5th & 6th Grade Spring Play – STREAM in Action

Each year the 5th and 6th grades present an entirely student-created production to our

school community. They begin earlier in the year writing their scripts in Language Arts class.

The students utilize their academic knowledge in language, math, science, history, religion,

and the arts to form their ideas into reality. They are in charge of producing, directing, and

performing in the student-created performance.

The students are first divided into work crews (Set, Prop, Costume, Tech, Hair & Make-

up, Dance, and Stage). Each crew is assigned a student director or co-directors who are in

charge of generating ideas and production.. Over the course of two weeks, the plays are

blocked, the props and costumes are handmade, and the set is built. The stage crew

devises a plan for transforming the props and set in between plays. The tech crew creates

sound effects for each play, creates a lighting plan, and films for the behind-the-scene

videos to play in between plays. Along the way, they make modifications to the scripts,

props, stage, set, sound, and lighting as production gets underway.

Every part of this production is student-created. Every aspect of the production process involves deep critical thinking skills whereby

the students must analyze, reflect, and synthesize information. Just a few of the standards

covered are listed below.

Through their involvement in this production, they are able to personalize and self-direct their

STEM learning experiences. They work independently and

collaboratively to solve problems throughout the entire

production.

Props: the disco ball for Giraffes Can’t Dance

Working to develop a fire for one of the scenes.

EDP: Costume created by students for the exclamation point made from ribbon spools, coat hangers, rulers, cardboard, paper, and yarn. Using the EDP they had to determine how to make the top collapse when he slept. Yarn was attached at the top for him to pull it down.

Costumes: headpiece for the Narrator

Panda costume

Three Little Elephants Stage Ready

Costume Central: Measuring, Creating, Fitting, Modifying

Tech crew backstage running sound and special effects, music, and behind the scenes videos.

Stage crew assembling

backdrops painted by the

students.

Stage & Tech crew

Silent Ninja Stage Crew ready to

move props.

Language Arts Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through

particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as

how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure

of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.

Math Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard

algorithm for each operation.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by

reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3d Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units

appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.

Technology

Use of iPads to document play progress in photos and videos and create summary videos of each crew to show

the audience between scenes

Working with sound and light equipment

Science

Investigate and describe the effects of forces acting on objects.

Apply the laws of reflection and refraction to explain everyday phenomena.

Sound – Apply the properties of and understanding of waves

Properties of reflection, refraction, transmission, and absorption of light

Images formed by plane, convex, and concave lenses and mirrors, and reflecting and refracting telescopes

Engineering Standards: Applying the Engineering Design Process in creating of props, costumes, and sets.

MS-ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem

MS-ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Visual & Performing Arts Standards:

Describe and use fundamental skills related to media, techniques, and

processes to create and study works of art. (CP)

Use basic skills to apply the elements and principles of design through

media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, actions, and

emotions. (CP)

Increase knowledge and use of various media, techniques, and processes in

creating different effects in works of art. (CP)

Develop perceptual skills and use increased visual arts vocabulary to make

judgments while creating and studying works of art. (CA)

Theater Arts Objectives

Direct by 1. Know and understand the creation of improvisations and scripted scenes

based on personal experience, heritage, imagination, literature, and history.

(CP, HC, C)

Develop basic acting skills required to interact in improvised or scripted

scenes. (CP)

Design by developing environments for improvised and scripted scenes. (CP,

HC, C, A)

Know that individual experiences play a role in constructing meaning from

classroom dramatization and from theatre, film, television, and electronic

media productions. (A, CA)

Determine relationships between theatre, other arts, other subject areas, and

everyday life. (CA, C)