Lessons

Ghost Who Couldn’t Scare Lesson

Ghost Who Couldn't Scare Lesson

Ghost Who Couldn't Scare Lesson: Audience Behaviors

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Objective: students analyze how audiences or viewers make drama better.
This story about a ghost who wants to learn to scare people focuses on friendship and the unpleasantness of being a bully.   Students discuss audience behaviors that support live presentations and how respectfully responding to the work of classmates is an important part of the theater process (in the first grade objectives).  We designed this lesson around the story of the same name -- download The Ghost Who Couldn't Scare from the story library to complete the lesson.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum but can be used for Kindergarten.

The Pilgrims Lesson

The Pilgrims Lesson

The Pilgrims Lesson: A Life Drama for Advanced Students

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Objective: students analyze how characters in a story can be similar and different from us.
Students live the life of the Pilgrims, a perfect lesson for November.  Students are introduced to the No Denial of Creation rule used in improvisational work where the students become the characters from another time or place.   This lesson is not a literal reenactment of any American Pilgrims story, but rather an approximation so that students might experience life at that time.   Students will spend time comparing character actions to real-life behaviors (in the first grade objectives). This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum and could be used for Kindergarten.

The Stubborn Clay Lesson

The Stubborn Clay Lesson

The Stubborn Clay Lesson: Cooperation

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Objective: students practice collaboration and cooperation skills.
Students become clay and their partner molds them into images that answer a question like, “What is something good to eat?”   The students uncover collaboration skills that begin with asking rather than telling their partner what they are going to be or do (part of the first grade objectives).  Then students discuss and list how they might make decisions if both they and their partner want to be/do the same thing. We designed this lesson around the story of the same name -- download the Stubborn Clay story from our story library to complete the lesson.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum.

Scareman Lesson

Scareman Lesson

Scareman Lesson: Learning to Problem Solve

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Objective: students solve acting problems before acting out a story.
Sometimes actors face problems in deciding how they will act out a certain part of a story.  Getting the students to think like artists and problem solve before playing a story is the goal of this lesson .  In the story of Scareman the students play animal characters and think about the five senses and how they assist us in navigating the world.  This lesson also stresses cooperation with others and responding to the work of classmates in a positive manner (part of the first grade objectives).  We designed this lesson around the story of the same name -- download Scareman from our story library to complete the lesson.   Before starting this lesson, review our tips for teaching in role.  This lesson in the First Grade Curriculum can also be used for Kindergarten.

Before I Couldn’t, but Now I Can Lesson

Before I Couldn't, but Now I Can Lesson

Before I Couldn't, but Now I Can Lesson: The Drama Tools

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Overview:  students identify the three tools (body, mind, voice) in drama.
Students use their body to imitate and communicate actions they can do now but couldn’t at one time (part of the first grade objectives).  As students share things they have learned to do, the rest of the class responds to what they are doing.  This lesson fleshes out the activity of the same name; download that activity for additional details (but not required).  This lesson also incorporates the book "Now One Foot, Now the Other" by Tomie de Paola or you might choose a similar story.   Make sure you review our tips for casting anonymously before starting this in your group.  This lesson in the First Grade Curriculum can also be used for Kindergarten.

Mom Figures It Out Lesson

mom figures it out lesson

Mom Figures It Out Lesson: Communicating with Movement

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Objective: students demonstrate locomotor and non-locomotor movement, and discuss how the five senses assist in making inferences.
With a new red ball, Jules can’t wait to go out and play.  How does mom figure out that it rained and Jules got caught in the downpour?  Students have an opportunity to speak dialogue with you as the mom and discuss how mom used her five senses to infer what happened.   The actors use different types of movement to communicate character actions and play out the story as you tell it (part of the first grade objectives).  This lesson is written for the original story Mom Figures It Out by Karen Erickson: download for use with this lesson.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum.

Magic Carpet Lesson

Magic Carpet Lesson

Magic Carpet Lesson: Reviewing C.I.T.I.

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Objective: students demonstrate transformation in a drama activity.
Students ride on magic carpets and transform into the creatures and things they find on the way.  While learning to use the space of the classroom for story enactment, students take a journey looking for a lost item and return once again to the classroom.   Students practice cooperation skills (following directions, keeping personal space, refraining from causing distractions) which are part of the first grade objectives.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson: Transformation and Imitation 

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Objective: students demonstrate transformation and imitation skills to communicate ideas.
Working with vocabulary words, students learn to express multiple meanings and images of words through the use of physical transformation and imitation (part of the first grade objectives).   In addition, students have to demonstrate cooperation with you and their peers, follow directions, and manage their personal space.  You can also refer to the Peanut Butter & Jelly activity write-up (in addition to this lesson) for further details if needed.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum.

The Ice Wizard Lesson

The Ice Wizard Lesson

The Ice Wizard Lesson: Concentration 

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Objective: students demonstrate concentration, following directions, maintaining personal space and using positive non-distracting behaviors.
Students love the freeze activity where they can demonstrate the skill of concentration; they often beg to repeat it over and over.  This lesson ends with the story of a mean wizard who can only be outwitted by children who can concentrate.  Students must apply the freeze in the enactment of the story.   An abbreviated Ice Wizard story is included with the lesson but we recommend you download the full version which gives you more details for the enactment.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum but is also suitable for kindergarten.

Pass the Imaginary Object Lesson

pass the imaginary object

Pass the Imaginary Object Lesson: The Drama Skills

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Objective: students demonstrate the skills needed to act out stories.
The skills of imagination and concentration are central to this first lesson as students work with imaginary objects, imitating and transforming them through play (part of the first grade objectives).  This introductory lesson is fun for you and for your students.  It allows you to assess skills and plan the rest of your year.  This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the First Grade Curriculum.