Chinese Opera

An Expressive Arts Lesson for 5^th Grade

By: David Weinman, Nick Smud and Julie Omiecinski

Ed 540

Context: This lesson is part of a unit on China. The lesson integrates 5^th grade students previous understanding of Chinese culture to a focus on Chinese Opera. This lesson supports students’ higher-level thinking about Chinese historical cultural perspectives, expressive art, and history within Chinese opera. Students will be able to use their previous artistic and writing skills as they integrate their knowledge of Chinese culture to this lesson Chinese Opera. This lesson and unit will take place during allocated social studies time. The length of the lesson will be 95 minutes.

Rationale: In the fifth grade, students are at a developmentally appropriate stage, and are cognitively ready to continue their study of Chinese culture by learning about Chinese Opera as an art form, a way of life, and as symbol for the culture. In reference to Gardner’s multiple intelligences, students at this age are cognitively ready to be able to use bodily kinesthetic intelligence by applying their understanding of Chinese opera to their expressive interpretation while synthesizing their own Chinese opera skit, (Edwards, 106).

Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to synthesize a their own Chinese opera skit by applying their understanding of Chinese opera mask colors to their expressive character.

Rationale: This objective is developmentally appropriate for the 5^th grade. At this age, students are in Piaget’s Concrete Operational stage and are able to “integrate mental representations in symbolic ways that promote intellectual development,” (Edwards, 24). Students are cognitively able to view things from multiple perspectives and use logical reasoning. In reference to Piaget’s adaptation and equilibrium principles, students will be able to assimilate and accommodate Chinese opera history, character roles, and mask and face painting design with existing Chinese schemas from previous lessons as they create their own opera skits (Woolfolk, pg. 58).

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to synthesize their own Chinese opera by applying their own imagination and experiences to their own unique expressive form of Chinese opera.

Rationale: Students are at an appropriate age where they can learn from each other through social interaction. Within the context of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, students will be able to learn how to think, learn, and behave at higher levels through social interaction (Woolfolk, pg. 45). This relates to students ability to work in a group and synthesize a Chinese opera skit while accommodating existing schemas with new concepts within their zone of proximal development (Edwards, pg. 25).

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of Chinese culture through Chinese Opera by being able to describe how Chinese opera characters costumes and masks reflect the culture within class discussions.

Rationale: At this age, students should be able to think about cultures besides their own. They might begin to think about the big picture of our entire world and all of the different cultures it encompasses. In reference to Gardner, students would use their linguistic intelligence to read and later verbalize the connections between the masks and costumes worn in Chinese opera, and the Chinese culture, (Woolfolk, pg. 109).

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of Chinese opera by being able to describe how the Chinese opera has influenced Chinese culture history within class discussions.

Rationale: According to Piaget’s constructivist views, he said, “individuals construct their own understanding; learning is a constructive process,” (Woolfolk, pg. 41). In the 5^th grade, students should be able to construct their own beliefs about how and why Chinese opera has influenced the Chinese culture.

Benchmarks:

Gr. 5AR.05.HC.03: Describe how works of art from various historic periods reflect the artist’s environment, society, and culture.

Gr. 5 AR.05.HC.05: Describe how the arts have influenced various communities and cultures.

Gr. 5 AR.05.CP.01: Use experiences, imagination, observations, essential elements and organizational principles to achieve a desired effect when creating, presenting and/or performing works of art.

Gr. 5 AR.05.CP.03: Create, present, and/or perform a work of art and explain how the sue of essential elements and organizational principles shapes an idea, mood, or feeling found in the work.

The Arts Common Curriculum Goals:

Historical and Cultural Perspectives- understand how the arts can reflect the environment and personal experiences within a society or culture, and apply to one’s own work.

Content Standards:

• Explain how a work of art reflects the artist’s environment and personal experience within a society or culture, and apply to ones work.
• Describe how the arts can influence individuals, communities, and cultures.

Create, Present, and Perform- express ideas, moods and feelings through the arts and evaluate how well a work of art expresses one’s intent.

Content Standards:

• Create, present, and/or perform a work of art that demonstrates and idea, mood, or felling by using essential elements and organizational principles, and describe how well the work expresses one’s intent.

Preparation:

Materials:

• Outline of description of mask colors for each student
• Outline description of male and female Chinese opera characters for each student
• Create five of each color mask for students to use (30 masks): (Source for mask design: http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Opera/China-opera-colors.html, use colors red, black, white, blue, yellow, green, and purple. Enough for each student to use a mask at one time. Create color copies of each mask, (image size 600x732) cut the face shape out, glue to a paper plate, cut out eyes, trim shape, and create holes for string/rubber bands for mask to be worn).
• Large enough space to have students work in groups of 2,3, 4, or 5 and move around while acting out their Chinese opera skit.
• TV with DVD and/or VHS player to show video clip of a Chinese opera scene.
• Have a copy of the Peony Pavilion DVD and/or VHS
• White board-create time line on it.
• Colored markers
• Colored Pencils
• Pencils

Lesson Introduction: (4 min) (Preassessment)

We are going to learn about Chinese opera, and how it relates to our studies of China. How many of you are familiar with what Chinese opera is?

Who has any idea of what this is? (Hold up a Chinese opera mask)

Does anyone have an idea what the colors on the mask represent? (Hold up another colored mask for comparison)

Call on students for their ideas, and previous knowledge.

Sharing Objectives: (5 minutes)

Today’s class will consist of learning about Chinese Opera and how it relates to Chinese culture. The lesson will begin with an introduction to some of Chinese opera’s cultural history. We will discuss the characters within the opera, and the different roles males and female characters play. The lesson will then continue by introducing the different mask colors and face paintings that Chinese opera characters use to represent their character expressions. You will have the opportunity to use the descriptions of masks colors and characters to create your own character description. We will then watch a short scene of the Peony Pavilion, a visual representation of what Chinese opera from the Ming Dynasty can be. By the end of the lesson, you will then apply your understanding of the Chinese opera history, culture, character roles, and face/mask colors to your creation of a Chinese opera skit. Anyone have any questions? (Call on students for questions).

Learning Activities:

Introduction of Chinese Opera History: (7 min (students are at their seats, or sitting in a circular formation on a carpet))

Anyone know the difference between a play and an opera? (call on students for ideas)

Explain: A play is a “literary work for the stage; to be preformed, as theatrical work,” (American Heritage dictionary, pg 645).

An opera is a type of theater “in which drama is conveyed through music and singing (Opera, Wikipedia.org).

Introduce Chinese opera as: “Chinese opera is a popular form of drama in China. In general, it dates back to the Tang Dynasty (712-755), who founded the "Pear Garden,” the first known opera troupe in China. The troupe mostly performed for the emperors' personal pleasure. The Song dynasty occurred from 960-1279. To this day operatic professionals are still referred to as "Disciples of the Pear Garden.” In the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), forms like the Zaju (variety plays), which acts based on rhyming schemes plus the innovation of having specialized roles like "Dan" (female), "Sheng" (male), "Hua" (painted-face) and "Chou" (clown) were introduced into the opera. Chinese operas continue to exist in 368 different forms now, the best known of which is Beijing opera, which assumed its present form in the mid-19th century and was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),” (Chinese Opera, Wikipedia.org).

Create a time line on whiteboard. 1 min

Chinese opera as a culture:

Chinese opera for many people is a life long career. The opera is a culture for many Chinese people. Some spend decades of their lives playing a variety of characters, dressing in costumes, and entertaining crowds. The Chinese opera has been significant part of Chinese history for the last 13 centuries. During these many years, people have come to see the Chinese opera as an expression of Chinese life, and stories. The sets and characters used in operas represent and demonstrate examples of family traditions, clothing, communication, war, love, peace, and characters’ as they would appear traditionally in a region of China.

Introduce Chinese Opera Characters: (15 min)

Hand out Chinese opera character information outlines. Go through each type of male and female character with students.

Explain that each character (male or female) is either a character in the military, or a civilian. The actor’s experience, beauty, and talent determine character roles.

Character information source: http://www.chinapage.com/xwang/roles.html#Sheng

Male Role: Sheng

Civil or Military

• Senior –Lao Sheng (middle or old man (has beard)).
• Junior- Xiao Sheng (young man)
• Acrobatic-Wu Sheng (man of military, skilled in acrobatics)
• Child
• Red-Face- Lao Sheng (Guan Gong (Kuan Kung) (God of War)), or the Zhao Kuang-Yin- First Song Dynasty Emperor.
• Poor
• Officer

Xiao Sheng-uses a high-pitched voice to represent youth, small in stature, plays scholar, young warrior (use of feathers on head), no beard, and elaborate clothes design (wealthy)

Wu Sheng- mainly acrobatic (sometimes military or civil), demonstrates fighting scenes (use of swords and spears), never touches opponent, uses precise timing when flipping and somersaults with weapons, young, does not sing as much, and has a bright costume, if playing military officer will have four flags on the back of his costume

Jing-Painted Face Male- shows courage, resourcefulness, plays an army general, warrior, has bass voice, assertive, forceful, and wears a heavy costume

• Dong –Chui (T’ung Ch’uei) known as Hei Tou (black face)- singer and loyal general
• Jia Zi (Chia Tze)-overall good actor
• Wu Jing-fighter, acrobatic

Chou (comedy role)- likeable, amusing, comic, wicked, represents a prince, or a scholar.

• Wen Chou- civilian- servant, merchant, or a scholar
• Wu Chou-soldier, acrobatic

Female Role: Dan (Tan)

• Quing Yi (Ch’ing I) –modest and virtuous
• Hua Dan (Hua Tan)- flirtatious girl
• Gui Men Dan- (Kuei Men Tan)- young married girl
• Dao Ma Dan (Toa Ma Tan)- strong, upstanding, and forceful (female general/officer-military)
• Wu Dan (Wu Tan)-acrobat
• Lao Dan (Lao Tan)- old woman

Female Characters:

• Quing Yi- good, quiet, soft, graceful, beautiful, ideal, model of woman, young and of propriety, has flowing, graceful water sleeves’, costume is simple, detailed, sings is high-pitched and pure.
• Hua Dan- flirtatious, young girl, mischievous, wears jacket and trousers, does more speaking than singing (lower/darker voice).
• Gui Men Dan-unmarried, will develop into a Quing Yi or Hua Dan, immature, mischievous, scheming, and naughty.
• Dao Ma Dan- female warrior, sings and acts, skilled movements, has feminine quality, use of military weapons, very elaborate clothes.
• Wu Dan- acrobat, poses for any female role that requires acrobatics
• Lao Dan- old woman, bent back, carries a staff, wears no make up, deep voice, and simple costume.

Based on these descriptions, which characters would you think have larger roles in the opera?

Which characters would you think have fancy colorful costumes based on these descriptions?

What type of character is going to have a more simple costume?

Do you think that the character’s costume and role are related to how big of a part they have in the opera, why or why not?

Many Chinese actors devote their lives to training and acting in troupes (a group/cast of entertainers, that travel together, and perform together regularly). In some cases, actors begin training as children, learning the art of Chinese opera, and developing the necessary skills for a career in the opera. Actors learn to sing, do their own face makeup, some design their own costumes, and train as acrobats.

Introduce Mask Colors: (5 min) Show paper masks

Mask Colors: Date back to the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties

Male actors will use various colors to represent the types of characters they are. Some face makeup will use a variety of colors to represent that the character will act in multiple ways. For example, a male scholar might use purple, black, white, and a little blue to represent a sophisticated, bold, creative, and perceptive. A male villain might have a white, black, and green mask to represent a fierce, sinister, cruel, powerful, determined, and violent character.

The mask and face paint colors represent culture as well. Within the Chinese opera, the face painting and masks are a significant form of art expression for the actors, and community observing. The art expressed in these representations of characters is in part what makes the Chinese opera unique from other cultures.

• Gold and Silver- represent gods and spirits
• Red- devotion, good, courage, bravery, loyal, truthful (general type)
• Black- fierce, rough, bold, selfless, (general, judge)
• Yellow- fierceness, cool temperament, eager, ambitious
• Purple- upright, sophisticated, upright, noble (general, minister)
• Blue-wild, fierce, astuteness, perceptive, judicious, shrewd, discerning
• White- sinister, suspicious, villain, creative, craftiness, cruel, powerful, cunning (prime minister, politician)
• Green- suborn, violent, lacks self control, impulsive, stubborn, inflexible, unreasonable, determined, rash, spontaneous, reckless, irresponsible

Color Description Source: http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Opera/China-opera-colors.html

Rationale: The color of an actor or actress mask is a critical part of a Chinese opera; as such it is an important to include this in the lesson. Students need to understand what each color on a mask represents if they are to portray the roles correctly. In teaching this aspect of this lesson ask the students what they think each color meant, if incorrect scaffold them to the correct answer.

Writing and Expressive Arts Activity: (12-15 min)

For this activity, your objective is to use your character and mask color descriptions to create your own character for a Chinese opera. You will use the colors and character descriptions to represent a character you would want to be or one that describes you personally. You will then use colored markers to create a visual of your face makeup on white paper. Once you have created you character and designed the character’s makeup, you are to write a paragraph describing your character.

Rationale: The reasoning for this part of the lesson is to allow the students the flexibility to express themselves creativity. Having students synthesize their own character causes them to think at a higher cognitive level (Bloom’s Taxonomy (Woolfolk, pg 435-436)).

Show Peony Pavilion Clip: (7 min)

• Address character’s costumes
• Identify characters by their mask/face paintings
• Address how characters communicate with each other (nonverbal, and singing)

Rational: By showing this video clip, students can visualize an actual Chinese opera. This will help give the students additional background on how a Chinese opera works, develop new schemas and accommodate them with existing ones (Woolfolk, pg. 58).

Chinese Opera Expressive Arts Role Play: (30 min)

For this activity, your objective is to create your own Chinese Opera skit. You are to apply what you have learned from the Chinese opera characters (male and female), the mask colors, the video expressing characters singing and nonverbal movements, and the Chinese culture as a foundation for your character’s acting and skit’s setting. Your objective is to be as creative as you can, keeping within the contexts of what we have been covering during this lesson, and unit on China. You will work in groups of 3-5 (divide the class so there is no more than 4 groups) to design a skit no longer than 4 minutes. I will hand out different colored masks, to each group. You will be able to choose who gets to play what type of character, and role-play as that character through dance, nonverbal communication, and singing. Groups will have 10 minutes to plan and then we will present as group. Any questions?

Move tables aside, creating room for students to act out their skit.

Rationale: This expressive arts activity is designed to have students process their knowledge of Chinese Opera and then to synthesize their unique interpretation of a Chinese Opera scene (Bloom’s Taxonomy (Woolfolk, pg 435-436)). Students should be able to process their knowledge at a higher cognitive level in the form of application and expressive creation. In reference to Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, students when interacting with each other are likely to increase their understanding of the material through communicating and applying it with their peers in an authentic activity (Woolfolk, pg. 45). In reference to the memory processing model, students will be able to process this information so that is it stored within their semantic, procedural, and episodic long-term memory, as they act out their characters.

Closure: (10 min)

We are now going to sit on the carpet in a circle and discuss what we have learned from this lesson.

Going around in circle, describe to the group without looking at the mask color and character description sheet, something you liked or did not like about Chinese Opera, and one thing you learned from this lesson.

Does anyone have a part of this lesson that they wish they had more time for, or would like to learn more about?

Who can tell me how Chinese opera represents Chinese culture?

Rationale: This process relates to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. It relates in the sense that students will learn from each other’s responses to the lesson, and identify if they achieved the lesson’s objectives from their own experiences, (Woolfolk, pg. 45).

Student Evaluation:

	1	2	3	Total
Participation	Student shows little or no effort to be actively involved in lessons activities and group work.	Student demonstrates some effort to contribute to class discussions and activities.	Student demonstrates in most class discussions, stays focused and actively listens to peers	__3
Writing and Mask Visual	Student’s mask visual shows minimal detail and effort. Descriptive paragraph demonstrates little or no relevant content covered in lesson.	Student’s mask visual demonstrates effort, and written paragraph provides 1-2 examples from lesson’s content.	Student’s mask visual demonstrates detail, and effort. Written paragraph is clear, and provides three or more examples from lesson.	__3
Chinese Opera Skit	Student does not participate in planning, and show little or no application of their character’s role.	Student demonstrates some effort work with their group and some application of their character’s role.	Student helps in the planning of the skit, shows enthusiasm, and applies understanding of the mask colors and gender roles in their performance.	__3

Rationale: These requirements are designed to allow the students to express their knowledge in several different ways. This strategy is in line with Gardner’s philosophy of different intelligences (Woolfolk, pg 108-10). This also allows students to think about the information on several different cognitive levels. In addition, the array of tasks enables student to remember the lesson on different levels e.g. semantic, procedural, and episodic.

Differentiation and Accommodations: Depending on the diversity of the class, this lesson would need to be adjusted, as would its assessment. The requirement of a paragraph for example would need to be shortened for some students. Another task that might need to be altered is a student’s participation in the skit. Some students have a fear of acting in front of their peers. To help them with this problem encourage them be a prop in the skit. This allows them to participate in the skit but not have many lines or big movements. These are just a few examples. Additional accommodations may need to be made depending on the student’s needs.

Rationale: Every student learns differently and is at a different stage in their educational process. As teachers, we need to be flexible enough to adapt our lessons to the needs of our students, and to ensure an optimal disequilibrium in each student (Woolfolk, pg 58).

Teacher Self Reflection:

Before the lesson: In evaluating this lesson my main concern would be its length. An hour and a half is a long lesson. For this reason it could be challenging to keep students attention for the whole lesson. While teaching the lesson, if students seem to have trouble staying focused, I will break this lesson in two. The first lesson will cover history of Chinese opera’s, and the meanings of each mask color. The second would focus on creating the skits.

Resources:

Chinese Opera Masks. The meaning of colors in Chinese opera masks.

http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Opera/China-opera-colors.html

Chinese opera. Wikipedia. Retrieved, October 29, 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_opera (page last modified 22:28, October, 10

2006).

Edwards, C. L. (2006). The creative arts a process approach fro teachers and children. Pearson Education, Inc., 106

Opera. Wikipedia. Retrieved, November 9, 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera

Play. (2001). The American Heritage Dictionary. Office Edition. Fourth Edition.

Houghton Mifflin Company. 645

Wang Xu-Ming. Roles in Beijing opera

http://www.chinapage.com/xwang/roles.html#Sheng

Woolfolk, A. (2004). Educational Psychology Ninth Edition. Pearson Education Inc. p.

32-436