pool, tundra, or pond. You can even use the skits to teach about life cycles, seasonal behaviors, and just about any- thing else. Once you understand the process and have your background information, developing a skit for any ecosys- tem takes only a few minutes. To prepare for a skit, first think about the concepts and
vocabulary you want to teach. Use your state or province’s science standards (or the NGSS) for guidance. Depending on the age of the actors, you might use the sun-herbivore-omni- vore-carnivore-scavenger-decomposer vocabulary, or you might go with producers-consumers-decomposers. For the youngest kids, you might only use predator and prey. Then research the relevant ecosystem, decide which organisms you’d like to include, and gather a prop for each link in the food chain. Simple is best; just a scrap of fabric, a headband with ears, or a stuffed animal will work. If you’re able to handle some chaos, you can let the students suggest organ- isms for the skit as you go. That’s it. You’re ready to begin! As a naturalist in various informal educational situations,
I often use this skit at the start of a field trip to introduce our theme. I’ve used it before nature hikes to introduce the local ecology, and also with adult groups who are preparing to be informal educators. It begins with the students sitting in a group on the floor leaving space up front for the “stage.” Give students a general introduction to the topic of the day and the fact that they’ll be putting on a skit for each other, and then ask for a volunteer, “with LOTS of energy” who wants to be, “the STAR of the show.” As you choose volunteers, look for students whose clothing fits the characters (such as a yellow shirt for the sun), and try to alternate between boys and girls. You can give hints and have students take guesses about
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the identity of each character, or you can just name them to save time. I usually spend a minute or two talking about the Sun providing almost all of the energy for life on Earth, and I’ll often write SUN at the top of a white board too. With the Sun actress by my side up front, we’ll review her line and her action together. Then I step off to the side, extend my forearms like they are the black-and-white clapperboard used in movies and say, “Lights, camera, action!” with a slap of my arms. The sun rises, shines, and we all clap. Then I move on to the next character.
With each new scene: • Choose a volunteer
• Talk about the organism they’re portraying and its place in the food chain
• Write a vocabulary word on the white board (you can progressively create the typical circular food chain diagram)
• Practice their line and action with them • Start from the beginning of the skit with, “Lights, cam- era, action!”
• Clap for a job well done! When acting out a food chain, one of the most enter-
taining parts is deciding how to kill the carnivore. I’ve pre- tended to be a speeding car generating road kill, and once brought up a wildlife disease that was locally relevant. My go-to death, though, especially with the youngest kids, is to simply have the top predator die of old age. Then you’re ready for the scavenger to move in. My favorite part about enacting this skit with my stu- dents is the way it simplifies the lines. I’ve tried to facilitate
GREEN TEACHER 113
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