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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 sound effects and movement. This is a great way for students to practice vocal skills, emotions, and teamwork by introducing the concept of mood in a story or drama. You could also use this lesson to introduce students to lighting or sound design by discussing how designers create mood in theatrical productions. 

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 body objects to act out the different settings of this tale.

Body Objects: Acting The Dreamer Story Sixth Grade Journal

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. 

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.

How the World Was Formed on Turtle’s Back

How the World Was Formed on Turtle's Back Lesson

“How the Earth Was Formed on Turtle’s Back,” is an Onondaga creation story that features a team of vibrant animal characters, who work together to save a young woman’s life and create the world as we know it. This lesson provides numerous opportunities for students to use their bodies and voices to create characters and practice transformation. You may also integrate Language Arts by discussing the importance of personification and character traits in the story.

Park Bench

Park Bench Lesson

Middle school can be a really hard time for students to feel connected to their bodies, but embodying physical choices is a key part of being an actor! We devised this lesson to give students in grades 6-8 a fun opportunity to practice using their bodies to portray emotions, reactions and create character. Given the prompt of being strangers on a park bench, students work together to create a three-person improvised drama.

How the World Was Formed on Turtle’s Back Lesson

How the World Was Formed on Turtle’s Back Lesson

“How the World Was Formed on Turtle’s Back” is an Onondaga creation story that features a team of vibrant animal characters who work together to save a young woman’s life and create the world as we know it. This lesson provides numerous opportunities for students to use their bodies and voices to create characters and practice transformation. You may also integrate Language Arts by discussing the importance of personification and character traits in the story.

Elevator Lesson

Elevator Lesson

How do actors create realistic characters? How do we create believable, specific dramas? In this lesson, students in grades 6-8 can practice imitation, character transformation and collaboration by developing distinct and detailed characters and character relationships within a small group. The twist? Their scenes must take place in an elevator! The flexibility and simplicity of this lessons allows students to explore their creativity, while giving you the chance to assess their collaboration, planning and character development skills.

Journey to Another Culture Lesson

Journey to Another Culture Lesson

Objective: Students analyze the relationships between actors, directors, and stories.

In this 6-day unit, students take a deep dive into studying one specific culture or place. After an introduction into the concept of culture, students research a chosen culture and plan a trip to visit it. Students then go on a drama adventure, first as individuals, and then in small groups. Along the way, students will have the chance to take on the roles of both an actor and a director. Due to its broad breadth of activities, this unit could pair well with lessons in visual art, social studies, or language arts. This is the final set of lessons in our recommended sequence in the Fifth Grade Curriculum.

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day One)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day Two)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day Three)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day Four)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day Five)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Journey to Another Culture (Day Six)

To maximize student achievement, download these drama journals 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 Fifth Grade Curriculum. 

Landforms Lesson

Landforms Lesson

Objective: Students demonstrate the roles of cause and effect and force in stories.

In this action-packed three-day unit, students will explore the connections between drama, science, and language arts. First, students read and enact “The Little Hole at the Bottom of the Sea.” Then, using the main story elements, students craft their own stories about changing landforms. The lesson also provides opportunities for students to practice research and collaboration skills. Integrate this lesson into a science unit on forces or plate tectonics to get students learning on their feet! We've included pictures and descriptions of landforms to get you started and included a rubric. This lesson is a part of our recommended sequence in the Fifth Grade Curriculum.

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Landforms (Day One)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Landforms (Day Two)

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Landforms (Day Three)

To maximize student achievement, download these drama journals 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 Fifth Grade Curriculum. 

Painting Stories Lesson

Painting Stories Lesson

Objective: Students communicate emotion and mood through story element choices.

This lesson begins by giving students visual images as an inspiration for creating a drama. After identifying the emotional content in a piece of artwork, students use teamwork working in groups to develop a story based on their interpretation. This lesson provides an excellent activity to assess skills in collaboration and plot formation. It can be seamlessly integrated into a language arts classroom (by studying the elements of a story) or a visual arts classroom (by studying the emotional content of artwork). Students will fill out a Process Observation Worksheet as part of the activity (worksheet included). This lesson is a part of our recommended sequence in the Fifth Grade Curriculum.

Fifth Grade Drama Journal: Painting Stories

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 Fifth Grade Curriculum.