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Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Old Capitol Building P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200

For more information about the contents of this document, please contact:

Anne Banks, The Arts Program Supervisor Phone: (360) 725-4966, TTY (360) 664-3631

OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at (360) 725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.

This work is licensed as a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike product by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. For more information on this license, please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/. Table of Contents

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 3 OSPI-DEVELOPED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS FOR THE ARTS Introduction To Washington educators who teach theatre: Welcome to one of our OSPI-developed performance assessments and this implementation and scoring guide. This document is part of the Washington assessment system at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The assessments have been developed by Washington State teachers and are designed to measure learning for selected components of the Washington State Learning Standards. They have been developed for students at the elementary and secondary levels. Teachers from across the state in small, medium, and large districts and in urban, suburban, and rural settings piloted these assessments in their classrooms. These assessments provide an opportunity for teachers to measure student skills; they can both help teachers determine if learning goals have been met, and influence how teachers organize their curricula. They also provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained. These assessments: Provide immediate information to teachers regarding how well their students have acquired the expected knowledge and skills in their subject areas. Inform future teaching practices. Provide resources that enable students to participate in measuring their achievements as part of the learning experience. Included in this document are: ▪ directions for administration ▪ assessment task ▪ scoring rubrics ▪ additional resources

Our hope is that this assessment will be used as an integral part of your instruction to advance our common goal of ensuring quality instruction for all students. If you have questions about these assessments or suggestions for improvements, please contact: Anne Banks, Program Supervisor, The Arts (360) 725-4966, [email protected] Theatre SO...WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? Grade 5

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 4 An OSPI-Developed Performance Assessment

Overview This document contains information essential to the administration of So...What’s Your Problem?, an OSPI-developed arts performance assessment for theatre (Grade 5). Prior to administration of this assessment, all students should have received instruction in the skills and concepts being assessed. Please read this information carefully before administering the performance assessment. This classroom-based performance assessment may be used in several ways: As an integral part of instruction. As a benchmark, interim, or summative assessment. As a culminating project. As an integral part of a unit of study. As a means of accumulating student learning data. As an individual student portfolio item.

Test Administration: Expectations The skills assessed by this task should be authentically incorporated into classroom instruction. This assessment task is to be administered in a safe, appropriately supervised classroom environment following district policy and procedures. All industry and district safety policies and standards should be followed in the preparation and administration of OSPI-developed performance assessments in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Accommodations based upon a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan may require additional modifications to this assessment. Additional modifications to the administration of this assessment may be required to accommodate cultural differences, diversity, and religious mores/rules.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 5 Description of the Performance Assessment Performance prompts ask each student to work with a partner to create and perform a scene based on the criteria outlined in the prompt. The teacher should record (film) the students’ performance both to document it and to facilitate scoring. Although the scene is performed with a partner, each student is assessed separately.

Learning Standards This assessment addresses Washington State Learning Standards for Theatre, including the GLEs from the Options for Implementing the Arts Standards through Theatre by Grade Level document. Remembers and understands how character, plot, setting, conflict, GLE 1.1.1 th dialogue, and theme are used in texts (scripts) and/or 5 Grade performances. Applies his/her understanding of given circumstances to create a GLE 1.2.1 th character’s facial expressions, gestures, body movements/stances, 5 Grade stage positions, and blocking in a performance.

Depending on how individual teachers build their lesson units, additional Washington State Learning Standards can be addressed.

Assessment Task Teacher’s Instructions to Students 1. Say: “Today you will take the Grade-5 Washington OSPI-developed arts performance assessment for theatre. This assessment is called So...What’s Your Problem?”

2. Provide the class with copies of the student’s section of the assessment (which may include the student’s task, response sheets, rubrics, templates, and glossary), along with any other required materials.

3. Tell the students that they may highlight and write on these materials during the assessment.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 6 4. Have the students read the directions to themselves as you read them aloud. We also encourage you to review the glossary and scoring rubrics with the students.

5. Answer any clarifying questions the students may have before you instruct them to begin.

6. If this assessment is used for reporting purposes, circle the scoring points on the first page of each student’s response sheets.

Accommodations Refer to the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan.

Student’s Task The following section contains these materials for students:  The student’s task: So...What’s Your Problem (Grade 5)  Assessment rubric  Response sheets

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 7 Student’s Task So...What’sSo...What’s YourYour Problem?Problem? As training for your peer mediation class, your teacher would like you to work with a partner (assigned by the teacher) to create an improvisational scene. In this scene, you must work to solve a problem: One person in the partnership must play the peer mediator, while the other plays a character involved in the conflict. You must establish a situation with a clear conflict and resolution. Your teacher also wants you to sustain a believable character. The teacher has told you that the best way to do this is to use clear and expressive movement and vocal skills, while concentrating on your character throughout the entire performance. You will perform your scene in front of another pair of partners, who will provide feedback. You will use their feedback to refine the performance. The teacher will record your final performance. If you are successful with your improvisation, you will be selected as a peer mediator for next year.

Your Task Create and rehearse your performance— The teacher explains that you must meet the following requirements when creating your improvisation:  Create dramatic structure by establishing a clearly defined conflict and resolution in your scene (for example, spreading gossip, cheating, or bullying); use movement and dialogue to convey the conflict and resolution.  Begin and end your performance with a three-second neutral pause to indicate a clear beginning and ending. You may end “off stage” or “off camera.”  Work cooperatively with your partner to create mutual understanding of the beginning, middle, and end of the performance, as well as of the conflict and resolution in your scene.  Maintain focus throughout the entire performance, staying in character the entire time.  After you create and rehearse your improvisational scene with your partner, perform the scene in front of another pair of partners (assigned by the teacher) and receive their feedback.  Use the feedback that you received to refine the scene and rehearse it again.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 8 Finally, you will perform the scene before the teacher, who will record it.

So...What’s Your Problem? 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point No Score C The student demonstrates a The student The student The student The student r thorough understanding of demonstrates an demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates movement by meeting all four of adequate partial minimal no e the following requirements: understanding of understanding of understanding understanding a Uses hand gestures movement by movement by of movement by of movement, t appropriately. meeting three of meeting two of meeting one of having met the four the four the four none of the four i Uses body movements requirements requirements requirements requirements n effectively. listed at left. listed at left. listed at left. listed at left. g Uses facial expressions clearly. Uses posture and stance ( accurately. M o v e m e n t )

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 9 C The student meets all four of the The student meets The student The student The student r following requirements, thereby three of the meets two of the meets one of meets one of demonstrating a thorough requirements requirements the the e understanding of how to create listed at left, listed at left, requirements requirements a story structure in an demonstrating an demonstrating a listed at left, listed at left, t improvisational scene: adequate partial demonstrating a demonstrating i Creates a clear beginning. understanding of understanding of minimal no how to create how to create understanding understanding n Creates a clear middle. story structure in story structure in of how to create of how to create g Creates a clear resolution (end). an improvisational an story structure story structure Includes a central conflict. scene. improvisational in an in an ( scene. improvisational improvisational S scene. scene. t o r y

S t r u c t u r e ) P The student uses acting skills to The student uses The student uses The student The student e sustain character with zero acting skills to acting skills to uses acting skills uses acting skills interruptions or lapses in the sustain character, sustain to sustain to sustain r performance. but has one character, but character, but character, but f interruption or has two has three has four or o lapse in the interruptions or interruptions or more r performance. lapses in the lapses in the interruptions or m performance. performance. lapses in the performance. i n g

Assessment Rubric

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 10 Response Sheets Student’s Name/ID# ______Grade Level ______

(circle number) Creating Score (movement) 4 3 2 1 NS Creating Score (story structure) 4 3 2 1 NS Performing Score 4 3 2 1 NS

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 11 Supporting Materials and Resources for Teachers

Preparation for Administering the Assessment

Tools & Materials Teachers will need the following materials and resources to administer this performance assessment: copies of the task, including the glossary of terms (one set for each student) one pencil per student a list of specific, possible conflicts for students to resolve a marked performance space an audio/video recording device

Guidelines This assessment is an individual performance: Although the students will perform their scenes with partners, you should assess each student’s performance individually. Copy the student’s task and glossary of terms. Make one set of copies for each student. Props and costumes should not be used in this assessment. Chairs may be used as “sitting devices.” You should assign to each student a partner with whom to create and perform the scene. You should assign to each pair of partners another pair of partners who will watch the performance and provide feedback to the performers. Create and provide a list of specific, possible conflicts for students to resolve (such as spreading gossip, cheating, bullying others, and so on). Record the final performance of each pair of students. . Recording setup must be in a defined space where the performers can be seen at all times. The camera should be placed so as to record the scene from the audience’s perspective.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 12 . Students should be prompted to state their names/numbers and current grade levels into the recording device before they begin performing.  Coach the students to face the audience while performing. (The performers’ faces must be seen so that facial expression can be assessed.) Each performer must include a three-second neutral pause at the beginning and ending of his/her performance to indicate a clear start and a clear ending. The student may end off stage or off camera. When you are administering the assessment, students may ask questions to clarify the process. You should encourage students to ask questions at any time throughout the administration of the assessment.

Recommendations for Time Management Students may have as much time as they need to complete the task. The timeframes suggested here are meant only as a guide, and you may shorten or lengthen them to suit the individual circumstances of the class and students. The following is a two-day suggested timeframe:

DAY 1 15 minutes: The teacher provides the class with the task and reads it aloud. The students may ask questions. The teacher answers questions. 15 minutes: The students create and rehearse their improvisational scenes. 15 minutes: Each pair of partners performs the improvisation for another pair of partners (assigned by the teacher); the partners who watch the performance offer feedback.

DAY 2 15 minutes: The partners refine and rehearse their performances, incorporating the feedback that they received. 30 minutes: The students perform their improvisational scenes for the teacher and are recorded.

All students who remain productively engaged in the task should be allowed to finish their work. In some cases, a few students may require considerably more time to complete the task than most students; therefore, you may wish to move these students to a new location to finish. In other cases, the teacher’s knowledge of some

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 13 students’ work habits or special needs may suggest that students who work very slowly should be tested separately or grouped with similar students for the test.

Glossary acting skills—the use of voice, movement, improvisation, and characterization. action—events within the play that move the plot along. aesthetics—an idea of what is beautiful or artistic; a set of criteria for judging something to be beautiful or artistic. articulation—the use of all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis)to deliver speech or language clearly. audition—a tryout for a theatrical role. balance—the arrangement of design elements and actors to create visual stability on stage. blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage. business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and make-up to strengthen the personality of a character that the actor is portraying. character—a person, animal, or thing in a scene, story, or play. character development—creating from a text a character who uses tactics to overcome obstacles to achieve objectives; portraying this character by choosing physical actions, vocal qualities, and believable emotions that are sustained throughout the performance conflict—a struggle between two or more opposing forces, events, ideas, or characters in a scene or play. costumes—the clothing an actor wears to create a character. creative dramatics—a teacher-led dramatic enactment of story, setting, and/or characters; an experiential process-based activity, not a performance for an audience. The teacher may assume a role. cue—1. a signal for a performer or technician to perform an action or say a line; 2. a signal from a side-coach to perform an action or say a line. design—a purposeful plan for the spectacle of a play (such as costumes, set, props, lighting, sound) based on an overall concept.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 14 design concept—the overall visual theme for a combined theatrical design in which features such as lights, sets, costumes, make-up, props, and sound work together to tell the story. A design concept is a visual way of expressing how the technical elements will illuminate the central theme of the play. dialogue—a conversation between two characters in a theatrical performance. diaphragmatic breathing—using the diaphragm muscle to support the breath. diction—choice and use of words. drama—a literary composition (a play) intended for a performance before an audience. dramatic structure—the composition of a theatrical work (such as a play, scene, or improvisation) that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution. elements of theatre—setting, character, conflict, dialogue, plot, and theme. ensemble—a group of actors working together cooperatively and responsibly to achieve the group’s goal by means of problem solving and creativity. enunciation—saying the vowels and consonants correctly. event—something that happens at a certain place and time. expression—the way the character says words to convey meaning and emotion. facial expression—movements of the face that show feelings or ideas focus—1. the intended point of interest on stage; 2. the actor’s ability to concentrate and keep attention fixed on the matter at hand. genre—a type or category of theatrical work that is defined by a particular style, form, or set of characteristics and is often associated with a specific historical period or culture. given circumstance—in the text of a play, the information that the playwright gives concerning character, setting, and relationships. haiku—an unrhymed Japanese verse that consists of three lines, the first containing five syllables, the second containing seven syllables, and the third containing five syllables. improvisation—a spontaneous performance during which the actors establish a story (including objectives, setting, character, and relationships) with minimal preparation.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 15 improvisational blocking—refusing/denying/ignoring/rejecting an offering. improvisational theatre—a structured, yet non-scripted scene or play. inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion. levels—1. the placement of an object or person on the stage from upstage to downstage; 2. the vertical height of an actor or set piece from the stage floor. lighting—using a variety of instruments to illuminate both the actors and sets on stage. make-up—cosmetics applied to the face and body to enhance character. mime—to act out a movement or the use of an object without words or props (totally silent). monologue—a speech within a play delivered by a single actor alone on stage. movement—physical action used to establish meaning and emotion to create character, including: blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage. business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and make- up to strengthen characterization. facial expression—movements of the face that show emotions and/or ideas. gestures—movement of a body part (arm, leg, hand, etc.) which is used to communicate. posture/stance—the position of the limbs and the carriage of the body as a whole that communicate character. whole-body movements—locomotive and non-locomotive uses of the body that communicate character. nursery rhyme—a short song or poem for young children. objective—the character’s wants, needs, and desires. obstacle—what stands in the way of the character achieving his/her objectives. offering (offer)—a suggestion (conveyed verbally or by means of movement) that is given by one actor to another to initiate or further an improvisation. open—maintaining a body position in which the character’s face/frontal body can be seen by the audience in a proscenium or thrust-stage setting.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 16 pantomime—conveying a story by use of expressive body and facial movements without speech, props, costumes, or sounds (instrumental music can be used as background). pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character. performance—a structured presentation of a theatrical work in front of an audience. phrasing—the use of punctuation, pause, and word- or phrase-emphasis to create meaning and emotion. play—a form of writing intended for live performance. plot—a storyline that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution of a conflict. production—a structured performance created and presented for an audience. props/properties—objects used by an actor on stage. projection/volume—the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience. pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word. rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion. readers’ theatre—an orchestrated reading that relies primarily on vocal characterization and does not include the elements of visual theatre (such as costuming, sets, or blocking). rehearsal—the period of time used to prepare a play for performance in front of an audience. resonance—fullness of voice created by vocal vibrations. scene—a subdivision of a play, characterized by a single situation or unit of dialogue. set—the on-stage space and its structures (scenery), within which the actors perform and that represent the setting of the play. setting—the time, place, and atmosphere in which the scene or play occurs.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 17 side-coaching—comments made by the teacher during an activity that affirm or correct students in the achievement of objectives, especially in creative dramatics. sound—the process of using music, audio effects, and reinforcement to enhance setting and mood. stage—the place where the actors perform. status—the importance (or lack thereof) of a character or object on the stage. subtext—an implied meaning or unspoken complication that generally runs concurrently with the main plot. sustainability—an actor’s sustained portrayal of a character—with no noticeable break or lapse—throughout a performance. stage geography—physical areas of the stage labeled center stage, down center, up center, stage right, stage left, up stage left, down stage left, up stage right, and down stage right. stage picture—a visual image created by using any combination of set, costume, props, lighting, and character placement. style—the distinctive characteristics or techniques of an individual artist, group, or period as seen in a work of theatre. tactics—the possible ways the character can overcome obstacles. technical design—the plan (based on an overall concept) for costumes, set, props, lighting, sound, make-up, and special effects in a production. text analysis (script)—the examination of the theatrical elements of a text to gain greater understanding both of the theme and of the character which the actor portrays. theatre (or theater)—1. the place where plays are presented to an audience; 2. the art of creating performances. theatre etiquette—appropriate behavior of audience, performers, or technicians in a variety of theatrical settings. theatre text (script)—any written text used as a script. theme—the central idea of a play. three-dimensional character (round)—a character that is developed emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 18 venue—a place where a performance is held. vocal placement—resonating the voice in different parts of the body, such as chest, head, nose, throat. voice—vocal qualities that are used to convey meaning and emotion in order to create character; these include: articulation—the clear delivery of speech or language utilizing all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis.) breath support—the use of the diaphragm in correct breathing. enunciation—saying vowels and consonants correctly. expression—the way the character delivers words to convey meaning and emotion. inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion. projection/volume— the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience. rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion. pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character. pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word. word emphasis—selection of the most important word or words in each phrase or sentence to create meaning, show emotion, and convey character (pointing up the word).

Note: The entire glossary for theatre is included here as a resource for teachers and students.

So...What’s Your Problem? Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 5 Page 19