#7 AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE

State Standards and Objetives

Standard 3 Objective 1d: Create together a new song. As a class choose the subject, compose the verse. Consider solo/chorus for the structure. Decide what volume, timbres, and tempo to use.

Standard 4 Objective 2a: Explain, demonstrate, and judge own ability to exhibit appropriate audience etiquette according to type of musical performance.

Learning Objectives

·      Students will act out different characters or scenes of their opera.

·      Students will learn and demonstrate proper audience etiquette.

Lesson

Brain Vomit notebook!

I started the lesson by playing the game “When I was One.” The children LOVE this game! I then had all of the children pull out their Brain Vomit notebook and gave them 2-3 minutes to share some things they had written with a partner. I love giving them time to share their ideas because I believe giving them opportunities to share their writing is essential.

After this, I had them all gather around the piano leaving an empty space in the front. I then asked a few children to be different characters, and then we acted out a few of the scenes. I wanted the children to start feeling comfortable acting, and I also thought it would be helpful to let the children “see” what their story might look like.

I also decided to focus on the audience a little more. I thought it would be good for the children to see a few parts of their play from the audience’s point of view. While the children acted out certain scenes, I asked the children to think about and write down how they felt. Did the angry dinosaur make them feel angry too, or did it make them feel scared? I wanted them to think about how their story would effect the audience. I also discussed proper audience etiquette.

At the end of the lesson I gave them each a small sheet of paper and asked them to write down 1) what they thought and felt during the performances, 2) how they behaved as an audience member, and 3) a score of 1-5 on how good they were as an audience member.

 I think the lesson idea was good, but there were a few things that could make it better. First, it would have been really good to tell the children at the beginning of the lesson what I would be assessing them on. I should have explained my expectations for being a good audience, and explained that they would be giving themselves a score on how they did. This would have helped their behavior and been more fair to them.

I also needed to be more consistent in managing their behavior. At times it got a bit out of hand, so I should have planned things out a little better.