Culminating Activity

Celebrating With A Play

            A culminating activity is a wonderful way to bring closure to a curriculum unit as it provides students with the opportunity to celebrate and showcase what they have learned throughout the duration of the unit.  When developing a culminating activity, it is important to keep in mind the outcomes and lesson activities that have been the focus throughout the curriculum unit.  For our culminating activity we have chosen to perform a play for the storybook “The Shy Little Crab” which was used for one of our previous lessons.  We would invite the parents into our classroom to watch the play, and afterwards there would be a small get-together where the parents would be given the opportunity to view the children’s work which has been displayed around the classroom as well as enjoy some under the sea treats. 

            In order for this activity to be successful for the students, there are special arrangements that must be organized prior to the final class.  This would include assigning specific roles to the children, for example, Curtis the Crab, Oliver the Octopus, Sully the Seahorse, and Fiona the Fish.  Students who are not comfortable with speaking roles will be assigned roles such as the treasure chest, sea grass, or the sea ship.  The teacher would also provide costumes or any props needed for the play.  Finally, as a class we would practice the play several times until the class feels comfortable enough to perform it in front of the parents/guardians.  For the get-together we would send home a letter to parents asking that they provide snacks preferably related to our Under the Sea theme such as Swedish fish candy or cupcakes that are decorated specifically to fit our theme.  We would also outline any allergies on our letter.

            On the day of the performance, the teacher will re-read “The Shy Little Crab” one last time to help students remember their specific roles and how the performance will go.  We would then go over the rules and directions for the performance so that the children are prepared to do their best.  After the play in finished they will be presented with an “award of participation” to ensure that each child feels a sense of accomplishment.  Once they have received their certificates, they are free to mingle with their friends and parents inside the classroom.  They would be able to show their parents their individual work displayed on the wall and enjoy some treats while doing so.  Finally, before they leave to go home, it is important to congratulate them on their performance and thank them for participating.

            To conclude, we chose this activity because we feel that it is highly student-centred.  It allows each and every student in the classroom to participate while it also focuses on several strands of the Language Arts curriculum; it incorporates speaking, listening, reading (their part), and visual representation.  It also teaches the children the importance of working together in cooperative groups and to achieve a goal as a group.  While maintaining the students’ interest and motivation through active learning, this activity coincides with the curriculum unit on Under the Sea and the provincial curriculum outcomes prescribed for Kindergarten English Language Arts.