Students investigate historical context by reading poetry.  In this language arts lesson plan, students discover the work of Michael Longley and examine his poem "Ceasefire."  Students identify the sonnets used in the piece and...

What makes story telling special? Young readers demonstrate how to tell a story to others. Kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders read biographies of "Building Blocks" characters and tell a story about a character to their...

Save the Lofty Trees, by Leslie Mills, provides the text for a study of the roles of animals and humans in the forest. Richly detailed, the plan offers two approaches to the play: as a scenario for children to imagine what actions would...

Fourth graders practice descriptive writing by describing a fictitious monster they created.  In this language arts lesson, 4th graders illustrate an image of a monster character they imagine and practice using their vocabulary to...

Here are two great lessons that work together and are inspired by the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. Young writers and actors will retell the story of "The Frog Prince" through games, improvisational script writing, and...

Students participate in a variety of activities designed to integrate drama into the classroom. They play charades, mime, practice visualization, active and passive improvisation, develop characters using puppets, etc.

Students imagine that they are casting directors for a student story-turned-movie, and assess considerations for making the book's characters as accurate, interesting, and fun as they are in the original piece.

Students, at the advanced beginner to low intermediate ESL levels, demonstrate comprehension of the play or story, "Little Red Riding Hood." They construct interviews based on knowledge of the characters in the play Little Red Riding Hood.

Learners identify the different ways in which different countries celebrate and why, including story, dance, music, and exchanging gifts. Then they develop a basic standard of non-verbal communication through either dance, mime,...

Students discuss importance of acting responsibly when caring for pets, reflect upon quote, "All Living Beings Have the Right to Respect and Kindness," read story Anastasia Wants a Rabbit and answer comprehension questions, role play...

Students explore the concepts of intuition, insight, imagination and the reasons not to ignore it, but to enhance it in one's lifestyle. In doing this, one increases the ability to draw deeper meaning from art, poetry and symbolism. In...

Students choose a short story or book and a student takes on the role of one of the characters in the story. They complete an interview worksheet and then students question each other further about the character they are playing.

Students work in groups to imagine, research and simulate a dinner party involving an author, a fictional character, and a significant historical figure as dinner guests. The activity uses Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and the time...

Fifth graders examine plot conflict. In this plot analysis lesson students study conflict between two characters in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Students imagine themselves as a news reporter watching the combating in Narnia.

Students present tableaus showing scenes from The Memory Coat,  a book about immigration. In this tableau instructional activity, students examine the cover of the book and make predictions about what is happening and who the people...

Pupils create a play in which each person in the group is a "character" or part of a system.  In this creative lesson students are assigned a process in which they write a script about with characters. 

Students create an imaginary American Dreams talk show using some of the program characters. The purpose of the activity is to help students develop develop an understanding of, characterize.

Pupils read about the Alaska Gold Rush, its characters and the impact on the history of Alaska. They write a response as if they are a Klondike Stampeder in the late 1900s.

Twelfth graders examine all the descriptions of costumes, props, movement, lighting and music in the stage directions of A Streetcar Named Desire. They begin to imagine this drama as a production, not simply a script. Students perform...

Read and analyze the novel, Ransom of Redchief. They identify the elements of character development, and participate in a mock trial, creating the witnesses through the use of character development.

Seventh graders imagine themselves to be one of the characters listed in the simulation handout imbedded in this plan. In character, and working in groups, 7th graders simulate a conversation that would be held around the table, in each...

Students read the novel, Across Five Aprils and investigate the theme of the individual vs, community loyalties. They keep a daily journal, role-play situations, hold a mock debate, and write a research paper on "coming of age."

Young scholars discuss the importance of caring about themselves and for others. As a class, they listen as they are read a story and answer questions using examples from the story. They brainstorm definitions of love and role play...

Seventh graders imagine themselves to be one of the characters listed in a simulation setting. In character, and working Students, in groups, simulate a conversation that would be held around the table, in each family setting.