We're All Looking Up: A Matter of Perspective

When students enter the room, I tell them not to sit down at their desk, but to drop their things off at their desk because we're going outside for a minute.  In a close proximity, I tell them to find a place to lie down.  It can be under something, in something, out in the open- it doesn't matter.  I lie down as well and look straight up, and without moving my eyes to the side, I describe what I see- 

After I take my turn, I tell the students that none of them can see what I've just described exactly as I've described it because no one has my perspective.  I encourage the students to tell me what they see- looking straight up without moving their eyes to the side.  After some students have shared, I invite them all to sit up and move together in a circle.  We have the same conversation about perspective but this time looking straight ahead.  

I open The Man Who Walked Between The Towers page where the woman has just come out from the subway.  This is one of the special Tower pages that folds out.  It folds out to show some people looking up at Philippe as he is crossing between the buildings.  I pretend I am the lady from the subway (the first to see Philippe) and give my perspective.  I have to add many details as I will want the students to do and I give it all I have in the emtion department to get my point across.  

I then tell the students they are going to pretend to be a person looking at Philippe and tell their perspective.  The students can choose to be a person on the street, a police officer ON the building or one of Philippe's friends.  I remind them that the author said the sight was terrifying and beautiful and that they should keep that in mind as they write.

I keep the page displayed on the ELMO so students can keep referring back to their "person" as they write their perspective.

After students have written their perspective, I give them a chance to perform it.  This is a great way to reach some different learning styles and students LOVE it!!!  A great way to share is to have the sharing student read their perspective and then have the class guess where on the page they are standing.

After students have shared, hand out the exit ticket.