3 Quick Change - Essential Question and Lesson Plan

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang

Costume quick-change lesson plan integrating visual arts, theatre, and science concepts. Students analyze illusion in artwork, review magnet principles, then define a simple design problem and design an original quick-change solution for a character using magnets as one material. Activities include artful thinking routines (Connect/Extend/Challenge), magnet experiments on layering, angles, gravity, and strength, followed by summative assessment where students label solutions on a costume sketch and explain their ideas.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Essential Question

Pacing and Assessment

Magnet Review

Theatrical Illusion

Main Activity

CONTENT Standard ARTS Standard AD 3 Quick Change SCIENCE • THEATRE R G E Essential Question What does a designer do to fully prepare a design? VOCABULARY design costume quick change magnet Illusion Pacing 2-3 sessions Assessment | SUMMATIVE | Students will label quick change solutions on a costume sketch and explains their ideas. | | --- | --- | Elements of VISUAL ART • Time • Action pg. 1 © INTEGRATED, 2020. NGSS 3-PS2-4 Deﬁne a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets. Additional Standards Addressed: NGSS 3-PS2-3 21st Century Skills • Critical Thinking • Creative Thinking • Initiative • Collaboration TH:Pr5.1.3.b Identify the basic technical elements that can be used in drama/theatre work Additional Standards Addressed: TH:Cr2-3 Lesson Objective Students will define and design a potential solution to a costume quick change using magnets as one of the materials. Lesson Overview Having finished studying magnets and their scientific properties, students will apply their knowledge to a practical design problem for the theatre. They will be presented a challenge of identifying needs in a quick change for a character and define/design possible solutions for the actor. Artful Thinking Routine Connect / Extend / Challenge routine Have students view the picture of Opposites Attract by Andrew Myers and complete the analysis. (Only show them the first straight on picture) • How is the artwork or object connected to something you know about? • What new ideas or impressions do you have that extended your thinking in new directions? • What is challenging or confusing? What do you wonder about? Artful Thinking by Project Zero is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial 4.0 International License. Routine found here: [http://pzartfulthinking.org/](http://pzartfulthinking.org/) Introduction After analyzing the piece Opposites Attract in the Artful Thinking Activity, share with students the whole article, and how Myers makes his art. Discuss the concept of illusion. • How does the piece appear to be so one dimensional when we look at the art from straight on? • What tricks of the eye does Myers use to help create the illusion? • What surprised you most in this piece of art once you learned more about it? Magnet Review Be sure that students in your classroom have an understanding of the scientific principles of magnets. Going back to the Artful Thinking artwork, ask how many of them thought there was a real magnet being used when they first looked at it? What made them think that way? (The heavy concentration of “metal” atthe end of the magnet, the spacing of the screws made it appear as if they were being drawn to the magnet.) Allow students some time to play with magnets to review and solidify their knowledge. Be sure to pose the following situations and questions: • What happens when you add layers of other materials in between the magnets or around the magnets. Do they still work? • Do magnets work better at certain angles? • Does gravity and the direction of the magnets attracting each other make a difference? • What kind of magnets seem to have more strength than the others? Really get them experimenting with new situations and materials with the magnets. © INTEGRATED, 2020. Your notes: pg. 2 Your notes: © INTEGRATED, 2020. Theatrical Illusion Tell students that one of the most amazing things about live theatre is the ability it has to appear that magic is being done on stage, particularly with costumes and costume changes. Show students the following clips: • Wardrobe Wizards • Elsa in Broadway’s Frozen (if you don’t want the whole song, cue up to 2:55 and notice that no one touches her, and she isn’t doing anything to the costume either!) • Crazy Marie and Cinderella in Broadway’s Cinderella (both quick changes happen in the first two minu

FAQs

What is the lesson’s essential question about?

What a designer does to fully prepare a design, specifically for a costume quick change solution.

How do students use magnets in the activity?

Students define and design a potential costume quick-change solution using magnets as one of the materials, building on their understanding of magnet principles.

What is the summative assessment?

Students label quick change solutions on a costume sketch and explain their ideas.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang