Acting Lesson Plans

Lesson 6 of 6 in Introduction to Stanislavski Unit

Performance and Evaluation

by Drama Teacher Academy

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of everything they have learned through scene performance. They will watch the scenes afterward to self-evaluate. An optional quiz is provided.

# Acting

Lesson 6 of 6 in Virtual Introduction to Stanislavski Unit

Performance and Evaluation

by Drama Teacher Academy

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of everything they have learned through scene performance. They will watch the scenes afterward to self-evaluate. An optional quiz is provided.

# Acting

Lesson 7 of 7 in Monologue Writing Made Easy Unit

Performing a Monologue

by Matthew Banaszynski

Students will perform their monologues in front of the class and reflect on the process.

Slide Deck Lesson 7

# Playwriting # Acting # monologue # playwriting # acting

Lesson 15 of 15 in Scene Staging Unit

Performing the Scene

by Lindsay Price

Students perform their scenes and complete a Post-Performance Reflection.

Slide Deck Lesson 15

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Lesson 1 of 3 in Theatrical Arguments: Pursuing Objectives, Communication, and Conflict Unit

Persuasive Actions & Objectives

by Rachel Atkins

In this lesson, students explore character objectives: They will use facial expression and physical gestures to make statues of different actions that characters might take to get what they want. Students will work with a partner to create tableaux (frozen stage pictures) to show a specific action and response. They will write an argument in which they identify a specific action – and then support that claim with evidence from the statues and tableaux.

# Acting # acting

Lesson 2 of 3 in Theatrical Arguments: Pursuing Objectives, Communication, and Conflict Unit

Persuasive Actions With Vocal Expression

by Rachel Atkins

In this lesson, students explore word choice, emotion, and vocal expression in communication. They will select an objective or argument and actions to support it. They will write lines of dialogue to match different actions. They will choose an emotion that correspond with the line and action, and practice speaking their lines with emotion and vocal expression. Finally, they will write an argument explaining how a line expresses a specific action – and support it with evidence.

# Acting # acting # voice

Play in a Week

by Steven Stack

In this student driven activity, students will work together to put up a short one act play from audition to production within a one week time limit. The purpose of the activity is to show students, quickly, how important it is to work together, to collaborate, and to negotiate as a group. This is also a good activity to apply responsibility. The students themselves are responsible for all aspects of this activity - you should only take on an advisory role. Give feedback when asked but don’t act as a director or make decisions for your students. The point is not a “perfect” production but to give students an activity where they must work together in order to succeed. The process is more important than the product.

# Group Activities # Acting # acting

Lesson 3 of 6 in Pantomime Unit

Posture and Characterization

by Anna Porter

Students will explore characterization by examining posture and playing a version of Musical Chairs with “proper” posture. Students will also explore specific character physicality by playing a relay game where they must take on and then pass along the physical characterization of specific characters.

Character Relay Slips
Slide Deck Lesson 3

# Acting # pantomime # acting

Lesson 3 of 6 in The Actor in Transition: From Presentational to Three-Dimensional Unit

Power Plays in Three Statues

by John Minigan

This lesson incorporates physicality into stage relationships and learn to use stage position as an element of
blocking that can show the dynamics of and changes in power in a scene.

# Acting # acting

Lesson 3 of 3 in Alexander Technique Unit

Practical Uses of the Alexander Technique

by Ruthie Tutterow

Students will go over some practical uses of the Alexander Technique. They will be asked to demonstrate an everyday activity to show their understanding of how to incorporate Alexander principles into their movements.

# Acting

Preparing a Scene

by Lindsay Price

What tools do students need to properly prepare a scene? What exercises? This multi-class lesson plan models and practices those tools and exercises with the full class before they have to take on a scene for assessment.

# Character Development # Acting # acting # character development

Lesson 5 of 5 in Monologues - Part 2 Unit

Project: Performing Monologues

by Matt Webster

For this culminating project, students will perform their original monologue from the previous lesson.

Slide Deck Lesson 5

# Acting # monologue

Lesson 3 of 3 in Voice Unit

Puppet Project

by Anna Porter

Students will create a character and design a puppet for performance.

Slide Deck Lesson 3
Puppet Character Worksheet

# Acting # voice # acting

Lesson 12 of 15 in Scene Staging Unit

Purposeful Action

by Lindsay Price

In their rehearsal today, students will review their blocking choices with a specific objective of making every action in the scene purposeful and theatrical through character wants, audience connection, and vocal clarity.

Slide Deck Lesson 12

# Acting

Real World Applications: Swings, Standbys, and Understudies

by Lindsay Price

In this real world application lesson students view videos of a theatre profession, complete viewing quizzes, and hand in a Reflection.

# Acting # Comprehension # acting

Lesson 11 of 15 in Scene Staging Unit

Rehearsal

by Lindsay Price

This lesson is a straight up rehearsal period. Students will have 30 minutes to rehearse and decide on a section they’re going to show the class. They will perform their section without scripts.

Slide Deck Lesson 11

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Lesson 3 of 5 in Abstract Scene Performance Unit

Rehearsal and Movement Practice

by Annie Dragoo

In this lesson, students will spend time rehearsing their abstract scenes. They will also practice and demonstrate movement skills such as facial expression, posture, gesture control, and balance.

# Acting # acting # scene work

Lesson 4 of 9 in Pantomime Unit

Rehearsal Day 1

by Angel Borths

To apply knowledge toward a pantomime performance.

Slide Deck Lesson 4

# Acting # pantomime # acting

Lesson 5 of 9 in Pantomime Unit

Rehearsal Day 2

by Angel Borths

To apply knowledge toward a pantomime performance.

Slide Deck Lesson 5

# Acting # pantomime # acting

Lesson 5 of 6 in Introduction to Stanislavski Unit

Rehearsals

by Drama Teacher Academy

Students will put into action the Stanislavski principles, superobjective, and scene scores as they rehearse their scenes for performance. In these classes students will work through planning, blocking, specific details, a line check, and a final runthrough before the performance.

# Acting