The Squiggle
Last week, I ordered the book The Squiggle by Carole Lexa Schaefer. This book is about a little girl that finds a piece of string on a walk and her imagination transforms that string into many different things!
I have a plan to use this book with my 2nd or 3rd graders in a “use your imagination, explore your voice, explore your space” kinda lesson. I want to use this book with How to Speak Moo, as well. I would start with How to Speak Moo and the go to drawing squiggles on the board and having the students follow the squiggle with their voices. Then I would have students come draw their squiggles and lead the class in following theirs. Then we would discuss various ways we can explore those squiggles (body parts, backwards, faster, slower, loud soft).
Next, I would read to them The Squiggle, to get their imaginations going about what different squiggles can look like and represent in their imagination. Then each child will receive a string/piece of yarn (their own squiggle-maker!) and will be given time to experiment with different squiggles and come up with the one they like best. After they have their favorite squiggle, they will explore it with the different ways we discussed previously.
I will probably run out of time by then because we do “Rockin’ Rhythm Raps” during the first part of class. So I will ask them to remember their squiggle for next week. When they return, in “self-space”, they will draw their squiggle on a piece of paper and practice a couple more times. Then we will rotate to other squiggles and take 30 seconds exploring other student’s squiggles. Then move onto another voice exploration that was to do with the painting “Starry Night” and another book, that I will write about in another post.
Hopefully, because everyone is engaged in their own squiggle-exploring, there will be little self-consciousness. Of course, since this is the first time the students have encountered an activity like this, they may be a little unsure. Also, I have seen and participated in something like this at a Dalcroze movement orientated workshop, but have never been the facilitator of a lesson like this. So, I really don’t know what to expect. but I love to try new things and this is one I’m interested in.
- Another element I may add is scarves or ties. Students will use scarves or ties when exploring the squiggles with their bodies. This will allow them to be focused on an object instead of what others are thinking and whether or not they’re watching.
Please let me know if you are interested in this lesson plan, I’d be happy to post it. Also, let me know if you’ve tried something like this and whether or not it’s been successful. Thank you!