ON YOUR FEET!Action Strategies

to Engage Students.

By: Sherry Bielenberg

and Laurie Lamb

Remsen Union Schools

Starting the Fire: Motivating Readers

• Getting students ready to make life connections to the material

• Start the fire by bringing story concepts to life

• Students need to be able to put themselves into the story as a character or observer

ENACTMENT

…creating situations in which we “imagine to learn”

*Not theatre, do not require props, do not require stages,

do not require rehearsals, do not require acting skills.

The Benefits

of Enactment Strategies

Enactments Make Reading a Transformative

Experience

Enactments Can Be Used Flexibly

Enactments Assist Students Before, During,

and After

Reading

Enactments Harness the Power of the Social Nature

of Learning

Enactments Invite Students to Think and

Imagine

Enactments Are Motivating

Enactments Help Students Achieve a State of “Flow”

Let’s do one!Introduction of rivalry as a

theme…

How’d we do?

1. Praise, Question, Polish2. What? So What? Now

what?3. Personal Contributions

Chapter 1

Show Me, Help Me, Let Me: Assisting Readers to Higher Levels of Comprehension

Chapter 1• Set ground rules. • Find roles for everyone(observer,

witness, reporter, recorder)• Play is the most natural for of

learning. In play the student is always a head taller than himself (Vygotsky, 1978).

• Facilitate learning by engaging in a role. (Include Yourself)

Chapter 2

Making the Connection: Enactments to Use Before

Reading

Chapter 2

• Framing the Enactment– Where are you going?– What do you want students to learn?– Where do you want student to end

up?– How are you going to get them there?

FrontloadingBuilding Prior Knowledge

• Trigger Letters• Response to pictures• Precious objects• Presents• Story about an

object• Maps• Value cards• Fate Cards• Manifesto/Creed

• Character Quotations• Tea Party• Wishing/bestowing/

bequeathing• Oath taking• Gauntlets• Rumors/gossip

predictions• Simulations

Chapter 3

Getting in Role: Reading and Learning from

Various Points of View

Role Player “Gut Check” What is my role? With whom am I role playing? What problem or tension are we involved in? What do I know from the text/s we’ve read that will

inform how I will respond during the role play? What do we need to achieve and be able to report

out on? Will I start the role play? If so, how will I get it

started? How will I prompt or help my partner if he or she

has trouble getting started?

Role Play Ideas• Telegram/Cell phone message• Illustrator/Photographer• Questioning Reporters/Police• Detective/ Accountant• Problem Solving: Dear Abby/Commentator• Predicting: Fortune-Teller/ Prophet• Analyzing: Expert Analyst• Digging Deeper: Drama Diva• Stranger in a role• Character Walks• Freeze and Go

Chapter 4

Sitting in the Hotseat: Deepening Understanding of

Characters and Concepts

Benefits of Hotseating

• Helps students get to know characters deeply or understand differing perspectives on issues.

• Aids inferential and analytical thinking• Allows exploration of real issues and

allows safety of being a role• Offers opportunities to work on public

speaking, interviewing, questioning, and other discussion skills

Helpful Hotseat

• Use a planning guide for student to generate question (QAR)

• Model• Use whole group as lifeline or brain

(student in the hotseat may consult the brain)

•Reflect Don’t Correct

Hot Seat Ideas

• Character• Author• Real life figure• A group representative• An idea(democracy)• A force(electrical

charge)• Math concept( density)• Inner Self

• Voice from the past (Ghosts, whisper, prequels)

• Good Angel/Bad Angel (Groups of Angels)

• Tunnel of Advice• Response Montage• Inside/Outside• Mantle of the Stranger

Chapter 5

Mantle of the Expert: Learning to Read Deeply Enough to Gain Expertise

*To wear the mantle (the cloak) of another, to step into another’s

shoes.

Mantle of the Expert Notes

• Ideal for Non-Fiction• Gaining, applying, using, and

sharing knowledge• Infuses facts with feelings• Use specific kinds of knowledge

and jargon the in role/topic specific

Mantle of the Expert Ideas• Filmmaker/producer• Historian• Economists• Meteorologists• Police officer• Guidance Counselor• Psychologist• Biologist/Naturalist• Parent• Teen• Family member• Tribal leader• MTV Video Producer• Museum Designer

• Picture Analysis• Health official• Researcher• Theme Park Designer• Travel Agent• Doctor/nurse• Lawyer• Archaeologist• Reporter• Project manager• Engineer• Children• Website/PPT designer• Judge

Chapter 6

Tableaux: Visualizing Meaning Through

Image and Gesture

Tableaux Definition

• Makes use of body/bodies in a frozen scene that captures physical, psychological, or emotional relationships.

• Can be done through drawings, collages, and fine art media

• Use for vocabulary, mental models, or theme or ideas

Tableaux Ideas/Examples

• A statue• Flag at half

mast• Thumbs up• Clutched fist• Peace sign• Story boards• Missing Scene• Multiple ending

• Comic strip• Slide show• Picture book• Sequel• After the show• Talking Portrait• Tapping in• Machine

Chapter 7

Reenactments and Interventions:

Playing to Deepen Understanding of How Texts

Work

Reenactment Ideas

• Telling tales• Guided imagery• Mime• Scene writing• Our Town• Analogy• Mental Modeling

• Pre-enactments• Video Newscast• Headlining/Lead

Writing• Magic Schoolbus• Forums• A Day in the Life• Dance/Movement

Intervention Ideas

• Recasting/Reframing• What if?• Interrupted Action• slow motion• fast forward• Alternate endings• Intensifier• Temptations/Tension

• Two-sided story• Game Show• The Rest of the Story• Tunnel of Time• Third Rock from the

Sun• Past/Present/Future• MTV Videos• Debates/Trials

Chapter 8

Writing in Role: Radio Shows, Voice Collage, Memory Circles, and Other Correspondence Activities

Role Writing Ideas• Phone call/phone tree• Brochures• Political platform• Protest Manifestos• Songs/anthems/Videos• Horoscopes• Movie Casting• Play by play• Magazine Profile/Personals

• Secret messages• Myth/legend

• Formal letter• Business letter• Informal letter• Thank-you letter• Letter of Complaint• Postcard• Advertisement• PSA• Memorandum• Business Contract• Invitation

Chapter 9

Discussion Dramas: Rehearsing and Developing Our

Thinking

Notes• Real Talk• Defending your

position• Using what you

learned• Listening to others• Trying things out• Considering• Trial and Error• It’s NOT “Guess what

the teacher already knows”

Discussion Drama Ideas• Pose a Provocative

Question• Invite Brainstorming• Students choose role• Frame the enactment• Play radio host• Challenge callers• Choral Montage

(Intro w/note exchange)

• Voice Collage• Stimulating

statements

• Fold overs/match ups• Continuum Plus• TV coverage• Talk show• Quiz show• Trading rumors• Memory circle• Walkarounds• Forum• Guided Imagery• Four Corners

The Benefits

of Enactment Strategies

Enactments Make Reading a Transformative

Experience

Enactments Can Be Used Flexibly

Enactments Assist Students Before, During,

and After

Reading

Enactments Harness the Power of the Social

Nature of Learning

Enactments Invite Students to Think and

Imagine

Enactments Are Motivating

Enactments Help Students Achieve a State of “Flow”

Action Strategies for Deepening

Comprehension

Dr. Jeffrey WilhelmScholastic ISBN: 0-439-21857-8