familiar text (poem, short story excerpt).
  • Create a simple tableau based on a specific scene or moment from the text.
  • Discuss with students how their body positions and gestures help tell the story.
• “You do” Team Tableau time
  • Brainstorming and Planning with more challenging text:
  • More Challenging Text: Select a more complex text (longer story, play excerpt).
  • Graphic Organizer (Optional): Provide a graphic organizer to help students:
  • Identify key moments in the text.
  • Brainstorm possible body positions and gestures.
  • Consider the overall mood and how to convey it through facial expressions.
• Tableau Creation and Refinement:
  • Divide students into groups and assign them a scene or moment from the text.
  • Allow time for groups to plan and practice their tableaux.
  • Circulate and provide guidance, offering suggestions and answering questions.
• Performances and Feedback:
  • Have each group perform their tableau.
  • Encourage peer feedback using the provided rubric or a similar assessment tool.
  • Focus feedback on specific elements: “I noticed you used a variety of levels, which made the tableau very dynamic.” or “The gestures in this tableau helped to show the character’s fear.”

 

Engagement/Introduction: “I do” Introduction to Tableau

• Hook: Begin by showing students a variety of images depicting tableaux.
• Ask: What do you notice about these pictures? What are the people doing? How are they positioned? What are their faces like?
• Key Elements of Tableau: Introduce and discuss the three main elements:
  • Body Position: High, medium, and low levels; creating depth and visual interest.
  • Gesture: Using hands, arms, and bodies to express emotions and actions.
  • Facial Expression: Conveying mood and character through facial expressions.
  • Modeling:
• Demonstrate a simple tableau with a partner, emphasizing the key elements.
• Discuss your choices with students: “Why did we choose to stand this way? What is our gesture trying to show?”

 

Assessment Procedure: 

• Observation: Observe student participation, engagement, and understanding of key concepts during group work and performances.
• Peer Feedback: Analyze the quality and helpfulness of student feedback.
• Tableau Performance: Evaluate student tableaux based on the rubric criteria: body position, gesture, and facial expression.
  • Body Position: The group organized their bodies at a variety of levels to make interesting pictures
  • Gesture: Each group member used expressive gestures that were relevant to the story or concept shown
  • Facial Expression: Each group member non-verbally conveys the tone through their facial expressions

 

Materials: Text of choice…no other materials needed!

Modifications: Optional Extension Activities after this lesson

• Tableau Storytelling: Have students create a short story or poem inspired by their tableaux.
• Tableau as Art: Have students create a drawing or painting of their tableau.
• Historical Tableaux: Explore historical events or figures through tableau representations.
• Improvisational Tableaux: Have students create tableaux based on prompts or music.
• Differentiation:
  • Support: For students who may struggle, provide visual aids, simpler texts, or more structured guidance.
  • Challenge: Encourage advanced students to incorporate more complex elements, such as props, sound effects, or movement beyond static poses.

 

Supporting Documents: Lesson Plan

Contact: Katie Vander Velden (kathleen.erickson@oshkosh.k12.wi.us)