Childnet International
Cyberbullying Drama
Target, bystander, or bully? Class groups watch a short student-produced video about cyberbullying and then devise and script their own drama to encourage discussion about this hot button topic.
Curated OER
A Light in the Storm
Examine the genre of historical fiction while reading A Light in the Storm. They extract events in chronological order to make a timeline. Then, they use information in the book important to the characters to create a presentation of an...
Curated OER
Lights, Camera, Action...Crossing the Delaware in 9 Scenes
How does reading a drama differ from reading a novel? Middle schoolers become playwrights and explore these differences. After viewing the A&E movie,"The Crossing," groups create stage directions, write dialogue, and design sets and...
Curated OER
MACBETH and the Themes of Ambition,
Students describe and compare characters and situations in dramas from and about cultures and historical periods, illustrate in improvised or scripted scenes, and discuss how theater reflects a culture.
Curated OER
Jazz and Math: Improvisation Permutations
Students explore the various rhythmic combinations in jazz and blues music. They watch a video segment, apply a mathematical formula to calculate the number of possible rhythmic combinations, and perform a combination of notes and...
Curated OER
Drama: Three Words
Seventh graders practice dramatic acting skills, using three words - why, oh, and sorry in different contexts. Working in groups of two or three, they create scenes in which the three words are the only ones spoken and are used to convey...
Curated OER
Creating and Using a Checklist of Performance Techniques to Critique and Find the "Message" in Mass Media Performances
Pupils analyze and critique theater events by evaluating and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from theater, film, television, and electronic media productions.
Curated OER
Theatrical Economics
Read then role-play the characters from story of If You Give A Pig a Pancake. Young actors use improvisation and characterization to create the characters from the story. They will also write and role play original version of the...
Roald Dahl
Matilda - Bruce Bogtrotter and the Cake
After reading the 11th chapter in Matilda, class members take on the role of Bruce Bogtrotter and re-enact the cake eating scene. Here's the catch: they must come-up with an impromptu re-enactment of the scene from the story, and...
Curated OER
Jazz and Math: Improvisation Permutations
Students observe that there are myriad combinations of rhythms to choose from when improvising jazz and blues music, and recognize that while the variations seem infinite, they are in fact finite. They notate a 12 bar blues progression...
Curated OER
Theater: Create a Script
Figurative language is the focus in the book Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia. After reading Peggy Parish's book, class members dramatize idioms from the text, using dramatic strategies such as characterization, exaggeration, and...
Curated OER
Graphs of the Heart
Young scholars study Greek literature. In this Greek tragedies activity, students explore the dance-dramas of Martha Graham. Young scholars study the choreography that brings ancient Greek literature to life.
Curated OER
Drama in the Refuge
Students write and perform dramatic presentations about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They select formats from puppets, plays, improvisational skits, or screened silhouette.
Curated OER
Mountains: A Drama Exploration
Students dramatize the formation of mountains. In this earth formation dramatization lesson, students read Anne Issacs', Swamp Angel, and research the how the layers of the Earth move to form landforms. They work in groups to dramatize...
Mississippi Whole School Initiative
Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Curated OER
Theatre: Exploratory Techniques
Using various exploratory techniques, young actors work as an ensemble company to devise, perform and evaluate a piece of theatre for assessment. This outline provides an objective and a list of games and activities that stimulate skills...
Curated OER
The Cinder-Eyed Cats - Storybook Theater
The pupils listen to the story "The Cinder-Eyed Cats." The students then chose individual parts to play in a theater like production. The pupils move like their character, be it a fish, an octopus, a lobster, a cat, etc. Water music is...
Curated OER
Hats Off to Color
Students investigate primary and secondary colors. In this art lesson, students mix primary paint colors to develop secondary colors. Students identify each color they created.
Curated OER
Dramatizing Your Story
Young scholars write a script, planning and recording improvisations based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature and history.
Curated OER
Understanding Stage Design: Using Visual Elements to Provide Information to an Audience
Students study about theatrical design by developing environments for improvised and scripted scenes. They develop focused ideas for an environment using visual elements.
Ken Taylor
The Stones: Guilty or Not Guilty?
Young drama pupils will perform a number of expressive speaking exercises as they consider the themes of responsibility, consequences, and justice in the very modern Australian play The Stones. With a lot of role playing and...
Roald Dahl
Matilda - The New Home
Matilda finally gets her happy ending with a new home with Miss Honey. But first, Mr. Wormwood goes on trial for his wrong doings and bad car sales. Class members take on the role of a character in the trial and participate in a role...
Curated OER
Prop Stories
Students observe and demonstrate pantomime and improvisation. They define and discuss improvisation and pantomime, then in small groups discuss and brainstorm ideas using a bag of props. Students then create and present a scene using...
Curated OER
Theatre: Meaningful Monologues
Students perform dramatic monologues. In this drama lesson, students write their own monologue and perform it in front of their peers.