Unit
Tech Theatre Unit: Costuming When You Don't Sew
Created by Drama Teacher Academy
In this unit, students will take on the role of the costumer, which is different from a costume designer. It introduces costuming concepts in order to execute a costume. No complicated sewing is required, which is great if you don’t have the background, the access, or the resources to have a class of students create costumes.
Instead of making costumes from scratch, as a designer would, students will create costumes from stock, borrowed items, or low-cost finds. They will take finished products and adapt them into what they need to create the right atmosphere.
In order to help with their adaptations, students will try different distressing techniques and learn three SIMPLE stitches that they’ll be able to use over and over again. It’s a valuable tech theatre skill to teach students how to execute on costumes when you (and they) don’t sew!
Start here
The overview lays out the objectives and structure for the unit, include lesson pacing, materials required, and assessment strategy.
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1-3Lesson 1-3Part 1: Introduction to a Theatrical Role: CostumerA costume designer and a costumer are two different things. A costume designer creates pieces from the drawing board to the stage while a costumer pulls from already existing pieces to create fully realized characters. This means the approach is different. With costuming, there is no such thing as a perfect costume. But there are costumes that create the right atmosphere. In these lessons, students will be introduced to the role of the costumer.
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4Lesson 4Part 2: Lesson 1: Analyzing Your ShowIn this lesson, students start the costuming process for a specific play through analysis. Then they will be assigned (or choose) the character they will design for, as well as a specific costume. They will be given time to answer some analysis questions for this specific character and costume. Students complete these analysis questions in advance of the next lesson.
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5Lesson 5Part 2: Lesson 2: Inspiration CollageStudents will take what they’ve learned so far to create a digital Inspiration Collage as a way to help them visualize the costume they will create.
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6Lesson 6Part 2: Lesson 3: Measuring, and the Three StitchesStudents will learn how to set up the costume racks to prepare for costuming a show. Students will then learn how to take proper measurements by measuring each other. They will fill out a standard costume measurement form. Then, after instruction on how to do the three stitches that can help them to complete alterations, they will practice these stitches by creating a pincushion.
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7Lesson 7Part 2: Lesson 4: Costume WorkshopIn this lesson, students will learn some distressing techniques and complete a distressing activity. After this activity, students will start pulling items for their costume designs as indicated by their Inspiration Collages. Students will then prep for a design presentation and costume parade after a work period in the next class.
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8Lesson 8Part 2: Lesson 5: Design Presentations and Costume ParadeStudents will show their Inspiration Collages, their costumes, and their slide decks. They will explain why they made their choices and how it reflects their understanding of the character and the play. Students will do as much as possible to realize their costumes, given the resources available and the time they’ve had to work on the project, and describe what they would do to complete their costumes.
Standards Addressed
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
- Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play
- Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts in relation to the arts
- Explore relationships between identity, place, culture, society, and belonging through the arts
- Intentionally select and apply materials, movements, technologies, environments, tools, and techniques by combining and arranging artistic elements, processes, and principles in art making
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Develop and refine ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Reflect on works of art and creative processes to understand artists' intentions
- Research, describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments in the arts
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
- Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play
- Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts in relation to the arts
- Explore relationships between identity, place, culture, society, and belonging through the arts
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Develop and refine ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Reflect on works of art and creative processes to understand artists’ intentions
- Research, describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments in the arts
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
- Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play
- Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts in relation to the arts
- Intentionally select and apply materials, movements, technologies, environments, tools, and techniques by combining and arranging artistic elements, processes, and principles in art making
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments to create and communicate ideas
- Develop, refine ideas, and critically appraise ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Respond to works of art using one’s knowledge of the world
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Exploring and creating
- Create dramatic works both collaboratively and as an individual, using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, and purposeful play
- Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental in relation to drama
- Select and combine dramatic elements and principles to intentionally create a particular mood, effect, and meaning
- Take creative risks to experience and express thoughts, emotions, and meaning
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Reasoning and reflecting
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Connecting and expanding
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
- Apply feedback to develop and refine ideas
- Describe, analyze, and respond using drama-specific language
- Examine the influences of social, cultural, historical, environmental, and personal context on drama
- Reflect on dramatic experiences and how they relate to a specific place, time, and context
- Reflect on dramatic works and make connections with personal experiences
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
- Create dramatic works for an intended audience
- Create, rehearse, and refine dramatic works through collaborative and individual presentation or performance
- Experiment with a range of materials, props, processes, and technologies to create and refine performances
- Explore and create dramatic works to express ideas, meaning, and emotions
- Purposefully select and combine dramatic elements and conventions
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
- Demonstrate awareness of self, others, and audience
- Describe, analyze, and respond to ways in which props, technologies, and environments are used in drama, using discipline-specific language
- Receive and apply constructive feedback to develop and refine ideas
- Reflect on aesthetic experiences and how they relate to a specific place, time, and context
- Reflect on dramatic works and make connections with personal experiences
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Communicate and document
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
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