"We are doing a show." Part 2

The group of Greenies are very excited that I have taken interest in their idea. We begin to formulate ideas as a group at circle time to determine the direction of our project. 

12.6

We discuss this idea with the larger group at circle time and start a web of our ideas. The Greenies express an interest in using our dramatic play area to create a “stage with curtains and make the walls look like a castle.” The children also express a wish to do their “play on a real stage” and for our families. I begin to encourage the Greenies to keep thinking about how we can achieve this. We will be going to see a production of "The Nutcracker" at a theater on our campus next week. 

12.13

We meet again to do a language chart based on the Greenies observations of the field trip to see The Nutcracker.

“After watching The Nutcracker, what ideas do you have for transforming our dramatic play space into a stage?”

KW: “We need a big space.”

JH: “We need curtains so we can change into costumes.”

EP: “There was those pictures on the walls to make it real- huge pictures of the story- you know, the back of a picture frame? Maybe that’s what held them up.”

RL: “We need ballet shirts and socks and shoes.”

SS: “We need our building bigger.”

OM: “We have to build the stuff, we’ll all have to help, we need nails and a hammer.”

BA: “We could build a castle on top of the railing.”

EB: “We can put a stage and move everything out.”

JMH: “We need a big space where we can put all of the chairs.”

SS: “I have tools at home we can build with.”

LL: “We could move EVERYTHING out of our classroom.”

OM: “Upstairs (our loft) could be the castle.”

CE: “We can do it outside when it’s summer, the climber can be the castle.”

SS: “We can put… I have power tools, too.”

JMH: “We need people to watch the show.”

We notice the children are focusing on their interests- JMH is thinking about how to accommodate an audience. SS is anxious to build a set- his language is one of construction. Using these observations I begin to introduce theatre related terms- set design, cast, crew. EP later expresses her concern- she does not want to be in the show. We talk about possible ways for her to be involved including set design- art is a language of hers. She smiles and is eager to begin to design a set which goes underway in a few days. 

Construction and the challenge of including everyone continues in Part 3.