We started off the session by playing a couple of warm up games. The first game we played was In the Shape Of where we had to walk around the classroom along the floor tiles and form groups based on the number of sides of a shape. For example, the teacher would call out "SQUARE" and we would have to create a group of 4 for each of the different vertices. If the teacher called out "PENTAGON", we had to find a group of 5 and create the shape with our bodies. I think that this is a great way to get students out of their seats during the math block. By incorporating kinaesthetic games like this, it allows students to have fun and refocus their brains.
Another great activity that we did was Living Venn Diagram where the teacher placed two hula hoops on the floor. We then had to create a Venn Diagram and identify where each of the shapes were relative to the two statements. For example, we had one circle which represented the shapes with congruent sides and the other circle represented shapes with congruent angles. The teacher then handed out different shapes and students were to stand in the correct circle.Next, we did a Directed Tableau based on translations, rotations and flips of shapes. I think that this was a really effective activity for students to visualize the way shapes can be turned on an axis. When students are able to actually experience their learning, they are able to better grasp the concepts covered in class. I know that if I did drama and math in class, I would have understood concepts better.
This week, the group that presented had a great idea of creating a class collage based on environmental education. Although they presented on the environment, I think that this would be a great activity to have for any subject area. In my teaching block, I actually did a variation of this where students drew something they were proud of or something that they enjoyed doing and then they passed their sheet on to the next and the next person had to add onto their drawing. And it went around the whole class, and we got to build a sense of community. I think that this is a very versatile activity that can be used in many areas within the classroom.The theory that was tied to this week's class was Dewey's Progressive Theory which essentially states that we should be building each other up, creating a diverse community and catering our class to the needs of our students. This is very important to think about when planning activities. It really made me think of the Universal Design for Learning where we teach concepts that everyone will benefit from, and then we differentiate learning for the individuals who need it. This way, we are taking into consideration everyone's needs and equipping each individual to be successful in an equitable classroom!
Furthermore, I found this to be a great resource to remember when teaching and doing drama activities. This is found in the Ontario Curriculum Documents under the Fundamental Concepts that students must know and experience through their drama lessons:
• Role/Character: adopting the
attitude, voice, or emotional state of a fictional character
• Relationship: listening and
responding in role to other characters in role
• Time and Place: pretending to
be in the established setting of the drama
• Tension: being aware
of a sense of mystery or of a problem to be solved
• Focus and Emphasis:
being aware of the main idea or issue in the drama
This week we learned that drama + math = an equation for success and fun
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