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Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

I'll be watching this thread too! I have a class of 24 seventh-graders, but none of them signed up for the class and most would not have done so if given the option, so engaging them can be hard!

Some things I have used that have kept them engaged:

• I have them in four-person "scene teams" for class activities, and am known to give them a simple prompt to build a scene around in a day or so. Their most recent one was "a three-to-five minute scene about competition," and we had everything from basketball to cheer tryouts to Fortnite.
• I've had days where we play improv games, but that sometimes backfires because only four or five of them want to play. (New, entry-level games, anyone?)
• Watching a short video and discussing, or having them do some writing on it, can get them engaged for a day or two.

Hope that helps. What else you got?

------------------------------
Josh Kauffman
Teacher
Winfield AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Cassy, when you say outreach is this a one-time event?

------------------------------
Ryan Moore
Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
Royal Oak MI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Cassy,

Overall, I like group activities in a setting like this. The kids can lean on one another for support. Be careful of improv games that single kids out. If you haven't had time to build the ensemble, these can become too high risk for some participants and will dissuade participation. 

I like the fairy tale creation you mentioned. Would you have time to add to it? For instance, have the kids complete a fast fairy tale and then create a fractured fairy tale? (You can show a clip from the Fractured Fairy Tale segment of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons if the kids need an example... Or read both Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs to the group.)

If you have a lot of props around (little things you can gather quickly), consider having them do a three prop scene. A group picks 3 props out of a bag and they have 10-14 minutes to create a scene that includes the use of all three.

Have a clip of music (something really fun- Pink Panther, Can Can, Night on Bald Mountain, etc.) and have groups create a scene with the music as inspiration.

For a discussion based class around Halloween, show transformation scenes from three different Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde movies. Have the kids imitate each transformation and then discuss which one they feel is most effective. (Granted, they will needs some background on the story, but the transformations some of the kids come up with are really great for a one-off lesson.)

------------------------------
Suzanne Katz
Washington DC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Yes, it's just a one-time session that I'll repeat with several different schools. It's hard because I only have 45 minutes with them (not much time to teach content or build ensemble), and I have know idea what level of theatre knowledge they each might come in with. I'll also have mixed groups of theatre and art kids, and often the art kids are self-conscious.

I love the idea of adding the fractured fairy tale to my regular fast fairy tale activity! I also like that three-prop thing, so I may steal that for this or another class.

Keep the great ideas coming!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-19-2018 08:36
From: Suzanne Katz
Subject: Middle School Activities

Cassy,

Overall, I like group activities in a setting like this. The kids can lean on one another for support. Be careful of improv games that single kids out. If you haven't had time to build the ensemble, these can become too high risk for some participants and will dissuade participation. 

I like the fairy tale creation you mentioned. Would you have time to add to it? For instance, have the kids complete a fast fairy tale and then create a fractured fairy tale? (You can show a clip from the Fractured Fairy Tale segment of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons if the kids need an example... Or read both Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs to the group.)

If you have a lot of props around (little things you can gather quickly), consider having them do a three prop scene. A group picks 3 props out of a bag and they have 10-14 minutes to create a scene that includes the use of all three.

Have a clip of music (something really fun- Pink Panther, Can Can, Night on Bald Mountain, etc.) and have groups create a scene with the music as inspiration.

For a discussion based class around Halloween, show transformation scenes from three different Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde movies. Have the kids imitate each transformation and then discuss which one they feel is most effective. (Granted, they will needs some background on the story, but the transformations some of the kids come up with are really great for a one-off lesson.)

------------------------------
Suzanne Katz
Washington DC

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Raising the Curtain by Gai Jones is a wonderful resource for middle schoolers. I used it as the basis for my middle school theatre class. It has reproducible handouts and so many activities! Here is a link: Raising the Curtain

Goodreads		remove preview
Raising the Curtain Raising the Curtain has 4 ratings and 2 reviews. Juliette said: I met Gai Jones at the Educational Theatre Association Conference in Minneapolis. She was... View this on Goodreads >

------------------------------
Valerie Gargus
NJ Thespians Festival Director
Play & Thespian Troupe 4762 Director
Northern Burlington County Reg HS
Columbus, NJ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 minutes, and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and them having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Thanks for the shout out.

Gai Laing Jones
Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net

Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

Raising the Curtain by Gai Jones is a wonderful resource for middle schoolers. I used it as the basis for my middle school theatre class. It has reproducible handouts and so many activities! Here is a link: Raising the Curtain

Goodreads		remove preview
Raising the Curtain Raising the Curtain has 4 ratings and 2 reviews. Juliette said: I met Gai Jones at the Educational Theatre Association Conference in Minneapolis. She was... View this on Goodreads >

------------------------------
Valerie Gargus
NJ Thespians Festival Director
Play & Thespian Troupe 4762 Director
Northern Burlington County Reg HS
Columbus, NJ
------------------------------

I am a first year Theater teacher but I have taught traditional subjects for ten. I have set aside at least one day a week for dance or movement (yoga or a fast paced game). We just performed our first flash mob. We did the Men In Dance number. In addition to their black outfits, we wore pink ribbons & sun glasses to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Kids that were hesitant to perform begged to do it again. We been studying the art of Foley sound and will joining the visual art classes to create "Monsters to Mermaid" lesson on how to apply various Theater make up. I encourage you to think out of the box and team up with other Fine Art teachers.

------------------------------
Fran Wilson
Teacher/Community Coordinator
Memphis TN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-20-2018 07:18
From: Gai Laing Jones
Subject: Middle School Activities

Thanks for the shout out.

Gai Laing Jones
Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net

Www.gaijones.com


Original Message------

Raising the Curtain by Gai Jones is a wonderful resource for middle schoolers. I used it as the basis for my middle school theatre class. It has reproducible handouts and so many activities! Here is a link: Raising the Curtain

Goodreads		remove preview
Raising the Curtain Raising the Curtain has 4 ratings and 2 reviews. Juliette said: I met Gai Jones at the Educational Theatre Association Conference in Minneapolis. She was... View this on Goodreads >

------------------------------
Valerie Gargus
NJ Thespians Festival Director
Play & Thespian Troupe 4762 Director
Northern Burlington County Reg HS
Columbus, NJ
------------------------------

Hello Cassy:
My approach in this situation would be an ensemble-based, high energy activity.  I teach middle school drama and ESL  (grades 6-8) and sometimes, especially with sixth graders, I have to fill in for a teacher on a field trip and I encounter the situation you describe: a 45-50 minute class with students I don't know.  In that situation I get physical. I am providing a link to a website I am creating that is focused on drama activities for English Language Teaching.   At this writing, it has a bit over 10 activities described with video examples.  I think for the situation you describe the activities build it <g class="gr_ gr_58 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="58" data-gr-id="58">break</g> it, and then vehicle people sculptures would work well. Stage <g class="gr_ gr_220 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="220" data-gr-id="220">pictures,</g> and <g class="gr_ gr_44 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="44" data-gr-id="44">bippity</g> <g class="gr_ gr_45 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="45" data-gr-id="45">bitppity</g> bop would also be possible, as would most of the other activities I describe.  While the website is geared to working with English language learners I use them with all of my students, and they are middle school tested.
https://www.richardsilberg.com



------------------------------
Richard Silberg
Drama/ESL Specialist
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
Berkeley, California
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2018 14:59
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Middle School Activities

Hi all,
I'm looking for some fresh activities to incorporate in my middle school outreach lessons. The whole lesson lasts 45-55 <g class="gr_ gr_43 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="43" data-gr-id="43">minutes,</g> and should be engaging and challenging for 10-20 seventh-graders. Their other arts activity has to do with stop-motion animation. I usually talk about creating character through body and voice, and <g class="gr_ gr_41 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="41" data-gr-id="41">them</g> having them create fast fairy tales. But I don't love all my activities, and I don't always get a lot out of the kids. Does anyone have new strategies or exercises to suggest?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------