“When we work together we can make change.” The Fourth Grade. I think this quote is what the play is teaching people. (Macy)
How does the Fourth Grade play come to be? Below are some snapshots from moments and reflections in the Fourth Grade play creation process.
We hope that the final production, “This is Our America,” will be an inspiration for more actions to come and not simply the end of a year long social studies curriculum. We look forward to sharing with you tomorrow at the high school!
Reflections
Cy: Creating a play is a long process. First you have to decide the topic, format and characters. Then you have to create lines and memorize them. Along with lyrics and piano notes. You then have to practice and decide the title and costumes. In the end it’s all really fun and I am proud of myself and my peers. I was surprised at how loud I was allowed to be. It’s sometimes good to be loud! It’s challenging how you have to practice the whole thing from the top over and over. I have enjoyed making this play. I thank all of my teachers for making this possible
Brainstorming
Script Ideas
Rehearsing in the Hallway
Henry: I’m most proud of the whole thing. I found out that I think I really like acting.
Libi: The most challenging part of creating the play, This is Our America, was probably having to listen to other people’s ideas and suggestions because I am a person who likes to have everything done their way and likes to be the leader but since I am not the director, I cannot control everything.
Palma: I am most proud of the amount of information we gave in 25 minutes and how funny and interesting it was at the same time.
Sonia: I am most proud of how we all got picked into assigned groups and were able to work with anyone in our groups. We all got to pick our groups but we didn’t really know who was in that group. None of us really cared who was in our group, we just dived right into the task and we got the play from start to finished. And now it is done. We have two days. We are proud.
Sebastian: The most challenging part of making the play was when we had to go to the high school and we had to keep rehearsing and waiting. Also we had to memorize our lines.
Giselle: I think what has been the most surprising part of creating the play is working together with all the kids, who are all my friends, and having fun…The part that I am most proud of in the play is the songs if we do them correctly.
Lunch Break!
Bayo: I’m most proud of the songs, like Freedom and Glory, we incorporated because they all have a relevance to what the play is about.
Alejandro: The most challenging part of the play for me I think was speaking too quiet. Because you have to fill up a whole auditorium filled with one HUNDRED people with just your voice. Many people had the same problem but I’ve definitely improved in that category.
Harley: Surprisingly, the play has been really fun….I am most proud of how much all of the groups have accomplished in such a short amount of time, and how much effort we have put into making the play possible, and how much time we have put into it.
Theo: The most surprising part of doing the play is how we can put together a team to create it because at first, we weren’t that good.
Macy: The most surprising part of the play is when it all came together we finally got the hang of transitioning and getting in the right spots. It was amazing how it came together at the end. This will be a great example of working together to make something so big. “When we work together we can make change.” – The 4th grade. I think this quote is what the play is teaching people.
Cece: The most challenging thing so far for me is being ready staying focused and talking as loud as I can so even the people controlling the lights can hear me. The most surprising thing for me is how the play has so many different topics and fits together perfectly. I am most proud of how hard everyone is working to make this play amazing. Everyone has such a big part in the play that without them it wouldn’t be this amazing.
Sarah: The most surprising part of the process is that we, 4th Graders in the Spring, had a little time and made a great play. It was hard, but we did it. We only had a couple of rehearsals! I’m the most proud that even though it’s Spring, close to Summer and getting warmer, we didn’t get distracted, so we’ll have a great performance!
A Poem by Hanako
Lights, Camera, Action!
We walk through the humid city
Concrete and metal surrounding us like we are trapped in a great cage
We get to the High School and are blasted with cold air
Like when a bird takes flight and they feel it in their wings
We enter the auditorium
Class by class
We get the cardboard boxes
And get in formation like soldiers waiting for a fight
The song swops over us
Like a songbird
With The breeze carrying it along
We start to march
Up to the stage and we place our blocks
Making a semicircle around the newly formed wall
We practice our imagination coming to life on stage
Split screen of the past and present, DACA protesters, Colin Kaepernick, the Children’s March, the Walkout
The future scene!
Suddenly it’s the end of the play
Relief floods my body like I jump into a nice cool swimming pool
Lunch!
Out in the sunny courtyard
I see my mom through the window
I run and say hi
End of lunch
We head back inside
AGAIN?!?!?!?