Blackout: Creating Atmosphere Lesson

Blackout: Creating Atmosphere Lesson Centered around the Caldecott Honor Book “Blackout” by John Rocco, this lesson provides rich opportunities for actors to practice using their voices and bodies to create atmosphere. Students in grades 4-6 may work together in pairs or small groups, practicing negotiation and collaboration skills as they imitate the activities of the … Read more

Adverbs in Motion Lesson

Adverbs in Motion Lesson Learning parts of speech does not need to be boring.  In this Level I lesson, students explore action verbs, adverbs, and even direct objects as they also learn the relationship between audience and actor and how and why actors must improve their acting skills to communicate ideas.

Personification and Characters Lesson

Personification and Characters Lesson How do actors bring object characters to life? Designed for students in fourth grade, this lesson helps students move from body object imitation into acting out full dramas with object characters. This challenging lesson helps students practice concentration, transformation and full use of their body and voice. It also provides a … Read more

Making the Thundercake Lesson

Making the Thundercake Lesson A roll of thunder. A pitter pat of rain. A creaky old door. What connects all these things? They are sound effects that evoke a mysterious, scary mood! Based on the book Thundercake by Patricia Polacco, this lesson is designed to teach students in grades 3-5 how to create mood using … Read more

Habitats, Needs of Living Things, and Body Details Lesson

Habitats, Needs of Living Things, and Body Details Lesson How can we keep students fully engaged through complex subject matter? Ask them to engage their bodies as well as their minds! This exciting lesson integrates Drama with Language Arts and Science by asking students to create habitats and settings using only their bodies. It also … Read more

Donkey Tale 1: Movement & Imitative Action Lesson

Donkey Tale 1: Movement & Imitative Action lesson There’s no better way to get students moving and imitating than with stories, particularly stories about animals. This lively tale about a thirsty traveler and a stubborn donkey provides a great opportunity for students to practice collaboration and negotiation skills through partner work. Designed for grades 4-5, … Read more

Civil War Drama Lesson

Civil War Drama Lesson Drama is a great way to engage students with historical events by encouraging them to think deeply about point of view. In this lesson, designed for grades 4-8, students will practice concentration, collaboration, and transformation while using Body Objects to communicate different settings. This lesson encourages students to think about point … Read more

Body Objects: Acting The Dreamer Story

Body Objects: Acting The Dreamer Story How do we get students excited about the details and setting in a story? Dive into the vivid world of The Dreamer, adapted from One Thousand and One Nights by Karen L. Erickson. In this lesson, students in grades 4-12 can practice collaboration, cooperation, and transformation skills by using … Read more

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 … Read more

The Carrot Seed Lesson

The Carrot Seed Lesson Objective:  students will compare actions in a drama to people in real life situations. Continuing and reinforcing the previous Prop Box Lesson, growing plants provide the real life inspiration for this lesson.   This lesson is based on the book “The Carrot Seed” by Ruth Krauss: find a copy at the bookstore … Read more