Goals: 1.  introduction to performance art
2.  successfully work as a group to create the performance

Description: Discuss the various types of child abuse.  Use descriptions and discussion to develop a dramatization depicting child abuse, possible solutions, and ways for victims to get help.  Aesthetic: How can types of child abuse be presented in a dramatic form?
Criticism: What constitutes child abuse?
Studio: performance art piece created and performed by the students
History: How has child abuse changed since the 1970's?

Vocabulary:   physical abuse - causing physical injury that results from punching, biting, etc. that    are outside the realm of normal disciplinary measures. (most common, 5 in    1000 children)
emotional abuse - caused by acts or omissions by the caretaker that could result in    serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and/or mental disorders.  often    accompanies the other kinds of abuse. (next most frequently occurring, 3 in    1000 children)
sexual abuse - can be a number of inappropriate actions, such as fondling the    child’s genitals, intercourse, rape, that are usually committed by the    caretaker. (Not reported as often possibly because of a “conspiracy of    silence”, about 2 in 1000 children)
performance art - art that is not just on paper, but that is created using the body as    part of the art.
 
Supplies: For discussion: written out scenarios of situations that may be child abuse
     For performance art piece: transparencies of performance art pieces,  supplies that the   students can use to produce the plays (script materials, references, set supplies,   etc.)

Evaluation: For teacher: Can the students show a basic knowledge of child abuse? (from discussion of scenarios or pictures); Are the students able to put together a performance art piece and present it? (observe during process)

         For students: Did the plays show a true depiction of child abuse in all three forms:  physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse?   Is there information at the end of the presentation to tell people how to get help and where to go to get more information on child abuse?

Teaching /Learning:
Hour 1 - discussion of types of child abuse, scenarios
Preparation- have scenarios on cards
 Procedure- 1.  Ask students to think about what is child abuse?  What determines if an act is child abuse?  Is one form of child abuse worse than the other(s)?  (Write on board their ideas and examples)
2.  Go over the definitions and other information about child abuse. (Listed above in “vocabulary”) Which kind of child abuse is most common?  Why?  How often do you think abuse occurs in the United States? What are some causes of child abuse? Which people abuse children most often?
3.  Divide the class in to groups (about 5 or 6 groups of 3 or 4 students).  Pass out the scenarios.  Instruct the students to examine it and decide what has happened? What do you think will happen next? Has child abuse occurred?  If so, what kind?  What do you think the person or people should do next?

Scenario 1:   A student gets into trouble at school for fighting.  The police and her parents  have to be called.  When the mother arrives, she wasted little time on words.  The first  thing that the girl heard her mother say was not very supportive.  “You little scumball, this  is just what I need.  I don’t want see your ugly face again until Monday when [the cops]  pick you up.  Don’t,” she said, blowing smoke in [the girl’s] face as [her daughter] started  to say something.  “Don’t, or I’ll beat you black and blue.  You better keep your sorry  butt in your room until your go to your community service.”

Scenario 2: “Brenda has an uncle named John. She really likes her uncle but lately Uncle  John has been acting different.  Sometimes he stares at her.  He tells her dirty stories and  tries to rub her between her legs.”

Scenario 3: “Alan’s parents were away at the movies one night and his younger sisters  were in bed.  Because he was older, he was allowed to stay up an extra half hour.  He  was sitting on the couch when his babysitter asked him if he liked girls.  Alan didn’t know  what to say.  He liked his sisters and his mom but knew the babysitter meant something  else.  The babysitter asked him if he had ever seen a naked lady.  She turned off the TV  and pulled some Playboy pictures out of her books.  Then she took off her clothes.  Finally  she let Alan go to bed.  He felt sick, and also embarrassed.  He couldn’t go to sleep.  He  decided that tomorrow he would tell his best friends, Tony and Bill, about it.  Maybe they  would know what to do.”

Scenario 4: “I don’t know if they fought before I was five or what these fights were about,  but by the time I was five, it was my father’s opinion that my mother 1) needed to quit  smoking, 2)needed to quit drinking, 3) needed to lose weight, 4) needed to either get a job  or at least keep the house clean, and a whole bunch of other things that I can’t even  remember now.  It was my mother’s opinion , at least while my father was there, that he  either needed to take the stick out of his butt or go take a flying leap.  As soon as he left,  though her story changed. Suddenly, everything was my fault.  Her drinking, smoking,  weight, and even state of apathy.  So if I had made her life miserable, she saw no reason  not to make my life [horrible].
 
4.  Given the students 10 minutes or so to discuss the questions.  Then go around and ask a spokesperson for the group to read the scenario and give the groups answers to the questions.
 5.  Introduce the idea of creating a performance art piece based on what the students have learned.  Divide the students up into groups and assign the type of child abuse (sexual, physical, or emotional) that each group will cover. (The plays will be presented for the parents, faculty, and other students.)  Performance art involves using your body as part of the art.  The setting, props, costumes, etc can be used to add to the meaning of the piece.  The performance does not have to be silent.  Monologues (where only one person talks usually to the audience), dialogues or conversations between characters, music, etc. can be used if it adds to the point or the meaning of your piece.  Everything in the piece must have significance and should not be placed there just because you think that it looks or sounds “cool”.

Hour 1 (part 2) introduce performance art and components
Preparation- have visuals (transparencies and text to go with them)
Procedure- 1.  Ask the students have the ever heard of  “performance art”.  What do they think it is?  What do they think would go into putting together a piece of performance art?  (People writing the script, performers, background, costumes) Tell them that they are going to be creating their own performance art when they develop and perform their piece on child abuse.  When they get into groups, what do they need to do?  Think about their topic, decide what they what to do, delegate responsibility, (All group members need to have an active part in the creation of the art)
Visual 1: Rest Energy (1980)   Each one holds one side of the bow and arrow. The arrow is pointed at Marina’s heart.  There are microphones attached to their chests to record their heartbeats.  (Marina Abramovic: Artist Body.  Edizioni Charta, Milano: 1998. pg. 227)
1.  Why do you think they gave this performance?
2.  Why is he holding the arrow ?  Why is it pointed at her?
3.  Is their dress important to the performance?  Why?
4.  Why do think they chose a bow and arrow?  Why not a gun or a sword?
Visual 2: El Desdichado (The Unlucky One) (1983) Eleanor Antin takes on the role of a king.  The king witnesses many events such as hangings and takes part in the combat.  “He” even battles Death.  The majority of the audience did not like this performance.  (Sayre, Henry M.  The Object of Performance.  The University of Chicago Press, Chicago: 1989. pg. 155-166)
1.  What do you think Antin’s point was in performing this piece?
2.  Why do you think many of the audience members did not like it?
3.  How does Antin’s dressing like a man add to or take away from the piece?
Visual 2: Nightsea Crossing (1981-1985) The performers sit on either end of the table facing one another, in silence.  For various performances, there are different items on the table such as a gold nugget, living python, clear quartz, and Chinese scissors.  There are other objects in the room or space such as 12 golden spears, church bell, drinking fountain with a gold leaf floating in the water.  These performances lasted from one day to sixteen days.  (Marina Abramovic 258-287 with Ulay)
1.  Is it significant that Marina and Ulay are silent?  Why?
2.  What could the colors represent?  Where they chosen on purpose?
3.  What is the significance of the objects on the table?
4.  What is the importance of the objects out in the space?  Are they as important as the objects on the table? Less, more, or the same?  Why?
 5.  Why did they give this performance so many times?  Do the colors or the objects have anything to do with why they did it so many times over a number of years?

2.  Give the students time to work on the pieces.  A rough script should begin to take shape. Teacher should be circulating around the room to guide discussions, answer questions, clarify tasks.  Remind them to brainstorm about 1)What they want to say? 2) How they want to say it or show it? 3) What kind of setting will the piece have? 4) Somewhere in the piece there should be either a way for the character to get help or somehow give the audience a means of getting help. 5) Who is going to do which jobs? (Each group should designate a leader to organize the project)

Numbers for getting help:
ACTION for Child Protection   (704) 529 - 1080
American Humane Association (American Association for Protecting Children)
 (800) 227 - 5242
Childhelp USA (800) 422 - 4453 [800 4 A CHILD]

Hour 2 - Getting Ready
Preparation- have props, set and costume supplies available
Procedure - 1.  Allow the students to continue to work on their scripts.  When they have a rough draft, instruct them to turn them in. Check for correct examples and scenarios for the specific type of abuse.
2.  After the scripts are complete, the students should delegate who is going to have what part in the production of the drama.  Some students might construct the set (or there does not have to be a set), costumes if the students want them, directors, actors, etc.  Remind them that all students need to be actively participating.  Teacher should be going around once again to answer questions, make suggestions, and direct the students’ activities in the proper direction.

Hour 3 - Performances
Preparation - have any materials the student might need to finish up.
Procedure - 1.  Give the students a few minutes to add any final touches to the pieces.  (Only about 5 minutes)
2.  Randomly assign the groups to the order in which they will perform.  They will go in that order in front of whatever audience is selected.  (Either PTA meeting, lunch room, etc.)

Hour 4 - Thinking about it and finishing up
Preparation - question sheet, any final supplies the students the may need to finish up
 Procedure-   1.  Give each person a list of questions.  Ask them to go through the questions and decide whether or not their group has successfully completely each criteria.  Questions: What type of child abuse does your group have?  Does this type of child abuse show up in your production?  In what ways?  Do you give the victim a way to get help?  Do you tell the audience where to go to get help or more information?  Describe the process that your group used to develop your play.  Was everyone equally involved? Take up the questions.  Use the questions to determine understanding.  With each individual answering the questions, the teacher can see how each student perceived the project and the students will be more likely to answer the questions honestly.  Also, the teacher will be able to determine if everyone really did participate, if it was not noticed will circulating during work time.

The performances will be presented at a PTA meeting or at a special assembly for the students and their parents.  Each group will present their play.  They could even be presented during lunchtime