Archives

“What do Words Mean?” with Story & Dialogue Lesson

"What do Words Mean?" with Story & Dialogue Lesson

How can we take students from learning a list of new words to feeling true mastery over a new vocabulary?  This lesson helps students deepen their understanding of new words by challenging them to create a story inspired by an assigned word. Perfect for helping students practice collaboration, negotiation and planning, this lesson provides a great opportunity to integrate Language Arts by discussing the use of story elements and dialogue in creating a drama.

NOTE: "What Do Words Mean?" with Story & Dialogue  is part of our unique library of integrated lessons. These specialized lessons simultaneously teach concepts and skills related to drama and the other subject(s) targeted in the lesson. In addition, these lessons are designed to meet National Standards for Drama and for the integrated subject(s), so you can reach learning goals across multiple disciplines.


Creating Mood

Creating Mood Lesson

Creating mood effectively is one of the most important lessons young actors can learn. In this lesson, students can practice using their imagination and concentration skills to create mood for a variety of different scenarios. This lesson gives students a chance to hone their ability to imagine their given circumstances, while using their voice, body, and mind to communicate what they are imagining.

Sixth Grade Drama Journal: Creating Mood

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment.  A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses.

Paper Bag Charades

Paper Bag Charades Lesson

Improv can be intimidating at first, so it’s important to give students support tools and structure as they’re learning it! In this lesson, challenge students to use three mystery props as they work together to create an exciting group drama. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to practice collaboration, utilizing support tools, and crafting a dynamic story. 

 

An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem

An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem

Students will love this globe-trotting poem, packed with action and humor! The narrator wants to run away but can’t decide where to go: Tokyo or the Midwest? Timbuktu or the Florida Keys? In this exciting adventure for grades 2-6, students could practice transformation, narrator skills, body objects, and settings. Additionally, students could practice geography skills by locating places on the map. We have also included some recommended step-by-step delivery ideas to help you turn the poem into a full lesson.

An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Journal: Grades 2-3

An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Journal: Grades 4-6

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment. For each poem, we have created a corresponding journal page for your students. A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses.

 

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 3)

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 3): Taking Risks

Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times.

$4.00Add to cart

This lesson (3rd of 3) continues the previous lesson with a focus on risks. The students will discuss and then enact the risks the pioneers took while traveling on an arduous journey westward. They will also compare and contrast these risks to ones taken by actors and in real life (part of the fourth grade objectives). This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the Fourth Grade Curriculum.

Fourth Grade Drama Journal: "Westward Ho!" (Part 3)

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment. For each lesson in the curriculum, we have created a corresponding journal page for your students. A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses. If you use the journal for assessment and would like more assessment tools, visit our Fourth Grade Curriculum. 

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 2)

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 2): Dealing with Conflicts

Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times.

$4.00Add to cart

This Life Drama (2nd of 3) continues the previous lesson with a focus on conflict. The pioneers (students) traveling on an arduous journey westward encounter challenges. As a family group, they must cooperatively decide how to overcome these obstacles and continue (part of the fourth grade objectives). Students work through an improvisational process where there is no pre-written story or pre-determined outcome. They apply the practice of "no denial of creation" by saying “yes” to what others create as a way to support the drama and honor the imaginations of their peers. This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the Fourth Grade Curriculum.

Fourth Grade Drama Journal: "Westward Ho!" (Part 2)

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment. For each lesson in the curriculum, we have created a corresponding journal page for your students. A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses. If you use the journal for assessment and would like more assessment tools, visit our Fourth Grade Curriculum. 

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 1)

“Westward Ho!” Lesson (Part 1): A Life Drama

Objective: students will explore the contrasts of life in the past to modern times.

$4.00Add to cart

This Life Drama begins a series of three lessons with a common theme. The students create a fictional group of pioneers preparing for an arduous journey westward. Students work through an improvisational process where there is no pre-written story or pre-determined outcome. They apply the practice of "no denial of creation" by saying “yes” to what others create as a way to support the drama and honor the imaginations of their peers. You will be playing in role in this drama. Students will immerse themselves in the contrast of life in the past to modern times (part of the fourth grade objectives). This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the Fourth Grade Curriculum.

Fourth Grade Drama Journal: "Westward Ho!" (Part 1)

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment. For each lesson in the curriculum, we have created a corresponding journal page for your students. A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses. If you use the journal for assessment and would like more assessment tools, visit our Fourth Grade Curriculum. 

The Long Ago Community Lesson

Long Ago Community Lesson

The Long Ago Community Lesson: Remembering & Celebrating Important Events

$4.00Add to cart

Objective: students demonstrate improvisation to show how drama is used to celebrate and remember important events.

This Life Drama takes place over several days and has the students creating a fictional tribe of people facing calamity, surviving, and then celebrating the outcome. Students work through an improvisational process where there is no pre-written story or pre-determined outcome. They apply the practice of "no denial of creation" or saying “yes” to what others create as a way to support the drama and honor the imagination of others. You might choose to play in role in this drama or act as a guide on the side, either way is a joyful experience. This lesson is part of our recommended sequence in the Second Grade Curriculum.

Second Grade Drama Journal: The Long Ago Community

To maximize student achievement, download this drama journal for students to use as reflection or formative assessment. For each lesson in the curriculum, we have created a corresponding journal page for your students. A drama journal allows participants to reflect on their learning and artistic growth (metacognition). It also allows you, the teacher, to see how students are using the drama vocabulary, thinking about big ideas, and perceiving their own strengths and weaknesses. If you use the journal for assessment and would like more assessment tools, visit our Second Grade Curriculum. 

Scareman Lesson

Scareman Lesson

Scareman Lesson: Learning to Problem Solve

$4.00Add to cart

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.