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  • 1.  Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 10-31-2018 12:48
    Hello All,

    I'm just finishing my 1st trimester of the year and I'm looking for some ideas to start the next Trimester in a week.  Starting class this past Trimester, in August, didn't work like I'd hoped.  I'm a first year teacher at a Intermediate school, teaching 6th and 7 grade Theatre Students.  I'm looking for lesson plans or activities to introduce "Theatre" to students - what it is, what it isn't, why they should care about theatre and most importantly to light a flame, set the tone for the semester and excite them about theatre.  I know many of you are busy putting up show right now, BTW (Break Legs) but if you have time to respond with a quick post I'd be grateful.

    With gratitude,

    Russ

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    Russell Saxton
    Theatre Instructor
    Dixie State University
    St George UT
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  • 2.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-01-2018 07:52

    Russ,

    This is not in any way original; however, it worked for my middle school kids. I taught in a large school where the beginning middle school kids were not likely to know each other (they came from 5 or 6 different feeder schools)- and were in a class of about 55.  On the first day I started by introducing myself and then told them to put themselves in alphabetical order by last name- without "talking, writing, pointing at written letters, or using any language known to humans." If students had the same last names, they had to go on to using first names, etc, etc. I gave a place for the line of students to start, and that was it. At the end of 15-20 minutes I would check the line against my attendance sheet.

    After the activity, we discussed thatL

    1) Theatre is about communication and passing on messages. That can involve talking, but it also involves the whole of your person. 

    2) Theatre is an ensemble experience, where our successes are measured not by what an individual is capable of, but by what the entire groups does together.

    3) Learning in theatre can be a lot of fun, but is still a serious task.... and you never know exactly where the lesson will come from. 

    Enjoy your next trimester!



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    Suzanne Katz
    Washington DC
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-01-2018 10:55
    In my opinion the most helpful book is Theatre Games for Young Performers by Novelly. I have been using it for 14 years for my middle school Drama 1 class. There are class builders and improv games, as well as activities you can turn into assignments and grade according to a rubric.The performance "assignments" are structured enough to teach real skills, but open enough to encourage creativity. It all works on a middle school level.

    One other thing you might find helpful: A lot of drama students want to believe that the work we do in class is somehow optional. And because drama teachers tend to be nurturing types who want everyone to want to participate, we sometimes fail to nip that attitude early. Although our class is different than an academic class, it is still a class. Failure to participate has the same consequences it would have in Science class. If you set that tone early on, it can prevent myriad issues down the line.

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    Jennifer Bennett
    Lake Mary FL
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-01-2018 10:59
    A sequence that has been successful for my 7th and 8th grade Intro to Acting class has been the Mock Audition.
    We read a play as a class and that is where our source material begins.  I introduce character analysis and we discuss objectives, obstacles, and tactics.  Next, we discuss the do's and don'ts of auditioning including how to prepare and details such as what to wear.  They are then given sides to rehearse.  Our warm up on those days would be slating.  After we hold the mock audition, students receive feedback from me and/or another theatre teacher or theatre professional from the community that I ask to observe.  Finally, we cast the show, including understudies, as a class and discuss our reasons.  I often follow up with a Self-Evaluation and pull information from there to use in their end-of-the-trimester comments.

    Hope this provides some ideas for your next class.

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    Kelly McCain
    Addison TX
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-02-2018 07:19
    If we're talking about first days specifically, I always find it useful to begin with movement (not only for the first day, but for the first weeks, really) and save the talking for much later.  You can't do everything at once, and acting through speech is best saved for after the preliminary groundwork when a sense of community has been established.  Generally, moving around feels safer (relatively--many students are very self-conscious even about other watching them move about the stage.)  keep it fun, fast, and silly.  And acknowledge the silliness.

    Having said that, I have played the game "Whose Story is True?" on the first day--i.e. students get into small groups, each share a true story from their life, then adopt one story as the group story.  The group members then take the stage panel-style and each tell their own version of the story (with the details personalized so as to enhance the bluff).  The audience then votes on who they think the truth teller is.  You can actually, in polling them why they voted the way that they did, touch on some important points that you will circle back to later in the semester (e.g. not breaking character, posture, eye contact, knowing your lines, specificity, etc.).  Sure it does involve talking, but it's not SAYING LINES as a character.  It's looser and more game like, and it provides a low stakes way for everyone in the class to present in front of the class right away.  (The prospect of fooling the audience provides a competitive fuel that works for some students.)  Note: it often helps to give them a broad topic to center their stories around (e.g. stories about or taking place during the summer) because kids are quick to say "I have no stories."  Also, it can help to have a quick class discussion about what makes for an interesting story before they break into their groups.  (Something as simple as a story requires an unusual element, twist, surprise, etc.  The old "how is this day different from all other days.)

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    Ryan Moore
    Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
    Royal Oak MI
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-02-2018 15:16
    Thank you for sharing these terrific ideas. This community is the best! Any more ideas out there?  

    Thanks,

    Russ

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    Russell Saxton
    Theatre Instructor
    Dixie State University
    St George UT
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-03-2018 07:41
    Hi All-

    This year I started the semester with "Think Like an Artist". We did activity and exercises related to growth mindset, creativity, risk taking, and open-mindedness. Great unit to build relationships and help students feel comfortable in a non traditional classroom. 

    It also helps me to establish our classroom routine of warm-up, agenda, guided instruction, independent rehearsal, demonstrations, and self reflection. 

    Hope this helps,

    Lori

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    Lori Duncan
    Drama Teacher
    MI
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-05-2018 10:10
    Love that, Lori.  This year the first term I defined on the first day for all classes was "Ensemble," to set the tone that, in theatre, we succeed or fail as a group.

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    Ryan Moore
    Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
    Royal Oak MI
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Middle School Lesson Plan/s for 1st day of a Trimester

    Posted 11-04-2018 03:36
    I always start my grade 6 classes the same and have for 11 years. I introduce the class, expectations, what we will study, and any nuts and bolts stuff they need to know.  Then we get up on our feet and I take their voices away. They have to get in order alphabetically by <g class="gr_ gr_448 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="448" data-gr-id="448">first</g> name but they can't talk to each other. Then I do birth month and day, same, no voices and no writing stuff. Then I get them to get in order of height without voices.  We talk about how we use our bodies to tell people how we feel and to communicate when we can't talk. I then pair them up with someone at random. We play 2 truths and a lie. They have to come up with 2 truths and a lie about themselves. They share with their partner. They each need to remember what they are told. Then I have them introduce each other by name and share the 2 truths. Then we use the lie. They have to create a story about the lie that revolves around them. For example, if my partner told me that they got a dog over the weekend, I am now going to tell a story about getting a dog over the weekend.  After a few minutes, they all move to sit as an audience, we discuss audience etiquette, and each student gets up and presents their story (30-60 seconds long).  <g class="gr_ gr_4798 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="4798" data-gr-id="4798">At</g> the end, we talk about the fact that they all just performed a mini-monologue in front of their class.

    That is all the first day, the second day we play the Human Knot. I divide them into groups and they work to untangle themselves. We talk about how important communication and teamwork are. I also use this as an opportunity for me to see who works well together and who struggles to participate. I use that information to create groups for the first project.  

    I only have kids for a quarter, so after those 2 days, we get straight into everything.  I don't spend a lot of time defining theatre at the beginning but with each unit, we talk about how it applies to theatre, their other classes, and to their own life.

    Good luck.

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    Dee Norman
    American School of Dubai
    MS Drama
    dnorman@asdubai.org
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    Original Message


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