Authors We Love For Arts Integration: Leo Lionni
Sometimes a simple storybook can provide lots of opportunities for arts integration across content areas!
I was introduced to the magic of Leo Lionni as a graduate student, earning a Master of Education degree in Theatre Arts. One of the things that drew me into his magical worlds, was the real-life problems his characters faced. In Pezzetino, Pezzetino (the “little piece”) seeks to find a place to belong. Frederick, who is viewed as lazy by his peers as they prepare for winter, surprises them with his unique gifts as they settle in to wait for spring. Swimmy becomes a brave leader to keep his fellow fish out of danger, and Tillie, in Tillie and the Wall, problem-solves her way into discovering what’s beyond her own community.
These are universal themes that both younger and older students can relate to, giving us teachers a wonderful touchpoint to not only integrate art and content in our lessons but to touch on some social-emotional learning skills as well.
Here are two lessons centered around Leo Lionni’s storybooks that can be adapted into any lower school classroom.
How Far is My Sound? - Inch by Inch
Standards Addressed
(Math) MGSE1.MD.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps.
(Drama) TA1.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
a. Use voice to communicate ideas and emotions.
c. Cooperate in theatre experiences.
d. Assume roles in a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. narrated story, pantomime, puppetry, dramatic play).
Teacher Preparation
Teacher should have read Inch by Inch to the class, and have “inch worms” handy for each pair of students. This is also a good lesson to do outside, or in a large space, like a gym or auditorium.
Student Preparation
Students should have an understanding of simple units of measurement and how we use tools to measure length. Students should also be aware of how we use our voices to communicate. Projection means we are using our voice at a volume that everyone can hear. Articulation means we are speaking clearly so everyone can understand our words.
Instruction
Introduce the lesson.
Today we’ll be working in pairs to measure how far our voices can travel using our inchworms. Students will pick a favorite line from a book or movie (or if your students struggle with their own ideas, you can have lines ready for them to pull out of a hat). Let students know that one partner will use projection and articulation and their partner will measure how far their voice travels (i.e. when they can no longer hear the words clearly). Students will record the voice measurement in inches, and then partners will switch places. Remind students of boundaries and expectations before moving on.
Prompt students to think about why voice is important when communicating.
This is a good opportunity to introduce the art vocabulary in this lesson - projection and articulation. Why are they important when using our voices to communicate? What kind of people would need to use these techniques a lot when speaking? Today you’re going to practice.
Pair students.
While they’re seated, pair the students in groups of two. Assign each student an “A” or “B” designation. It’s best to pair students sitting near each other, but if you need to pair students that are away from each other, make sure they know who they’re working with but don’t have them move until all of the students have been paired. Students who are A’s will be the first speaker and students who are B’s will be the first inchworm. If you have an odd number, create a three-person (A/B/C) group, and have one member rotate out on each turn. You can also have a student work with you, or another adult in the classroom.
Now, it’s time to play!
Have students stand in opposite spaces in the room, and have the A’s say their lines three times. B’s should record measurement data for each time A says their lines. Then, have the B’s say their lines, with A’s recording measurement data. Remind students that they can start closer together and move further away as their voices become more comfortable projecting and articulating.
Reflect
Allow students time to reflect on the experience of the lesson. Ask them the following questions:
Think like a mathematician: Why is measurement important? What are some other things we would measure in inches? Why did we record data for each line reading?
Think like an actor: Why would an actor need to know how far their voice travels? Why are articulation and projection important tools for an actor’s voice?
Think like a teammate: How did it feel trying to make yourself heard with so many other voices talking around you? Would it be easier or harder for you to speak if the room were quiet?
Having students think about the activity in different ways helps their learning stick.
Devising a Poem - Frederick
Standards Addressed
(ELA) ELAGSE1W5: With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
a. May include oral or written prewriting (graphic organizers).
(ELA) ELAGSE1W6: With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of tools to produce and publish writing, including digital tools and collaboration with peers.
(Drama) TA1.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
a. Use voice to communicate ideas and emotions.
c. Cooperate in theatre experiences.
d. Assume roles in a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. narrated story, pantomime, puppetry, dramatic play).
Teacher Preparation
Teacher should have read Frederick to the class, and have index cards, pencils, and “word-collection bucket” ready.
Student Preparation
Students should have an understanding of basic poetry and how we can use rhyming words as part of our poems. Students should also be aware of how we use our voices to communicate. Projection means we are using our voice at a volume that everyone can hear. Articulation means we are speaking clearly so everyone can understand our words. Tone of voice means using our speech to give a certain attitude or mood to the story.
Instruction
Introduce the lesson.
Today, we’re going to use rhyming words to write a poem just as Frederick did in his story.
Pass index cards out to every student, and instruct them to use their imaginations to write two words that rhyme on their card. Prompt them to keep their words simple if you need to, or challenge them to think of unique rhyming words if they’re ready to take a step up.
Once everyone has written their words, collect each card in the bucket and redistribute them to the class.
Prompt students to think about using the rhyming words on their cards to tell a story in poetry form.
You might want to have an example on the board of how many lines you’d like your students to write (maybe it’s just two or four), or in what poetic format (a limerick or a haiku, perhaps). You should adapt this up or down to your student’s ability as needed.
Using that as a guideline, your students should use their words to inspire their own poems. They could include new words that rhyme with their given words, or you could instruct students simply to use the given words in the poem without having them rhyme in rhythm (if their goal is to write something like a haiku, for example).
Time to write!
Give students time to write. Remind them that the goal is to not think about it too much, but to get something on the page. I recommend about twenty minutes for this part of the lesson. The teacher should float and give assistance to students as needed.
Pair students up.
Have students turn and talk to a neighbor. Each should share their poem aloud to their partner, using projection, articulation, and tone to convey the message and mood of their poem. Give students about ten minutes to share with their partners.
Reflect
Allow students time to reflect on the experience of the lesson. Ask them the following questions:
Think like a writer: Was it difficult to incorporate your words into the poem? Did your words help to spark new ideas? Why is poetry an important form of writing for our culture?
Think like an actor: Why are articulation and projection important tools for an actor’s voice? Did your tone of voice change as you were speaking your poem for the listener? If so, why? How did you change your voice to suit the mood of the poem?
Think like a teammate: How did it feel to share your poem with another person? Did listening to your partner’s poem give you any new ideas?
These are just a few arts-integrated lessons that are possible when using Leo Lionni’s stories as a starting point. We encourage you to check out his entire library for excellent stories that promote problem-solving, empathy, teamwork, and leadership. His work easily integrates our core standards with social-emotional and arts-based learning.
If you’d like to learn more about lessons like these and how the PAIR Program can support your school, give us a call at (706) 324-1100!
