Every year our 6th Graders create and produce an original three-act play. Students work closely with Drama, Dance, Art and Music Specialists, as well as their classroom teachers. The production normally revolves around

Arthur becomes king!

a large theme such as "Time" ,"Survival" or "Energy". This year we explored "Transformations".

Act I featured magical transformations seen in Literature. Students improvised a version

Actors portray a volcano getting ready to....

of "The Sword in the Stone", where Merlin teaches young Arthur by transforming him into animals. In the end, this shy boy is transformed into the King of England.

Act II tackled transformations

....erupt!!!

found in Nature. Dance Teacher, Diana Schirm, helped students choreograph the emergence of butterflies from stretchy "chrysalis bags". The entire class used physical improvisation to bring earthquakes, floods, volcanoes

Glacier!

and glaciers to the stage.

Act III told the story of Galileo. Most people during his time believed the earth to be at the center of the universe. Through the use of telescopes

Butterflies emerge from cacoons.

and mathematics, Galileo determined that the sun was actually in the center. He was put on trial for his beliefs, and was condemed to live out the rest of his life imprisoned in his home. Years later his ideas were

The Wild Geese

proved to be correct and his courageous scientific research transformed the world's view of the universe.

Our play was performed on November 7, 2002 to a packed house!