Underground+Railroad+directions


 * Directions:**

One way to tell the story of a slaves escape is through a story called a slave narrative. These stories describe a slaves escape and often focus on a telling of many events throughout a slaves journey to freedom. The "Underground Railroad" was often an important part of this journey.

In this project you are going to work in groups to **INVESTIGATE** a part of a slave narrative written by Deborah Hopkinson called __Under the Quilt of Night__. Each part of this story is called a Vignette which means, a brief descriptive account. You will be using some new theatre skills to bring this vignette to life using pantomime and dramatic recitation like in a reader's theatre piece.

This project will be conducted in **Three** Phases:

Phase 1: Split up into groups, read your vignette, and create an action beat script.

Phase 2: Rehearse your pantomime and recitation using your beat script.

Phase 3: Perform your action beat script on video using pantomime and perform your recitation of the text to accompany your video performance.

Group #1 Group #2 Group #3 Group #4 Group #5 Group #6


 * Phase 1: Read Vignettes and write an action beat script**

1. Find a place to work with your group and read through your vignette.

2. Think about the places in the story where the **action** changes. Example: I was running through the woods in the dark, the trees were crowding the path and I tripped over a log. I pulled myself back up weakly. There are three separate actions in these two sentences...running through the woods, tripping over the log, and pulling myself back up. Use the **verbs** to help you.

3. Edit your vignette using word to create an action beat script. You will use a different color font to write out how you will act out or pantomime the action. **PANTOMIME** is using clear movements and gestures to express an action **without** words. Think of playing the game charades! [|Changing font color for Mac] [|Changing font color for Windows]

Here is an example of pantomime (in slow-motion): media type="youtube" key="jOPfRL4_Ub4?rel=0" height="315" width="420"

Script Example: I was running through the woods in the dark, the trees were crowding the path (pantomime running in place using my arms to push through the tree branches in my way and ducking to get through) and I tripped over a log (Pantomime tripping and falling to the ground). I pulled myself back up weakly (Pantomime reaching up to a nearby tree and pulling, then collapsing, and finally pulling myself up with my arms shaking to show the strain). The more detail you put into how you will complete the action, the clearer the picture you will present in your video.

**Recognition Learning:** **Written examples (throughout directions), I would also like to have Quicktionary pens in the classroom as Assistive Technology.** **Vocabulary helper** List of common adverbs to help with writing
 * Video representation to aid in description ** Video of a runaway slave
 * Use of color highlighting throughout, bolding, and italicizing. **

4. Decide who will pantomime which parts and give each group member a different color font. Example: I was running through the woods in the dark, the trees were crowding the path (pantomime running in place using my arms to push through the tree branches in my way and ducking to get through) and I tripped over a log (Pantomime tripping and falling to the ground). I pulled myself back up weakly (Pantomime reaching up to a nearby tree and pulling, then collapsing, and finally pulling myself up with my arms shaking to show the strain). Make sure everyone will be doing something in the video. Add the names of each group member to the top of page and make each name the color that matches their color in the script.

5. Save the document using a group members last name and the number of the vignette. Example: If Mr. Shively is in your group and you have Vignette 4 you might save it as **Shively4.doc** YOU DO NOT TYPE THE .DOC PART!

6. Post the file to this wiki.

7. If you have time, practice pantomiming the parts you will be acting out. Be thinking about this at home so you are ready to perform.


 * CHECKLIST**

We created a pantomime for every action in our script

Our pantomimes describe how we will be moving with details about the way we will move

Each member of the group has a pantomime to act out


 * The script is color-coded to show who is doing what **

We have saved our file and posted it to this wiki


 * Phase 2: Rehearse both your pantomime for your video performance and your recitation for your audio recording**

**Recognition Learning: Since I could not find a non Youtube video of pantomime I would perform pantomime examples for students either in class or video-taped to show students.** **The pictures from the trade book would also act as a visual reference for their interpretations.** **Recitation video examples** Recitation examples

Rehearsal time is important so that students can feel comfortable in their performance skills. They will have the previous use of these modes of expression as skill practice, but need to also practice applying the modalities to this particular function.
 * S **tudents are provided with video, audio, and teacher presented expert performance.

1. Get with your groups and pull up your vignette file from the wiki.

2. Today you are going to be rehearsing (phase 2) and performing (phase 3) your vignettes.


 * FIRST** Go through your beat script with the pantomimes so everyone gets a chance to see what each performer will be doing. Take turns being the director and helping the others in your group to make their pantomime as clear as possible.


 * SECOND** Do a read through aloud to start to bring the words to life. Your reading should match the feeling of the words you are saying. //Use your reader's theatre experience!// ** You will need to decide ** how your group is going to recite the piece for the final product. As a group in **Chorus** (all together) or one at a time, or even a mixture of the two using chorus in important or dramatic moments.

//**Note**// Your recitation has to match your pantomime. This means that how fast or slow you read a part of the vignette will depend on how long it takes the performer to complete their pantomime for that section. In theatre, timing is everything!

3. Think about your transitions. Since you will be recording your recitation and pantomime at the same time, you need to think about whether your readers will be on or off camera and how someone might transition, or go from pantomiming to reading or reading to pantomiming. You want your final product to be as polished as possible.

4. When you think you're work is performance ready, it's time to record!


 * CHECKLIST**

Each member of our groups knows which pantomimes they are acting out and when

Our performance of each pantomimed action is clear (our classmates should be able to tell what we are doing)

Our reading matches our pantomimes and tells the story in an interesting way (You should be able to tell why you made each choice) //Examples:// Happy moments are read with excitement, Somber (sad) moments are read slower with a quieter tone, moments of importance are emphasized using chorus style reading

Each member of the group is participating in the reading and acting of our performance

The reading of our vignette is timed to matched the acting

We are ready to perform


 * Phase 3: Show Time!**

1. When your group is ready to perform and the recording equipment is ready, you will begin your performance.

2. Use your group's computer to record.

//**Note**// Only one group may be recording at one time in any one space because you don't want someone else's reading on your video. Be respectful when others are performing and keep any speaking to a minimum. This would be a great time to practice your silent pantomimes.

3. When your completed product is ready, you will load the video to **voicethread** and then post it to the wiki so we can all have a chance to comment on each other's work and finally see the vignettes come together into one story much like the way a story quilt is pieced together. **Here students get to publish work and give feedback.**


 * CHECKLIST**

We worked together as a group to create our video

There is nothing we would change about our project (A final performance should be your best work)

We loaded our video to voicethread and posted it to the class wiki

We left thoughtful, appropriate comments on the works of others that were relevant to the project //Example:// I really like the way you acted out tripping over the log, I could tell your character was tired because it was hard for you to get up