Students writing responses while viewing First Nations art
Students from PECI writing flow writing responses at A Path Forward in Picton, Ontario
Students writing responses while viewing First Nations art
Students from PECI writing flow writing responses at A Path Forward in Picton, Ontario

The second day focused on the beginning of the creation of the first group piece exploring the art work A Path Forward and providing the building blocks to work through the entire Devising process.

NOTE - Day 1 and 2 took place at the museum and the students created based on their reactions and reflections on the art.  

Lesson Overview  - There was only 50 minutes available due to the travel time required to get to and from the museum.

Learning Goals:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of Site Specific Theatre
  • Understand the devising process
  • Interpret and reflect on visual art and be able to articulate those feelings to a group of peers
  • Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for chosen pieces of art in the space
  • Deepen their understanding of Choral Speaking and the use of voice

Terminology:

  • Flow Writing
  • Choral Speaking
  • Devising and Devised Theatre
  • Letter Mash Up

Materials:

  • The Museum and the artwork being used
  • Paper, pencil (writing utensil) or computer/assistive technology
  • Chart paper and markers

Minds On

NOTE - Gather in a circle in the middle of the museum. Discuss and reference the assignment sheet.  Remind them of what Site Specific Theatre is and that we are going to be performing the final product at the museum.

Explore the space - Give the students 10 minutes to explore the entire space and engage with the art.  Students are asked to return to the circle with one of the following to share:

  • What was your favourite piece?  Why?
  • Develop one question you have regarding the space
  • What interests you about the space?  Explain

Debrief discussion in a Talking Circle (allow students to pass and have the right to share later if a thought occurs to them after the fact). 

Action 

Flow Writing Response to Prompts

In groups, students move to their first piece of art.  Based on prompts, students write “Letters that they’ll never send” to the painting or ideas.concepts found in the artwork.

NOTE: They write their piece individually, but the group they are travelling with is the group they will be creating this first scene with after working through the process. 

  • Timed Flow Writing - 5 minutes to respond to one of the prompts (PDF #2)
  • Have each member of the group share what they wrote
  • Read over each letter again and find lines from each poem that could be used together
  • Perform a Letter Mash Up with the group, combing all four/five letters together into one piece that can be chorally interpreted
  • Begin chorally interpreting the Letter Mash Up

NOTE: Movement and music will be added to the choral interpretation.

NOTE: A second 75-minute period can be allotted for the “Letter Mash Up” portion of the lesson in the classroom

Consolidation 

Talking Circle Debrief - Gather the class together in a circle and debrief the day using the following questions:

  • What stood out to you in the museum? 
  • What is one of the greatest barriers in creating this piece? 
  • Why site specific?  Why are we doing this here? What’s the point?  

Accommodations:

  • If students cannot get to the space for physical reasons, bring images of the artwork to them at the school.
  • Provide the opportunity to use speech to text or computers if writing is an issue. 

Assessment as Learning: 

  • Teacher observations of the creative process
  • The Letter Mash Up

Assessment of Learning: 

  • Individual letters 
  • The Letter Mash Up
  • Teacher observations of the students participating in the process