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Insight into Arts Infusion Project

I selected the book “Winston of Churchill – One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming” by Jean Davies

Okimoto as the basis of the project. The book addresses particular environmental issues pertaining to

the Province of Manitoba where Polar Bears are quite common. The issue of global warming and the

melting of the ice caps at the poles has become of major concerns lately. These impact on the polar

bear in a variety of ways which are clearly represented in this book.

Abstract: The leader bear produces a mini book with illustrations to show his community. He pinpoints

the causes of global warming and the effects of technology while “paradoxically” smoking a cigar. He is

a leader and educated. He decides to boycott the tourism in an effort to make them realize that the

polar bears are suffering from human intervention and technology. Polar bears are not commodities

and they have the right to live safely in a clean environment. He prepares banners and posters to this

effect. He wins over the bears except his wife. She has one condition – he must stop smoking – it is bad

for his health i.e. he is polluting his own body. He is hesitant but concedes to her wish. The tourists

arrive. The polar bears are completely out of sight. The tourists become frustrated and feel they are

conned b the tourist company. At the right moment, Winston appears with his friends holding banners

demanding human intervention to save their homes and to leave in peace. The tourists are thrilled.

They take many pictures and return to their homes to share the photos. The message is out and people

get into action. Winston is celebrated for is daring feat.

Ideology: I find that the book addresses important issues that should be embedded into young children.

We must educate them and make them aware of the effects of the decisions that our leaders make. We

are enjoying technology and other luxuries at the expense of other beings – plants and animals alike.

We pay the price later on.

We all live in one world and we are connected one way or another. We share similarities and we have

our differences. The books in the social studies unit highlight these issues such as Children Like Me by

Dorling Kindersley and World Picture Atlas by QEB Publishing. Therefore, any decisions we make or any

technology we decide to adopt, we, as educated and practiced citizens must be aware of the pros and

cons. The industrial revolution introduced technology which facilitated our lives. We are enjoying the

evolved technology but in return the ozone layer is depleting, the green house effect is accelerating

global warming, drought and floods are destroying lands and killing people. The consequences are

numerous. Humans destroyed forests to make way for railroads, farms, factories and real estate. I

reside in Bedford. 10 years ago, it was difficult to spot a deer on Bedford Highway, since two years, does

and fawns are becoming more common. They even graze at our neighbour’s front lawn. Coyotes are

showing up in neighbourhoods. We have a family of black bears that live across the lake from us and

are monitored by Animal Protection – at the moment they are hibernating.

These issues and stories are interesting for the children. If they can understand the natural habitats of

these animals and why the humans intervened in their lives then they can draw a connection between

these facts and better understand the future role they can play to avoid these mistakes.

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Plan:

A) I plan to read this book to them. Point out the important issues that are laid out. Make a list.

Discuss how global warming and the melting of the ice caps are affecting the polar bears. As a

first assignment of writing, we go through the basic structure of a story – Introduction, problem,

solution and ending. We work as a group to brainstorm ideas and easy sentences to help them

remember. The worksheet will have two parts to it. The first is an empty frame where the

students illustrate an image of the book to express an idea they find interesting. The second

part, they have to write a summary of the book using the story structure discussed in the class.

They must show comprehension of what they have learned from the book. Students who have

difficulty writing, I could scribe for them. I believe I could arrange with the resource teacher to

be available to get this project underway and have students on task.

B) Read another book “ Gracie – The Public garden’s Duck” by Judith Meyrick. This story presents

another problem that wild fowl are encountering. They rely on people as a source of food. They

forget to find food for themselves. Suddenly, humans are not allowed to feed them. Gracie is

starving. She loves human food but she is not getting any. She is forced to forage for her own

meal.

C) Based on these two books we will start developing dialogues. Students have such wide

imagination that can be fostered to make their own scenarios. We will get into role playing.

The students can work in groups of 2 or 3. Based on information given , they have to develop a

dialogue between two characters.

Initially, students get to practice on Winston of Churchill. As we read one page – randomly

select two students – guide them through a quick outline and let them develop their dialogue.

Then have another two develop a variation of the dialogue while sticking to the main idea. Then

we proceed. We apply the same routine to Gracie. The next step is to have the students

collaborate to write down the dialogues they just made.

D) The students will be given another free scenario – all based on animals at the tundra or the

poles. I will discuss these with them. I will ask them to think of an appropriate dialogue such

that the main point is delivered to the audience. They write it down. We edit it and proof read

it. I will make time in 2 or 3 art sessions when I will give them materials to make their masks or

props to use for their role play.

E) The students by now will be familiar with acting and performing dialogues. “Winston of

Churchill – One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming” can be turned into a play and have

everyone in the class participate. There aren’t a lot of roles to play and it is short. The dialogues

that the students develop will be incorporated into story. I know two or three songs that can be

incorporated into the story and possibly a simple dance routine to go with it.

F) By the end of the school year, the students would have completed the unit on Environment in

Social Studies and technology in Science. They would have their books on animal habitat and

the environment as well as their own scenarios – they will have three; “Winston of Churchill”,

“Gracie” and the tundra/polar scenario.

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G) In terms of Visual Arts: the Bulletin Board, the tundra murals, the polar bear mural, the

backdrop will be setup to create the atmosphere in the classroom for the entire period of time

that the unit is operating.

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Lesson 1:

Book: “Winston of Churchill – One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming” by Jean Davies Okimoto

Purpose: Introduce the book to the students. Explain the entire unit to them. It will be on the

environment in the tundra and the polar ice caps. Let the students there will be role playing. I will guide

them through it. The dialogue is not learnt. The students make it up as they go. There will be some

practice to show them what I mean to say. The student need to get well acquainted with the dialogue

and the material to be able to put together a play by the end of the term. It is not expected to go for

more than 30 minutes.

Materials:

The book

Glasses

Picture of a polar bear

A sign with a moto – placed by the teacher’s side

White board or chart paper

Markers

Map of Canada

Procedure:

Introduce Winston. Ask the students to try and read what the signs say. Why do they think the

bears have made these signs.

Show them Manitoba. Point out the town of Churchill. Tell them some fact about Polar bears.

Make a poster available. Explain global warming briefly but no details at this point.

Read the book.

Stop and look for reactions on the students faces. Ask questions about the events in the book

and what do the children think Winston was thinking of.

Go over structure of a story.

Ask: what is the introduction of the story? Where? When?

Ask: what was bothering Winston?

Ask What did he try to do?

Ask : What happened at the end?

Ask: Did it work?

Ask: How do we know that?

Leave all these answers on the board.

Give worksheet. Ask the students to write the story in a brief summary – no more than 10 lines.

Then ask them to illustrate the most important idea, to each of them. Colour. Names on top.

Read with every child what he or she writes.

Worksheet #1:

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Name: __________________________

Book: “Winston of Churchill – One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming” by Jean Davies

Okimoto

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Lesson 2:

Book “ Gracie – The Public Gardens Duck” by Judith Meyrick

Purpose: Introduce the story to the students. Inform them of another problem. Sometimes

humans feed animals out of the goodness of their hearts. However, over time, these ducks

become totally depending on humans as a source of food. This has a most dangerous effect on

the ducks.

Sometimes, human intervention has its own negative consequences.

Materials:

The book,

a quack duck that goes ‘QUACK!!”

A muffin or the photo of one

Popcorn

Grass reeds, insects ducks like to eat

A duck mask

Procedure:

Introduce Gracie. Ask the students to try and interpret the cover on the page. Why do we see

Gracie flying? What is the story about? (Guess)

Read the book.

Stop and look for reactions on the students faces. Ask questions about the events in the book

and what do the children think Winston was thinking of.

Go over structure of a story.

Ask: what is the introduction of the story? Where? When?

Ask: what was Gracie waiting for? Why?

Ask What did Gracie want? Why did she not looking for insects to eat?

Ask : What happened at the end?

Ask: Did it work?

Ask: How do we know that?

Leave all these answers on the board.

Give worksheet. Ask the students to write the story in a brief summary – no more than 10 lines.

Then ask them to illustrate the most important idea, to each of them. Colour. Names on top.

Read with every child what he or she writes.

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Worksheet #2:

Name: __________________________

Book “ Gracie – The Public Gardens Duck” by Judith Meyrick

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Lesson 3:

Purpose: Developing the characters. Students practice role playing. The story will be read

again with frequent stops.

Materials:

The book

Accessories: glasses, something representing a cigar, polar bear mask

Print each page separately

A representation of the mini-book

A sign

A banner

A pretend camera

Procedure:

Read Page 1 – Ask a student to come forth and tell him/her to be Winston – give glasses

and polar bear mask. Ask the child to make an impression of Winston. The child is

prompted to speak loud and clear. Ask another child to make his/her impression

Read page 2 – Ask the same student as in 1 – to pose proud and confident and pretend

to mime. While reading make impressions.

Read page 3 – Ask another student to make an impression of the bear and to read the

dialogue. Give the page copy.

Ask another student to make his impression

And so forth …

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Lesson 4:

Purpose: Students have their first experiences with doing unprepared dialogue. This time they sit to

write their dialogues. They can work in groups of 2 to 3. Each group is assigned a particular page in the

book. The students are given the opportunity to create other characters into the story. They can words

to them. Winston’s words will not change. This is essential to set the framework for the play.

Teacher will monitor the progress of each group. Those who finish early will practise their role play.

Each group will get a chance to perform in front of the class.

By the end of the period: Each group will perform the few lines each has written.

The pages are compiled to put together the play.

Materials:

The book –

A worksheet: personally designed format for the students to write their dialogues. (Keep more than one

copy of each for final draft)

There will be a page per group

Use a scanned image (showing copyright of book) and give to each group so the students know what

dialogue they are developing

A map of Manitoba The mural of Winston the accessories ( a few replicas, since there will be more

than one Winston)

Pencils and erasers.

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Worksheet #3

Group: ____________________ ________________________ _________________________

You will write a dialogue as to what Winston is doing in this page. You can add any character. You can

add any words. Do not change Winston’s words.

Dialogue:

Winston:____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Bear 1: _____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Bear 2: _____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 5:

Purpose: Get the students to write another dialogue tackling Gracie’s problem. Students need to

experiment with moods, feelings, needs and wants. Gracie will allow them to put in more feelings.

Procedure: Students have their first experiences with doing unprepared dialogue. This time they sit to

write their dialogues. They can work in groups of 2 to 3. Each group is assigned a particular page in the

book. The students are given the opportunity to create other characters into the story. They can words

to them Gracie’s words will not change. This is essential to set the framework for the play.

Teacher will monitor the progress of each group. Those who finish early will practise their role play.

Each group will get a chance to perform in front of the class.

By the end of the period: Each group will perform the few lines each has written.

Materials:

The book –

A worksheet: personally designed format for the students to write their dialogues. (Keep more than one

copy of each for final draft)

There will be a page per group

Use a scanned image (showing copyright of book) and give to each group so the students know what

dialogue they are developing

A poster of a public garden An enlarged image of Gracie

Accessories: glasses for the man, a muffin, a bag of popcorn, a drink

Pencils and erasers.

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Worksheet #4

Group: ____________________ ________________________ _________________________

You will write a dialogue as to what Gracie is thinking or doing in this page. You can add any character.

You can add any words. You can use the people in the background.

Dialogue:

Gracie:____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Man1: _____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Woman 2: ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 6:

Purpose: Each group will get a different image of an environmental disaster somewhere in Canada or

the tundra or even the poles. Along with it is a very short scenario telling them what happened. The

students will devise the idea and the dialogue. They are free to create and imagine. However, they are

limited to one page, only.

Teacher will monitor the progress of each group. Those who finish early will practise their role play.

Each group will get a chance to perform in front of the class.

By the end of the period: Each group will perform the few lines each has written.

Materials:

A worksheet: personally designed format for the students to write their dialogues. (Keep more than one

copy of each for final draft)

Use the social studies unit to discuss other environmental problems at the poles and the tundra.

Students shall have time to make their own illustrations and design a backdrop to use for the play.

These dialogues will be incorporated into Winston of Churchill to provide other perspectives of the

problem not just the polar bear and the ice caps.

There will be a page per group

Pencils and erasers.

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Worksheet #5:

Name: ________________ _______________________ ___________________________