KING LION

ACTIVITY 1: A SONG FROM KING LION CARTOON I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING

Source: Augusto Boal
Number of students: 6+
Level: Elementary – Upperintermediate
Space: Classroom, open area
Materials: Powerpoint presentation with the video clips, handouts, 3-5 chairs, a water bottle

What is it & why use it?

The Great game of Power is an activity that explores representations of power through the construction of a visual image made of everyday objects. The song from the King Lion cartoon talks about Simba's wish to become the king as quick as possible and, in that case, many animals will be his subordinates. One of the main themes in this song is the theme of being in power so let the students represent it visually using chairs and relating the positions of them to the characters from the cartoon.

Directions:

Place set of four chairs in a row, along with a water bottle in front of aseated group. Ask for a volunteer to silently arrange the 4 chairs and a water bottle in such a way that, in their opinion, one chair has more power than all the other chairs. Explain that any of the objects canbe moved in any direction or placed on top of each other, but none of the objects canbe removed altogether from the space. Sit in theauidence and wait for volunteer toreturn to their seat and to not reveal his / her thinking behind the arrangement. Next, ask the group to interpret or '' read'' the image made by thechairs and water bottle:

- Describe: What do you see? Describe the way the chairs are positioned.

- Analyze:What does that position represent or make you think of? Whydo you saythat? What is another interpretation ofthis position?Which chairhas the most power?Why?

- Relate: if this image erpresents a moment in history/ a scene from our book / an interaction at our school...what does this image represent? Why?