Standards
Standards for the Theatre Arts Packages
Artistic Perception
Through workshops, performances and the Program Guide that accompanies each performance, students are better able to fully participate in the theatrical experience. Theater terminology is used to describe and examine each story, building vocabulary and cognitive skills. Theatrical presentations of multi-cultural literature develop analytical and interpretive abilities and familiarize students with a wealth of multi-cultural literature.
Creative Expression
Every show and workshop presents a variety of experiences that weave verbal skills, body language and life lessons into a creative whole. Students learn to interpret stories, build characterizations and express emotions through movement and vocal articulation. Performing requires students to develop collaborative skills that build communication proficiency while improving self-esteem.
Historical and Cultural Context
Each production presents four stories from different cultures or ethnic backgrounds. The workshops focus on one of these stories. The stories demonstrate a variety of cultural experiences and character lessons. Masks, props and costumes are used to illustrate the stories to create the appropriate cultural references. The stories promote discussion and familiarize students with the uniqueness and similarities between people and promotes acceptance and respect.
Aesthetic Valuing
Our shows and workshops stimulate the student's desire to perform and explore literature through a theatrical process. Students become storytellers themselves, relating their experiences to their friends and families. They form opinions about the stories they see or perform and determine what aspects they enjoy most. They are better able to comprehend the meaning of the stories and develop critical judgments about the lessons portrayed. This allows them to become more discriminating about other performances in the future.
Connections, Relationship, Applications
Our shows and workshops motivate students to read and create theatrical interpretations of stories. Teachers often use our performances as topics for journal writing which increases literacy and critical thinking skills. Students send us illustrations of our stories which helps visualize concepts and enhances aesthetic appreciation. This vibrant theatrical experience improves students' comprehension and language development and enhances problem-solving techniques. Students learn how an action creates meaning, that characters bring that meaning to life and how an ensemble communicates ideas to an audience. These skills have a positive impact on overall academic success and teach life-long skills.
Standards for the Early Literacy Readiness Project
1.0 Artistic Perception
Students participate as active observers and develop analytical and interpretive abilities which deepens the learning process and allows them to become more familiar with the wealth of world literature available to them. Terms are used to examine the characters and their imaginary world, building vocabulary and cognitive skills. 1.1, 1.2
2.0 Creative Expression
Students participate in call and response activities as stories and nursery rhymes are read. The theater presentations create the opportunity for students to see themselves in the characters portrayed which motivates them to become storytellers themselves by relating what they've experienced to classmates and family members. 2.1, 2.2
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
A variety of cultural experiences and character lessons are demonstrated in the stories that are read and the stories that are performed. These stories familiarize students with the unique and similar aspects of the human experience and promote awareness of other ethnicities and traditions in the world. The students also see first-hand different ways of telling a story either through puppetry, presentational theatre, movies or television. 3.1
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
Students learn to form opinions and to identify concepts and meanings in stories. This allows them to become more discriminating observers and to better comprehend visual and aural material. These skills will enable them to become more astute viewers of all artistic forms of expression
as well as good audience members. 4.1
5.0 Connections, Relations, Applications
Students play with and explore literature which increases their understanding of the world around them. Their creativity is enhanced which helps them express themselves successfully to others. The children make drawings of some of the stories they hear during
storytimes and the performances which helps them visualize concepts and foster aesthetic appreciation. 5.1, 5.2
