Curtain Up!

Content Objectives

Children will:

• Learn about the concept of performances.
• Access prior knowledge and build background about different kinds of performances.
• Explore and apply the concept of how people perform to why people perform.

Language Objectives

Children will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of performances.
• Orally use words that describe ways that we can learn about different kinds of performances.
• Extend oral vocabulary by speaking about why people perform.
• Use key concept words [stage, actors, audience, crew, perform, Curtain Up!].

Other

Explain

• Use the slideshow to review the key concept words.
• Explain that children are going to learn about:
• What performance means.
• Different kinds of performances.
• What is and what is not a performance.
• Why people perform.

Model

• After the host introduces the slideshow, point to the photo on screen. Ask children: What are the children in the photo doing? (dancing). How can you tell the children are performing? (sharing something with other people).
• Ask children: What is your favorite kind of performance? (answers will vary).
• Say: It can be scary to perform in front of people. You might feel shy. It can also be a lot of fun! What sounds fun about performing? (sharing a song, a dance, or a play; performing for family and friends).

Guided Practice

• Guide children through the next four slides, showing them the different parts of a theater performance. Always have the children describe what the people are doing in the photos.

Apply

• Have children play the games that follow. Have them discuss with their partner the different topics that appear during the Talk About It feature.
• After the first game, ask children to talk about other kinds of performances they can think of and help the children learn more about the kinds of performances they are interested in. After the second game, have them discuss what part of a performance they would like to be involved in.

Close

• Ask children: What is the best performance you have seen? Explain.
• Summarize for children that performing can be fun! We can perform by sharing something with other people. We can share a song, a play, or a dance. Encourage children to think about what part they would like to play in a performance.