13 Lesson Plans to help you effectively plan your workshops and classes
by Allison Green
Students listen to the Abenaki Creation Story and explore through plot graphing and recreating.
by Lindsay Price
Use this lesson plan at the beginning of the year to introduce the concept of ensemble and what it means to work together.
Part One: Students participate and then reflect on exercises where they have to work together to make the exercise successful. They are given an Ensemble Expectations Handout.
Part Two: Students participate and then reflect on exercises where they have to work together as an ensemble in a theatrical context. Here the exercises add elements of character and story such as creating a family portrait, tableau, group objects, one word storytelling, and choral speaking.
by Lindsay Price
It takes practice for students to get used to the idea of working together, crafting ideas together, and learning how to negotiate. In a collaboration everyone comes to the table equally, and that means there is a process of give and take. Use this exercise to have your students practice negotiating instead of following one or two leaders.
by Lindsay Price
This cross-curricular lesson plan uses a picture to illuminate a historical moment that we don’t often see. How does seeing the event in a different light change the perspective? This is a great lesson to enforce the idea that characters aren’t always what they seem - whether students are preparing a character to perform, or if they are writing a play.
by Kerry Hishon
The objective of this lesson is for students to think quickly and creatively by demonstrating a common rule or concept in an unusual way, using various theatrical techniques.
by Dustin Loehr
To begin establishing an Ensemble by creating opportunities for students to:
1. Collaborate
2. Trust each other
Students will work together in small groups or in pairs to solve various challenges. Challenges involve using their non- verbal skills to communicate, working together through movement and support of weight and trust. Students will complete the following activities in this order:
1. Human Knott
2. Body to Body
3. Weight Sharing
4. Circle Trust
by Matthew Banaszynski
Students will read the description of a musical then break into groups to create a poster for the show. Each group will present their poster to the class and explain their representation. Note: This lesson works well if students have had a basic introduction to musical theatre.
by Karen Loftus
In this highly structured exercise, students work in groups and use clearly defined goals to create the dialogue of a scene.
Each member of the group has an assigned task and contributes to the final creation.
by Allison Green
The first 3 lessons introduce origin stories. Students research an Indigenous origin story in small groups. They will create a plot graph and share in a class discussion.
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.
by Todd Espeland
Instead of presenting a lecture on influential acting teachers, students self-learn in this lesson plan. Have students research an acting teacher, prepare a presentation and teach an exercise in groups.
by Allison Green
Student will use the research they completed on days 1-3 to retell an origin story to the class.
by Lisa Houston
In Elizabethan times, audiences at the Globe had to use their powers of imagination and listening to envision the worlds of Shakespeare’s plays. Today, modern audiences are treated to elaborate depictions of Shakespeare’s settings with expensive sets, lighting, projections, and sound. This lesson will test your students’ creative collaboration. They will design a set and soundscape in obstacle course form for one of Shakespeare’s plays using found objects, sounds, and actions.
Our parent company Theatrefolk offers a fantastic selection of plays written specifically for high school and middle school students.
Whether for performances or class study, there's something for everyone: relevant & relatable themes, simple sets & costumes, flexible casting options and much more - a perfect addition to any drama program!