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Genre Lesson Plans

A library of lesson plans to help you effectively plan your workshops and classes.

Lesson 2 of 4 in Japanese Theatre Unit

Bunraku

by Karen Loftus

In this introductory lesson, students learn about Bunraku theatre, discuss its primary elements, and then do an exercise that puts those elements into practice.

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Lesson 7 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Circular Plot Lines

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdism theatrical convention of circular plot lines that appear to go nowhere and end in unresolved situations.

# Genre
Lesson 8 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Circular Plot Lines in The Arsonist

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdism theatrical convention of circular plot lines that appear to go nowhere and end in unresolved situations by using the text from Max Frisch’s The Arsonists.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 8
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Lesson 3 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Cliches, Stereotypes, and Overused Phrases

by Lea Marshall

To compare modern-day clichés and stereotyped phrases to those used in Theatre of the Absurd Plays to convey that style’s message of language’s meaninglessness.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 3
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Lesson 4 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Cliches, Stereotypes, and Overused Phrases in Waiting for Godot

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdism theatrical convention of using cliches, stereotypes, or overused repeated phrases to communicate (or not communicate) a larger theme of interpersonal relationships and misunderstandings in the text of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 4
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Lesson 5 of 9 in Puppetry Unit

Create and Character/Object Puppets

by Jenny Goodfellow

Students will bring in an object that they can turn into a puppet. Using the object puppet, students will create an original character and establish movement patterns and character voice. Character Worksheet and Practice Sheets are included, to perform their original puppet characters.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 5
# Genre # puppetry
Lesson 13 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Final Project: The Play's the Thing...

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore elements of Absurdism in their chosen Absurd play.

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Lesson 4 of 9 in Puppetry Unit

Finger Puppets

by Jenny Goodfellow

If you have the resources, purchase finger puppets for this lesson. It can also be easily done with drawn faces on index fingers, or faces on popsicle sticks. Using well known fairy tales like “Little Red Riding Hood” or “The Three Little Pigs,” students will retell these stories from a different perspective, using their finger puppet.

# Genre # puppetry
Lesson 6 of 9 in Puppetry Unit

Hand Puppets

by Jenny Goodfellow

Students learn proper hand puppet technique and practice these techniques with a prewritten scene. Teachers can also choose to use traditional hand puppets, or students can make their own using socks/paper bags.

# Genre # puppetry
Lesson 12 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Impossibilities in Ionesco's Rhinoceros

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdist element of impossible things seen as normal or unremarkable in Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 12
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Lesson 11 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Impossible Things are Happening Every Day

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdist plot convention of impossible things seen as normal or unremarkable.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 11
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Introduction to Children's Theatre

by Bethany Kennedy

Students will learn about and then demonstrate their understanding of the Children’s Theatre audience through role play and writing a scene.

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Introduction to Expressionism

by Ruth Richards

Students will be introduced to the basic theory of Expressionism including expression of emotion, rapid disjointed dialogue, and stylistic movement. Students will practice moving and expressing emotion in an Expressionistic style. They will create a scene based on a nightmare using the principals of Expressionism. An oral presentation assignment is provided as follow up to this practical work.

Lesson Plan comes with a practical task evaluation, assignment checklist, and rubric.

# Genre

Introduction to Melodrama

by Ruth Richards

Students are introduced to the basic theory of Melodrama and its characteristics; predictable plots, stock characters, and exaggeration. Students will role play the stock characters of melodrama both physically and vocally. They will rehearse and perform a Melodrama scenario and as a written assignment be asked to write their own melodrama scenario.

Lesson Plan comes with practical assessment and written assignment rubric.

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Introduction to Pantomime

by Bethany Kennedy

Students will learn and practice pantomime skills by developing, communicating and sustaining the size and shape of mimed objects.

# Genre # pantomime
Lesson 3 of 4 in Japanese Theatre Unit

Kabuki

by Karen Loftus

In this introductory lesson, students learn about Kabuki theatre, discuss its primary elements, and then do an exercise that puts those elements into practice.

# Genre
Lesson 5 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Meaningless Language

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdism theatrical convention of using meaningless language to communicate (or not communicate) a larger theme of interpersonal relationships and misunderstandings.

# Genre
Lesson 6 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Meaningless Language in The Bald Soprano

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the Absurdism theatrical convention of using meaningless language to communicate (or not communicate) a larger theme of interpersonal relationships and misunderstandings through the text of Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 6
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Lesson 1 of 4 in Japanese Theatre Unit

Noh Theatre

by Karen Loftus

In this introductory lesson, students learn about Noh Theatre, discuss its primary elements, and then do an exercise that puts those elements into practice.

# Genre
Lesson 2 of 13 in Theatre of the Absurd Unit

Out of Tune

by Lea Marshall

Students will explore the historical and philosophical background for the ABSURDIST style of theatre.

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