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Unit in Middle School Curriculum

Unit Two: Improvisation Basics

Created by Lindsay Johnson

9 lessons middle school friendly improv popular

In this unit, students will learn, practice and apply three important rules of improv: accepting and building on offers, quick thinking, and strong offers. For each step, they will work with the Improvisation Rubric by both giving and receiving feedback. Students will also start to practice techniques to improve their vocal clarity. The unit culminates in a performance assessment in which students will play an improv game in front of an audience.

Start here
The overview lays out the lesson outline, assessment plan, and key vocabulary for the unit.
  1. 1
    Lesson 1
    Accepting & Building on Offers
    In this first improvisation lesson, students will work with the definitions of the key vocabulary terms by adding their own offers to improvised exercises and accepting and building on peer offers. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback on the first row (ACCEPTING AND BUILDING ON OFFERS) row of the Improvisation Rubric, using language such as “improvisation” and “offers.”
  2. 2
    Lesson 2
    Quick Thinking
    In this second improvisation lesson, students will practice accepting offers, building on offers, and thinking quickly in improvisation exercises. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback on the second row (QUICK THINKING) of the Improvisation Rubric, using language from the Rubric.
  3. 3
    Lesson 3
    Strong Offers
    In this third improvisation lesson, students will practice accepting offers, building on offers, thinking quickly and giving STRONG OFFERS in improvisation exercises. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback using language from the Improvisation Rubric.
  4. 4
    Lesson 4
    Performance Quiz
    In this fourth improvisation lesson, students will participate in a mock improv assessment in small groups. They will also give partners written feedback on the entire Improvisation Rubric. Students will learn the exercise that will be used for their final improv assessment.
  5. 5
    Lesson 5
    Intro to Projection and Volume
    In this fifth improvisation lesson, students will learn the definition of “projection.” With partners, they will practice quick thinking, improv, and volume in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the VOLUME section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.
  6. 6
    Lesson 6
    Intro to Projection and Enunciation
    In this sixth improvisation lesson, students will practice in partners quick thinking, improv, and enunciation in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the ENUNCIATION section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.
  7. 7
    Lesson 7
    Review for Improv Test
    In this seventh lesson, students will practice their skills for the Lesson 8 test using a tongue twister (from Gilbert and Sullivan) as well as the improv game. Students will self-assess, and give/receive peer feedback.
  8. 8
    Lesson 8
    Improv Test
    In this final lesson for this unit, students will participate in the improv game Hitchhiker as part of a peer and teacher assessment on the Improvisation Rubric.
  9. 9
    Lesson 9
    Posters
    8 posters for the drama classroom, to support the objectives of the Improvisation Basics unit.

Standards Addressed

Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation - Grade 6

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 7

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