Improvisation Lesson Plans

Lesson 6 of 7 in Improvisation in Musical Theatre Unit

Improvisation Scenes

by Annie Dragoo

Students will demonstrate ability to use voice, body, and imagination/mind together by planning and performing an improvised scene.

# Improvisation # Acting # improv # musical theatre

Improvisation Unit (Three Lesson Plans)

by Anna Porter

This is a three lesson plan unit on introducing Improvisation.
Part One: Introduction to Improv
Students will understand what improvisation is and how to use the following rules: Trust Yourself and Accept all Offers.
Part Two: Characterization & One Focus
Students explore Characterization and One Focus by participating in activities and playing Ding, Emotional Waiter and Party Quirks.
Part Three: Conflict and Tell a Complete Story
Students will understand what conflict is and how to create it. Students will also understand how to use conflict to tell an improvised story with a beginning, middle and end.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the rules of improvisation through their final performance in Freeze as well as a written quiz.

# Improvisation # improv

Improvisation: The Gibberish Language

by Lindsay Price

Newcomers to improvisation often struggle with quick verbal responses. They get caught up with self-editing, self-judgement, and self-censorship and feel they’re failing at the exercise if they’re not fast enough. The gibberish tool allows students to practice the act of response with intention without the pressure of real words. It gives them confidence to participate in an improvised scene.
Students will create a gibberish language as a group. Focus on making gibberish a language. “Yes, it sounds silly, but treat gibberish as a language.” The words don’t matter. How you say them does. Students will move to small group conversations, and finally improv scenes.

Includes a list of scenarios, reflection, and assessment rubric.

# Improvisation # improv

Improvisation: Characters

by Jennine Profeta

Characters have a lot of value in empowering your students’ improv. In this lesson, students will start to explore character in improv with the warm up game “Character Walkabout” and the improv game “Hitchhiker.”

# Improvisation # improv # character development # games

Improvisation: The Rashomon Monologue

by Lindsay Price

Students will learn the Rashomon plot device and put it into practice through improvised character monologues.

Includes scenario sheet, assignment sheet, and assessment rubric.

# Improvisation # improv # monologue

Lesson 1 of 7 in Improvisation in Musical Theatre Unit

Intro to Improv for Musical Theatre

by Annie Dragoo

Students will demonstrate an understanding of improv guidelines by using them in an exercise. This is an introductory improv lesson that is designed to build upon the actors’ tools in future lessons.

# Improvisation # Acting # Musical Theatre # improv # musical theatre

Lesson 6 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Intro to Projection and Enunciation

by Lindsay Johnson

In this sixth improvisation lesson, students will practice in partners quick thinking, improv, and enunciation in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the ENUNCIATION section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 5 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Intro to Projection and Volume

by Lindsay Johnson

In this fifth improvisation lesson, students will learn the definition of “projection.” With partners, they will practice quick thinking, improv, and volume in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the VOLUME section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 1 of 3 in Improv Unit

Introduction to Improv

by Anna Porter

Students explore how to trust themselves and work with others in improvisation through activities as well as playing games - Story Game, What are you doing?, and Press Conference.

Slide Deck Lesson 1

# Improvisation # improv # character development # games

Main Idea and Story Detail Improv

by Karen Loftus

Improvisation is a great tool for storytelling and getting important concepts across to all students including struggling readers and writers. In this lesson, you’ll use the improv game “Scene Redux” to help strengthen the students’ understanding of main idea and detail as it relates to storytelling.

# Improvisation # improv # games

Lesson 7 of 12 in Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes Unit

Objective and Tactics

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 4 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Performance Quiz

by Lindsay Johnson

In this fourth improvisation lesson, students will participate in a mock improv assessment in small groups. They will also give partners written feedback on the entire Improvisation Rubric. Students will learn the exercise that will be used for their final improv assessment.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 4 of 4 in Impowerment Improv Unit

Positive and Negative Speak

by Jennine Profeta

This lesson has students identify and have self-awareness of positive and negative speak.

# Improvisation # improv

Lesson 12 of 12 in Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes Unit

Posters

by Lindsay Johnson

7 posters for the drama classroom, designed to support the objectives of the building improvised scenes unit.

# Improvisation # poster # middle school friendly

Lesson 9 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Posters

by Lindsay Johnson

8 posters for the drama classroom, to support the objectives of the Improvisation Basics unit.

# Improvisation # poster # middle school friendly

Lesson 9 of 12 in Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes Unit

Projection Rehearsal

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 2 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Quick Thinking

by Lindsay Johnson

In this second improvisation lesson, students will practice accepting offers, building on offers, and thinking quickly in improvisation exercises. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback on the second row (QUICK THINKING) of the Improvisation Rubric, using language from the Rubric.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 8 of 12 in Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes Unit

Relationship and Setting Rehearsal

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 1 of 12 in Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes Unit

Relationships

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson we’ll look at how verbal and nonverbal clues communicate relationship to an audience. Students will improvise a short scene in pairs that shows a clear relationship between two characters using clue words and body language/expressions.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly

Lesson 7 of 9 in Unit Two: Improvisation Basics Unit

Review for Improv Test

by Lindsay Johnson

In this seventh lesson, students will practice their skills for the Lesson 8 test using a tongue twister (from Gilbert and Sullivan) as well as the improv game. Students will self-assess, and give/receive peer feedback.

Slide Deck

# Improvisation # middle school friendly