PD Courses
Organized Chaos: Discipline in the Theatre Classroom
by Matt Webster
To the outside observer, theatre classes often appear to be chaotic and lawless. However, successful theatre teachers know how to maintain control of their classrooms. Organized Chaos: Discipline in the Theatre Classroom will give you tools and strategies to prepare you for challenges you may face as you step up in front of a class of students and introduce them to the art of theatre. Whether you are a student teacher finishing college, a first-year teacher just starting out in the classroom, or an established teacher with a few years of experience under your belt, these lessons will provide insight and support as you establish discipline in your classroom.
The Do-it-All Director's Introduction to Set Design
by Holly Beardsley
Holly Beardsley is a do-it-all director. She started directing middle and high school students in her early college years and since then has written over ten shows and directed twice as many. Do-it-all directors are responsible for everything it seems – the direction, the costuming, the choreography and of course, the set too. And though directors are ready to direct, to costume and even dance, there is something intimidating about designing and building a set. The Do-it-All Director’s Introduction to Set Design will give you the director, who must do-it-all, the confidence and skills to not only direct but build your own set as well - no matter your experience or budget. This course will teach you set design basics, construction tips, budget tricks, and how to tackle your precious performance space armed with a hammer, and most importantly, without fear.
Tech for Non-Techies: Teaching Technical Theatre in Your Drama Classroom
by Josh Hatt
In this course, instructor Joshua Hatt shows you how to unpack your drama standards, articulate what you want your students to know and be able to do. The material explores how to incorporate lights, sound, makeup, staging, and costuming into your drama class at any grade level regardless of your school resources or unit structure. Bells and whistles? Awesome! Barely a classroom? We’ve still got you covered. This 9 lesson series works from the basics and standards, though lighting, sound, costuming, staging, and makeup design, and culminates with a final project including rubrics, resources, and handouts. A wise theatre technician once said: “the theatre mirrors life but technical theatre teachers us how to live.” Try to keep that statement in mind as you work through this course and see if we can make you a believer in all things technical theatre.
Lesson Plans
Part of Script Analysis: The Actor's Perspective Unit
Getting to Know a Character
by Karen Loftus
Students learn the 5 ways we learn about a character in a script.
Part of Script Analysis: The Actor's Perspective Unit
Characters in a Scene
by Karen Loftus
Students continue their exploration with script analysis by learning about objective, obstacle, stakes, and tactics and applying it to an exercise.
Part of Script Analysis: The Actor's Perspective Unit
The Stanislavski Method
by Karen Loftus
Students continue their exploration with script analysis by learning about objective, obstacle, stakes, and tactics and applying it to an exercise.
Part of Script Analysis: The Actor's Perspective Unit
Applying Analysis to Performance
by Karen Loftus
Students continue their exploration of script analysis by applying objective, obstacles, tactics, and stakes within an open scene. They learn that they must apply their script analysis to their performance.
00 - Emergency Lesson Plans Ebook
by Lindsay Price
You need Emergency Lesson Plans. The unexpected comes up all the time. This Emergency Lesson Plan Collection (30 lessons) will address all of your concerns and take into account all of your sub’s questions. Every Emergency Lesson Plan includes substitute instructions, handouts, and assessment suggestions.
Part of Unit Four: Intro to Scripted Scenes Unit
Intro to Scripts
by Lindsay Johnson
In this introductory lesson, students will be able to define “script” and “dialogue.” They will begin to brainstorm characters/relationships, setting, and conflicts to add content to a contentless scene that they will work on for the rest of the unit. Students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned in the previous unit to communicate meaning: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics.
Units
PLCs
Engaging the Non-Theatre Student
Hosted by Matt Webster, Matt Banaszynski, and Lea Marshall
Learn from our guest panel how to engage even the most reluctant "non-theatre" student. Matt Webster hosts, joined by Lindsay Price, Lea Marshall, and Matt Banaszynski. Recorded on March 22, 2016.
Staging Scenes in the Classroom
Hosted by Matt Webster, Shelby Steege, Jeremy Bishop
Best practices for staging scenes in the drama classroom.
Taking your students to festivals & competitions
Hosted by Matt Webster, Lindsay Price, Craig Branch, Winston Sims
Learn from teachers who've been there, done that - the ins and outs of taking your students to festivals and competitions. What should students aim to get out of the experience? What pitfalls should you avoid? Turn it into a memorable, positive experience for all involved.
Middle School Matters!
Hosted by Matt Webster, Lindsay Price, Lindsay Johnson, Marisa Brady
Middle School theatre teachers are a special breed. Their highs are higher, their lows are lower, and the drama in their classroom is much more dramatic! But for all of that, middle school drama teachers don't typically get the respect and attention they deserve. Well we have something to say about that! That's right, we are dedicating this PLC to the trials, tribulations and triumphs that can only be found in a Middle School Drama classroom. Join in as we talk about the bravest, the craziest, the awesomest teachers in the whole school: Middle School Drama Teachers! Because Middle School Matters...
AI in the Drama Classroom
Hosted by Matt Webster, Lindsay Price, Jessica McGettrick, Elizabeth Holbrook
Artificial Intelligence is here. In the past few years it has found its way into almost every corner of modern life - including the classroom. However, important questions remain. Questions like: "Is there a place for AI in the classroom?" "Does that include the Drama classroom?" and "What does AI in the Drama classroom look like?" These are just some of the questions we will tackle when you join us in this forward thinking PLC.
Navigating Personal Challenges
Hosted by Matt Webster, Lindsay Price, Claire Broome, Lea Marshall
Teachers are people. And people face challenges. Challenges like family illnesses, relationship crises, financial worry, and so much more. What is a teacher to do when a personal crisis hits? Teachers are expected to navigate personal challenges, yet still effectively teach their classes. That means teachers try to keep these challenges from spilling into the classroom - but can they? Should they? Join our panel for an in-depth discussion on navigating personal challenges as a teacher.
Resources
Improv Warm Up Games
This resource has a list and description of six different warm-up games, great for improv groups or any theatre class.
Scene Performance Rubric
This assessment tool for scene performance includes a rubric, a performance task outline, and a performer checklist.
Monologue Packet
We know that you’re always on the lookout for monologues. We also know you’ve no time to search for monologues. Enjoy the material in this packet. Use them in your classes. Give them to your students for their next IE’s. The full scripts for all monologues can be found at theatrefolk.com.
00 - Scenes for Classroom Study eBook
Use these scenes in your classroom for character study, scene work, substitute teachers, performance, Individual Event competitions, and any other way you can imagine. Each scene comes from a published play (the complete play can be found on at theatrefolk.com) and is FREE for you to print, copy, and distribute. But wait there’s more! Each scene comes with: • Close Reading Questions • Staging Suggestions • Character Development 30 scenes in total within this eBook!
Emergency Lesson Plans eBook
You need Emergency Lesson Plans. The unexpected comes up all the time. This Emergency Lesson Plan Collection (30 lessons) will address all of your concerns and take into account all of your sub’s questions. Every Emergency Lesson Plan includes substitute instructions, handouts, and assessment suggestions.
