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  • 1.  Beginning Drama (Drama I Help)

    Posted 07-06-2017 00:29
    This group has been amazing, and thank you for all the help you all have provided. I was told that I would be teaching a beginning Drama class for the first time this year. For the past 8 years, I've taught the Advanced Drama course and I have no idea where to begin. Anyone have any ideas or lessons they would like to share or pass on. Starting from scratch and would really like to not reinvent the wheel if I can help it. Thanks in advance.


    Robert Jessup, M.M.M. Ed
    Director of Choral Activities
    Advanced Theatre and Stagecrafts Instructor
    Franklin High School
    828-524-6467


  • 2.  RE: Beginning Drama (Drama I Help)

    Posted 07-07-2017 08:08
    Our program starts in 6th grade so I start with basics of stage directions and stage behavior. Then we work on movement and space, projection and diction, pantomime, and audition skills. During rehearsals we work on rehearsal behavior (I have a cell phone babysitting box), terminology, and avoiding "butt-acting." After our final show, we do some self and peer critiques.

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    Sheryl Davis
    Secondary Language Arts/Drama Director
    Sanford NC
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Beginning Drama (Drama I Help)

    Posted 07-07-2017 16:17

    Theatrefolk has a Drama 1 Curriculum​ for the entire year.  It comes with all handouts and rubrics, and is lined up to the National Core standards and states' standards, which I just cut and paste into my lesson plans.  If you don't want to do the curriculum, they have units and lesson plans.  Very helpful if you are starting from scratch. 

     
     
    Amy Sando,
    Douglas High School Drama
    782-5136
     
    "Whether you think you can or can't, you're right!"   Henry Ford



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Beginning Drama (Drama I Help)

    Posted 07-12-2017 15:40
    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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    Original Message


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