Unit
Playwriting Kickstart: Multi platform
Created by Lindsay Price
4 lessons
playwriting
This unit focuses on the idea stage of playwriting. Before you start a playwriting project, take students through these lessons to provide students a step-by-step process for idea generation. When students are told they’re going to write a play, they often freeze. I can’t do it. I’m not creative; my ideas are stupid. The purpose of this unit is to give students a place to start and a way to move from finding a topic to creating an idea to writing theatrically on ideas.
This unit is designed to reach as many classroom environments as possible and includes: standard in-class lessons, instruction videos, instruction handouts, and quizzes.
Start here
The overview lays out the unit structure, including instruction method, time management, outline, and assessment plan.
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1Lesson 1What is an Idea? Where do I Look?Lesson 1 introduces the unit and the importance of warm-up exercises. Students will learn a new definition for what an idea is and apply that definition to the first topic area.
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2Lesson 2The Idea ProcessIn Lesson 2, students learn and apply two topic areas to generate ideas
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3Lesson 3What Makes an Idea Theatrical?In Lesson 3, students continue practicing the process for generating ideas, formalize and apply the definition of theatricality.
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4Lesson 4Writing a SceneIn Lesson 4, students practice the process and apply it to a longer scene.
Standards Addressed
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Grade 6
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Grade 7
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art - Grade 7
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Grade 8
Perceive and analyze artistic work - Grade 8
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art - Grade 8
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art - Grade HS Proficient
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art - Grade HS Accomplished
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade 6
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work - Grade 6
- TH:Re8.1.6.a Explain how artists make choices based on personal experience in a drama/theatre work.
- TH:Re8.1.6.b Identify cultural perspectives that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theatre work.
- TH:Re8.1.6.c Identify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in or observation of drama/ theatre work.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade 7
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade HS Proficient
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 6
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 8
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work - Grade HS Accomplished
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