We've Got A Big, Big Show
I know it seems that I say this every year, but it's hard to believe that before I know it, another school year will have ended. This year marks the first year that I am going to be truly sad to see a group of children (with the exception of one) go.
As anyone who has been reading this blog for awhile knows though, another year isn't over until the fat lady third grade sings. This is because every spring, the third grade puts on a grade level show. It's not something that just the third grade does or has to do during spring. It's just that collectively, with preparing for the NJ ASK, the third grade teachers prefer putting it off until then. In fact, if you ask us, we'd put it off altogether, but that's neither here nor there.
This year marks my third year having to put a grade level show together. I panicked my first year, not knowing what to expect. The theme that was chosen was Disney. Neither I, nor my students, were too thrilled with the theme. They thought it was pretty babyish and I actually agreed. Still we all made the best of the situation. I took the words to The Lion King's I Just Can't Wait To Be King and made it We Just Can't Wait To Be Kings...as in kings and queens of the school, since they were heading off to fourth grade. You can read more about that year's show here and here.
With my first year show under my belt, you think I would have felt more relief going in to my second year, but I didn't. This was due to a few factors. For one thing, my class last year was more like America's Most Wanted than the most wanted class. Getting them to sit in their seats and not kill each other was accomplishment enough, much less getting them to memorize a routine and perform it, well. Last year's theme was another one that simply did not thrill me. It was Magic School Bus. So I chose the book, Magic School Bus Explores the Senses and put on a twelve minute, sense oriented extravaganza that only the likes of a long winded Meatloaf could be proud of. My class last year didn't do a lot of things well, but when it came to the show, amazingly, they did. You can read all about that show, too.
After having two successfully produced shows in a row the opposite begins to happen. Other teachers begin to expect a certain standard from you, based on your track record. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when the grade decided to use the theme, Leaping Into Literature. Basically anything that relates to literature was game. Any kind of genre. A particular book. A play, etc. In other words, another theme I wasn't so crazy about.
Now here's my take on third grade performances. Third graders are just not loud enough when you want them to be, mainly on stage. They don't know how to project, speak with inflection and many times, get stage fright when trying to. So to assume they were going to be be able to act out anything and be heard, is in my opinion, ridiculous. Then, of course, you have to take into account the audience which by and large in an elementary school setting is comprised of students that are even younger than they are. If you want a true opinion on how your show is going over just ask a kindergartener. Better yet, watch them. Their listlessness well tell you all you need to know.
So my secret ingredient, to any show I "produce" is to include music whenever humanly possible. Not only does it keep the kids in the show interested, it gets the people at the show interested. It also keeps me interested. If I'm bored rehearsing it, chances are people will be bored watching it. But this year proved a big challenge- how could I stay true to the show's theme of literature and still include music? I thought about it for months and months with nothing too exciting coming to mind.
And then it hit me. I was listening to my MP3 player on the way home from school a few weeks ago and on came the song Beat It by Michael Jackson. All of a sudden, I had this crazy vision of splitting my class up into two "groups", the fictions vs. the non-fictions, sort of like they were in the video. They could wear different types of t-shirts or hats and all of them would carry a book in their hand, be it a fiction book or a non-fiction book, depending on which group they were in. They would be singing to each other in the beginning because they each think they are each other's worst enemy, until they realize people should just read, period. Obviously nothing is set in stone at this point though. Are you with me so far?
In order to pull this off though I would have to do two very important things: first I would need to rewrite the lyrics. Second, I would have to find an instrumental version of the song in order for them to sing the new lyrics over. Once I was able to do both of those things, I figured it was a sign I was meant to do this for my show. Music? Check. Random connection to the theme? Done. Just kooky enough to pull it off? That remains to be seen.
So, out of Beat It I give you...
Just Read It! (Sung to the tune of Beat It)
Non-fiction
They told us don't you ever come around here.
Don't wanna read your type you better disappear.
But we list a lot of facts and our words are really clear.
Just read it! Just read it!
Fiction
We tell you stories and and we have a plan.
Characters, setting, plot and a solu-tion.
Your words are so tough, with us you understand.
Just read it!
Everyone: Why are we getting so mad?
Chorus (everyone)
Just read it! Read it!
No way you can beat it, beat it!
Struggle through reading, that you just might.
Not if you read a bit every night.
Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! Just read it!
HUH!
Non-fiction
We let you travel to exotic lands.
Italy, Mexico, France and even to Japan.
Once you hang with us then you'll be a fan. Just read it! Just read it!
Fiction
Sometimes we make you laugh or make you feel scared.
You will make connections so just be prepared.
Entertain you and excite you, it is all there- just read it!
Everyone: Why are we getting so mad?
Chorus (everyone)
Just read it! Read it!
No way you can beat it, beat it!
Struggle through reading, that you just might.
Not if you read a bit every night.
Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! (repeated)
All is subject to change at a moment's notice, but that's the direction things seem to be headed in so far. After spring break comes the hard part, introducing the kids to the plan and practicing it all. We've got a little over a month to pull it off. Think we can do it? Stay tuned!
As anyone who has been reading this blog for awhile knows though, another year isn't over until the
This year marks my third year having to put a grade level show together. I panicked my first year, not knowing what to expect. The theme that was chosen was Disney. Neither I, nor my students, were too thrilled with the theme. They thought it was pretty babyish and I actually agreed. Still we all made the best of the situation. I took the words to The Lion King's I Just Can't Wait To Be King and made it We Just Can't Wait To Be Kings...as in kings and queens of the school, since they were heading off to fourth grade. You can read more about that year's show here and here.
With my first year show under my belt, you think I would have felt more relief going in to my second year, but I didn't. This was due to a few factors. For one thing, my class last year was more like America's Most Wanted than the most wanted class. Getting them to sit in their seats and not kill each other was accomplishment enough, much less getting them to memorize a routine and perform it, well. Last year's theme was another one that simply did not thrill me. It was Magic School Bus. So I chose the book, Magic School Bus Explores the Senses and put on a twelve minute, sense oriented extravaganza that only the likes of a long winded Meatloaf could be proud of. My class last year didn't do a lot of things well, but when it came to the show, amazingly, they did. You can read all about that show, too.
After having two successfully produced shows in a row the opposite begins to happen. Other teachers begin to expect a certain standard from you, based on your track record. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when the grade decided to use the theme, Leaping Into Literature. Basically anything that relates to literature was game. Any kind of genre. A particular book. A play, etc. In other words, another theme I wasn't so crazy about.
Now here's my take on third grade performances. Third graders are just not loud enough when you want them to be, mainly on stage. They don't know how to project, speak with inflection and many times, get stage fright when trying to. So to assume they were going to be be able to act out anything and be heard, is in my opinion, ridiculous. Then, of course, you have to take into account the audience which by and large in an elementary school setting is comprised of students that are even younger than they are. If you want a true opinion on how your show is going over just ask a kindergartener. Better yet, watch them. Their listlessness well tell you all you need to know.
So my secret ingredient, to any show I "produce" is to include music whenever humanly possible. Not only does it keep the kids in the show interested, it gets the people at the show interested. It also keeps me interested. If I'm bored rehearsing it, chances are people will be bored watching it. But this year proved a big challenge- how could I stay true to the show's theme of literature and still include music? I thought about it for months and months with nothing too exciting coming to mind.
And then it hit me. I was listening to my MP3 player on the way home from school a few weeks ago and on came the song Beat It by Michael Jackson. All of a sudden, I had this crazy vision of splitting my class up into two "groups", the fictions vs. the non-fictions, sort of like they were in the video. They could wear different types of t-shirts or hats and all of them would carry a book in their hand, be it a fiction book or a non-fiction book, depending on which group they were in. They would be singing to each other in the beginning because they each think they are each other's worst enemy, until they realize people should just read, period. Obviously nothing is set in stone at this point though. Are you with me so far?
In order to pull this off though I would have to do two very important things: first I would need to rewrite the lyrics. Second, I would have to find an instrumental version of the song in order for them to sing the new lyrics over. Once I was able to do both of those things, I figured it was a sign I was meant to do this for my show. Music? Check. Random connection to the theme? Done. Just kooky enough to pull it off? That remains to be seen.
So, out of Beat It I give you...
Just Read It! (Sung to the tune of Beat It)
Non-fiction
They told us don't you ever come around here.
Don't wanna read your type you better disappear.
But we list a lot of facts and our words are really clear.
Just read it! Just read it!
Fiction
We tell you stories and and we have a plan.
Characters, setting, plot and a solu-tion.
Your words are so tough, with us you understand.
Just read it!
Everyone: Why are we getting so mad?
Chorus (everyone)
Just read it! Read it!
No way you can beat it, beat it!
Struggle through reading, that you just might.
Not if you read a bit every night.
Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! Just read it!
HUH!
Non-fiction
We let you travel to exotic lands.
Italy, Mexico, France and even to Japan.
Once you hang with us then you'll be a fan. Just read it! Just read it!
Fiction
Sometimes we make you laugh or make you feel scared.
You will make connections so just be prepared.
Entertain you and excite you, it is all there- just read it!
Everyone: Why are we getting so mad?
Chorus (everyone)
Just read it! Read it!
No way you can beat it, beat it!
Struggle through reading, that you just might.
Not if you read a bit every night.
Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! Just read it! (repeated)
All is subject to change at a moment's notice, but that's the direction things seem to be headed in so far. After spring break comes the hard part, introducing the kids to the plan and practicing it all. We've got a little over a month to pull it off. Think we can do it? Stay tuned!
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