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Project GRAD Houston
3000 Richmond, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77098
832-325-0325 (main)

Ann B. Stiles, Ed. D.
Executive Director
832-325-0467
Email

Cirque Du Unique

Download PDF file of the lesson

Name:  Ramona B. Pierre                                                  

Grade Level: Grade 8

Content area(s): ELA

Classroom Time: two 90 minutes sessions

Purpose:  
Review TAKS ELA 8 Objective 2, Students will learn acceptance and tolerance of individual differences through the development and analysis of a character. 

Skills Addressed:
ELA skill: Character Analysis
Visual Arts Skill: Analyzing art work

Supplies:
Paper, pencil, color pencils, markers, 2 copies per student of character map on 11”X17” paper, classroom set of the book “Cirque Du Freak” or a similar book, poster board and copies of picture attachment

Lesson Process:

Warm-up

1. Show students freak show photos – Attachment 1. 
2. The teacher will facilitate a class discussion using the following prompts: 

1. Would the people in the photos still be considered “freaks” today? – Ex. Yes, because they are different. No, because people are more excepting, etc….
2. What makes something or someone normal or abnormal? – Ex. How they are the same or different from others, etc.
3. Have you ever been ridiculed or made fun of for being different?  - Ex. Yes, when I wore glasses, no, my friends don’t ridicule me, etc…
4. Is it ever appropriate to call someone a “freak”?  - Ex. No, people are people, yes, because they are different, etc…
5. How would you feel if someone put your difference on display for public mockery? Ex. I wouldn’t like it. I would like it because I like being different, etc…

3. Post the pictures around room as inspiration for assignments. 

Lesson procedure

1. Students should have previously read the book “Cirque Du Freak” by Darren Shan or a similar book
2. Review character analysis (assess understanding by orally quizzing) – Feelings, description, behavior, personality traits, etc... http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-character-analysis, http://www.region15.org/curriculum/CHARACTERIZATION-Portrait.pdf, or http://teacher2b.com/literature/charsht.htm.
3. As a class, complete a character map (Attachment 2) on Steve “Leopard” Leonard from the book  “Cirque Du Freak” (or select a character from a similar book) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque_Du_Freak
4. Explain to the class that they will create a Cirque Du Freak show titled “Cirque Du Unique”.  The show’s performers will be characters created by students in the class.
5. Assign partners
6. Ask the students to brainstorm ideas to turn themselves and their partner into a character for the class “Cirque du Unique” show. Remember, the freakier the better! Students need the teacher’s approval before proceeding to next step.
7. After obtaining approval, each student creates a poster (Rubric – Attachment 3) to advertise their character for the show, the poster must have:  
1. Creative character name
2. Picture of your character
3. Description of your character formatted for advertisement

8. After students finish their posters, they complete a character map for their “Cirque Du Unique” character.
9. Students exchange posters with their partners to analyze the finished product. 
10.  After completing their poster, the students write a paragraph responding to one of the following  prompts:
1. Yes, I am different, but what you would know about me if you were able to see past my differences is…
2. I embrace my difference and how I make it work for me is…
3. Yes, I enjoy being unique and I celebrate it because…

   Student assessment or final product to be developed:

     Poster of their character - graded based on a project rubric
     Class discussion
     Character maps
     Show

   Extension activities (optional)

1. Students present their poster to the class and receive extra credit if they come to class in character.
2. Using the above prompts (J), have students volunteer to read their responses, and then conduct a class discussion on appreciating the differences of others.
3. Create a school wide promotion celebrating the differences of others.

Attachment 1

Josephene Myrtle Corbin was born in either Texas or Tennessee in 1868. She had the lower limbs of a dipygus twin growing from her pelvis. She was billed as The Four-legged Woman, but her twin’s legs were too weak to stand on (although she could move them), and her right leg had a clubbed foot. In effect, the four-legged woman really had only one good leg. She married Dr. Clinton Bicknell when she was 19 and eventually had five children. Since her twin had reproductive organs, it was rumored that three children were born from one set of organs and two from the other.

 

 

Zip, the Pinhead

William Henry Johnson was born in New Jersey in 1842. He was thought to be microcephalic, as he had an oddly tapered head with a normal size face. However, he had the intelligence to perform for over 60 years as different personas with the Ringling Brothers and at Coney Island. In his early career, he was billed as a “wild man”, a missing link from Africa. Later on, he became a comedic performer, and even played the fiddle so badly that people paid him to stop. He died a wealthy and popular man at age 84.

Lionel, the Lion-faced Man

Lionel, the Lion-faced Man was born Stephan Bibrowski in Poland in 1891. He had long and thick hair all over due to hypertrichosis, a genetic variation once known as “werewolf disease”. Bibrowski was a very intelligent man who spoke five languages and once aspired to become a dentist. His side show act included gymnastic tricks. He appeared at Dreamland Circus in Coney Island in the 1920s.

Violetta, the Limbless Woman

Aloisia Wagner was born in Bremen-Hemelingen, Germany in 1906. She was healthy, but had neither arms nor legs. Her parents raised her to be as self-sufficient as possible. Aloisia entered show business at age 15, took the stage name Violetta, and emigrated to the United States a couple of years later in 1924. Port authorities at Ellis Island almost rejected her as a possible welfare case until they ascertained that she had employment with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. Violetta could move around by hopping. Her performance was centered around her singing, but she also demonstrated her abilities, such as sewing or lighting a cigarette using only her mouth. Violetta performed at Dreamland Circus Side Show in Coney Island as well as touring circuses. See more pictures of Violetta here.
We’re just getting started. Keep reading for more of the Coney Island sideshow attractions.

Jean Carroll, the Tattooed Lady

Jean Carroll started her side show career as a bearded lady, and ended it as a tattooed lady! She fell in love with contortionist John Carson, who felt a mutual attraction but couldn’t bring himself to marry a woman with a beard. Jean didn’t want to give up her side show career. After a fifteen-year friendship, Carroll took the plunge and removed her lucrative beard by electrolysis. She then underwent painful all-over tattooing to continue her side show career. The two married and remained lifelong partners.

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment 2

Character Map

Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ______

Character: _______________________________________________________________________

Physical Appearance:

Personality Traits:

Challenge:

Role:

Accomplishments:

Would you want them as a friend? Why?

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The mission of Project GRAD is to ensure a quality public education for all students in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school and college graduation rates increase.