The Basics Lesson Plans

Lesson 2 of 10 in Unit Eight: Theatre of the Oppressed Unit

Power Games

by Lindsay Johnson

Students will participate in a number of power activities that will encourage them to come up with ways to physically demonstrate a powerful/powerless character. A discussion about power in our society will follow.

# The Basics # middle school friendly

Lesson 5 of 5 in Theatre Etiquette Unit

Pre-Show Performance Etiquette

by Kerry Hishon

Students receive the Pre-Show Etiquette Tips and Performance Etiquette Tips (handouts).They will brainstorm and develop a warm-up exercise designed to encourage pre-show etiquette, and design series of posters (either fully done or described with sketches) to encourage and highlight performance etiquette.

# The Basics # etiquette

Lesson 2 of 5 in Theatre Etiquette Unit

Real World vs. Theatre World

by Kerry Hishon

Students will learn about creating a safe and professional space in the classroom and in the theatre, and how these principles can be applied to the real world. What are the best practices for etiquette in the classroom, which can also be used in rehearsal, and which can also be used in the real world.

# The Basics # etiquette

Lesson 2 of 7 in Unit One: Ensemble Building and Class Norms Unit

Review Journal and Intro to Say Yes Rubric

by Lindsay Johnson

In this second lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and interact with a second element of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric: SAY YES. Students will role-play a column of the SAY YES category of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric in small groups via a performance task.

# The Basics # middle school friendly

Lesson 3 of 7 in Unit One: Ensemble Building and Class Norms Unit

Review Journal, Say Yes Rubric, and Intro to Be Safe Rubric

by Lindsay Johnson

In this third lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and interact with a third element of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric: BE SAFE. Students will role-play a column of the BE SAFE Rubric in small groups via a performance task.

# The Basics # middle school friendly

Lesson 9 of 10 in Unit Eight: Theatre of the Oppressed Unit

Scene Rehearsal and Improv Review

by Lindsay Johnson

Students will begin by discussing the importance of realistic acting in these scenes, noting how they will be graded on the Realistic Acting Rubric. They will commit their scenes to memory and review projection skills. When the scenes are solid, students will then begin practicing becoming and reacting to spect-actors, and reviewing the Improvisation, Spect-acting, and Realistic Acting Rubrics after each spect-acting attempt.

# The Basics # middle school friendly

Lesson 8 of 10 in Unit Eight: Theatre of the Oppressed Unit

Script Writing for Forum Theatre Scene

by Lindsay Johnson

Students will take the scene outline created last class and use it to create a more detailed script that includes scene-setting notes, movement notes, and dialogue for the characters. Students will evaluate a peer’s script for errors in grammar or script writing conventions. They will then turn in their scripts for an assessment grade at the end of class.

# The Basics # middle school friendly

Lesson 3 of 4 in Pantomime Unit

Session 3

by Lindsay Price

Students are introduced to the concept of specific detail in pantomime and apply it in nonverbal exercises.

# The Basics # pantomime

Lesson 8 of 12 in Aristotle's Elements Unit

Speak the Speech

by Lea Marshall

To introduce the Aristotelian element of Diction.

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Lesson 10 of 12 in Aristotle's Elements Unit

Spectacular, Spectacular

by Lea Marshall

To introduce the Aristotelian element of Spectacle.

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Stage Direction Tic-Tac-Toe

by Marisa Peck

To identify and physically locate the nine areas of the stage.

Students play a life-sized game of tic-tac-toe on the stage using stage directions to navigate the different squares. Lesson Plan comes with a stage positioning template for assessment.

# The Basics # directing # games

Lesson 3 of 12 in Aristotle's Elements Unit

The Plot's the Thing

by Lea Marshall

To introduce the Aristotelian element of plot.

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Lesson 2 of 6 in Absurdism: Beyond the Origins Unit

The Theatre of the Absurd

by Lindsay Price

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the traditionally studied playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd era.

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Lesson 2 of 2 in What is Theatre? Unit

Theatre Role Definitions

by Karen Loftus

In this lesson, students will learn in action about three theatre roles: the playwright, the director, and the actor. They will take a story and present it using those three roles.

# The Basics # popular

Lesson 5 of 12 in Aristotle's Elements Unit

Thinking About Thoughts

by Lea Marshall

To introduce the Aristotelian element of Thought.

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Lesson 1 of 12 in Aristotle's Elements Unit

Three Philosophers Walk Into a Classroom

by Lea Marshall

To introduce students to Aristotle and his connection to theatre.

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Lesson 4 of 6 in Absurdism: Beyond the Origins Unit

Through the Lens of Women Writers

by Lindsay Price

In this lesson, students will be introduced to Sheila Callaghan and Caryl Churchill, who bring their own lens to the absurd. Students will then write their own scenes using the same meme that inspired Sheila Callaghan to write her play Women Laughing Alone with Salad.

# The Basics

Lesson 6 of 6 in Absurdism: Beyond the Origins Unit

Unit Projects

by Lindsay Price

Decide how students will demonstrate their knowledge of the unit. A variety of activities have been provided. You can choose to have all your students do the same activity, or allow students to choose from the provided activities to demonstrate their knowledge. Rubrics are provided.