tep-546-2011. Web viewIt will teach students about why people came to the Gold Rush, where they came from, who these different people were, and what life was like for them

Day 10: Culminating Activity: School Play: Gold Dust or Bust

Social Studies/Drama/Music

Social Studies Standards:

2. Explain how the Gold Rush transformed the economy of California, including the types of products produced and consumed, changes in towns (e.g., Sacramento, San Francisco), and economic conflicts between diverse groups of people.

3. Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physi cal environment (e.g., using biographies of John Sutter, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, Louise Clapp).

4. Describe rapid American immigration, internal migration, settlement, and the growth of towns and cities (e.g., Los Angeles).

Performing Arts Standards:

4.3 Describe ways in which a dancer effectively communicates ideas and moods (strong technique, projection, and expression).

4.4 List the expectations the audience has for a performer and vice versa.

Objectives:

Students will learn about different aspects of the Gold Rush by doing a play that incorporates drama, music, and motions.

Materials:

Copies of the Play for each student

CD’s for each student to practice songs at home

Costumes

Props

Microphone

30 minutes of practice time a day

Summary of Activity:

Students will be doing a school play about the Gold Rush entitled Gold Rush or Bust. This play tells the story of how gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, how word rapidly spread about the discovery, and how Gold Fever took over. It then describes who came to the Gold rush and how they came to the Gold Rush. The play ends with the song Eureka, which tells how they have found the golden state.

Students will practice 30 minutes at the end of each school day. At the end of the unit parents, teachers, and students will be invited for an official performance.

Students will addition for the parts, and there will be a class vote in order to choose who will get the different parts in the play.

Each student will have a costume, a copy of the play with their highlighted part, and a CD with songs for them to practice at home.

The play will take place on stage in the multi purpose room. It will teach students about why people came to the Gold Rush, where they came from, who these different people were, and what life was like for them. Students will be acting out different parts and singing and moving to different songs that teach them about life in the Gold Rush.

Students will learn the importance of the audience as they act out parts in the school play and show different emotions during songs. They will effectively be learning standards based curriculum as they sing these songs and play these parts.

The Following are Pictures of Props for the School Play

The following are examples of words and songs from the school play Gold Dust or Bust.