Class 9: The Play's the Thing!
Last week's cartoons of photosynthesis and respiration in an ecosystem will be used today to produce a play enacting the processes in a dynamic and (hopefully) engaging way. The aim is to make the basic facts involved (materials and processes) more memorable and understandable.
Materials
- Molecule necklaces, placards, etc. for play
- Scripts - have them write them out?
- Quizzes
- Observation guide outlines
- Aquaria: small tanks, one large one, artemia, seaweed
- Artemia eggs
Activities
- Have each student write name and birthday on slip of paper, & collect
- Starting with cartoons, have kids develop a simple script for the action of the play; help them by telling my own version
- During their script-writing, recruit a cast of 9 by birthday - oldest first, for:
- Sun
- 1st Hydrogen
- 2nd Hydrogen
- Carbon
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd Oxygen
- Plant
- Animal
- Explain "FREEZE!" command for "stop-action" explanation, and "firing" of cast, replacement procedure (next eldest steps up)
- Hand out materials to appropriate cast members
- Walk-through dress rehearsal
- Let them do a final presentation, while audience fills in quizzes disguised as play reviews
- Review quiz answers
- Distribute aquaria and observation sheets, discuss ecosystem, how to write up observations, what to look for
(if TV available:)
- Slide show of kids' pictures of molecules
- Slide show of artemia life cycle
Wrapup: aquaria are living examples of the ecosystem represented in the play. Think of the play whenever you write down observations on your sheets!