Unit Overview
Culminating Activity
Vermont Standards
View Complete Unit
View Other Units
Home

UNIT SUMMARY

Unit Title:

Adventure Theatre: Monkey and the Journey West

Unit Author:

Kate Schaefer

Grade Level:

6/ Drama Class
Unit Overview:
 The purpose of this unit/class was to explore and enact one of China's classic texts, The Journey West.  We did so by using Meg Holmes' retelling, Journey to the West, And A Silk Road Play for Grades 4-12.  The script was a focus for examining various Chinese cultural elements, relgions and philosophies, as portrayed in the story, and a brief introduction to the Chinese language.  We looked at the improvisational storytelling origins of the tale and discussed it as a quest, an adventure and an allegory of self-development.  We also compared The Journey West to The Wizard of Oz and reflected on the symbolic meaning of the characters in both stories.  Students chose the characters that they wished to play with several playing the same character in successive scenes. As a finale to the 18 classes, we presented our play for students, staff and parents.

Essential Questions:
  • What does The Journey West teach us about Chinese history, culture, religion and philosophy?
  • How does exploring and performing this story actively, as theatre, generate greater interest and enthusiasm for the material?

 

Culminating Task:
 We performed our play, Journey to the West, A Silk Road Play for Grades 4-12, twice: at the end of our class, for fellow students, staff members and parents.

Vermont Standards

Vital Results:
1.15

Students use verbal and nonverbal skills to express themselves effectively.  Evidence letter:

  • (c): Shows awareness of an audience by planning and adjusting to its reaction;
  • (d): Makes effective use of such devices such as pace, volume, stress, enunciation and pronunciation;
  • (e): Uses language expressively.
1.16 Students use a variety of forms, such as dance, music, theatre and visual arts, to create projects that are appropriate in terms of the following dimensions: skill development, reflection and critique, making connections and approach to work.
3.10 Students perform effectively on teams that set and achieve goals, conduct investigations, solve problems and create solutions (e.g., by using consensus-building and cooperation to work toward group decisions).
 
Field of Knowledge:
5.3 Students discover universal themes by comparing a broad range of cultural expressions from various times and places.
5.5 Students develop a point of view that is their own (e.g., personal standards of appreciation for the arts, language and literature).
5.8 Students read a variety of types of literature, fiction and nonfiction.
5.10 Students interpret works of diverse literary traditions including works by women and men of many racial, ethnic and cultural groups in different times and parts of the world.
5.28

Students use art forms to communicate, showing the ability to define and solve artistic problems with insight, reason and technical proficiency.  Evidence:

  • (a): Uses dance, music, theatre and visual arts to communicate.
5.33 Students use aspects of voice including volume, diction, pause, tempo and inflection to enhance a role.
5.34 Students show awareness of audience and character through aspects of movement, including blocking, gesture, use of the body and motivation.
6.13

Students understand the concept of culture, including the cultures of indigenous peoples, in various times and their local community, in Vermont, in the United States and in locations worldwide.  Evidencedy by:

  • (aa): Investigates factors that makes us human in different cultural and social settings (e.g., language, arts and literature).

 

Time to Complete Unit:  18 40-minute classes over 9 weeks

View Complete Unit