Classroom Strategies for Drama: Part 3

Five Approaches to Improvisation

Hello friends of OneStopDRAMAShop, and welcome back! In my last blog article, I introduced five more classroom strategies for drama, each linked to an applied example from our lesson library. This installment continues with six more strategies, each including a practical example. As always, please reach out if you have any questions, and happy teaching! … Read more

Explorers, Risk Taking, and Tableau Lesson

Explorers, Risk Taking, and Tableau Lesson What do explorers and theatre artists have in common? A willingness to take risks and work as a team! In this lesson for grades 4-8, students will work in groups, applying what they know about explorers to create dynamic tableaus and still picture stories. This lesson is a fantastic … 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

Emotion Story Lesson

Emotion Story Lesson

Emotion Story Lesson Objective: students communicate emotions through physical movement, facial expression, and posture. Playing emotions is at the heart of becoming a character and this lesson assists in building that skill. Students first imitate simple actions to communicate emotions as others try to identify which emotion they have chosen (part of the second grade … Read more

Paper Bag Princess Lesson

Paper Bag Princess Lesson

Paper Bag Princess Lesson: Story Elements Objective: students identify the story elements in a variety of dramatic stories. Who doesn’t love stories about princesses and princes with a dragon thrown in too? This is an old story with a new twist: the princess saves the day! This lesson focuses on the story elements of character, … Read more

The Mirror Lesson

mirror lesson

The Mirror Lesson: Building Concentration Objective: students practice concentration and observation while work together with other actors. Students have fun following the movements of a partner in this very traditional exercise called The Mirror. With this lesson, they move deeper into the use of C.I.T.I. (concentration, imagination, transformation, and imitation) in drama (part of the … Read more

Three Drama Skill Words Lesson

Three Drama Skill Words Lesson

Three Drama Skill Words Lesson Objective: students define drama and practice skills (concentration, imagination, transformation, imitation – C.I.T.I.) needed for a drama. Students have fun with concentration and imagination exercises, both of which are important for integrated drama work. This is a great beginning of the year lesson for second grade students with prior drama experience.* … Read more

Magic Carpet Lesson

Magic Carpet Lesson

Magic Carpet Lesson: Reviewing C.I.T.I. 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 … Read more

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lesson: Transformation and Imitation  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 … Read more

Pass the Imaginary Object Lesson

pass the imaginary object

Pass the Imaginary Object Lesson: The Drama Skills 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 … Read more