Hi there. I teach 3 Beginning Drama classes and I like to give my students basic foundational skills and a taste of performance. When I teach more advanced classes, I dive much deeper into some of these topics.
This is what I generally teach my beginners in order:
- Team bonding, trust exercises
- Theater terms, stage directions, audience etiquette
- Pantomime and Facial Expression
- Study of body language and facial expressions
- Tableaus
- Independent pantomimes
- Small group pantomimes
- Vocal Techniques
- Anatomy of the vocal tract, lungs, and diaphragm
- Breathing exercises
- Enunciation exercises
- Poetry readings, storytelling, puppetry
- Characterization
- Character voices
- Accents
- Imagination exercises
- Character analysis questions/exercises
- Body exercises
- Small group scenes
- Improvisation
- Basic rules of improv
- Using characters who enhance a scene
- Monologues
- Memorization techniques
- Emotion recall exercises
- Close script reading
- Character analysis exercises
- Comedic performance
- Dramatic performance
- Pair Scenes
- Small Group Scenes
- Theater History
- 10 Minute Plays and Family Showcase
- If time allows at the end of the year, students read, cast, and direct 10 minute plays or lengthy scenes and perform showcase style for friends and family.
As stated by Amy, Theatrefolk has some good resources. I am also a fan of Brigham Young University's huge
theater curriculum database. Tons and tons of great free units and lesson plans.
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Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
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