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Students will learn the clues and meaning behind the punctuation that Shakespeare used. Students will also dissect, analyze, and color code examples. They will also use physical movement tied to specific punctuation to help them explore how it can communicate meaning in the text. Students will then apply this and analyze their performance script by examining their punctuation.

Students will use insults and compliments to explore sound and imagery created in Shakespeare’s texts. Students will also practice this form, then create a short scenario where they must use their voice and body to bring Shakespeare’s imagery to life to achieve a specific emotional response.

In this lesson, students will learn, explore, and apply Laban’s eight efforts and their specific elements through an Impulse Improv exercise.

In this lesson, students will explore character movement and will be introduced to dance theorist Rudolf Laban’s definition of human movement. This technique will be the foundation for the character development in this unit.

In this lesson, students will start the creation process for their original characters. This is Steps 2 and 3 of the Extended Character Assignment. Students will complete a character analysis, a character psychophysical profile, and then try out their character on their feet using a chosen Laban effort.

The exercises within this unit are meant for students to explore the concept of lighting for theatre without the need for extensive tech or even a theatrical lighting grid. Each exercise is meant to build upon the previous one, as students grow in their confidence with thinking about lighting in different ways.

Students work in groups of 2 or 3 for this exercise on concept creation.

In this exercise, students are given the opportunity to explore different methods of creating lighting effects using items and resources found around them.

In this exercise, students will create a short shadow puppetry scene behind a sheet that is backlit.

This exercise takes the concept creation ideas explored in a previous exercise and has students notate their lighting plans on a script.

In this lesson, students will learn about the three-act structure and see this structure in action through a case study.

This is a brainstorming-through-exercises lesson to give students the opportunity to explore possible personal inspirations for their autobiographical monologue.

In this lesson, based on their brainstorm material, students will look at their memories, notes, and images, choose a subject, and write on the character for their monologue. They will then write a first draft of their monologue in a quick-write fashion. After a break, students will analyze what they’ve written, and write a second draft. The unit ends with a reflection or students reading their work aloud.

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the objective of the unit (to write an autobiographical monologue), reflect on their thoughts and fears when it comes to the writing process, and engage with exercises that introduce the concept of using personal connection and narrative to create characters.

In this lesson, students will experiment with thinking from a comic and a serious perspective, which might offer possibilities for their original monologue.

Students will select a monologue to use in this performance unit during the class period. They will also work in groups to create an entertaining and educational performance based off of a plot summary for one of Shakespeare’s plays.

Students will explore emotional outbursts, action words, and emotion words by doing a structured activity and textual analysis.

Students will take a pre-quiz on some of Shakespeare’s plays, then find 5 things they did not already know about Shakespeare during a group discussion and presentation. This lesson includes a presentation for students to introduce Shakespeare and his time period.

As a class, students will explore context, the meaning of words, and imagery used to unlock meaning in a Shakespearean text. Students will use these tools to create a modern translation for their own text. Students are also introduced to resources and will become familiar with their story through doing the Actor’s Homework.

Students will use insults and compliments to explore sound and imagery in Shakespeare’s texts. Students will also participate in a choral reading, then create a short scenario where they must use their voice and body to bring Shakespeare’s imagery to life to achieve a specific emotional response.