Karen L. Brown

 

A.     Lesson Title: Bus Stop

B.     Type of Lesson: Warm-up / Social Skills Development / Storytelling

C.     Target Group: Grades 9 – 12, Class Size: 10 - 25

D.    Approximate Length: 10 – 15 minutes

E.     Materials Needed: A bench or four chairs put together to make a bench

F.      Objectives:

-Competency Goal #2—The learner will act by interacting in improvisations and assuming roles.

-Objectives—2.01 Develop and manifest an awareness of the self as thinking, creative, performing whole.  2.02 Understand and demonstrate the inherent individual’s ability to intuit and create.  2.03 Recognize the use of divergent thinking in the creative process.  2.04 Employ creative action and thinking skills.  2.07 Develop a perception of self through observations of self and others.  2.11 Understand and participate in physical warm-ups to develop focus and creativity.

G.    Procedure: The teacher asks for four volunteers to come to the front of the class and sit at the bus stop.  The teacher then explains to the volunteers that they are to act out the following story.  Then the teacher begins the story.  For example, “On one bright sunny Saturday afternoon, there were four people waiting for a bus.  They all see a bus coming so they stand up, pick up their bags and wait.  When the bus approaches, they all realize it’s the wrong bus, it passes, and they all have a seat again.”  Then the teacher says, “and then” and taps a student so they begin telling part of the story.  Once that student has added a few thoughts to the story, the teacher taps another student so they can begin contributing.  This cycle continues until the teacher takes over the story again and brings it to an end.  The four students at the bus stop should constantly be acting out what is being told, and the “audience” not telling the story should be respectful of the story.

*Note: the activity can change location if done more than once.  Other ideas:

            -People in line to buy tickets for a sporting event

            -People on a park bench

            -People in the audience of a circus

            -People in the waiting room of a doctor’s office

H.    Evaluation: The students will discuss what they liked and disliked about the warm-up, how they felt about the way the story progressed, and what they learned about themselves and other around them.  Also, the teacher will evaluate the students individually with points using the following system:

1) Following the rules / directions                                              1          2          3          4

2) Cooperation                                                             1          2          3          4

3) Contributions                                                                        1          2          3          4

4) Focus                                                                                   1          2          3          4

5) Being a Good Audience Member                                          1          2          3          4

The teacher will circle the number that best describes the student’s participation.

                        *Point values: 1 = 14 points—Needs Improvement

                                                2 = 16 points—Fair

                                                3 = 18 points—Good

                                                4 = 20 points—Excellent

                                                The possible number of points = 100 points