Yiru Zhang Working with Vocabulary and the Drama Tools: Words in Motion Lesson Writers and actors of all ages need to love words. This simple, quick, and fun circle drama activity brings words alive through the use of imagination and physical movement. With an emphasis on shape, level, gesture, and facial expression, actors communicate their ideas about … Read more
Why Frog and Snake Don’t Play Together Anymore Lesson This lesson provides rich opportunities for students to practice their collaboration and animal character skills, while learning an important message about prejudice and the power of friendship. Featuring an adaptation of the African folktale “Why Frog and Snake Don’t Play Together Anymore,” by Karen L. Erickson, … Read more
Valentine’s Day Lesson Help students work on story sequencing and imitation skills in this fun, Valentine’s Day-themed lesson! Suitable for students in grades 3-12, this lesson asks students to connect different activities to create a cohesive narrative, using setting, character, and transitions. You can integrate Language Arts by challenging students to write creative and clear … Read more
The Magic Closet Lesson Imagination and writing with descriptive detail are the focus of this magical adventure. Students enter a closet owned by someone they create in their imagination, but soon find the closet holds secrets even more astounding. Students work with a partner to act, describe, and then write about their journey into the … Read more
Sequencing a Story: The Kid Who Loved Cookies Lesson Here is an easy way to introduce sequencing in both drama and language arts to young students. In this lesson students color and sequence a series of pictures depicting a series of tasks. Next, they enact those tasks found in the title story. After playing the … Read more
Questioning Characters in Fiction and Non-Fiction Lesson Get your actors of all ages interacting with text by becoming the characters, objects, or animals they are reading about. Actors work with a partner to create interviews and learn to ask important questions. Character building and questioning skills are the focus of this lesson. Questioning Characters in … Read more
My Day at the Park Lesson Writing paragraphs with details turns from a laborious task into a labor of love as students first enact a sequence of events that happened at the park and then gloriously add colorful details to paint a picture (show not tell) about their day at the park. First we act, … Read more
Introducing Transformation and Predicting: The Gingerbread Man Lesson Using the beloved story of The Gingerbread Man students not only learn to transform into characters and imitate the actions of those characters, they also have many opportunities to predict and revise as they enact the story with you and their classmates. Introducing Transformation and Predicting: The … Read more
Flossie and the Fox Lesson Help students hone their storytelling skills with this clever and delightful tale! With this lesson, students in grades 3-4 can practice using their primary drama tools – mind, body and voice- while learning how to use additional support tools such as props, lighting or sound effects. This exciting story provides … Read more
Community Helpers Lesson How can group juggling teach students the importance of community? This lesson provides a fun and effective way to teach students in grades 1-2 about how every individual plays a crucial role in their community. Starting with a game of “Team Juggling,” this lesson will also guide you and your class through … Read more