In this hybrid project done in the 2020-2021 school year, fifth graders learned what makes them funny and how comedy can impact our lives. To investigate their own funny bones, students learned how to recognize and perform comedy, from dry humor and anecdotal stories to improvisation and slapstick. They watched and analyzed famous comedians, interviewed a professional improviser, and took on their own character work through reader’s theatre and improv games. Students also deeply investigated the science of laughter and wrote research papers to highlight the health benefits of a good laugh. They read and found connections in Jessica Kim’s “Stand Up, Yumi Chung”, about a teenager with dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. 

One of our primary goals was to encourage social connections and joy among our students during a long and difficult year. The social bonds and connections they made with each other in distance learning through comedy allowed them to return to in-person learning with joy and lightness. 

Teacher Reflection 

In the middle of the 2020-2021 school year, our teaching team was feeling the weight of heaviness surrounding our students. COVID-19 and the ensuing quarantine brought health, financial, and emotional burdens to many of our kids. This project allowed our students to smile and laugh again and to connect with each other authentically, even through the internet. 

— Carrie Geremia 

Student Reflection 

I really like learning that laughter makes you live longer. And if you are funny you probably got your humor from your parents, which explains why I’m funny! 

— Chiyo 

How to make this a “Remote Learning” project 

The majority of this project was done during distance learning. Students recorded Flipgrid videos of their own comedy work and shared feedback and celebrations with each other.