The Big Top: Our Class Circus Show

The unit's final lesson: the class builds a ring with cones and groups perform their circus acts in one continuous show. Everyone has a role: performer, ringmaster, sound, stage crew or audience.

How to play

1. Set up a circular ring with cones and assign roles: performers, ringmasters, sound and stage crew (6 min).
2. Final group rehearsal in each corner, with the show order on the board (10 min).
3. Show time: groups perform in order, with two- to three-minute acts and the ringmaster linking them (20 min).
4. Feedback round: each group hears a favorite moment from another group (5 min).
5. Strike the ring and put the gear away by type (4 min).

Rules

• While one group performs, everyone else sits outside the ring.
• Comments are only about what went well.
• Each act's gear is ready in its bin before the show starts.
• Nobody has to perform solo: every act is a group act.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students who can't perform because of injury: take on ringmaster, sound or stage crew.
• Wheelchair users: give the ring a wide entrance and design their act with seated gear.
• Students with stage anxiety: perform in the middle of the group, not the front row.

Learning goals

• Perform a circus act for an audience.
• Take on a role in a shared project.
• Respectfully appreciate others' work.

Equipment for a class of 25

• juggling balls: 90
• juggling scarves: 90
• diabolos with hand sticks: 10
• spinning plates with sticks: 15
• devil sticks with hand sticks: 8
• juggling rings: 30
• cones: 20

Teacher tip

If you use music, make it instrumental and royalty-free. You can invite another class or families; if anyone doesn't want to be filmed, don't film.

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