Georgia Performance Standards - Theatre Arts
Grades 9-12 - FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Performing
94 units • 40 professional development courses aligned to
TAHSFT.PR.1 - Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
a. Observe and demonstrate aspects of verbal and non-verbal techniques in common human activity for performance (e.g. voice, breathing, posture, facial expression, physical movement).
b. Construct and interpret artistic choices in performance including the objectives, decisions, and actions of characters.
c. Explore various acting methods and techniques (e.g. Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, sense memory, emotional recall) for the purpose of character development.
d. Perform acting choices for an audience based on critiques.
View all Standards for Georgia Performance Standards - Theatre Arts
TAHSFT.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
a. Observe and demonstrate aspects of verbal and non-verbal techniques in common human activity for performance (e.g. voice, breathing, posture, facial expression, physical movement).
b. Construct and interpret artistic choices in performance including the objectives, decisions, and actions of characters.
c. Explore various acting methods and techniques (e.g. Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, sense memory, emotional recall) for the purpose of character development.
d. Perform acting choices for an audience based on critiques.
This page lists 94 units and 40 professional development courses aligned to TAHSFT.PR.1 from the Georgia Performance Standards - Theatre Arts . Designed for drama teachers, these resources directly address TAHSFT.PR.1 - Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
a. Observe and demonstrate aspects of verbal and non-verbal techniques in common human activity for performance (e.g. voice, breathing, posture, facial expression, physical movement).
b. Construct and interpret artistic choices in performance including the objectives, decisions, and actions of characters.
c. Explore various acting methods and techniques (e.g. Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, sense memory, emotional recall) for the purpose of character development.
d. Perform acting choices for an audience based on critiques.
Unit
7
of
7
in
Drama Two
Curriculum
UNIT
Devising
by Corinna Rezzelle
13 lessons
While the Drama Two Curriculum has a focus on acting, it’s always important to include a unit on the technical theatre skills that are necessary to any production. Students will also be able to use what they’ve learned in this unit in their upcoming devising project.
Students will begin by exploring design for the stage by experimenting with line, shape, texture, size, and color. They will expand their understanding of stage properties and scenic flats. They will then apply their knowledge of these building blocks of design to create a high-concept design for a miniature “stage.”
UNIT
Improv
by Anna Porter
3 lessons
Improv is a fantastic method to engage your students; this 3 lesson mini unit is a great way to introduce improvisation.
This unit focuses on learning the rules of Improv, trying games to build improvisation skills, and developing conflict and story line.Through the three lesson series, students will use journals, participate in class discussions, learn six different improv games, and perform for their peers.
Assessment tools include both informal assessment as well as a formal quiz that’s included in the unit.
UNIT
Pantomime
by Angel Borths
9 lessons
Teacher Angel Borths developed this unit when she was looking for lessons to teach the basics of pantomime in the classroom.
This unit culminates in a finished product for performance, either for peers, or for theatre festivals. The rubrics and written work for this unit take planning and preparation for performance into account. The exercises can be pulled out and used independently, but work best when used to build toward a finished product. You can also pull the ground plan and stage directions lesson plans to use with playwriting or directing lessons.
Unit
2
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Stage Movement
by Karen Loftus
3 lessons
Students will get “onstage.” They will explore what is important for onstage action, the basics of stage directions, and how to keep open. This unit will culminate with students trying out what they’ve learned in a short scene.
This unit is more about the technicalities of moving on stage. By giving students something concrete to focus on, it allows them to overcome any stage fright.
Ensemble-building exercises are also included in this unit. If you have time at the end of a lesson after you’ve completed your instruction and are wondering what to do, you can never go wrong with an ensemble-building exercise!
Unit
3
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Pantomime
by Karen Loftus
4 lessons
In this unit, students will explore nonverbal communication: first, through body language and gesture, and then through the specific art of pantomime. Students will learn hand position, tension, follow-through, and action/reaction/interaction with objects through warm-up games and exercises. The unit culminates in a two-person pantomime performance.
Unit
4
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Voice
by Karen Loftus
4 lessons
This unit focuses specifically on the technical aspects of vocal production. By understanding how voice is created, students will be more aware of how to improve their vocal production. Students will explore posture and breathing exercises, as well as how to use the diaphragm, projection, and articulation. The final project will test students’ ability to properly project and articulate a joke across a large space.
Unit
5
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Ancient Greek Theatre
by Karen Loftus
4 lessons
This unit on Ancient Greek theatre focuses on the function of the chorus, the choral ode, and the details of the theatre space. It touches on plays and playwrights of the era, culminating in a final project of a modern version of Medea that includes a choral ode.
Unit
6
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Improvisation
by Karen Loftus
6 lessons
Students sharpen their listening and reaction skills through improv games, exercises, and scenes. They will learn five specific guidelines to apply to their improvisation: accept the offer, bring information to the scene, make active choices, make your partner look good, and don’t force the humour.
There are so many different ways to approach a unit on improvisation. Keep in mind that you will have students who are really excited about this unit and some students who dread it. It’s best to start with low-risk games and exercises and then build up to higher-risk ones. Low-risk games in this situation mean partnered interactions that aren’t shared with the whole class.
Unit
7
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Commedia Dell'Arte
by Karen Loftus
5 lessons
Students will discover, analyze, and explore the history, characters, and style of commedia dell’arte.
Commedia dell’arte is a theatre history unit mixed with improvisation, physicalization, and exploring specific characters. In this unit, we’re going to focus on three main aspects:
1. Causes and Effects of Commedia (History)
2. Stock Characters
3. Commedia Performance Practices
Unit
8
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Script Analysis: The Actor's Perspective
by Karen Loftus
5 lessons
How does an actor analyze a script? Students start with character analysis (how do we learn about a character in a script? what are the facts/inferences about a character?) and then explore the ideas of “objective,” “obstacle,” “stakes,” and “tactics.” The unit culminates with students applying learned script-analysis techniques on an assigned scene.
Unit
9
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Elizabethan Theatre
by Karen Loftus
6 lessons
How do you introduce students to Shakespeare? This unit introduces the Bard through life in Elizabethan England and the playwrights, players, and playhouses. It also explores how to approach unfamiliar words and context clues in Shakespeare’s texts.
Unit
11
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Japanese Theatre
by Karen Loftus
4 lessons
This unit will enable students to identify, compare, and contrast three different styles of Japanese theatre: Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki. There are three proposed projects in this unit: a research assignment where groups delve into further detail about one of the three styles; a performance project where students utilize what they’ve learned by enacting a scene from a Kyogen (comedic) play; and a Bunraku puppet play.
Unit
14
of
14
in
Drama One
Curriculum
UNIT
Drama One Final Project
by Karen Loftus
5 lessons
The final project will incorporate multiple areas that students have studied over the course of the year/semester: playwriting, acting, scenic design, and marketing. They are putting everything they’ve learned into a final package, including writing, rehearsing, and performing.
UNIT
Musical Theatre
by Anna Porter
4 lessons
Musical Theatre has two components that separate it from straight plays: song and dance. This unit gives students the opportunity to try out both. In musical theatre, music signifies heightened emotion. We can’t express ourselves with just words, we need music (and through extension, song and dance) to take it further.
This unit includes three lesson plans:
1. Acting the Song - “Musical Tactics”
2. Acting the Song - “Textual Analysis”
3. Introduction to Dance
A solo performance assignment is also included, and the unit includes assessment tools - rubrics, reflections, and self-evaluations.
UNIT
Mock Audition
by Lindsay Price
11 lessons
In this Mock Audition Unit, students will start by discussing the audition process. They will make connections between their personal views and the process. Students will then apply the steps of auditioning from putting together a resume, to choosing a piece based on provided information, to audition etiquette, to the actual audition itself. A final reflection and rubric are provided for use at the end of this unit.
A short play is included that can be used as the source material. You can also choose your own play for this process.
UNIT
Monologue Writing Made Easy
by Matthew Banaszynski
7 lessons
Join Matt Banaszynski in this dynamic unit designed to introduce students to the process of starting, drafting, polishing, and performing a self-created, stand-alone monologue.
This unit introduces students to writing their own stand-alone monologues. Students will learn the steps involved in going from a simple idea to a written piece to performing that piece. They will also provide feedback to others and give themselves a self-assessment.
This unit has been prepared for a middle school drama class but could be adapted for high school. It was designed as a way to get non-theatre students more involved in theatre.
UNIT
Voice
by Anna Porter
3 lessons
In this unit, students will be introduced to a key element of performance: the voice. Students will explore how to thoughtfully communicate character, story, and emotion vocally. Students will begin by exploring articulation so that they understand the importance of clearly communicating their words onstage. They will further build on this with the following lesson on the different vocal varieties of pitch, tone, rate, and volume.
The final lesson helps students explore vocal characterization as well as the details and layers that can bring that character to life vocally. This unit study of the voice culminates in a final puppet show where students are asked to bring a story and character to life by using vocal variety, articulation, and characterization.
UNIT
Puppetry
by Jenny Goodfellow
9 lessons
This unit on Puppetry is designed for middle school and up, to introduce students to the material and get them comfortable with performing in a safe and low exposure environment.
This is a unit that builds to a culminating experience for your students. Each lesson is designed to explore techniques, provide opportunities for creative collaboration among your students, and give them opportunities to perform. Some of the lessons require materials to build or create puppets. Puppetry can be as easy as drawing a face on your finger for finger puppets, to actually purchasing your own finger puppets for students to use.
While the focus of this unit is puppetry, your students will explore other skills as well. There’s the obvious ones of creative thinking, teamwork, and problem solving. They are also going to explore storytelling, performing skills, and playwriting.
UNIT
Theatre of the Absurd
by Lea Marshall
13 lessons
WARNING: This unit is ABSURD. However, instructor Lea Marshall decided to do something really ABSURD with the unit, which was make it a bit more predictable. First, the unit takes two lessons to go over the Historical and Philosophical background of Theatre of the Absurd. It starts with just a visual exercise to really bring students into the emotional bleakness of the landscape and then group work to look at some of the other foundational elements that will drive the Absurdist movement into the Theatres.
Next, students break down absurd scripts into some “recognizable” elements of language, plot structure, acting choices, and storyline. With each lesson that introduces an Absurdist Element, there is an opportunity for students to “play” with the element. Then, students explore the element through an Absurdist text. This will help familiarize the students with the 4 Absurdist scripts used in the unit. These bite sized forays into the scripts will help students to choose a script to fully immerse themselves in for the final project.
As a final project, students will choose one script to work with, and choose the format of their project (performance, costume or set design, or playwright).
UNIT
Agatha Rex and Ancient Greek Theatre
by Angel Borths
10 lessons
Help… It’s all Greek to me! Join Angel Borths in this unit that uses a modern adaptation of the Ancient Greek play Antigone to introduce Middle School students to Ancient Greek Theatre.
Have your students read Percy Jackson and want to find out more about Ancient Greece? Then, this unit is for you. This unit is designed for middle and high school students and will take you through the basics of classical Greek theatre and pairs it with a modern adaptation of the story of Antigone called Agatha Rex by Lindsay Price. Students will learn vocabulary, design, and basic theory surrounding classical Greek theatre. Students will also enjoy the mask-building component of this unit, as they learn to disappear into the character of a mask, like the first actors did on a Greek stage thousands of years ago.
The unit culminates in a scene performance with masks.
UNIT
Shakespeare Performance
by Anna Porter
11 lessons
In this unit by Anna Porter, students are introduced to the works of Shakespeare and explore how to bring a character to life in a monologue performance. Students are also introduced to the tools to help them unlock meaning in Shakespeare’s text. Through this eleven lesson series, students will participate in class discussions, activities and performance. Assessment tools include informal assessment, submission of textual analysis work and a final performance.
UNIT
Unlocking Shakespeare's Text
by Anna Porter
5 lessons
Shakespeare’s text holds valuable tools that students can use to unlock and understand meaning. In this unit by Anna Porter, students explore how to use the tools of research, context, textual analysis, imagery and punctuation to help them unlock meaning in Shakespeare’s text. This unit is created for an Intermediate to Advanced drama class with a basic background in plot structure and acting technique.
Through this five lesson series, students will use journals, participate in class discussions, activities and performance to explore the tools used to unlock a text. Assessment tools include informal assessment as well as a final group presentation and performance.
UNIT
Pantomime
by Anna Porter
6 lessons
In this unit, students explore how to communicate with their body by exploring elements of physicality and Pantomime. Lesson one helps students explore body awareness as well as the use of the senses and details in pantomime performance. In lesson two, students explore body language and how it is used to communicate by examining the art of flirting. Lesson three helps students create a distinct physical characterization. Lesson four introduces students to the quality of Pantomime – Consistency. In lesson five, students explore the quality of exaggeration in pantomime. In the final lesson, students prepare a pantomime story for performance.
Through this six lesson series, students will use journals, participate in class discussions and practice the elements taught by performing for their peers and as a class. Assessment tools include both informal assessment as well as a final Pantomime performance.
Unit
1
of
7
in
Drama Two
Curriculum
UNIT
Character Analysis - Part 1
by Matt Webster
5 lessons
The Drama Two Curriculum has been developed to expand and deepen students’ skills as artists. In this unit, students will explore character analysis, which is key to developing three-dimensional characters in monologues, scenes, and plays. In Part 1, they will start with Uta Hagen’s nine questions for character analysis.
Unit
4
of
7
in
Drama Two
Curriculum
UNIT
Monologues - Part 2
by Matt Webster
5 lessons
In Part 2 of the Monologue Unit (Monologue Project: Analysis, Writing, and Performance), students analyze an existing monologue to determine the criteria for a “good” monologue. They will then apply what they learned in Part 1 (Monologue Writing Made Easy), adding in the criteria for a “good” monologue, to write and perform an original monologue.
Unit
5
of
7
in
Drama Two
Curriculum
UNIT
Performing Shakespeare
by Matt Webster
5 lessons
In this unit, students are introduced to a series of lesson plans that explore non-traditional approaches to performing the works of William Shakespeare. By the end of the unit students will be exposed to a unique set of tools they can utilize as the foundations for analyzing, staging and performing a scene from Shakespeare’s canon. Students will then rehearse and perform a two-person Shakespearean scene.
UNIT
Tools of Scene Work
by Anna Porter
7 lessons
Students are introduced to scene work performance through a simple, contentless scene unit. In this unit, performers will use exercises like “Show and Tell” to learn how to fill in the gaps of a story by creating scenarios and detailed characters with backgrounds.
Students will further fill in the gaps by exploring environmental and physical conflict as well as stage business. The lesson “Thou Shalts of Staging” will guide students through basic staging and performance technique.
UNIT
Commedia dell'Arte
by Todd Espeland
14 lessons
Commedia dell’arte is a 16th century masked acting form. It is the basis of all comedy, including all tv sitcoms. This form is characterized by masked types and archetypical characters and a specific way of playing comedy. To that end, this unit is divided into two parts.
Part One focuses on the foundations of commedia - playing comedy. These principles will be important to learn when it comes to developing commedia characters, specifically the physicality of the characters. Part Two will cover lazzi.
Note: there are links to video demos in many of the lessons of this unit.
UNIT
Production Classroom Units Overview
by Karen Loftus
The overview lays out the all of the parts of The Production Classroom Units - which is divided into three parts.
In Part One, you’ll take your students through a series of pre-production units designed to help students gain as much comprehension as possible about putting on a successful production.
Part Two offers articles on each step in the process, samples and forms, a suggested pacing, role definitions and task checklists, an outline for a typical class, as well as performance duties. This section also outlines the assessment piece for The Production Classroom – the production binder.
Part Three provides a Post-Performance Reflection. Unpack the experience with students, reflect back on what went right and what could be changed for next time. A written Reflection is included as well as a Rubric for student production binders.
Unit
1
of
4
in
Production Classroom Units
Curriculum
UNIT
Part One - Pre-Production
by Karen Loftus
5 lessons
In Part One of The Production Classroom, you’ll take your students through a series of pre-production units designed to help students gain as much comprehension as possible about putting on a successful production.
Unit
2
of
4
in
Production Classroom Units
Curriculum
UNIT
Part Two - Rehearsal and Performance
by Karen Loftus
7 lessons
Part Two offers articles on each step in the process, samples and forms, a suggested pacing, role definitions and task checklists, an outline for a typical class, as well as performance duties. This section also outlines the assessment piece for The Production Classroom – the production binder.
Unit
3
of
4
in
Production Classroom Units
Curriculum
UNIT
Part Two - Documents
by Karen Loftus
7 lessons
This section provides samples and worksheets for actor forms, costume department, general binder, lighting and sound, marketing samples, scenic and prop samples, and stage management and production manager samples and forms.
Unit
4
of
4
in
Production Classroom Units
Curriculum
UNIT
Part Three - Reflection and Assessment
by Karen Loftus
3 lessons
Part Three provides a Post-Performance Reflection. Unpack the experience with students, reflect back on what went right and what could be changed for next time. A written Reflection is included as well as a Rubric for student production binders.
UNIT
East Meets West: Theatre Traditions
by Marsha Walner
9 lessons
We spend a lot of time in the classroom exploring, applying, and creating in a western theatrical tradition. But there are many more styles that students can explore, particularly to the east: Kabuki, Noh, Chinese Opera, and Sanskrit Theatre, for example. In this unit, students will be introduced to an element from each of these eastern styles, they will apply that element and build towards a culminating project. Throughout, students will develop a stronger understanding of both the theatre from their own culture and that of Eastern cultures.
UNIT
The Actor in Transition: From Presentational to Three-Dimensional
by John Minigan
6 lessons
The objective of this unit by John Minigan is to move students from a traditional presentational model of performance to a three-dimensional model. You’re going to achieve this by having students
- Develop tactics to achieve character goals, despite obstacles
- Connect physical choices to scene structure and relationships
- Clarify tactics and story rather than forcing emotion
- And focus on the scene partner rather than the self
This unit was created to use with grade nine students as a transition from middle school to high school acting approaches. It would also be appropriate for a beginning-of-the-year unit for a program that includes Drama 1. But any class that is at the beginning of their acting process will find value.
Each lesson comes with an engagement Rubric to assess how students participated in the activities and discussions.
Unit
2
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Two: Improvisation Basics
by Lindsay Johnson
9 lessons
In this unit, students will learn, practice and apply three important rules of improv: accepting and building on offers, quick thinking, and strong offers. For each step, they will work with the Improvisation Rubric by both giving and receiving feedback. Students will also start to practice techniques to improve their vocal clarity. The unit culminates in a performance assessment in which students will play an improv game in front of an audience.
Unit
3
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Three: Building Improvised Scenes
by Lindsay Johnson
12 lessons
Students will understand the basic building blocks of a scene: The Who (characters/ relationship), the Where (setting), and the What (conflict – objectives/tactics). They will learn how to use both verbal and nonverbal (pantomime) clues to communicate these scene details to an audience. They will continue to work on voice clarity, while also learning to open their body to an audience. The unit culminates in a performance assessment in which students work in pairs to improvise a scene.
Unit
4
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Four: Intro to Scripted Scenes
by Lindsay Johnson
10 lessons
Students will be introduced to the most basic of scripts: the contentless/open scene script. They will use their knowledge of character/relationships, setting, objective, and tactics to add content to a contentless scene. Students will also learn the basics of set design and blocking, and will begin using voice expression to communicate clearer characters. The unit culminates in a performance assessment in which students will work in pairs to add content to and perform a contentless scene.
Unit
6
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Six: Directed Scenes Take 1: Same Scene, Different Visions
by Lindsay Johnson
9 lessons
Students will now start applying the skills they’ve learned thus far in the context of existing, fleshed-out scripts.
They will also have opportunities to shift from actor to director and hone such skills as collaboration, self-confidence, and problem-solving which can be used in many other areas of their lives.
Unit
7
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Seven: Directed Scenes Take 2: A Variety of Scenes
by Lindsay Johnson
10 lessons
Students will have another opportunity to participate in student-directed scenes, only this time each director will be assigned a different script, and actors for each group will be chosen by the teacher based on individual strengths and challenges, rather than holding auditions.
Actors will take a deeper dive into character physicality and use of levels in staging this unit. Directors will continue to create a set design and block the scenes, adding props as well in this unit.
The unit culminates in actors presenting their directed scenes to the class.
Unit
8
of
8
in
Middle School
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit Eight: Theatre of the Oppressed
by Lindsay Johnson
10 lessons
Students will have a chance to merge their understanding of scene elements with their improvisation skills in this final unit based on Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Theatre of the Oppressed is a style of theatre specifically created to highlight the injustices of power and oppression in society and to problem-solve ways to bring about change.
Starting with image theatre techniques to identify issues of power and oppression, students will then use forum theatre to create scenarios of oppression taken from their own lives and improvise realistic solutions.
The unit culminates in a performance in which students participate as both actors in a scene they create themselves and spect-actors in scenes created by their peers.
UNIT
Introduction to Musical Theatre: Movement
by Annie Dragoo
9 lessons
Musical theatre performers use their bodies to sing, to dance, and to act. We must think of our bodies as instruments and learn to use our instruments properly in order to be better musical theatre performers.
The overall objective with this unit, by Annie Dragoo, is for students to demonstrate an understanding of the use of good movement as it connects to musical theatre. Some of the activities include using action verbs, moving as animals and inanimate characters, nonverbal communication and situational movement. Students will then perform a scene that will allow them to put to practice all the movement techniques they have learned.
UNIT
Our Town Unit
by Lindsay Price
8 lessons
This is a read, discuss, and apply literature unit. Students will study the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
Our Town is often referred to as “nostalgic.” It’s seen as an antiquated look at a moment in time. But this play is called Our Town, not My Town. What’s happening in Grover’s Corners happened in the past, the distant past, in our present, and even in the future. The themes of the play—the ordinary versus universality, the concept of time, the cycle of life, the ignorance of humanity to the eternal—these are just as relevant in the twenty-first century as they were when the play was written.
The purpose of the unit is not to have students recall knowledge about the play. Students will be able to identify, articulate, and dramatize text themes and concepts and compare/contrast these concepts to their own experiences.
Unit
2
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Improvisation
by Lindsay Price and Karen Loftus
6 lessons
Students sharpen their listening and reaction skills through improv games, exercises, and scenes. They will learn five specific guidelines to apply to their improvisation: accept the offer, bring information to the scene, make active choices, make your partner look good, and don’t force the humor.
Unit
3
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Pantomime
by Lindsay Price and Karen Loftus
4 lessons
In this unit, students will explore nonverbal communication. First through body language and gesture, and then through the specific art of pantomime. Students will learn hand position, tension, follow-through, and action/reaction/interaction with objects through warm-up games and exercises. The unit culminates in a one-person pantomime performance.
Unit
4
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Voice
by Lindsay Price and Karen Loftus
4 lessons
This unit focuses specifically on the technical aspects of vocal production. By understanding how voice is created, students will be more aware of how to improve their vocal production. Students will explore posture and breathing exercises, as well as how to use the diaphragm, projection, and articulation. The final project will test students’ abilities to properly project and articulate a joke at a distance from a microphone
Unit
7
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Theatre of the Absurd
by Lea Marshall
13 lessons
We included this unit in our Distance Learning Curriculum because if any group of students would understand how the world turned upside down and then apply it to theatre, it would be the students dealing with a global pandemic.
First, we take two lessons to go over the historical and philosophical background of Theatre of the Absurd. We start with a visual exercise to bring students into the emotional bleakness of the landscape and then group work to look at some of the other foundational elements that will drive the absurdist movement into the theatres. Next, we break down absurd scripts into some “recognizable” elements of language, plot structure, acting choices, and storyline. In each lesson that introduces an absurdist element, there is an opportunity for students to “play” with the element.
Unit
8
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Mock Audition
by Lindsay Price
12 lessons
In this Mock Audition Unit, students will discuss the audition process and make connections between their personal views and the process. Students will apply the steps of auditioning from putting together a resume to choosing a piece based on provided information to audition etiquette to the actual audition itself.
A final reflection and rubrics are provided for use at the end of this unit.
A short play is included that can be used as the source material for your audition. You can also choose your own play for this process.
Unit
10
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Scene Work: Part 1, Tools of Scene Work
by Lindsay Price
7 lessons
Students are introduced to scene work performance through a contentless scene unit. Students prepare and perform a contentless scene to demonstrate their understanding of characterization, staging technique, and working with conflict and stage business in a performance context.
Unit
11
of
11
in
Distance Learning
Curriculum
UNIT
Scene Work: Part 2, Student Self Staging
by Lindsay Price
12 lessons
In Part 2 of Scene Work, students take everything they learned in Part 1 and apply it to the staging of a scene.
Students work independently to block, build character, experiment and rehearse a scene. You can continue the scene work process from Part 1, or if your students have a grounding with scene work basics, perhaps they just do Part 2 of this unit.
UNIT
Virtual Acting for the Camera
by Ruthie Tutterow
4 lessons
The unit is adapted for a virtual environment.
The purpose of this unit is for students to know the differences and practice skills for film versus stage acting. They should also know the basic vocabulary of acting for the camera. It will also be helpful for them to get practice in editing. By seeing both sides of the camera, they will gain valuable experience in seeing what works from both the producing and acting side. Students will be able to see and reflect on their work.
UNIT
Acting for the Camera
by Ruthie Tutterow
4 lessons
The purpose of this unit is for students to know the differences and practice skills for film versus stage acting. They should also know the basic vocabulary of acting for the camera. It will also be helpful for them to get practice in editing. By seeing both sides of the camera, they will gain valuable experience in seeing what works from both the producing and acting side. Students will be able to see and reflect on their work.
UNIT
Character Creation: Superhero Series: Multi platform
by Lindsay Price and Kerry Hishon
6 lessons
This unit focuses on character creation: How do you create a character from the ground up? Use this unit as a precursor to a playwriting unit, to a devising unit, or to a class production.
Using the archetypes of the superhero, the sidekick, and the supervillain, students work on exercises to help them create unique characters through physical and vocal qualities, character profiles, and theatrical writing.
Because many of the exercises have an individual focus, this unit works in a distance learning environment or for your no-technology students.
UNIT
Indigenous Storytelling Unit
by Allison Green
6 lessons
This Indigenous Storytelling unit is brought to you in a different format than a traditional lesson plan. It uses a learning circle format. It was developed by Allison Green, a member of the Algonquin Band of Mattawa Ontario, who is also the author and instructor of the DTA course Approaching Drama Class with an Indigenous Perspective.
Students will discuss origin stories, research the background and land connection of a variety of Indigenous creation stories, create a plot graph of their story, share with the class what they have learned, and then retell the story in their own words. Once students have practiced this process, they will repeat the steps with an Abenaki creation story: Research | Recreate | Understand.
UNIT
Anti-Realism
by Wendy-Marie Martin
7 lessons
This unit gives students an overview of the anti-realism movement of the late 19th century and early 20th century and introduces them to some key theorists, playwrights, and theatre makers involved in this movement. Students will be introduced to the “isms” of symbolism, Dadaism, surrealism, expressionism, and absurdism along with various manifestos and theories as we track the characteristics of each “ism.”
In a culminating project, students will design an “ISMS’’ Theme Park, which they will share with the class at the end of the unit. Their project will feature each of the five “isms” in the form of rides, themed concessions areas, entertainment options, and in-park characters.
UNIT
Impowerment Improv
by Jennine Profeta
4 lessons
Taking risks, learning to see failure as a gift, finding courage when we don't feel it, and having the awareness that what we say has an impact are social and emotional skills students will take beyond the classroom. These are skills that can be built through improv exercises.
The exercises in this unit are designed to create a safe environment in which students can go beyond their old patterns to take risks, embrace failure, and be more confident and aware of the effects of their word choices. Improv gives you the opportunity to draw attention to these important concepts and to talk about them.
UNIT
Decolonizing Monologues
by Nicholas Pappas
3 lessons
In this unit, students will write a monologue authentic to their unique voice rather than to a Eurocentric canon model. We are going to decolonize the monologue. The goal in decolonizing monologues is to be inclusive of all voices in the classroom and to allow those voices to grow out of the unique style and cultural background of every student.
UNIT
Perspective Taking
by Lindsay Price
5 lessons
Perspective taking is the ability to understand a situation from another person’s perspective or point of view: What are they thinking? What are they feeling? How does their background influence their perspective? Perspective taking allows students to develop self-awareness, to recognize differences, to understand an opposing point of view, to assess nonverbal language, and more.
In this unit, students will practice perspective taking as they:
• Assess their own perspective.
• Demonstrate understanding of the perspective of others in specific situations.
• Analyze characters in a text.
UNIT
Foundations of Acting
by Annie Dragoo
7 lessons
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the foundations of acting. At the end of the unit, students will be able to understand the value of making rich acting choices on stage.
This unit gives students an opportunity to explore and develop acting skills on a more advanced level, regardless of experience. They will explore skills, including voice, movement, emotional recall, memory, playing objectives, and character development culminating in a final scene.
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1
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 1: Before and Beyond Ancient Greek Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
3 lessons
In the study of theatre history, when we discuss the origins of theatre, most start with the Ancient Greeks. Unit 1 of this curriculum will look at the theatre of Ancient Egypt, Sanskrit drama, and Indigenous storytelling.
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2
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Theatre History
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UNIT
Unit 2: Greek & Roman Origins
by Drama Teacher Academy
6 lessons
For Ancient Greece, we will examine the ritual origins of tragedy and the Festival of Dionysus. We will explore the theatre conventions of the day including the amphitheatre, the use of masks, costumes, and other theatrical devices. Finally, we will introduce the main playwrights and their key plays. Then we will take a short look at Roman theatre with their wholesale appropriation of Greek culture.
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3
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 3: Medieval Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
3 lessons
We journey from the Dark Ages to the emergence of Medieval drama. The liturgical or religious drama appeared in the churches as a means of religious instruction. Along the way, production moved from being written in Latin to the local vernacular and then outgrew the churches. The guilds then took over the production responsibilities. The plays came in four types: mystery, miracle, morality, and mummers plays. These can be remembered as the four Ms of Medieval drama.
Unit
4
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 4: Commedia Dell'Arte
by Drama Teacher Academy
4 lessons
We take a side trip to Italy to discover a secular comedic form: Commedia Dell’arte.
Students will be introduced to the form, explore the characters and themes, and put their knowledge to practical application by creating a commedia character.
Unit
5
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 5: Asian Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
7 lessons
It’s important to step outside of Western Eurocentric Theatre. In this unit, we are going to focus on the Asian theatre forms that developed in China and Japan. Note: We acknowledge that a unit on Asian theatre that only covers the theatre origins of two countries does not represent Asia. To go beyond what is offered here please see the Diversity
Document.
Unit
6
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 6: Theatre of the Renaissance
by Drama Teacher Academy
5 lessons
In this unit, we return to Western theatre and to Italy, where we will witness the birth of the Renaissance and the discovery of linear perspective. Then we travel on to the Golden Age of Spanish theatre. We will pass by the Elizabethan Golden age (we’ll cover it in the next unit) and end the Renaissance journey by discovering French neoclassicism and the Rules of Drama.
Unit
7
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 7: The Elizabethan Golden Age
by Drama Teacher Academy
4 lessons
We continue our look at the Renaissance era with the Elizabethan Golden Age. This golden age of theatre started when James Burbage built the first permanent playhouse in England, called The Theatre. Of the more than 80 playwrights in Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, the three most significant were Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare. This age came to an abrupt end when the Puritans executed King Charles I, abolished the crown, and closed all the theatres.
Unit
8
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Unit 8: Restoration Comedy & 18th Century Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
5 lessons
We will travel through two time periods in this unit. First, we will explore Restoration Comedy in late 17th century England. When the Puritan-led Commonwealth failed and King Charles II was restored to the throne, theatre was also restored. The Comedy of Manners mocked the behaviour and loose morals of the upper class. The lack of theatrical works in the 18th century comes down to three things: playwrights tended to write for opera rather than theatre, censorship and control of theatrical content, and, more than anything, society of the day valued conformity over originality. In France and England, fearing attacks and mockery, the crown and the government passed laws that strictly censored theatre.
Unit
9
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Theatre History
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UNIT
Unit 9: Romanticism
by Drama Teacher Academy
4 lessons
Romanticism broke away from the strictures of the neoclassical era preferring instead the Medieval/Gothic periods. The Romantic notion of finding beauty and humanity in the ugly is epitomized by Quasimodo in Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The movement rejected Enlightenment, scientific rationalism, and the Industrial Revolution; rather, it embraced intuition and emotion over reason. On one hand, the tail end of neoclassicism led to the well-made play. On the other hand, the emphasis on emotion led to melodrama and an artificial declamatory acting style.
Unit
10
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10
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Theatre History
Curriculum
UNIT
Culminating Project
by Drama Teacher Academy
The goal of this culminating assignment is to give students the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of a variety of theatre history eras; connect, compare, and contrast between the eras; and, lastly, to connect, compare, and contrast what has happened in the past to what is happening in the present.
UNIT
Character Development with an Indigenous Perspective
by Allison Green
5 lessons
Students will develop characters based on the character traits of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. The unit begins with a focus on the traits (Love, Wisdom, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth) and the story of elders passing on teachings to the youth. Students will use tableau, viewpoints, and movement and explore how to develop a character with a clear backstory and identity. The unit uses open, neutral scenes as a partnered task that students can use to apply their learning followed by reflection and class discussion.
UNIT
Indigenous Symbolism in the Drama Classroom
by Allison Green
4 lessons
The objective of this unit is for students to be able to engage with Indigenous symbolism in art, and then interpret it in a theatrical context. It begins with an introduction of symbolism through a retelling of an Indigenous story with wolves representing human traits. Students develop a scene that focuses on how to “show and tell” an Indigenous story, clearly showing the symbolic meaning from the oral story. Students will then explore symbols by looking at the characteristics of Canadian Indigenous Art, delving into the symbols and story. Students then share their interpretation of the art by creating and presenting a piece of theatre, followed by reflection and class discussion.
UNIT
The Dilemma Project
by Claire Broome
12 lessons
The Dilemma Project is based on a situation that requires a decision: push a button and get a great reward, but there’s also a great consequence. Don’t push the button and there’s no reward.
This unit will lead to a group performance including characters, costumes, set, acting theory, acting tools, and a student written script. The final script will be about ten pages in length which means roughly ten minutes of stage time.
UNIT
Introduction to Stanislavski
by Drama Teacher Academy
6 lessons
This is an in-depth unit with instruction and activities about the Stanislavski acting method. It is followed by scene work in which students learn how to score a scene, do a comprehensive character analysis, and use what they have learned in rehearsals in a performance. Students will also watch their own work and evaluate their process after the performance.
The purpose of this unit is to give students an introduction and understanding of Stanislavski’s method and to put it into use as they prepare scenes for performance. After seeing their work, and spending time reflecting on how they used the principles of the method, students should take away a concrete understanding of how to prepare a role for performance.
UNIT
Virtual Introduction to Stanislavski
by Drama Teacher Academy
6 lessons
The unit has been adapted for a virtual environment.
This is an in-depth unit with instruction and activities about the Stanislavski acting method. It is followed by scene work in which students learn how to score a scene, do a comprehensive character analysis, and use what they have learned in rehearsals in a performance. Students will also watch their own work and evaluate their process after the performance.
The purpose of this unit is to give students an introduction and understanding of Stanislavski’s method and to put it into use as they prepare scenes for performance. After seeing their work, and spending time reflecting on how they used the principles of the method, students should take away a concrete understanding of how to prepare a role for performance.
UNIT
The Autobiographical Monologue
by Gai Jones
4 lessons
All students have something to say and a story to tell. They can relate to their personal stories better than anyone else. All students have a lot of material which can be used as part of an original monologue.
In this unit, students will write an autobiographical monologue based on their personal expertise, memories, distinct point of view, sense of truth, and life experiences.
Through the process, students will be encouraged to explore past stories, objects, and images and other personal material.
UNIT
Realism and Naturalism
by Drama Teacher Academy
6 lessons
This unit looks at the origins of realism and naturalism. The Realism/Naturalism movements in Europe came about as a response to the artificiality of the Romantic Movement. Realism/Naturalism strove for real-life characters and situations. This unit looks at early realist playwrights and their plays as well as the Independent Theatre Movement, which provided venues for the new forms when established theatres refused to produce these plays. In America, this became the Little Theatre Movement, where groups experimented with theatre away from the strictures of the syndicated houses. In the meantime, professional theatre was developing on Broadway, including early Black performers. Realism finally came to the American stage with the plays of Eugene O’Neill.
UNIT
30 Second Monologues
by Lindsay Price
4 lessons
A monologue unit is an excellent way for students to demonstrate learned skills: vocal skills, movement skills, memorization skills, and character development. It also touches on soft skills such as communication, confidence, and attitude. That being said, monologues are not easy. A typical monologue is two minutes long. That is a lot of text to memorize, block, and develop into an engaging presentation. How often have you sat through a bad monologue performance with little to no characterization, wandering blocking, and a tenuous grasp of the lines?
Performing a monologue is a learned skill. And the best way to learn a skill is in steps. Instead of starting with the end goal—that two-minute piece—start at the beginning. This four-lesson unit will take students up the ladder toward the goal of a longer monologue.
UNIT
Scene Staging
by Lindsay Price
15 lessons
The goal for this unit is to give students a process to work primarily on their own to create a staged scene with specific, dynamic blocking and three-dimensional characters. This unit would work well as a culminating project for a semester. In this unit, students will work independently to analyze, block, build character, experiment, and rehearse a scene. Their performance can count as a summative assessment for the class.
Material: This unit requires that students have access to scenes from plays. Ideally, students should work in pairs and prepare duet scenes.
UNIT
Absurdism: Beyond the Origins
by Drama Teacher Academy
6 lessons
In most units that cover the Theatre of the Absurd, the number of playwrights addressed are few and the time period is limited. While it is certainly true that the era identified as “The Theatre of the Absurd” was a reaction to the distorted reality of life after World War II, there are many environments that create distorted realities and many playwrights who use those realities as catalysts for absurdist plays.
In this unit, we will start with a traditional look at the Theatre of the Absurd and then expand our exploration beyond its origins.
UNIT
Introduction to Mask
by Allison Williams
7 lessons
This unit focuses on having students gain an understanding of basic physical acting and learn some specific tools to use in mask work. Instructor Allison Williams has developed this unit, and explains "What I love most about mask work is how, by having students cover their faces, they are able to find freedom to express themselves physically. They often make bigger choices than we’re normally used to seeing them make in class."
In this unit, students will work step by step from identifying shapes in the mask to using those shapes to creating a character zero to learning how to move in the mask utilizing the qualities of movement to applying everything they’ve learned in short scenes. The unit will culminate with students working in pairs to create original mask scenes.
You will need masks to complete the unit. And while mask-making can be a lot of fun, it’s a lengthy and messy project. A list is provided in the Overview of where you may be able to buy or rent masks for use in your classroom.
UNIT
Spoken Word Poetry
by Quincy Young
4 lessons
In this unit, students will create a performance of a spoken word poem designed to engage, entertain, and affect an audience. They will also write a poet’s statement in which they describe the purpose(s) or inspiration(s) of their poetry.
This is not a technical writing unit and is geared more toward students self-expression and engaging an audience. If your students are not skilled poets, this unit is still accessible.
UNIT
Screenplays 101: Basic Structure Unit
by Nicholas Pappas
5 lessons
Screenplays 101 is divided into two separate units: Basic Structure and Basic Formatting.
It is highly recommended that you complete the Basic Structure unit before moving on to the Basic Formatting unit.
In this unit, we will focus on a basic history of screenplays, screenplay terminology, and the most common screenplay structure in film—the three-act structure. Theatre is important because it allows our young artists to be trained and learn about work ethic and discipline, and it creates community. But, we should also give our students opportunity and access to the cinematic arts. This is primarily a lecture-based unit with a lot of new information, with opportunities for students to apply knowledge including a final culminating project.
UNIT
The Crucible Unit
by Lindsay Price
8 lessons
This is a research, read, discuss, and apply theatrical literature unit. Students will study the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
The Crucible is Miller’s most produced play. There are hundreds of high school productions each year, and the play is in many high school curricula. As with every Miller work, there is much to discuss and many rich themes to explore.
The unit is divided into three sections. Each section is a complete set of lessons. You can choose to do all three sections, or if you have your own way to teach the play, you can pick and choose exercises.
UNIT
Play Adaptation Project
by Lindsay Price
5 lessons
Adaptation is a fabulous classroom project: it requires students to analyze, adapt, modify, plan, synthesize, and devise. However, it takes skill to write a successful adaptation; you can’t just throw a narrator into a script and consider the work done. In this unit, students will go through a step by step pre-writing process in order to prepare them to write their own adaptations. They will learn and practice the elements of adaptation before writing the first draft of their own theatrical adaptations.
UNIT
A Midsummer Night's Dream
by Drama Teacher Academy
9 lessons
Shakespeare is sometimes avoided in the drama classroom because not only do the students not want to take on the language difficulties but neither do the teachers. Monologue and scenework becomes more challenging and a lot of times, students falter in their blocking action and character development because they are so challenged. How do we give students the opportunity to rehearse and present Shakespearean text as they would modern text?
In this play study unit, students will read a Shakespeare play while learning specific tools and techniques in order to stage text from that play. And more often than not, these techniques are ones that they have already used with other plays. It’s all about reframing Shakespeare so that students enjoy the experience of bringing the characters and stories to life.
UNIT
Laban: Advanced Characterization
by Drama Teacher Academy
7 lessons
This is an advanced acting unit in playing character through the Laban movement technique. Students will explore dance theorist Rudolf Laban’s eight efforts and their component parts; turn these elements into physicalizations through which one can express character; use Laban efforts and connect them to a character’s voice and body; and demonstrate knowledge through the creation of an original character.
Reminder: This is an advanced acting unit. You will need students who can do work on their own outside of class time, commit to movement and sound, and commit to making instinctual choices.
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1
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10
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Musical Theatre
Curriculum
UNIT
Introduction to Musical Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will be introduced to the musical theatre form by asking and answering the question “What is a musical?” They will learn and demonstrate knowledge of musical theatre vocabulary terms. They will be introduced to two foundational songs in the musical form: the “I want” song and the “I am” song and analyze an example of each song. They will also start to think about their own voices and reflect on their skill set and confidence level with regard to singing in front of others. Students will learn the musical theatre warm-up that will be used throughout the curriculum. This set of exercises will help students prepare to perform through a physical and voice warm-up. Finally, students will watch, discuss and analyze one or two musicals (depending on your time and access to materials).
Unit
3
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10
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Musical Theatre
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UNIT
The Foundations of Singing
by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will learn basic music theory, including pitch and rhythm, and be able to identify notes. They will explore vocal production (breathing, posture, resonators, and articulators) and principles of breathing, articulation, and voice projection. They will learn how to act a song and start the process of textual analysis. And, of course, they are going to sing.
Unit
4
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Musical Theatre
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UNIT
Character Work in Musical Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will incorporate character development into their musical theatre preparation. Students will explore internal and external tools that they can use to express emotion in their singing. Students will then take everything they have learned and apply it to a song which they will then perform (solo or in groups).
Unit
5
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10
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Musical Theatre
Curriculum
UNIT
The Foundations of Movement
by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will explore a variety of styles and techniques to encourage students to feel comfortable in their bodies, to move in different ways, and to apply this knowledge to character physicalization. They will then explore not only learning choreography but presenting it from memory, coordinating upper and lower body movements, and incorporating performance goals such as endurance and emotion.
Some of your students will have never taken a dance class. Some of your students will have taken them for years. Keep that in mind as students try to learn choreography in this unit.
Unit
6
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Musical Theatre
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UNIT
Group Performance
by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will combine knowledge of the previous two units: singing and movement. Students will review singing technique and terminology and work on a song together. They will build on their vocabulary of simple dance moves. Then, students will work in groups to learn and rehearse a section of a musical theatre song by choreographing movement that expresses the song’s meaning and characters, presenting their work to the class, and working on curriculum goals of risk taking, endurance, confidence, commitment, character, and emotion.
Unit
8
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Musical Theatre
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UNIT
Musical Theatre Improv
by Drama Teacher Academy
Improvisation breaks down the barrier between mind and voice. It is the theatrical equivalent to jazz music. It increases the mind’s ability to form ideas and present them in a coherent, relevant manner. This skill can translate to almost any profession. In this unit, students will apply elements of improvisation to musical theatre.
Understanding basic improvisation skills will help musical theatre performers understand that musical theatre is more than just singing and dancing. It’s about using all the tools (voice, body, and mind) an actor has at their disposal to create a character. Combining improvisation and musical theatre is a great way to explore the goals of this curriculum: risk taking, confidence, commitment, character/emotion, and endurance are all necessary elements in both improv and musical theatre!
Unit
9
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10
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Musical Theatre
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UNIT
Musical Theatre Audition Technique
by Drama Teacher Academy
Auditioning is a skill. It takes a lot of work to prepare to audition for a role. When students audition for a musical, there are even more skills needed as you will have to sing and dance.
In this unit, students will explore the specifics of musical theatre audition technique (such as creating a musical theatre portfolio) and participate in a mock audition where students will prepare 16 or 32 bars of a song and perform a dance step in the style of a specific character.
Unit
10
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10
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Musical Theatre
Curriculum
UNIT
Culminating Project: Creating a Musical
by Drama Teacher Academy
Students will show what they have learned throughout the curriculum by writing and performing a musical. They will add modern songs to a traditional fairy tale story. In this way, students do not have to create their story from scratch—the structure and characters are already in place.
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