Units
Drama Two Overview
by Matt Webster
The Drama Two Curriculum was created as a model that empowers teachers to utilize the full content of the DTA Lesson Plan Library as either a foundation or a supplement to their entire classroom curriculum. With that in mind, the units are a combination of existing DTA material and new material. Lesson plans have been adapted to fit the needs of the curriculum (eg. The Colour Wheel Lesson Plan has been adapted from an existing costuming lesson plan in the Lesson Plan Library).
The Drama Two Curriculum is performance based. It has been developed to expand and deepen the students’ skills as artists. They will do so by building on material covered in the Drama One Curriculum, with units in: Character Analysis, Monologue Analysis and Writing, Shakespeare Performance, and Design. The curriculum will culminate in a Devised Class Play.
As you use this curriculum, think about how you can create your own units and adapt lesson plans based on the needs of your program.
Character Analysis
by Matt Webster
The Drama Two Curriculum has been developed to expand and deepen the students’ skills as actors. In this unit, students will use open scenes to generate characters and scenarios. They will then explore the ideas of “objective,” “tactics,” and “status.” The unit culminates with students applying learned character analysis techniques to classroom generated open scenes.
Monologues
by Matt Webster
In the Monologue Unit, students will learn the building blocks of monologues while writing a simple monologue. This unit is divided into two parts.
In part one, the Monologue Writing Made Easy unit by Matt Banaszynski is reviewed or executed in full, depending on class needs.
In part two, students will dissect monologues as a vehicle for character and performance and will write more refined monologues based on existing fictional characters from fairytales or myths. Students will then rehearse and perform their monologues, as a final project for the unit.
Performing Shakespeare
by Matt Webster
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.
Design
by Matt Webster
In this unit, students will explore and experiment with the basic building blocks of design: Line, Shape, and Color. Once students have a solid foundation of those concepts, they will move on to stage properties and scenic flats as additional building blocks of design. They will then apply their knowledge and skills to a series of assignments, so they can demonstrate their design knowledge and creativity.
Devising
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this unit, students will work with their peers through a series of exercises and activities designed to lead them through the process of creating, writing, rehearsing, and performing a new, original script.
Lesson Plans
Writing Open Scenes
by Matt Webster
Students will write open scenes to generate materials for the Character Analysis Unit.
Objectives
by Elisabeth Oppelt
Students will create a character objective using correct objective phrasing.
Tactics
by Elisabeth Oppelt
Students will be able to create a list of fifteen tactics based on what they have learned about tactics.
Status Monkeys
by Anna Porter
Students will understand how status influences characterization and character actions by participating in “Status Monkeys” and other interactions based on status.
Culminating Project: Performing Scenes
by Matt Webster
Students will link together two blank scenes to create a single, unified scene that justifies the characters’ actions and dialogue through character analysis.
Monologue Writing Made Easy Unit
by Matthew Banaszynski
Part one of this unit includes either the execution of the Monologue Writing Made Easy unit, or a review of concepts, depending on your class needs.
- If materials have not been previously introduced, execute the entire unit before starting part two.
- If some materials have been previously covered, review major concepts and terminology, introduce any new concepts, then move on to part two.
Rashomon
by Lindsay Price
Students apply the Rashomon format to understand the concept of seeing a familiar story through a different set of eyes.
The Criteria of a Good Monologue
by Lindsay Price
Students review a monologue to analyse components that make a good monologue (A need to speak. A specific character voice. A journey). Students will use this criteria as the basis of their original monologue.
The Need to Speak
by Lindsay Price
Expanding on the criteria of a good monologue, students will write a short ”need to speak” monologue.
Culminating Project: Performing Monologues
by Matt Webster
Students will perform their revised monologues. The teacher will evaluate the monologues with the provided rubric.
Shakespeare: Finding Emotion and Action in Text
by Anna Porter
Students will analyze a Much Ado About Nothing monologue to identify clues about emotion and action. Students can then use the Shakespeare tools to analyze and present assigned Shakespeare monologues.
Shakespeare: Tableaux
by Karen Loftus
Students will create stage pictures in tableaux as a way to interpret the stories of Shakespeare. By putting their analysis into action, students will lay the foundation for simple blocking of their Shakespearean scenes.
Acting Shakespeare Style
by Lindsay Price
Students will explore the historically accurate way that scripts were distributed, rehearsed, and performed in Elizabethan times. Students will then perform a short script in this style of “rolls” and “sides.”
Shakespeare Setting and Soundscape
by Lisa Houston
Students will use found and common objects to create an obstacle course setting for a Shakespearean play based on sounds.
Culminating Project: Performing Shakepearean Scenes
by Matt Webster
Students will perform two-person Shakespeare scenes using the concepts introduced over the course of the unit, to enhance the performance and staging of the scenes.
Line and Shape
by Karen Loftus
Students will explore the meaning and power of lines and shapes as a way to communicate emotion and ideas. Students will create examples of emotional expression through simple lines.
The Color Wheel
by Holly Beardsley
Students will use the color wheel as a way to connect emotion and character through color and color theory. They will then apply this to set design.
Properties and Prop Design
by Karen Loftus
Students will examine various definitions of stage properties and learn ways to categorize properties for the stage.
Build a Mini Flat
by Karen Loftus
Students will explore every facet of scenic flats for the stage: terminology, design, structure, the process of building a flat.
Culminating Project: Song in a Box
by Matt Webster
Applying the concepts and skills they have acquired in this unit, students will analyze, design, then build a single, comprehensive miniature set inside of a shoebox (based on a song of their choosing).
Characterization
by Corinna Rezzelle
Students explore what makes a character interesting through the examination of physical objects. What do objects say about us? What can you infer about a person by the objects they carry with them? Students will role-play in process drama activities to explore characters and to create their own.
Physicalization / Stage Movement
by Corinna Rezzelle
Students explore how body language can show a story (i.e. how someone is feeling, character traits, relationships between characters, etc.). The lesson culminates in students using a physical elliptical scene (a scene with just stage directions) and adding movements, gestures, and body language.
Contentless Scenes / Building Scenes
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students will start their scene work first with a contentless scene, a one-minute scene, and then (for homework) write a one-page scene based on a real life experience.
Choosing a Topic
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students discuss and choose a topic for their devised piece.
Beginning to Write
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students begin putting the pieces together for their devised work. Students brainstorm on their topic, then participate in a movement piece and a forum theatre activity to explore their topic.
Building the Play
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students continue to build the play by writing and revising scenes, reading each other’s work, and providing feedback.
The Ren Run
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students will work in groups to create transitions in improvised tableaux and movement pieces. They will also participate in a “ren run” to practice improv blocking.
Revision
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson students watch the Ren Run then discuss the topic of revision. What is the message of the play? How do the scenes communicate the message? Note: Depending on the amount of revisions your students feel the play needs, revising might take longer than one lesson. Feel free to add time, if need be.
Rehearsal
by Corinna Rezzelle
In this lesson, students finalize casting, then start rehearsing. Focus the rehearsals on blocking. What is the necessary movement to communicate the content of the scene?
Rehearsal / Character Development
by Corinna Rezzelle
Students continue to rehearse. In this lesson, character development exercises deepen the students’ experiences and final products.
Rehearsal / Designing the play
by Corinna Rezzelle
Students continue to rehearse. They also move on to the design phase of the project. The group will decide upon costuming and props for the performance. NOTE: Keep costumes and props simple. Black works well for costumes with colourful accents.
Final Rehearsal & Post Show Discussion
by Corinna Rezzelle
Students run the show before their performance. Pre- and post-show discussion questions are included as well as a post show reflection.