Ohio Canal Play Project

For 6th grade Drama by Wendy Duke

Objective:  the students will research, write, rehearse and perform a play about the Ohio & Erie Canal.

Project Outline:

Introduction to the project and materials (books, historical documents, articles, song books and cassette, videos)

Initial research groups will go through the material in search of ideas for:

First-hand Narratives (script material)

Historical time-line (for a scenario outline)

Sets

Costumes & Props

Field trips for research to downtown Akron, Canal Fulton and to the Cuyahoga Valley will be planned to enhance student understanding of canal history.

After material has been sorted and selected, the class will be divided into scene writing groups:

Introduction (opening or framing sequence)

Why a canal?  Why Ohio needed a canal.

Digging the canal.  Immigrant stories, tales of hardship.

Life on the canal, using first hand accounts when possible.

The Underground Railroad and the canal.

The end of the canal.

End sequence -- the canal now and in the future.

Music:  One group will research, select and stage canal songs to be used for each scene.

   

Writing groups will write outlines based upon research.  They will improvise from the scenarios, and use their improvisations as a basis for script-writing.  All scenes will be entered into the classroom computer for final editing.

Once the script is finalized, the students will audition for parts.

Students will help with the scenery and costumes.

The play will go on tour when finished.  Designers/writers should keep that in mind.