Introduce your class to drama! You cast each pupil as a different character from a story you have read. They are given a general outline of the scene, act out the scene multiple times, then discuss the weak and strong aspects of each...

Why do characters do what they do? Scholars use the resource to explore character motivation in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. Additionally, they discover pictures, interviews, and videos from the Deutsche Bank production of the play. 

Love, deception, witty bante—that's much ado about a lot!  As learners navigate the resource, they view an interactive character map and read character biographies from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Pupils also...

Introduce young actors to the key elements of performance with this handout that defines key staging terms and activities.

Young scholars read "The Golden Ball" and discuss plot and story elements. In this drama lesson, students review script vs. story writing and presentation. Young scholars take turns reading parts of the play and discuss, make paper...

The writing activity in this lesson could be used to assess student understanding of previously taught concepts of how language reveals character.

Young actors willingly suspend their disbelief as they improvise a scenario in which they are workers at a clothing factory and must decide their attitude toward the actions of co-worker Rosa Parks. 

Drama and story elements go hand-in-hand. Have the class dive into a dramatic play to show character intention, conflict resolution, main events, and the dialogue in a Hawaiian folk tale. They read the story, then group-up to...

Fifth graders perform a play about the Amazon Rain Forest. They practice assigned parts and sing a song about the Rain Forest. They create costumes for the characters and discuss the role each character plays. They perform the play...

Students discuss racial stereotypes.  For this racial stereotypes lesson, students develop a character from information given to them on an index card.  Students give their character a race different from their own and write a...

Students act like a famous explorer. In this explorer lesson, students research an explorer and act out persuasive arguments in which that explorer might be involved.

Your intermediate or advanced thespians choose dramatic scenes to perform in duos, small groups, or solo to demonstrate vocal and physical characterization. Use class time to prepare and rehearse. Detailed rubrics work for peer assessment.

Fourth graders become familiar with the culture and history of Indiana.  In this James Whitcomb Riley lesson, 4th graders read poetry which includes the dialect of Indiana.  Students analyze the poem.  Groups memorize and...

Students investigate genre of folklore, specifically African and Chinese folktales, and script and perform folktales with examples from The Magic Brocade and Fire on the Mountain. Seven lessons on one page.

Fifth graders read Chapter 12 in their social studies book, as well as trade books, and encyclopedias. They identify major events that took place during the American Revolutionary War. Students create a song (groups of 4-5 people) using...

Students study the Roman history and culture. In this Roman history lesson, students complete seven different lessons to help them learn about Roman myths, gods and goddesses, and history.