Tennessee Theatre Curriculum Standards
GRADES 6-8
30 units • 10 professional development courses aligned to
5.0 Research - Students will research by using cultural and historical information to support improvised and scripted scenes.
View all Standards for Tennessee Theatre Curriculum Standards
5.0 Research Students will research by using cultural and historical information to support improvised and scripted scenes.
This page lists 30 units and 10 professional development courses aligned to 5.0 Research from the Tennessee Theatre Curriculum Standards. Designed for drama teachers, these resources directly address 5.0 Research - Students will research by using cultural and historical information to support improvised and scripted scenes.
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
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
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
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
Ancient Greek Theatre - It's All Greek to Me! *Hyperdoc
by Lea Marshall
1 lesson
The purpose of this unit is to give students an introduction to independent learning as well as an overview of Ancient Greek theatre. Students will apply their knowledge throughout, and the unit culminates in a group activity.
This unit is delivered in hyperdoc format. What does that mean? A hyperdoc is an interactive tool that encourages digital learning. In this case, students are given a document on a subject, and there they can read articles, watch videos, do some independent research, and apply what they’ve learned. Because they’re working on their own, students are in charge of their own pacing.
Before you start the unit, ensure you read the Teacher Guide first. It will give you clear instructions on how to distribute the hyperdoc format and make it easy for you and your students.
UNIT
Comedy of Manners
by Lindsay Price
5 lessons
The Comedy of Manners is a style of comedy that satirizes the behaviour, actions, fashions, and “manners” of a segment of society. Because it has such specific characteristics – from plot to dialogue, to characterization, to costumes – it’s an excellent era for students to learn and apply.
In this unit students are introduced to the style, learn some background, and apply the traits of the comedy of manners. The unit culminates in the creation of a modern scene.
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
2
of
13
in
Stagecraft Without a Theatre
Curriculum
UNIT
Elements of Design
by Karen Loftus
3 lessons
Students are exposed to select elements of design, and they explore the effect those elements of design have on storytelling.
UNIT
Creating Your Own Musical
by Laramie Dean
24 lessons
Instructor Laramie Dean uses this unit as the final project for his Drama 2 students. Drawing upon any of the skills students have developed throughout, they create a product that could be used within a new piece of musical theatre.
Students start by analyzing three musicals, study guides included, and practice creating musical elements. They are then given class time to prepare in groups as many elements as they can for a new musical using devised theatre techniques.
There are 24 lessons in this unit which culminates in a final assessed performance.
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
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
1
of
10
in
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.
Unit
2
of
10
in
Theatre History
Curriculum
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.
Unit
3
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
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
of
10
in
Theatre History
Curriculum
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
of
10
in
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
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
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
2
of
10
in
Musical Theatre
Curriculum
UNIT
The Evolution of Musical Theatre
by Drama Teacher Academy
14 lessons
In this unit, students will learn and apply knowledge about musical theatre history. Two different approaches are provided to give you a variety of ways to apply this unit. Note that a class period is defined as 75 minutes. If your classes are longer or shorter, adjust accordingly.
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