Revolutionary War: The Printing Press Connecting historical events to movement and narrative can be a great way to help students in grades 5-7 memorize dates and facts. In this lesson, students read a story about a parent and child who are on different sides of the American Revolution. While using collaboration, imitation, and character transformation … Read more
Return to Sender! Poem Have you ever been tempted to try and mail yourself all the way to grandma’s house? In this entertaining and goofy poem, a kid does exactly that… with mixed results! This poem provides a perfect opportunity for students in grades 1-5 to practice imitation, emotions, and Action/Reaction skills. You may also … Read more
Life Isn’t Fair Poem Life isn’t fair – one the hardest lessons to learn for children and grown-ups alike! In this poem, the speaker narrates a series of minor household catastrophes that result in them receiving an unjust timeout. This piece provides a great opportunity for students in grades 2-4 to practice imitation, emotion, and … Read more
Señor Coyote Acts as a Judge What better way to teach action-reaction than a story packed with mischievous animal characters, including a clever coyote, a sneaky snake, and a righteous rabbit? In this lesson, students in grades 3-8 can practice collaboration, imitation, transformation, and action-reaction skills. By presenting their dramas, students can get hands-on experience … Read more
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 … Read more
Reader’s Theater Lesson Whether or not you are new to Reader’s Theater, this lesson will provide you with innovative ways to bring it into your classroom. Providing a bridge from drama to theatre as well as an excellent opportunity for vocal work, Reader’s Theater is a versatile learning tool and tons of fun for all! … Read more
Plot Boosters Use this list of plot boosters to develop original stories for your drama work! These ideas can support the plot by moving the story along, giving the reader/viewer new information, showing character changes, foreshadowing, providing irony, creating cause and effect, and supporting the message and/or theme of the story.
Bubble Bath Poem What’s more fun than a bubble bath? This simple poem captures the joy of bubbles and laughter! Students in grades 1-4 can practice action-reaction skills and review collaboration, concentration, and/or imitation. Additionally, students can learn Language Arts skills by identifying cause and effect elements in the piece. We have also included some … Read more
A Shark’s Tale Poem Have you ever met a shark so charming and sincere? Great for grades 3-7, this suspenseful poem tells the tale of a cunning shark who tricks an unsuspecting swimmer. Students will have opportunities to practice emotions, transformation, narrator skills, and conflict/resolution. We have also included some recommended step-by-step delivery ideas to … Read more
Emotions & History Objective: students will learn how emotion can influence choices of action. Building on the prior two emotions lessons in our fourth grade series, this lesson examines emotions in characters from historical events. Students work together in small groups to present a short scene where they react to a situation from history. Through … Read more