- STEP 1: Pick your image or piece of text to explore. Be sure to select something with multiple components. Then decide how you want to set this up: as a single tableau or as several mini-tableaux. Do you want everyone in the class to focus on one area of the text? Or would you like them to show you a progression of the story? That will effect how you set it up as either whole group or small groups.
- STEP 2: Once you know what text you’re using and the intention for using it, then investigate the levels of the scene as a class. What is at the high level? What about the medium level? Is there anything at the low level? Once identified, then it’s time for students to brainstorm how they’ll use their bodies to demonstrate each of those levels.
- STEP 3: Give students time in their group(s) to practice creating their tableau using their bodies. Don’t forget items that we often take for granted: the sky, the grass, the sun. Things that aren’t the main focus of the text or illustration, but which give the scene context. Look at each of these and notice what level they are – and then have students create these items with their bodies.
- STEP 4: Now it’s time for the performance! When you use the word “Action” students move into their positions and freeze in place. This is where it gets interesting. You can either have students performing multiple tableax in sequence or a single tableau where they can explore each component. If you have students using tableax in sequence, you can say “cut” after each scene. This would indicate to students that it is time to move into the next tableau of the sequence.
- STEP 5: As you view each tableau, students should be considering their perspective within the context of the scene. They could be thinking about how they feel, how others in the scene feel about them, or what they see/hear from their perspective. Tap a student on the should from each group to ask what they are demonstrating and what they are feeling, seeing, hearing, etc.
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