Introduction to Drama Grades 7-8

This class is designed to provide students with a historical and contemporary overview of drama, theatre production, and acting.

STANDARDS METCONTENT/SKILLSSUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
ABCD  
    Scripting 
    Create improvisations and scripted scenes based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history. 
4, 1, 5   a. Individually and in groups, create characters, environments, and actions that create tension and suspense.• Theatre sports – park bench, radio show, hitchhiker, foreign film, charades
1, 2, 4, 5   b. Refine and record dialogue and action.• Commercials
• Adapt song, short story, poem
• Dictation
    Acting 
    Develop basic acting skills to portray characters who interact in improvised and scripted scenes. 
1, 44, 52 a. Analyze descriptions, dialogue, and actions to discover, articulate, and justify character motivation, and invent character behaviors based on the observation of interactions, ethical choices, and emotional responses of people.• Re-enact movie scenes
• Observe a real person and build characters based on that person
• Warm ups
• Character analysis
2-4   b. Demonstrate acting skills (such as sensory recall, concentration, breath control, diction, body alignment, control of isolated body parts) to develop characterizations that suggest artistic choices.• Listening/sustaining silence
• Mime
• Mirror mirror
• Human machine
1-6   c. In an ensemble, interact as the invented characters.• Readers' Theatre
• Greek chorus
    Design 
    Develop environments for improvised and scripted scenes. 
1, 4-7 1, 2 a. Work collaboratively and safely to select and create elements of scenery, properties, lighting, and sound to signify environments, and costumes and makeup to suggest character.• Diorama• Sketches• Lists of props• Face painting

STANDARDS METCONTENT/SKILLSSUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
ABCD  
    Directing 
    Organize rehearsals for improvised and scripted scenes. 
1-7   a. Lead small groups in planning visual and aural elements and in rehearsing improvised and scripted scenes, demonstrating social, group, and consensus skills.• Recreate existing visual material
• Choose scene and cast
• Create budget
• Direct monologue, working in pairs
    Researching 
    Use cultural and historical information to support improvised and scripted scenes. 
1, 3-71-9  a. Apply research from print and non-print sources to script writing, acting, design, and directing choices.

• Playwrights
• Acting styles
• Famous performers
• Progression of musical theatre

    Comparing and Incorporating Art Forms 
    Analyze methods of presentation and audience response for theatre, dramatic media (such as film, television, and electronic media), and other art forms. 
  1-54-6a. Describe characteristics and compare the presentation of characters, environments, and actions in theatre, musical theatre, dramatic media, dance, and visual arts.• Watch community play and then discuss
• Compare/contrast movie version of a play or play adapted from novel
1, 3-6  1b. Incorporate elements of dance, music, and visual arts to express ideas and emotions in improvised and scripted scenes.• Choreograph dance (movement) from story
• Tell story without dialogue
 4-81-61, 2, 4-8c. Express and compare personal reactions to several art forms.• Write critiques

STANDARDS METCONTENT/SKILLSSUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
ABCD  
    Understanding Context 
    Analyze the role of theatre, film, television, and electronic media in the community and in other cultures. 
 1, 2, 5, 7, 8  a. Describe and compare universal characters in drama, and discuss how theatre reflects a culture.• Stereotype, archetypes, caricatures
7968b. Explain the knowledge, skills, and discipline needed to pursue careers and vocational opportunities in theatre, film, television, and electronic media.• Discuss features and strengths of newscasters, tech crews
1, 2, 4, 54, 5, 83-53c. Explain how concepts such as cooperation, communication, collaboration, consensus, self-esteem, risk taking, sympathy, and empathy apply in theatre and daily life.• Cooperation games: electricity, round clap, improv
• Discuss movie rating system and parental warnings
 1-4, 823, 4d. Ensure selection of appropriate performance material by considering the values, standards, and expectations of the community.• Compare sit-coms and radio shows from different eras