It’s that time of year! Time for the Fourth Grade to write and perform a play about all that we have learned this year.
Asher explains:
What we are about to perform for you is a story of immigrants, migrants and protests. In Fourth Grade this year we studied immigrant stories of coming over from other countries and settling in the lower east side. This year we also studied the Great Migration and how African Americans moved to the northern states because of race issues in the south. There are protests that relate to immigration, migration and present day politics that you will see in the play. We hope you enjoy our play A Journey Of People From Past To Present.
But we skipped ahead….there were many steps to this process. First, we needed to write the script. After coming up with a rough draft, we invited some experts in.
Nate’s mom, Diana, a playwright and producer, helped us with our script writing process. She inspired us to do more editing.
So we revised our script. Soon, it was time to get into character.
Romy’s mom, Sofia, who is a director and writer, talked to us about her work. She gave us some ideas about how to handle ourselves on stage. She also taught us a warm-up technique/game called “Soundball.”
Rehearsing involved other tasks like carrying chairs from classroom to classroom and building to building, working hard, and eating pizza.
In the beginning we weren’t sure we would make it!
A few days in…we started to see the big picture during the first reading of our entire script. Thank goodness for collaborative tools like Google Drive and iPads!
We practiced our lines and the process of projecting our voices during recess.
More pieces fell into place. We could use the high school auditorium now! We made props in art and shop class. We had a guitar! Although honestly speaking, Asher thought it would have been better if we had started rehearsals at least a week earlier – we only had a few days until the performance!
June 2, 2017
It’s show time!
Let’s meet the cast and their characters!
Please note: The snapshots/portraits of us below were taken while we were engaging in a warm-up/loose-up walk to the final production. They are presented alongside excerpts from our script.
Historical Immigration
Steerage/Ellis Island/Lower East Side
We made murals to help with our storytelling in art class. Here is a painting of the Great Hall at Ellis Island.
(German son) Nate: Uhhh. I envy first and second class. They are above the water and have food. They don’t even know we are alive. I’m hungry. Excuse me (talks to CC) do you happen to have any extra food? We had some when we started on the trip but it only lasted the first ten days.
There’s our director, Charissa.
Yes, It’s called the Statue of Liberty. It’s said that she welcomes all us immigrants to this new land. Let’s go!
Aedín is our musical director! We couldn’t tell these stories without music.
Inspector R.(Crosby): Where are you from?
Aruna (Suko): We are from India.
Inspector R.(Crosby): Turn around. Good. How much money do you have?
Amala (Mia): 25 Dollars.
Inspector R.(Crosby): Good, that’s minimum, so you won’t become a public charge. Here are your landing cards.
Inspector R. (Crosby): Next! Manifest number 430.
Crying family gets in line behind Makeda.
Aruna (Suko): (directly to the audience): Look, Mama that whole family is crying. It looks like they’re being split up. Now I know why they call this place the Island of Tears.
Amala (Mia): I wonder if Manhattan will be The Island of Hope.
Aruna (Suko): Yeah I wonder.
Landlord (Yves): I’m Mr. Weber, your landlord. This is your new tenement. Now you must follow these rules:
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No pets or you’re out
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No complaints or you’re out
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If you don’t pay the monthly rent you’re out
Now I got a lot of other people who would want this tenement, so don’t play with your chances.
Simone (Romy): Wow. This is going to be a LOT more different than living in France.
Ero (Ezra): It’s okay, let’s try and steer our ships with positivity! Moving to America was the only option that we had. We will eventually get used to it.
Ezra: don’t be so pessimistic…
Romy: Here we go again
Yves: is he going to start singing?
Wyeth: life isn’t a musical number!
Romy: No!! too late!
Whole family: Hey, I’m not giving you my pay
But we could do this another day
And if you knock, knock us over,
We’ll steer with positivity.
We can’t afford the rent
But America’s where we went
And if you knock, knock us over,
We’ll steer with positivity
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh
Positivity!
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh
Positivity!
Triangle Shirtwaist Protest
Zen walks to the factory and stops when he sees workers giving out flyers.
Zen: What are you guys doing? Why aren’t you going to work?
Milla: We are handing out flyers to announce our strike for better working conditions in the factories. We’re heading over to Cooper Union.
Zen: What do you mean better working conditions?
Alden (Clara Lemlich): I think we need better working conditions that’s why we’re all here. We are poor but a little bit of respect would be nice! We come to work everyday and work too many hours to get too little pay. We should have safer fire escapes that work and be able to use the bathroom when we need to. The doors should be open and we should not be punished for not coming in on Sunday! We need more changes now! So let’s strike to end this madness.
All cheer and chant: WE WANT BETTER PAY AND WE DON’T WANT TO WORK ALL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x2
Asher: We’ll be fine. And anyway what’s the worst they could do? It is so many against so few.
The Great Migration
Papa Till (Bailey): Working in the fields was so hard today. I wish we could keep more of our crops instead of having to give them to the landowner.
Nessie (Jade): (Comes in angrily, slams down the Crisis on the table) Have you seen the new issue of the Crisis yet?!
Freeman (Miles): No I haven’t. I do know that Sheriff Johnson was saying that most of the white people in the town said we shouldn’t be reading it anymore.
Nessie (Jade): It’s because they don’t want us to know the truth about how bad things are getting for black people in the South.
Meese (Kieran): And what’s more, once we get further North, the train cars aren’t even segregated anymore.
Jeffrey (Jasiri) Really? That’s hard to believe.
Papa Till (Bailey): The first thing we are going to need to do when we get to Chicago is find a place to live.
Meese (Kieran): Don’t worry. I know someone who has a place to rent.
Billy (Leo): Is it big?
Meese (Kieran): Unfortunately, it is pretty small. But hopefully in a little while, you can get a bigger place.
Papa Till (Bailey): Ok. Sounds good. Children, we’re almost to Chicago now.
Meese (Kieran): I’m looking forward to getting back there. You are going to love it.
(Children make train movement and sounds, move across stage.)
Mama (Margot): Here in the North, at least people like us will have a chance.
Thannie (Makeda): That’s true. I think with a few of our personal things, we can make this into our home.
Eleanor (Gia): We have heard that Chicago has more opportunities for people like us than the South.
Chicago, Chicago,
You have many layers
Some good, some bad
You frighten me,
Wild Chicago
Protest Scene
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around
Keep on a-walkin’, keep on a-talkin’
Gonna build a brand new world
Contemporary Immigration Scene
Rema (Laiali) and Hamoudi (Avery) walk into their room. Rema walks in first. There are pictures of family and friends up on the wall. Rema walks to the room and sits down. Hamoudi sits in a chair on the other side of the room.
Hamoudi: This first day in an American school wasn’t the best.
Rema: It was pretty hard. I miss our friends.
Hamoudi: I wish our family and friends were here right now.
Song: Harlan and Beckett
“Oh Friends” Don’t you know I’m all alone. Sitting in these chairs talking to your pictures.
Music: Avery plays some piano and the pictures come life
Sam: Hi Hamoudi.
Hamoudi: Ahhhhhh! Did the photo just talk to me?
Rema: I think it did!
Sam: Of course we did! Did you think we’d leave you two just because we live in different countries? Now, why are you both so sad?
Lorenzo: You will be alright! Everybody has hard times. There’s so many great things the kids don’t know about you yet. Like how you are football champions!! Back over here, people still talk about your skills!
Hamoudi: Thanks, grandpa. They call it soccer here.
Washington Square Park Protest Scene
Alex: This is Alex Amorosino reporting from EI News. Today, in New York City there is an emergency rally against the President’s ban on immigration and refugees. Let’s go take a look. (Looks directly at camera)
All except Alex, Asher: No hate, No fear, immigrants are welcome here! X3
What Can One Little Person Do?
There was a family who traveled west
They were hoping for the best
This miserable journey took over eternity
The inspectors were so strict and they didn’t want us sick
But then we entered into the New Land!
Back home there was a war
We hopped on a plane, we wanted more
Leaving old friends behind, hoping new friends we would find
As we sat high in the sky, wondering what was coming by
But then we entered into the New Land!
The South was not for us
So we packed without a fuss
We moved ‘cause there was too much hate
Migrants came here
And they fought through all their fears
And they stood up for all human rights
On performance day we were all feeling pretty good! Thank you for your support!!!!]]>
All Together: BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!
Deborah: Given the scandalous allegations of reported election irregularities, the People’s Republic of the Fourth Grade set up a secret commission to investigate these allegations of vote rigging. Since there is no centralized authority to guarantee a proper vote count or the security of elections, the United States of LREI formed a special commission. After months of careful scrutiny it was determined that there was a basis to doubt the results of the election in Deborah and Joel’s Fourth Grade class.
Joel: Although the underlying intelligence is highly classified, the LREI Intelligence Committee has found evidence of voter hacking in the Fourth Grade. Consequently a recount has been instituted and the results have been overturned. It was still a very close vote…very close.
Joel: The Benevolent Dictators of Fourth Grade — Dan, Tara, Deborah, and Joel — declare the following election results to be true:
Deborah: For her joyful outlook we appoint Alden Secretary of Happiness, Guitars, and Falling Into Rooms And Out Of Chairs.
Joel: For his deadpan humor and sportsmanship, we appoint Alex Chief White House Correspondent.
Deborah: For his organizational energy and public speaking abilities we appoint Asher to be not only the White House Press Secretary, but also chief in charge of scheduling.
Joel: For his vociferous vocabulary and piano virtuosity, we appoint Avery Secretary of Language and White House Musician.
Deborah: For her puzzle prowess and mathematical acumen, we name Bailey Chief of Cryptology, making and breaking codes.
Joel: For his positive spirit, peaceful mood, and friendly attitude towards all we appoint Crosby Secretary of Kindness and Communications.
Deborah: For his close relationship with exclamatory punctuation we name Ezra Secretary of Positivity and the Exclamation! King! Of! The! Punctuation! Council!
Joel: For her extensive knowledge of history and her dedication to detail we appoint Gia the Head of the National Archives, and the Secretary of Time.
Deborah: For her poetic observational skills and empathy we name Jade the Queen of Lost Objects and Allyship.
Joel: For his big picture thinking we appoint Kieran Secretary of Social Studies…and Fort Building.
Deborah: For her concise, creative, and analytical thinking and her boundless energy for work, we appoint Laiali Attorney General.
Joel: For his perseverance at tackling challenges we appoint Lorenzo Secretary of Defense, Head of the Special Commission for Weapons Made Out of Scotch Tape.
Deborah: For her creativity as a graphic designer and writer of memorable slogans, we name Makeda Head of Public Relations.
Joel: For her deep relationship with literature and writing we appoint Margot Head of the National Library Council and Poet Laureate.
Deborah: For his enthusiasm for mathematical and scientific challenges we appoint Miles the Head of New Projects at NASA.
Joel: For his critical lens and sense of fairness, we appoint Nate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Deborah: For her exceptional skills in the visual arts and comedic writing we appoint Romy Head of the National Council of the Arts.
Joel: For his passion for activism and human rights we name Sam Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Deborah: For her leadership powers as a social organizer and her flair with magic markers we appoint Suko Secretary of Protests and Equality.
Joel: For his motivated approach to learning and calm energy we appoint Yves Prime Minister of Pacing and Line Leading.
Deborah: For his ability to make us laugh with his unique voice and colorful footwear, we appoint Zen Secretary of Comedy and Fashion.
Joel: The Benevolent Dictators also wish our newly appointed ambassadors — Lorenzo, Chase, Yves, Makeda, Avery, Kieran — best of luck in their respective journeys abroad.
Tara: Imagine a nation run by our fourth grade. The artists, the poets, the musicians, the communicators, social justice seekers all working together toward a more inclusive future without hate or fear.
Deborah: Welcome to the new world order. One filled with Critical Thinking, Courage, Citizenship, and Creativity. And by the way our new White House is no longer white! (hold up poster of a rainbow white house)
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