Classroom Strategies for Drama: Part 2

the bystander

In my last article, I went over how to choose a strategy and introduced four of my favorite Classroom Strategies for Drama. This article introduces another five strategies, each linked to an example lesson so you can see how they might be applied in a classroom setting. As always, please feel free to reach out … 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

Three Scenes from a Book

Three Scenes from a Book Lesson Creating a drama is one of the best ways to identify the most essential events in a story! In this lesson for students in grades 3-12, students can practice collaboration, imagination, and identifying story elements as they plan a drama of the three most important scenes from a selected … Read more

Pictures in Air / Imaginary Land / Jack & Jill Lesson

Pictures in Air / Imaginary Land / Jack & Jill Lesson Objective: students use the three tools (body, mind, voice) in drama. Following the Snowman lesson, use this collection of simple activities and familiar nursery rhyme to continue building skills in the Kindergarten Curriculum.  The group will also model positive non-distracting behaviors as an audience … Read more

The Long Ago Community Lesson

Long Ago Community Lesson

The Long Ago Community Lesson: Remembering & Celebrating Important Events 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 … Read more

Do Not Open (Part 2) Lesson

Do Not Open Lesson

Do Not Open (Part 2) Lesson: Transformation and Prediction Objective: students discuss how transformation reveals the message of a story while applying C.I.T.I to play out the story elements. Miss Moody has a cat that is afraid of storms–but why isn’t she? What is she afraid of when she finds a mysterious bottle on the … Read more

Do Not Open (Part 1) Lesson

Do Not Open Lesson

Do Not Open (Part 1) Lesson: Putting Action Verbs in Acting Objective: students demonstrate character actions, C.I.T.I.(concentration, imagination, transformation, imitation), and identify story elements. Miss Moody has a cat that is afraid of storms–but why isn’t she? What is she afraid of when she finds a mysterious bottle on the beach after a terrible storm … Read more

Yo! Yes? Lesson

Yo! Yes? Lesson

Yo! Yes? Lesson: Communicating Ideas Objective: students identify and communicate author’s message. Looking at the book Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka, students gather context clues about the story of two strangers who meet from different backgrounds. Students draw inferences from the illustrations and the text to determine what the author is trying to say at any … Read more

Drama in Other Places Lesson

Drama in Other Places Lesson

Drama in Other Places Lesson Lesson Worksheet for Teachers & Students Objective: students identify elements of drama used in celebrations or events that are not formal plays. Students choose an event where they might see elements of drama being used, even if it is not a formal play by actors on a stage. In small … 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