Visual & Performing Arts · Kindergarten

Active learning ideas

Performing for Peers

Active learning works especially well for Performing for Peers because kindergarteners learn best through doing, watching, and talking. The four activities move students from trying out skills to reflecting on their experiences, making abstract concepts like audience and feedback concrete and meaningful.

• Common Core State Standards
• NCAS: Performing TH.Pr5.1.K
• NCAS: Responding TH.Re8.1.K

• 10–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 35 min · Small Groups

Performance: Scene Share Showcase

Small groups (3-4 students) prepare and perform a 1-2 minute scene or dance. After each group performs, the audience shares one thing they noticed using a sentence stem: 'I noticed that...' Teacher records observations on the board.

Evaluate how clearly your performance communicated your character's feelings.

Facilitation Tip

During Scene Share Showcase, position yourself close to the audience to model active watching and listening for the whole class.

What to look for

After each group performs, the audience members will use a simple checklist with pictures: 'Did the character look happy?', 'Did the character look sad?', 'Was the story easy to follow?'. Students will give the checklist to the performing group.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Peer Critique: Stars and a Step

After watching a performance, each audience member (or pair) shares one star (something the performers did well) and one step (one specific thing that could be clearer or stronger). Model the process first with a teacher-performed example.

Explain one thing you learned from watching another group's performance.

Facilitation Tip

For Stars and a Step, use picture icons on the checklist so pre-readers can participate fully in peer feedback.

What to look for

Teacher asks: 'Think about the group that just performed. What was one thing they did that helped you understand how their character was feeling? Tell us one thing you liked about their performance.'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 10 min · Individual

Individual Reflection: My Performance Self-Check

After performing, each student answers three questions verbally or by drawing: What did I do that I am proud of? What did the audience understand about my character? What would I change next time? Teacher circulates and records responses.

Critique your own performance, identifying one area for improvement.

Facilitation Tip

In My Performance Self-Check, read each statement aloud together before students complete it independently to support comprehension.

What to look for

Students draw a picture of their own character from their performance. They then write or draw one word next to the picture that describes a feeling their character had. Teacher collects these to see if students can identify character emotion.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Think-Pair-Share
• 10 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: What Did We Learn?

After all groups have performed, pairs identify one thing they learned about performing or storytelling from watching another group. Pairs share out, building a collective class reflection on the day's work.

Evaluate how clearly your performance communicated your character's feelings.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share, use a timer to keep the sharing brief and focused so everyone gets a chance to speak.

What to look for

After each group performs, the audience members will use a simple checklist with pictures: 'Did the character look happy?', 'Did the character look sad?', 'Was the story easy to follow?'. Students will give the checklist to the performing group.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by normalizing performance as communication rather than performance as talent. They set up low-stakes, repeated opportunities for students to practice speaking and listening in role. Teachers avoid over-praising or over-correcting to keep the focus on learning, not judgment. Research shows that kindergarteners benefit from clear, repeated structures and visual supports when giving and receiving feedback.

Successful learning looks like students engaging thoughtfully in each part of the performance cycle. They rehearse with focus, present with intention, observe with attention, and respond with kindness and clarity.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Scene Share Showcase, watch for students who say, 'That was fun,' and move on without describing what they saw or heard.

  Teach students to use the checklist or sentence stems to name specific actions or emotions they observed, like 'The character jumped up and down, so I know they were excited.'

• During Stars and a Step, watch for students who only give positive feedback and skip the step for improvement.

  Model how to phrase the step as a question or suggestion, such as 'What if your character moved a little slower to show they were tired?' to keep feedback actionable.

• During Think-Pair-Share, watch for students who treat it as free conversation and forget to reflect on what they learned.

  Use a visual timer and a clear prompt like 'Tell your partner one thing you learned from watching the performance' to focus the sharing on reflection.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share