Looking for a quick improv activity to start or end a class? I am absolutely obsessed with a website called Awkward Family Photos. Awkward Family Photos is a blog that publishes… well… awkward family photos. The photo above was the current one as I was writing this post.
Every single photo on this website is a gem and ripe for use in your class!
Pull up the photo of the day and divide the class into groups of however many people are in the photos. Give them a few minutes to sketch out a short background for each person in the photo. Who are they? What is their relationship to the others in the photo? Then have the students:
- Improv the moment before the photo was taken.
- Improv the moment after the photo was taken.
- Improv a typical family dinner for these people.
- Improv Christmas morning at their house.
You could also use the same website as a writing exercise.
- Create character backgrounds for each character.
- Write out a scene leading up to the taking of the photo.
- Write a scene where they find their photo on this website.
Can you think of any other fun activities to base around the photos? Leave your ideas below.
