Ideas for Performances That Inspire Laughter and Tears: Perfect for Upper Grades at School Arts and Learning Showcases
Upper elementary school students are at an age where they can independently showcase the results of their daily learning at school arts festivals and presentations.
Not only music and choir, but also new performances that highlight each class’s unique character are gaining attention.
Here, we introduce ideas that upper graders can enjoy working on together.
There are plenty of options that make use of expressive skills, such as dance, acrobatics, and acting.
Value the ideas discussed in your class and come up with a unique performance.
Work together creatively and make wonderful, unforgettable memories!
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[For Upper Grades] Performance Ideas for School Plays and Learning Presentations That Inspire Tears and Laughter (1–10)
Pantomime show
Here’s an idea for a charming pantomime show! A performance that conveys stories and emotions using only body movements, without words, stimulates imagination and expressive ability.
With comical motions and surprising staging, smiles naturally spread and the audience is effortlessly drawn in.
As you immerse yourself in the world on stage, one of the best parts is the joy of understanding a story through movement and the fun of communicating nonverbally.
For children, too, it becomes a valuable time to experience a world of expression that’s hard to find in everyday life, so be sure to take inspiration from it.
Choral reading
Some people may not immediately recognize the term “group recitation,” but put simply, it refers to the performance often done at events like graduation ceremonies where everyone recites a poem together.
Despite its simplicity, group recitation has surprising depth.
For example, students can present poems they’ve written themselves, or perform existing works.
Above all, one of its greatest appeals is how endlessly adaptable it is with a bit of ingenuity—assigning different roles, creating sections where voices speak in unison, or coordinating separate lines like an accompaniment, and more.
Shōten
Are you familiar with the TV show “Shoten”? In it, the performers do a comic wordplay segment (ōgiri) based on a theme, competing to earn zabuton cushions.
If you’re thinking of adding humor to a send-off event, how about choosing a school-related theme and performing Shoten? Shoten is done with a host and performers.
You could even ask a teacher to serve as the host who runs the show.
Since everyone on Shoten wears kimono, you could make similar costumes using colored plastic bags.
If people know Shoten, they’ll understand what you’re doing right away!
[For Upper Grades] Performance Ideas for School Arts and Learning Presentations That Inspire Tears and Laughter (11–20)
Body percussion
Body percussion is making music by striking different parts of your body with your hands to produce sounds.
You can tap along to music, or tap while singing your favorite song.
When the whole class does it together, it’s quite powerful, and since everyone has to keep the same rhythm, it also builds teamwork.
If you coordinate costumes or add call-and-response shouts partway through, it becomes a perfect act for a school performance.
Choosing a popular song that everyone loves will boost motivation, too!
Tambourine Ensemble Piece
A tambourine makes sound in simple ways, like hitting or shaking it.
While keeping the rhythm on a tambourine, try striking a pose together with everyone.
It’s also fun to play the tambourine while doing a wave—sitting or standing in a line one after another.
If all the children perform with smiles, a cheerful atmosphere will fill the venue.
Watching such a tambourine ensemble is sure to lift people’s spirits.
Having someone on drums as well would make it even more exciting.
Science show
Let’s incorporate what we’ve learned in science class to create a science show that presents mysterious phenomena.
We’ll proceed in a way that invites the audience to make predictions about what will happen.
If it’s material they’ve already studied, it serves as a review of science; for those who haven’t learned it yet, it can build anticipation for future lessons.
By cleverly using familiar, everyday items, it can also encourage people to pay attention to various aspects of their daily lives.
Shadow play performance
Do you remember being amazed by shadow puppets when you were little? How about putting on a play using shadow puppetry? Basically, you express the people and objects that appear using only your hands.
It often feels more convincing to watch the projected shadows than to watch the hands themselves.
Well-known stories don’t require explanations and let you focus on the performance, so fairy tales are a great choice.
