A Dramatic World: An Eighth Grade Theater Curriculum for Earth’s Future Caretakers
Yel Hannon Brayton
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Lesson Ten: A Living Time Line of Long Island Sound
“The time will soon be here when my grandchild will long for the cry of a loon, the flash of a salmon, the whisper of the spruce needles, or the screech of an eagle. But he will not make friends with any of these creatures and when his heart aches with longing he will curse me. Have I done all to keep the air fresh? Have I left the eagle to soar in freedom? Have I done everything I could to earn my grandchild’s fondness?
Chief Dan George 1899-1981 (from
My Spirit Soars,
1982)
Global citizenship begins at home by taking a look at Long Island Sound’s history (which students will cover in their Science classes as well). Students will engage in an oral reading of “History Along the Sound” from
The Soundbook
(pages 11—14). After reading these four pages, they will be given the
Long Island Sound Historical Timeline
handout, which I composed by summarizing information from this text (see appendix). Five groups of students from both of my eighth grade Theater classes will be formed. The assignment for each group will be to depict (in pantomime) a series of events along the time line that demonstrate one of the five main categories represented therein: 1) Native Americans; 2) English and Dutch Settlers; 3) Maritime Development; 4) Transportation; 5) Industrial Development. Each group will select one of its members to act as a narrator, who will read a segment from the “History Along the Sound” text as the group performs their pantomime. At the end of the segment, the group should strike a tableau (actors remain frozen in a picturesque fashion). The groups will present their works-in-progress in the last half of their respective classes. Since this living time line will be included in the town meeting presentations, students will be rehearsing their creations in later classes.
