Understanding Poems through Drama

ArtsBridge proposal
By Stormy Knaak (lead facilitator), Morgan Huffman, Madison Nielson, and Kendall
Westmoreland
Directed by Matt Omasta
This proposal uses dramatization to enhance 5th graders understanding of poetry. The following
content standards will be addressed:

CCSS Grade 5 English Language Arts: Fluency, Reading: Literature Standard 4B

o Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and
expression.
CCSS Grade 5 English Language Arts: Key Ideas and Details, Reading: Literature
Standard 2
o Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including
how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a
poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Utah Fine ArtsTheatre Grade 5: Standard 1 Objective 2B
o Create dialogue and physical attributes in a character that reveal a specific attitude
and/or motive.

NOTE: While this proposal uses The Grumble Family as an example, it could be adapted to a
different poem.
Brief lesson description:
All students receive copies of The Grumble Family poem so they can read along as one
volunteer student reads the poem aloud. Ask for any clarification questions pertaining to the
reading. Break the class into small groups and use the drama strategy of The Circle of Life in
order to create characters from the poem. Use the strategy of a Collective Character, to have the
groups create a tableaux of a typical day at the Grumble household. Have students dynamize the
tableaux. Use strategy of Carouseling to rotate the tableux and improvise short scenes in the
Grumble household. The rest of day one is spent creating/building the characteristics of the
Grumble family members.
Day two begins with welcoming a newcomer to the Grumble family (teacher in role) who
wants to change the family dynamics. Use hotseating to question them about their family,
relationships, home life, and whether the newcomer should come into the family. Use drama
strategies to determine if the students accept the newcomer. Using a bridge of compromise
technique, students build a metaphorical bridge across the room with words that are necessary to
become more accepting (e.g. compromise, positivity, empathy).