Facebook Pixel Skip to main content

Search the Drama Teacher Academy

Displaying items 1-20 of 2438 in total

The Empathy Project

8 resources
This project takes a scaffolded approach to creating the Empathetic Classroom. It guides students through five “links” of empathy: first with themselves, then others, then characters, then the audience/world, and finally into a culminating theatrical presentation. Along the way, it provides resources like reflection prompts, team-building games, safe-space guidelines, and support for executing the project in a classroom context.

Inclusion Toolkit

2 resources
This toolkit is a guide to inclusion in the drama classroom, including strategies, activities, and tips for performance, along with classroom exercises to promote inclusion.

The Organized Production Toolkit

7 resources
This toolkit offers a complete suite of planning and execution resources to help drama teachers run productions smoothly from start to finish. It provides templates and guides across six categories - including pre-production (auditions, casting), stage management (schedules, contact sheets), props & costumes tracking, backstage running orders, ticket sales, and post-show wrap-up (strike checklists, cast party planning). With clear structure and editable documents, the toolkit helps ensure consistency, accountability, and efficiency in mounting any theatrical production.

Rehearsal Toolkit

9 resources
This resource offers a comprehensive collection of resources to support every stage of the rehearsal process, from initial planning to final run-throughs. It includes guides for launching rehearsals, warmups, strategies to keep actors engaged, character development exercises, approaches for classical and comedic texts, handling rehearsal challenges, and structuring final rehearsals.

Creativity Toolkit

13 resources
This toolkit offers a wide array of low-stakes experiences and resources designed to foster student creativity in a safe, pressure-free environment. It includes classroom norms and procedures for creativity, reflection prompts, group and individual creative exercises (e.g. movement, vocal, improv), and inspirational posters and quotes to support ongoing idea generation.

Teaching Students to Direct Toolkit

8 resources
This toolkit breaks down the directing process into discrete “tools” - such as Tool of Self, Tool of the Script, Tool of Rehearsal, Tool of Space, Tool of Design, and Tool of Self-Evaluation - each accompanied by exercises, handouts, assignments, and reflection prompts. It guides student-directors through script analysis, rehearsal planning, staging, communication with actors and designers, and self-evaluation of their work.

Classroom Management Toolkit

7 resources
This toolkit provides practical, ready-to-use resources to help drama educators establish structure, engagement, and consistent routines in their classrooms. It includes tools such as seating charts, procedures, incentive systems, assessment guides, discipline strategies, and etiquette guidelines explicitly tailored for drama instruction. With checklists, posters, worksheets, and reflection aids, the toolkit supports both preventing issues and responding thoughtfully when challenges arise.

How to Create Assessments Toolkit

9 resources
This toolkit gives drama teachers structured guidance and materials for designing meaningful assessments tailored to theatrical learning contexts. It includes resources on foundational terms (e.g. formative vs. summative, Bloom’s Taxonomy), planning phases of assessment, rubric design, clear instructions, and examples of both formative and summative assessments.

Story Theatre Toolkit

14 resources
This toolkit offers a full, scaffolded framework for transforming stories into theatrical works. It includes 13 sections covering story selection, adaptation, narrator styles, staging techniques (like people-as-props), space adaptation, and sample scripts for performance.

Costuming Toolkit

8 resources
This toolkit offers a full suite of resources - articles, handouts, slide decks, videos, and posters - to guide drama teachers from pre-rehearsal planning through post-production strike, even if they lack costuming experience or sewing skills. It covers foundational design concepts, low-budget techniques, script analysis, costume measurement, dress rehearsal etiquette, emergency kits, and costume strike procedures.

LGBTQ+: Inclusivity in the Drama Classroom Toolkit

6 resources
This resource provides a rich collection of lesson plans, activities, discussion prompts, and resources designed to visibly support LGBTQ+ students in the drama classroom. It includes modules on expectations and ensemble building, improvisation with inclusive character choices, design and production with LGBTQ+ professionals, acting and character development embracing diverse identities, and analysis activities centered around inclusivity and identity.

Concept-Based Design Project

6 resources
This project introduces students to a structured design methodology by having them apply the MELT (Mood, Era, Location, Theme) framework and “What If” brainstorming games to reinterpret simple stories. Over five scaffolded parts, learners identify essential elements, generate conceptual statements, explore imaginative variations, and then present a cohesive design portfolio including scenery, costumes, and lighting. The resource emphasizes conceptual thinking and creative risk-taking while anchoring student work in a clear process.

SEL Monologue Project

6 resources
This project guides students to analyze and rehearse a monologue through the lens of social-emotional learning, fostering deeper emotional connection and authenticity in performance. It is structured into five parts: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making. Each part has activities and prompts to help students explore their characters’ inner lives and emotional journeys.
Unit 5 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Ancient Greek Theatre

by Karen Loftus

4 lessons
This unit on Ancient Greek theatre focuses on the function of the chorus, the choral ode, and the details of the theatre space. It touches on plays and playwrights of the era, culminating in a final project of a modern version of Medea that includes a choral ode.
Unit 7 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Commedia Dell'Arte

by Karen Loftus

5 lessons
Students will discover, analyze, and explore the history, characters, and style of commedia dell’arte. Commedia dell’arte is a theatre history unit mixed with improvisation, physicalization, and exploring specific characters. In this unit, we’re going to focus on three main aspects: 1. Causes and Effects of Commedia (History) 2. Stock Characters 3. Commedia Performance Practices
Unit 9 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Elizabethan Theatre

by Karen Loftus

6 lessons
How do you introduce students to Shakespeare? This unit introduces the Bard through life in Elizabethan England and the playwrights, players, and playhouses. It also explores how to approach unfamiliar words and context clues in Shakespeare’s texts.
Unit 11 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Japanese Theatre

by Karen Loftus

4 lessons
This unit will enable students to identify, compare, and contrast three different styles of Japanese theatre: Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki. There are three proposed projects in this unit: a research assignment where groups delve into further detail about one of the three styles; a performance project where students utilize what they’ve learned by enacting a scene from a Kyogen (comedic) play; and a Bunraku puppet play.
Unit 10 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Playwriting

by Karen Loftus

8 lessons
Students will explore the structural elements of a play: character, objective, obstacles, tactics, resolution, and raising the stakes. They will also learn how to write character-driven dialogue and stage directions. Students will work in groups to create and present a short play.
Unit 12 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Scenic Design

by Karen Loftus

7 lessons
This unit will focus on the basics: what is scenic design? How do the scenic designer and director collaborate? What is the process that the scenic designer goes through? The unit will also explore basic drafting techniques, and rendering techniques. Based on what they learn, students will create a ground plan and a rendering. Please refer to the Pacing Guide for more details and ways to supplement with other DTA materials.
Unit 13 of 14 in Drama One Curriculum

Front of House

by Karen Loftus

3 lessons
This unit looks at theatre jobs in the business category: front of house, marketing, and box office. The aim of these jobs is to interact with the public. Students are able to identify what “front of house” refers to and understand the various roles of a theatre company’s front of house members. Students will also explore how a show is marketed and demonstrate their knowledge of marketing by creating a simple marketing campaign for an original show.