Minds On

Let’s warm up!

Don’t forget to do your safety check!

Warm Up

Warm up: Tongue twisters!

Try the following tongue twisters. Can you repeat them?

Let’s try the first tongue twister!

Annie ate eight Arctic apples.

Press ‘Example’ to access an audio recording of someone practising this tongue twister.

Access the following audio recording entitled “Arctic Apples Tongue Twister” to explore an example of someone practising this tongue twister.

Arctic Apples Tongue Twister

Let’s try another tongue twister!

Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.

Press ‘Example’ to access an audio recording of someone practising this tongue twister.

Check out the following audio recording entitled “Cooks and Cupcakes Tongue Twister” to access an example of someone practising this tongue twister.

Cooks and Cupcakes Tongue Twister

Now, give the last tongue twister a try!

Kitty caught the kitten in the kitchen.

Press ‘Example’ to access an audio recording of someone practising this tongue twister.

Explore the following audio recording entitled “Kitty and Kitten Tongue Twister” to check out an example of someone practising this tongue twister.

Kitty and Kitten Tongue Twister

Slow motion pretend

Let’s try the following exercises.

Imagine you are in space. How would you move?

Press ‘Example’ to access a demonstration of an astronaut moving in space.

When an astronaut moves in space, they cannot move quickly. They wear a heavy space suit and move in slow motion.

Check out the following video to learn more about slow motion in space.

Now imagine that you are underwater! How would you move?

Press ‘Example’ to access a demonstration of moving underwater.

A scuba diver dives deep into the water. They swim alongside a turtle. The water pushes against them, and they both glide through the water.

Explore the following video to learn more about underwater slow motion.

Oof! Now you are wearing a heavy armour. How would you move?

Press ‘Example’ to access a demonstration of moving while wearing something heavy.

A knight marches along a dirt road. Their armour weighs down on them, but they keep marching step by step.

Access the following video to learn more about the slow motion of a knight.

Let’s get started!

Explore this image and consider the following questions.

  • What do you think is happening in the image?
  • What are you curious about?
A scene from puppet theatre, with three puppets.

Scene from the Obraztsov Puppet Theatre production "Wish Upon a Pike"

Action

Get ready, get set…

What is world theatre?

World theatre is drama that has come from around the world. Specific places and cultures in the world have diverse traditions and ways to express themselves and their history.

Drama is one of the ways that people can express and teach people from other places about their background, their ideas, as well as their everyday lives. World theatre helps us learn about worlds that exist outside of our own!

Let’s explore the image from the Minds On section again.

A scene from puppet theatre, with three puppets.

Scene from the Obraztsov Puppet Theatre production "Wish Upon a Pike"

The image is from a puppet show at the world’s largest puppet theatre in Moscow, Russia. Russian puppet theatre is very famous. They have all sorts of puppets and stories to tell.

Task 1: Inuit throat singing

Two Inuit throat singers facing each other. One of the singers is holding a microphone between them.

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The Inuit are original people from the Arctic and northern regions of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland. In Canada, the Inuit homeland, Inuit Nunangat, encompasses Nunavut, Inuvialuit (the Northwest Territories and the Yukon), Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Newfoundland and Labrador).

Inuit throat singing is a type of performance that involves two women who sing duets. They don’t have any instruments; they just use their voices. It takes a lot of breathing to be a throat singer. Sometimes they would have contests to find out who would last until the end.

Explore this video entitled “Inuit Throat-singing Sisters from Canada” and answer the following questions.

  • What did you notice in the video?
  • What did you learn about how the Inuit women breathe while throat singing?
  • What could you teach someone else about throat singing that they might not know based on what you learned?

Task 2: Shadow puppets

Shadow puppets of a fishing boat with sails up, nets down, and a person on it. Birds fly by.

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Chinese shadow puppets are made out of leather or paper. Chinese shadow puppetry shares traditional plays and stories. The beginning of Chinese shadow puppetry might have been in the Han dynasty over two thousand years ago!

Shadow puppets is a type of drama production that involves puppets! Shadow puppet theatre started in China but is now done all over the world.

Explore this video entitled “The Legend of Urashima Taro” and answer the following questions.

  • What did you notice in the video?
  • How did the shadow puppets help you understand the story?

Consolidation

Putting it together

Take a moment to review your learning. For each of the following statements, select whether they are true or false.

Go!

Your turn

You’ve explored some amazing performances. Now it’s your turn to create something. Time to make some shadow puppets.

You can also record a description of what kind of shape or animal you would like to make.

Option 1

Using your hands or other objects that you have, create some shadows on the wall.

What you will need

  • a wall
  • your hands or some objects like plastic toys, stuffed animals, etc.
  • a strong light

Turn off the lights, except for one bright light. Point the light at the wall. Lift up your objects and check what shadows they make. Can you tell a story with them?

Or try using your hands. Explore the following image to check different ways you can make shadow puppets with your hands.

Shadow puppets of a bird, dog, crab, and swan made by hands.

Option 2

Create your own shadow puppets by using the Shadow Puppets Template or create your own to make shadows on the wall.

What you will need

  • a wall
  • shadow puppets from the template or ones you have created yourself
  • a strong light

Turn off the lights except for one bright light. Point the light at the wall. Lift up your shadow puppets and check what shadows they make. Can you tell a story with them?

Explore the Shadow Puppets Template by using the following printable document. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.

Shadow Puppets Template

Press the Activity button to access the Shadow Puppets Template.

Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)
Cut-out template for shadow puppets.

Shadow puppet cutouts

Portfolio

Drama portfolio

Consider adding the answers to the following reflection questions to your portfolio.

  • What did you enjoy about the drama performances? Be specific.
  • What did you not enjoy? Be specific.
  • Did you enjoy creating your own shadow puppets?
  • Name one thing you learned about drama today.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

Press ‘Discover More’ to extend your skills.

Research a different type of world theatre. Make a presentation, create an audio recording, or write in your notebook about what you have learned. You can also use another method of your choice.