Not A Ribbon
Great stories show before they tell. Think of your favorite silent film or animation short that didn’t use dialogue. These pieces are so powerful because they engage our observation skills. The characters show us who they are rather than tell us who they are. After all, actions speak louder than words.
Far too often, we rely too much on dialogue, forgetting the effectiveness of nonverbal communication. Playing Not a Ribbon can help!
Here’s how it works:
Objective: Students will develop their pantomime skills through creativity and imagination.
- Gather in a circle. Give one student a ribbon stick.
- The student says, “This is not a ribbon, it’s a [fill in the blank.]” For example, the student could pantomime singing and say, “This is not a ribbon; it’s a microphone.”
- The student then passes the ribbon to the next person in the circle, who repeats the phrase with their own choice and action.
Variations:
Level Down
- Offer a choice board
- Everyone chooses between two items (i.e., wave or microphone)
- Modify instructions: "I'm pretending this ribbon is a [fill in the blank].”
Level Up
- Use the prop to create a character
- Students collaborate by using the prop to create a tableau
- Define a category like geographical setting, story, time period, or habitat
