Unit
in Middle School Curriculum
Unit One: Ensemble Building and Class Norms
Created by Lindsay Johnson
This unit has six lessons that you can use in the first week of your middle school program. What do you do in the first week? The most important elements are creating routines such as journal prompts, opening and closing circles, and giving strong feedback; creating an ensemble and ensemble-building games; and introducing a Weekly Ensemble Rubric.
Students will define and build ensemble as a group, learning specific ways they can SAY YES and BE SAFE in class. They will understand the daily grading system and the basic routines of class. Finally, students will learn to give strong feedback by connecting specific evidence from performance to the Rubric language.
Start here
The overview provides an outline of the lessons in this unit, as well as the weekly ensemble rubric assessment tool.
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1Lesson 1Ensemble BuildingIn this first lesson at the start of a new year, students learn daily classroom routines, participate in a name game, and complete a successful journal entry reflecting on circle discussion. They will begin to interact with the Weekly Ensemble Rubric through the journal element.
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2Lesson 2Review Journal and Intro to Say Yes RubricIn this second lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and interact with a second element of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric: SAY YES. Students will role-play a column of the SAY YES category of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric in small groups via a performance task.
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3Lesson 3Review Journal, Say Yes Rubric, and Intro to Be Safe RubricIn this third lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and interact with a third element of the Weekly Ensemble Rubric: BE SAFE. Students will role-play a column of the BE SAFE Rubric in small groups via a performance task.
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4Lesson 4Intro to FeedbackIn this fourth lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and are introduced to the concept of feedback. In the performance task, students will give peers strong feedback by using language from the Weekly Ensemble Rubric.
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5Lesson 5Feedback ContinuedIn this fifth lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and continue to practice giving strong feedback. In the performance task, students will practice giving strong feedback by giving a specific suggestion for improvement.
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6Lesson 6Feedback Continued and Feedback QuizIn this sixth lesson, students continue to practice classroom norms and continue to practice giving strong feedback. In the performance task, students will give peers strong feedback through using body language and vocal tone to encourage and show eagerness for peers to improve.
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7Lesson 7Posters3 Posters designed for the drama classroom, to support the Ensemble Building and Class Norms objectives.
Standards Addressed
Junior Goal II Objectives
Junior Orientation
- demonstrate trust by becoming comfortable, physically and emotionally, with others
- focus concentration on one task at a time
- listen effectively
- meet deadlines and follow through on individual and group commitments
- offer and accept constructive criticism, given specific guidelines, with a desire to improve
- recognize the purposes of and participate in warmup activities
- support positively the work of others
- work cooperatively and productively with all members of the class in pairs, small groups and large groups
Junior Goal I Objectives
Senior Goal I Objectives
Orientation Drama 10
- concentrate on the task at hand
- demonstrate effective use and management of time
- demonstrate self-discipline, self-direction and a sense of responsibility
- demonstrate trust by becoming comfortable with others, physically and emotionally
- display consideration and respect for self and others
- listen to self and others
- make effective decisions or choices
- offer and accept constructive criticism with a desire to progress
- positively support the work of others
- share ideas confidently
- work cooperatively and productively
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