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A Day in the Life -2 … Using Tableau to Explore Historical Events – Antebellum Period

Students will create tableaus and original dialogue to demonstrate an understanding of the social classes of the Antebellum time period.
 

Duration
Less than 1 hour
Lesson Type
Traditional Lesson

Lesson Created By: ChristianSturgis-Edwards

Lesson Partners: ABC (Arts in Basic Curriculum)

Essential Question

How can tableaus be used as an acting tool for various characters/people?
What was life like in South Carolina during the antebellum period?
What were the different classes of people in South Carolina and what were their lives like during the antebellum period?
What impact did the cotton gin have on slavery in the South?
What role did slavery play in South Carolina’s secession from the Union?
Why were many South Carolinians fearful of abolitionists?
Why did South Carolinians have such a strong belief in states’ rights?
 

Grade(s):

  • 3

Subject(s):

Recommended Technology:

  • Interactive Projector Board (SMART Board)
  • PowerPoint

Other Instructional Materials or Notes:

  • Various photos of the Antebellum period showing multiple classes of people.
  • Sticky notes
  • Penicls

Lesson Progression

Teacher will:

  1. Show a PowerPoint presentation containing review information and photos of people from different classes during the Antebellum period.
  2. Provide brief instruction on how to properly execute a tableau based on a photo.
  3. Call on students individually to re-create a photo as a tableau. 
  4. Instruct all students to think of dialogue that each subject in the photo would say.
  5. Once all photos have been re-created, students will then be assigned a subject from the photos to write dialogue for. 
  6. The teacher will model writing a line of dialogue for a subject and will write the line as a “thought bubble.  The writing will then be posted to the physical pictures.
  7. Review the social classes and discuss the tableaus and dialogue as a closure activity.

Students will:

  1. View a PowerPoint presentation containing review information and photos of people from different classes during the Antebellum period.
  2. Re-create photos as tableaus.
  3. Brainstorm dialogue from each photo subject’s perspective.
  4. Write original lines of dialogue for assigned subjects within the photo.
  5. Paste written dialogue as a “thought bubble” on the physical picture.
  6. Reflect on the different social classes, tableaus, and written dialogue.

Teacher Notes

Tableau is a theatrical acting tool that is used to showcase important moments within a scene or time period. It is a “frozen stage picture” performed by actors. Tableau is used by directors to strengthen an actor’s understanding of the characters they are portraying.
South Carolina played a key role in events that occurred before, during, and after the Civil War; and those events, in turn, greatly affected the state.
The students will demonstrate an understanding of the various social classes of the Antebellum period.  Students will utilize tableau and script writing to show a deep understanding of human motivations, behavior, and circumstances of the time period.
 

A Day in the Life... Using Tableau to Explore Historical Events - Antebellum Period - CLIA Lesson Plan

Resource file is the lesson plan in the CLIA (Curriculum Leadership in Arts) format.

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Education Closet

Education Closet is a resource for arts integration and STEAM.

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2017 SCCCRVPA - Theatre

South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Standards Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency - Theatre Standards

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Assessments

Students will be assessed by a performance checklist:

1. Student used observation skills to create tableau based on photo Yes_____  No_____
2. The student used appropriate body movement and control to create tableau. Yes____ No____
3. Student created an original dialogue that accurately "matched" assigned photo  Yes____ No____
4. Student demonstrated thoughtful reflection in writing of dialogue Yes____ No_____