Henry’s Magic Hat – FREE Version

Henry's Magic Hat

What are the essential building blocks of every story? In this lesson, you will have the chance to lead students through a simple yet engaging tale about a boy and his mysterious magic hat. This story is a wonderful way to teach students in grades K-2 about important story elements such as character, conflict and transformation. Students will also get a chance to hone their imagination, concentration and careful listening skills. 

The Freeze Drama Activity

the freeze drama activity

The Freeze - a Drama activity

Overview: this important activity sets a classroom management signal useful in future lessons.
Members can use this FREE activity to introduce and practice foundational drama skills and routines.  This is also an important activity as it sets a classroom management signal.  This signal should be established early in the learning process. See Concentration and Partner Work for a full lesson plan using and teaching this strategy.

Science Integrated Drama Lesson

Science Integrated Drama Lesson

Drama Lesson Integrated with Science

Overview: this drama lesson demonstrates tailoring the Body Objects activity for science.

This FREE lesson steps you through an acting story with a focus on science.  The emphasis is on the question: "How can we use our bodies to show what we know about story and habitats?"  This lesson provides teaching tips, assessments and further integration ideas.  We designed this FREE drama lesson around the Body Objects Activity

This lesson is part of our Get Started guide that lays the foundation for more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.

Language Arts Integrated Drama Lesson

Language Arts Integrated Drama Lesson

Drama Lesson Integrated with Language Arts

Overview: this drama lesson demonstrates tailoring the Body Objects activity for language arts learning.

This FREE lesson steps you through an acting story with a focus on language arts.  The emphasis is on the question: "What impact do details have on creating and communicating ideas?"  This lesson provides teaching tips, assessments and further integration ideas.  We designed this lesson around the Body Objects Activity

This lesson is part of our Get Started guide that lays the foundation for more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.

Acting Story Lesson

acting story

Acting Story Lesson using Body Objects activity

Overview: this lesson combines drama skills with a story to form a drama.

This FREE lesson couples an acting story (included) with body objects work to create a Drama.  Using a story turns the Body Object activity into a Drama.  The goal for participants is to demonstrate how concentration, imagination, imitation, and collaboration are used in drama.  This lesson steps you through the action providing teaching tips, assessments and further integration ideas.  We designed this drama lesson to follow after the Skills and Vocabulary Lesson.  

This lesson is part of our Get Started guide that lays the foundation for more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.

Drama Skills and Vocabulary Lesson

students showing drama skills

Drama Skills and Vocabulary Lesson using Body Objects activity 

Overview: this lesson starts building drama skills in groups new to integration work.  

Use this FREE skill-building lesson with students to introduce concentration, imagination, and teamwork through group activities.  Their goal is to increase their drama skills by learning to create setting and props using their physical bodies.  They will also acquire knowledge in drama-specific vocabulary.  This lesson steps you through the action providing teaching tips, assessments and further integration ideas.  We designed this drama lesson around the Body Objects activity.

This lesson is part of our Get Started guide that lays the foundation for more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.

Tips for drama in a classroom

drama integration work

As you begin using drama in your classroom or organization, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

  1. Build a community (ensemble) in your classroom.  Steer the emphasis away from competition.
  2. Drama is about doing your best with others not about being the best.
  3. Drama practices should be fair to all but, at the same time, students learn they will not always get their way.  Sometimes they won’t complete the work, and often they will have to compromise with others to complete a task.
  4. Drama is about the joy of moving, speaking, and making sound.
  5. Drama is a disciplined art form and good classrooms are well managed even with the movement, speaking, and sound.
  6. If you aren’t enjoying guiding the drama work with the students – then something about the art form is lacking.  Drama should be fun for everyone to do and experience whether leading or participating!

We gathered these tips for drama from our >40 years of experience working with students and drama educators.   You can also download this list as a PDF.

 

Free Drama Materials

Free Drama Materials

These drama materials sample material available to members.  A full grade-appropriate curriculum is available as a subscriber or for purchase as books.  Join today to access exclusive member pages with ideas for creating your own lessons, support materials for classroom management, assessments, student engagement, and teaching techniques.

Start your drama journey today!

Use these free materials to transform your curriculum, discover new ways of thinking and inspire student creativity. 

Teach foundational drama skills, integrate drama with another academic subject or use our curriculum to create your own original drama lesson. 

Download free stories, lesson plans, activities and other teaching resources to get started. 

Start out with our free lesson plans, and if you like the material, sign up for unlimited access to drama education resources for grades K-8!

Any questions about our free lesson plans? Feel free to reach out to us at info@onestopdramashop.com


acting story

Acting Story Lesson

Acting Story Lesson using Body Objects activityOverview: this lesson combines drama skills with a story to form a drama.This FREE lesson couples an acting story (included) with body objects work to create a Drama. Using a story turns the Body ...
bjs journey story

B.J.’s Journey – a Drama story

B.J.'s Journey - a FREE Drama storyOverview: this story was written for body objects work: using the body as a prop.Karen Erickson wrote this drama story for practice with group Collaboration, Teamwork, and Storytelling. They will practice their drama skills ...
drama activity

Body Objects – a drama activity

Body Objects - a FREE Drama activityOverview: this foundational activity starts building skills in groups new to drama work.In this activity, students use their bodies to create setting and props. This activity will increase the concentration, imagination, and teamwork of ...
free drama lesson

Body Objects – a FREE drama lesson

Body Objects Lesson: Creating Settings with DetailsOverview: students collaborate with a partner using negotiation strategies and applying concentration, imagination, imitation, and transformation skills.Objectives: students collaborate with a partner using negotiation strategies; apply concentration, imagination, imitation, and transformation skills; identify story ...
Collaborate Poster

Collaborate Poster

Download this FREE poster for Collaboration Tips. Join today to visit exclusive member-only pages on OneStopDramaShop.com where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear, simple implementation strategies. These also include ideas for creating your own lessons, support materials for ...
Difference between Drama and Theater

Difference between Drama and Theater

Difference between Drama and TheaterOne of the top six questions asked by teachers learning to integrate drama is:"Do I have to do a play?" The short answer is NO, and here is the longer explanation why:Drama is about the process ...
students showing drama skills

Drama Skills and Vocabulary Lesson

Drama Skills and Vocabulary Lesson using Body Objects activity Overview: this lesson starts building drama skills in groups new to integration work. Use this FREE skill-building lesson with students to introduce concentration, imagination, and teamwork through group activities. Their goal ...
Earth, Sun, and Moon - a FREE drama story

Earth, Sun, and Moon – a FREE drama story

Earth, Sun, and Moon - a FREE Drama storyOneStopDramaShop.com offers many resources for teachers, teaching artists, and others wanting to integrate drama into their teaching. The following original story was written specifically for use in drama. Have fun adapting it ...

Five Word Focus for Drama Skills

Five Word Focus: a FREE resourceThere are three primary tools in drama: mind, body,and voice. These tools are used almost exclusively, particularly when getting started in the art form. Related to the three tools are five beginning skills in drama: ...

Henry’s Magic Hat – FREE Version

Henry's Magic Hat What are the essential building blocks of every story? In this lesson, you will have the chance to lead students through a simple yet engaging tale about a boy and his mysterious magic hat. This story is ...
Language Arts Integrated Drama Lesson

Language Arts Integrated Drama Lesson

Drama Lesson Integrated with Language ArtsOverview: this drama lesson demonstrates tailoring the Body Objects activity for language arts learning.This FREE lesson steps you through an acting story with a focus on language arts. The emphasis is on the question: "What ...
Lone Bear - a FREE drama story

Lone Bear – a FREE drama story

Lone Bear - a FREE Drama storyFriendship is explored in this tale inspired by “The Caveman” story [requires membership]. Play them both.We offer many resources for teachers, teaching artists, and others wanting to integrate drama into their teaching. The following ...
Philosophy of this Drama/Learning Program

Philosophy of this Drama/Learning Program

Organizing Philosophy of this Drama/Learning Program by Karen EricksonDrama is an organized exploration into self-awareness and self-expression using movement, rhythm, verbalization, and role-playing. It creates an environment that allows the participant to safely explore his/her own feelings, behavior, and ideas ...
Science Integrated Drama Lesson

Science Integrated Drama Lesson

Drama Lesson Integrated with ScienceOverview: this drama lesson demonstrates tailoring the Body Objects activity for science.This FREE lesson steps you through an acting story with a focus on science. The emphasis is on the question: "How can we use our ...
drama integration work

Tips for drama in a classroom

As you begin using drama in your classroom or organization, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:
  1. Build a community (ensemble) in your classroom. Steer the emphasis away from competition.
  2. Drama is about doing your best with others not about ...
Types of Conflict Poster

Types of Conflict Poster

Download this FREE poster to learn about Types of Conflict in Drama. Join today to visit exclusive member-only pages on OneStopDramaShop.com where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear, simple implementation strategies. These also include ideas for creating your ...

Body Objects – a FREE drama lesson

free drama lesson

Body Objects Lesson: Creating Settings with Details

Overview: students collaborate with a partner using negotiation strategies and applying concentration, imagination, imitation, and transformation skills.

Objectives: students collaborate with a partner using negotiation strategies; apply concentration, imagination, imitation, and transformation skills; identify story elements.

Students transform their bodies into objects and then into settings with a team of other actors for the story B.J.’s Journey.   Students work alone, with a partner, and then with a team to use a variety of collaborative and planning strategies to complete the story.  The students focus on C.I.T.I. (concentration, imagination, transformation, imitation) competence and work with the actor’s tools (mind, body, voice) to prepare them for integrated work.  Download B.J.'s Journey from our story library to complete the materials.  When teams are ready to decide who on their team will play B.J., remind them about the Ask, Don’t Tell rule from our Introductory Lessons as the beginning negotiation strategy to use when making a decision. 

This FREE drama lesson can be used with one of these additional stories to create a drama: The DreamerThe Sacred Scarab Root or The Mountain.  

Use this lesson in your program with our compliments.

Other uses of this lesson are shown in our Get Started guide integrating for Language Arts or Science.

You can find this lesson as a part of our Introductory Lessons guide [requires subscription] for those just getting started with drama integration.  There are 7 lessons in the guide to lay the foundation to enable students to move into deeper and more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.

B.J.’s Journey – a Drama story

bjs journey story

B.J.'s Journey - a FREE Drama story

Overview: this story was written for body objects work: using the body as a prop.

Karen Erickson wrote this drama story for practice with group Collaboration, Teamwork, and Storytelling.  They will practice their drama skills by creating setting and props using their physical bodies.  As an alternate, this story can be integrated with Science focusing on Animal Habitats.  For a complete lesson using this story, use the Body Objects lesson.  

Use this story in your program with our compliments.

This story is a component of our Introductory Lessons guide [requires subscription] for those just getting started with drama integration.  There are 7 lessons in the guide to lay the foundation to enable students to move into deeper and more integrated work.


onestopdramashop and creative directions logoAre  YOU  interested in finding new drama integrated lesson plans?  JOIN TODAY to visit exclusive member-only pages where you will find a classroom-tested curriculum with clear and simple implementation strategies.  Our materials align with National Core Arts Standards.  We offer a straightforward way to integrate drama into your teaching.