Open Forum

What about a long-term, collaborative project that ends every class? I recommend small groups meet each day to make a bit of progress that might ultimately culminate in a final project for the quarter. Could be the following:
-creating puppets and writing a scene together, working on the puppet's biography, voice, etc.
-re-writing a fairy tale and eventually performing it (could be working it in various theatre styles, changing the ending to make it more modern, adding characters from different fairy tales, etc.)
-creating your own theatre vocabulary game: using theatre vocab words, create your own crossword puzzle, kahoot, jeopardy game, etc. Then share and play them with the class.

Some teachers spend the final few minutes of class having the students work in a journal. Not sure if you already do this or if it would work for you. Each day (or week) there is a different topic to write about, maybe work on writing monologues, 2 person conflict scenes, etc.

Best wishes!

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Rob Duval
Theatre Teacher/Director
'Iolani School
Kaneohe HI
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2020 16:20
From: Bridget DeVivo
Subject: Middle School Help!

Hi Everyone!

I'm seeking your advice...I need some suggestions for my middle school classes.  I have been at my school for 19 years.  And, in all that time, I met with middle school, grades 5th through 8th, once a week for 45 minutes.

This year, our school administration decided to go with a new schedule and now I have my middle schoolers twice a week for an hour each class.  An increase from 45 to 2 hours!!  I feel like a first year teacher all over again struggling to come up with projects and lesson plans.  

But really, the main thing that I have been struggling to keep them engaged the last 15 minutes of class.  Games are out, they just get out of hand.  And most of the students are not interested in theater to begin with...it's a required class.

Any ideas or suggestions on how I can keep them occupied and engaged for those last few minutes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Be well,

Bridget DeVivo

Original Message:
Sent: 11/5/2020 4:21:00 PM
From: Bridget DeVivo
Subject: Middle School Help!

Hi Everyone!

I'm seeking your advice...I need some suggestions for my middle school classes.  I have been at my school for 19 years.  And, in all that time, I met with middle school, grades 5th through 8th, once a week for 45 minutes.

This year, our school administration decided to go with a new schedule and now I have my middle schoolers twice a week for an hour each class.  An increase from 45 to 2 hours!!  I feel like a first year teacher all over again struggling to come up with projects and lesson plans.  

But really, the main thing that I have been struggling to keep them engaged the last 15 minutes of class.  Games are out, they just get out of hand.  And most of the students are not interested in theater to begin with...it's a required class.

Any ideas or suggestions on how I can keep them occupied and engaged for those last few minutes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Be well,

Bridget DeVivo

I agree with Brian. Gives the kids a chance to get up out of the chair and move! Love these and so do the kids...especially with the popularity of TikTok!

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Garry Tiller
Theatre Arts Teaching Artist
Sidwell Friends
Washington, DC
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2020 13:20
From: Brian Curl
Subject: Middle School Help!

Happy Friday Bridget!

Would love for you to look into daily8count.com!

 

I have lots of theatre educators (middle school included) that use daily8count as their bellringer everyday.

Each week I release a short musical theatre dance combination, broken down into 5 brief videos, resulting in a fun dance combination each week. These are designed for all levels of students! Daily videos are 2-4 minutes long.

Try out a sample week at daily8count.com.

~brian curl

Original Message:
Sent: 11/5/2020 4:21:00 PM
From: Bridget DeVivo
Subject: Middle School Help!

Hi Everyone!

I'm seeking your advice...I need some suggestions for my middle school classes.  I have been at my school for 19 years.  And, in all that time, I met with middle school, grades 5th through 8th, once a week for 45 minutes.

This year, our school administration decided to go with a new schedule and now I have my middle schoolers twice a week for an hour each class.  An increase from 45 to 2 hours!!  I feel like a first year teacher all over again struggling to come up with projects and lesson plans.  

But really, the main thing that I have been struggling to keep them engaged the last 15 minutes of class.  Games are out, they just get out of hand.  And most of the students are not interested in theater to begin with...it's a required class.

Any ideas or suggestions on how I can keep them occupied and engaged for those last few minutes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Be well,

Bridget DeVivo

Hi Bridget,

I would look into Flipgrid! I use it all the time,
It is a place where the students can go to record answers.
Foe example, you can have them pretend to be News Casters and record some real or fake news, then you would have an opportunity to record or write feed back for the exercise, their is also a lot of other ideas . go to Flipgrid and see what I am talking about, the kids at middle school love it!

Sincerely,

Laura

------------------------------
Laura Rizzo
Theatre Teacher/Director
Miami Country Day School
Miami FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-05-2020 16:20
From: Bridget DeVivo
Subject: Middle School Help!

Hi Everyone!

I'm seeking your advice...I need some suggestions for my middle school classes.  I have been at my school for 19 years.  And, in all that time, I met with middle school, grades 5th through 8th, once a week for 45 minutes.

This year, our school administration decided to go with a new schedule and now I have my middle schoolers twice a week for an hour each class.  An increase from 45 to 2 hours!!  I feel like a first year teacher all over again struggling to come up with projects and lesson plans.  

But really, the main thing that I have been struggling to keep them engaged the last 15 minutes of class.  Games are out, they just get out of hand.  And most of the students are not interested in theater to begin with...it's a required class.

Any ideas or suggestions on how I can keep them occupied and engaged for those last few minutes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Be well,

Bridget DeVivo