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The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

February 8, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Have you heard of Plays for New Audiences? No? They are terrific. Here are the seven reasons I recommend plays for new audiences scripts.

Plays for New Audiences is a division of Children’s Theatre Company. (Pictured above) Minneapolis, Minnesota. PNA offers contemporary works that are topical, relevant, and even fantastical. In addition, PNA offers many reimagined classics that are stage-ready for your next production.

The Children’s Theatre Company (formerly known as The Moppet Players from 1961 to 1965) is a regional theater established in 1965, specializing in plays for families, young audiences and the very young.

You really must check out this website! Plays for New Audiences

I ran on to the Childrens Theatre Company many years ago and picked up a few scripts for the youth theater I was administrating. Friends, these scripts are fabulous.

Plays for High School of Middle School Students to Perform

At least once a week, I read of teachers desperate to find a script to produce with their students. Either they need one for their class to produce, or are looking for a play to use to travel and perform for their elementary or middle schools. (Next school year would be a fantastic time to do this with your students since the pandemic will have subsided and everyone should be back in school full swing.)

Here are a few I suggest, but friends there are many of which to choose. Do give this website an afternoon to peruse.

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Reason #1: Some are adapted from celebrated authors.

A Mark Twain Storybook is about a troupe of actors who re-tell some of Mark Twain’s most popular stories in “The Quadricetennial edition of America’s most loved traveling show, The Celebrated Mark Twain Storybook and Musicale Review!” They cover Tom Sawyer, The Good Little Boy (and, conversely, The Bad Little Boy), The Jumping Frog, What Stumped the Bluejays, Experience of the McWilliamses with Membranous Croup, and The Prince and the Pauper. A Mark Twain Storybook is a vaudeville inspired, rollicking delight.

The script is forty-five pages with roles for five actors with a running time of seventy-five minutes and recommended for ages six and up.

Reason #2: They are willing to adapt movies into plays. Generally, a movie will come out of a play version, but I like that they are willing to reverse that if the script is worthwhile.

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Another script which looks sensational is Akeelah and the Bee. Akeelah and the Bee tells the story of a girl with a crazy passion for words: the more abstruse and labyrinthine, the better. But this gift is almost overwhelmed by the challenge of her daily life in a tough, Chicago neighborhood. Akeelah’s aptitude earns her a spot in the National Spelling Bee, which inspires the people in her neighborhood with her courage and tenacity. (You may be familiar with this title as there was a movie of it first.)

The script is 104 pages with roles for seven males and seven females. It runs two hours and is suitable for ages eight and up.

Reason #3: Some plays contain original plots.

If you are looking for something concerning the Jewish culture, I’d check out The Adventures of Motel. The Adventures of Motel is a story of adventure and misadventure set in Russia in the year 1905. A Jewish boy named Mottel meets the trials of living under rule of a cruel Czar with wit and good cheer. Mottel has many adventures, from causing the whole town to sneeze, dying the river (and in effect all the laundry) blue, and eventually travelling to America. We are able to experience what life was like for Jews in Russia at this tine while being entertained by the mishaps of a young boy.

The script is fifty-eight pages in length, runs two hours and has a cast of thirteen male and eleven female. It is suitable for ages eleven and up.

Reason #4: Many are multicultural. Quite a few are adaptations from folk or fairy tales.

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

The Monkey King is a fabulous folk tale from China. I’d take a look at it if you have a large class or auditioning pool.

The Monkey King play concerns a Heavenly Palace, the Jade Emperor and the Jade Empress are holding a feast. Suddenly a monkey hatches from a rock and declares himself King, shaking the very foundations of heaven and earth. He even travels to the underworld and erases his death in the Book of the Dead. The Emperor tries to capture the Monkey, but the wild animal escapes, ending up in a showdown with Buddha himself! Buddha wins and thus begins the Monkey’s earthly adventures. He accompanies a monk on a pilgrimage, along with two traveling companions, a pig, Ba-jie, and a carp, Sha-Sen, both of whom have been sent down to earth after causing trouble in the Heavenly Realm. As with every great quest story, the journey tests the character of the four travelers. To complete the mission, each must learn to recognize his weakness and understand their strengths.

The script is fifty-two pages in length runs one hour and forty-one minutes with roles for fifteen male and eight female +ensemble (Doubling possible)

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Reason #5: They are diverse.

Based on the book of the same name, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is worth checking out as well.

In Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy Turner Buckminster III can’t win: he’s the new kid in town, he plays baseball differently, and he stumbles upon trouble at every step. Turner’s only friend is Lizzie Bright Griffin from Malaga Island, an impoverished community founded by former slaves. The town (and Turner’s father) disapproves of their friendship, but Turner and Lizzie remain friends regardless. When powerful forces threaten Lizzie and her kin, Turner faces the ultimate test of his character—and learns a hard-earned lesson about courage and loss.

The script is eighty-eight pages in length, runs two hours (with an intermission) and has roles for four male and seven female. It is appropriate for nine years and up.

Reason #6: They are entertaining and fun!

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Looking for a musical? Here is one–Bunnicula!

Bunnical is about a dancing cat, a howling dog, and a vampire bunny. The perfect pet combination for any family. It’s a dark and stormy night and Chester (the family cat) and Harold (the family dog) sit waiting for their owners to return home from the movies. Chester and Harold are more than just pets, they’re good friends too. When the Monroes finally get home, they come bearing a surprise: they’ve found a bunny in the movie theater. But this is no ordinary rabbit… this is the extraordinary Bunnicula. When the family’s produce starts losing its juice, Chester thinks he knows what’s causing the fantastic phenomenon. Bunnicula is a vampire! Or maybe Chester’s imagination is getting the better of him. Singing and dancing their way through this hilarious mystery, the furry friends find room in their hearts, and in their home, for one very unique bunny.

This musical comes with musical tracks which would be very helpful if you don’t have an accompaniast. The show runs one hour and thirty-one minutes, has roles for two female and one male and is suitable for age six and up.

The Seven Reasons I Recommend Plays for New Audiences Scripts

Reason #7: They offer scripts with holiday themes.

Holiday Plays

Publishers with holiday themed scripts are always a plus in my book. Prancer concerns young Jessica Riggs’ family has fallen on hard times. Still, she keeps her belief in Santa Claus and the idea that there are miracles in the world. When an injured reindeer appears in Jessica’s backyard, she believes it is Prancer. While she is nursing the creature back to health, the whole community of Three Oaks eventually learns about Prancer, causing big problems for Jessica as she tries to return the reindeer home. Based on the cherished film, Prancer, this piece uses a heartwarming story and breathtaking puppetry to bring light into your holiday season.

Want some help with directing? Pick up my Director’s Helper Checklist here: Director’s Helper Checklist

Licensing and Royalties Information

I did want to touch on purchasing scripts and royalties for these plays and musicals. If you want to purchase copies for your class to read called you need a Classroom Reading license. This is a fifty dollar per semester cost. You can download and copy as many as you need. If you want to purchase, just one it is $12.00. I think it would be better to purchase a classroom reading license. At fifty dollars, that’s a pretty good deal since the average script cost of other publishers is usually around $10.00. I’d seriously consider doing this if I were you.

You would need to apply for a license to produce one of their plays in order to receive a royalty quote. I was unable to secure this information for you.

I hope you’ll check out Plays for New Audiences and their scripts. If I was still directing and teaching, I’d be on this site like butter on bread. They are unique, imaginative and guaranteed to be engaging to your students and audience.

If you’d appreciate additional advice from a seasoned theater teacher and director, check out:

Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

Eighteen Ways To Make Your Directing Experience Less Stressful, Part One

Eighteen Ways to Make Your Directing Experience Less Stressful, Part Two

What play publishing company are you fond of? There are many, huh? Leave a comment and share your opinion. If you’d like to contact me do so at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Teacher Burned Out: How to Fix and Avoid An Expert Guide

January 12, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Teacher Burned Out: How to Fix and Avoid An Expert Guide

They say you should write about what you know. Hmmmm. What do I know? I know this subject well–Teacher Burned Out: How to Fix and Avoid

I bet you do, too.

Here’s a quote that sums it up perfectly, “Burnout is nature’s way of telling you, you’ve been going through the motions your soul has departed; you’re a zombie, a member of the walking dead, a sleepwalker. False optimism is like administrating stimulants to an exhausted nervous system.” Anais Nin

I’ve lived this quote.

Teacher Burned Out: How to Fix and Avoid (An Expert Guide)

Before we begin, let me tell you a little story.

About eight years ago, I taught in a wonderful home school enrichment program (with around 800 students,grades k to 12) which was part of the St. Vrain School system in Longmont, CO. In my first year, I directed three musicals (I used the MTI juniors) and taught six classes (at three different locations.)

As is typical of me, I am sort of a create-a-monster kind of person; I have a tendency to keep improving something until I’m satisfied with it.

In my sixth year of teaching for Apex, I was directing FOUR different musicals (all MTI juniors) as well as FOUR children’s musicals (MTI kids) as well as teaching twenty-four classes. Yes, you read that correctly. Each location offered a bit of a different curriculum so of course that meant different preps. for me. (One school wanted a film class. Another an intro. to Shakespeare, etc.)

My health began to deteriorate. I was frustrated, sarcastic, short fused, tired all the time and very stressed.

Teacher Burned Out: How to Fix and Avoid (An Expert Guide)

Consequently, in my seventh year I dropped two schools and just taught Thursday and Friday. But my inspiration was waning. At this point, I’d directed around 350 plays and musicals over the thirty-eight years I’d taught (both schools and an excellent community theater).

Finally, I taught one more year and retired at age sixty. I was totally ready.

You see, I care more about what the students gain from my teaching than my own sanity and obvious health. I was willing to exhaust myself if more students came away with feeling being a part of a group, increased self-esteem and confidence. That’s really all I cared about.

No one told me to take care of myself. If they did, I was too stubborn and proud to do so very much.

I nearly ruined my health learning the lesson to do so, however.

Three Major Teacher Burnout Symptoms

According to the website prodigygame.com, there are three major teacher burnout symptoms:

Cynicism — a sense of detachment from work or life, loss of enjoyments, pessimism and isolation.
Feelings of ineffectiveness — Apathy, hopelessness, increased irritability, lack of productivity and poor performance.
Physical and emotional exhaustion — Always tired, unable to sleep, forgetfulness or trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression and anger.

Here’s another thing no one thinks about–there are after school activities like plays or musical rehearsals, marching band, ball practices, , study help, cheerleading, the chess club. All of these extracurriculars are fun to do, but they do take a toll on a teacher’s energy.

Don’t get me started talking about the hours a theatre teacher puts into directing a play or worse yet, a musical! It’s staggering. As the teacher/director, you not only direct the show but you also design the costumes, set, lights, sound, create stage props, handle the tickets, advertising and let’s not forget your teaching load! If you’d like some advice concerning directing youth theater check out this post Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

What’s the Answer to Burnout?

I wish I could say there is one way to handle the burn out. But there just isn’t. Here are a few things I learned over time:

I didn’t grade every paper which sat on m desk. Some can be given a participation grade (I used a check, check plut and check minus) especially when the students are just learning a concept.
Planning my calendar to give myself breaks within the week was essential. For instance, if my Creative Dramatics class had a performance for their parents, I made sure my Intro. to Theater class worked by themselves and I was merely over seeing.
If one class was doing something physical, I planned so the next class was doing something more sedentary.
I found my students learned the best Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Because of this, I kept Monday and Friday’s lessons lighter. I wouldn’t introduce a new unit until Tuesday (hoping to catch everyone and those who took a long weekend and missed Friday and Monday).
Fridays were fun days for all of us. I made sure that my Fridays were my best lessons to teach or those most engaging. Sometimes the students would view part of a video on a Friday. That kept my teacher-to-student contact low and my maintained my energy.
If I could work it out, I’d go out for lunch at least once a week. Or, I’d bring in something special from the grocery store–like a deli sandwich or fancy salad. It lifted the monotony.

How Boom Cards Can Make Learning Fun in Music Class

November 3, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

How Boom Cards can Make Learning Fun in Music Class

This blost post is by my husband, Tim. Tim is a retired an award-winning instrumental music teacher having taught for forty years in all grade levels. I asked him if he’d like to discuss this cool learning tool he is creating and he said, “sure!”

From Tim:

Hello Everybody. I’m not very familiar with this blogging thing, but I’m going to try to explain my reasons for my Boom cards and why they work so efficiently in the classroom. I hope it helps you.

When the pandemic closed our schools, teachers scrambled for digital lessons. Folks, they were amazing!

Did anyone even notice how quickly, smoothly and expertly the teachers pivoted to on-line learning? I even shifted gears in record time and I’m not in the classroom.

Check out Deb’s post: Drama Lessons for Home-Bound Students or During the Corona Virus Quarantine

Teachers are rock stars!

What are Boom Cards?

Boom cards are self-grading digital flash cards that are gamified and provide teachers and parents the data they want. A teacher can use them for remedial instruction, review for a test or direct instruction. They are awesome. If you haven’t seen Boom Cards, check them out here: Boomcards.com

What are their strengths?

Digital task cards (in this case Boom Cards) build a skill base for the twenty-first century learning tools.
Digital task cards are flexible.
They can be used on a wide variety of devices.
They are a paperless resource–save those trees and ink.
They are similar to all other digital task cards or digital apps.–they are easy to use and understand.
Digital task cards are easy to share, give feedback and grade.

The Origin of My Boom Cards

It was the summer of 2020. During a FaceTime call with Diana, a fellow music teacher and coworker of my wife, we were discussing the challenges of trying to teach music classes virtually during the COVID pandemic. One of her frustrations was trying to teach rhythms to her students.

When teaching in person she usually used flash cards to drill note values and a counting system. Trying to do this through a computer or iPad screen was more than difficult. Before this conversation my wife had been creating some interactive task cards on a site called Boom™ Learning and suggested I create something that would be helpful.

Since I had been a music teacher and band director since the invention of dirt I had a few ideas and methods I had used, usually using a chalk or white board. After some experimentation on the Boom™ site, making examples on a music writing software program and several hit and misses I eventually came up with a format that I thought might work.

We visited Diana that following October and I showed her the few examples. After her enthusiastic response I then went to work and created several rhythm units for her specific needs. I shared these with her so she could try them with her students virtually and they seemed to work.

Recently Diana used these with her “in person” class by projecting the rhythms on a white board and working with her students on counting and clapping rhythms. To quote her after using my Boom™ Cards during a recent class, “…. It was magic….. It was truly amazing….they all stayed focused ……” I’m thinking I might be on to something.

Teaching with Games

While I was researching this post, I found this rationale for teaching with games from ACD.org a website for administrators, principals and teachers says:

In classrooms showing the greatest gains, teachers did specific things. To get similar results, teachers should games for these reasons.

Use inconsequential competition. In general, students like to compete as long as the stakes are not high. During a two-week unit of instruction, a teacher might organize students into teams of four students each. Teams might play games four or five times during that unit. Each time they play, the first three teams to complete the game receive points (for example, 3 points for the first team to finish, 2 points for the second team, and 1 point for the third team).

At the end of the unit, the teacher adds up the points for each team, and the three teams with the highest number of points get some inconsequential but fun reward, such as coupons to buy juice from the vending machines in the cafeteria.
Throughout the year, the teacher should reorganize the teams so all students have the experience of winning and losing. However, teachers must not factor game points into students’ grades for the unit. The points and rewards are simply for fun.

Target essential academic content. If games do not focus on important academic content, they will have little or no effect on student achievement and waste valuable classroom time. The most efficient way to maintain an academic focus is to organize games around important terms and phrases. For example, during a unit on dance moves, a dance teacher might identify terms and phrases such as axial movement, line of gravity, movement phrase, and nonlocomotor movement. Questions and answers would involve information important to these terms and phrases.

How Do I Use Boom Cards in My Music Class

Debrief the game. The most common error teachers make when using games is to add up team points and move on. The whole point of playing academic games in the classroom is to provide opportunities for students to examine important content in a lively and enjoyable venue. To stimulate analysis of important terms and phrases, a teacher can ask students which questions were difficult to answer and why.
For example, suppose that during a game of Pictionary in a mathematics class, students had difficulty drawing an image to represent the Fibonacci sequence. At the conclusion of the game, the teacher would ask students about their difficulties with this item. The discussion would serve as a brief review of the defining characteristics of a Fibonacci sequence.

Have students revise their notes. One generalization that applies to learning all types of content is that students must have opportunities to revise their understanding of the content as time goes by. When a game has ended and the class has discussed difficult terms and concepts related to the content, the teacher should give students time to revise their notes. A teacher might ask students to look over what they have previously written about this content in their notes and make any necessary changes. This might involve correcting misconceptions or adding new information that the students were unaware of.

Pretty wonderful, huh? Here is another post about using games in the classroom: Games + Teaching Method= Our Students Win!

HOW DO I USE BOOM CARDS IN MY MUSIC CLASSROOM? If I were you, I’d assign Boom Cards for distance learning or use them as differentiated instruction in the classroom. You could introduce a unit with the Boom Cards, assign them as homework for those with WiFi access or make them part of the lesson for the day.

As of this writing, I have 50 decks of Boom Cards.

My Boom deck contains:

Twenty–five digital flash cards
Colorful and easy to read

I have created rhythm boom cards in just about as many ways to learn as possible–rhythm question/counting answer, counting question/rhythm answer, audio question/rhythm answer, rhythm question/audio answer, audio question/counting answers. Whew!

A teacher can:

use them in group instruction or individual student drill/ assessment
use at home or in the classroom
view student’s progress
Use in elementary music theory, ear training and ensemble performance techniques

My Boom cards are true outcome based learning–if an incorrect answer is selected, the student is able to select from the remaining answers

I hope you’ll take a look at my Boom Cards at: TBMusic

or in my teacherspayteachers.com store at TBMusic

Tim

This is Deb again. I hope you enjoyed learning about Tim’s Boom cards. He has a bunch of music ideas up his sleeve which he’ll unveil in time. Come back and see what’s new soon!

Deb

How do I Become a Teacher?

July 22, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

How do I Become a Teacher?

I didn’t think I’d become a teacher. I took education classes at my father’s bidding. Having taught thirty-eight years, I think I did the right thing. (Don’t tell Dad though.)

In light of the recent pandemic, it seems imperative to discuss this subject.

We are going to need teachers like never before.

There are many reasons we have a shortage. I won’t go into them here, but suffice to say if you are interested in teaching, this is a good time to consider teaching as a career.

I come from a long line of teachers having several on both sides of my family. If you’d like to know more about my teaching journey, check The 12 Unofficial Fortune Teller’s Guide to Becoming a Fantastic Drama Teacher

If you are attending a college or university, here are the steps to becoming a teacher.

Step1: Earn your bachelor’s degree.

A bachelor’s degree is required to become a teacher. Enrolling in a teacher education program which is pre-approved to meet the educational requirements for teacher certification, including student teaching, is the traditional route.

My advice is to consider the subject area (for example, science, English as a second language, or special education) and the grade level (such as elementary vs. secondary) you wish to teach. Not all teacher education programs provide training in all subject areas or grade levels. This is very important to check when you enroll in the school. Otherwise, you’ll be lacking what you need and then it’s a hassle to complete it.

Step 2: State Teaching Exams

Generally, most states have a state exam you are required to take. You will be prepared ahead of time for this exam and most people pass it easily.

(source–“Fingerprints by kevin dooley)

Step 3: Fingerprinting

Any time an adult is going to work with children, they must be fingerprinted. This is imperative. You school system will inform you where you get finger printed. It’s a simple process.

Step Four: Applying for Teaching Jobs

Once you have your license, you are ready to apply for teaching positions. There are several educational websites who provide a clearinghouse of positions. You can look through the available position or perhaps ones which they think will be open. Check out http://www.teachingnomad.com.  It is a clearing house for teaching jobs in the United States and abroad.

As you apply for positions, you’ll be expected to show proof of your grades from college. Also, you’ll be asked to provide several recommendations from people who have worked with you or can speak of your character.

You’ll want to write a professional resume of any previous work experience you’ve had with regard to teaching (teaching swimming lessons, working as a summer camp counselor, etc.) Check out this site for resume examples. Go to: https://resumegenius.com for help.

Sometimes you can teach a subject which you have not studied in college. When this occurs, the school system’s main office will give their go-ahead to hire you. You’ll be expected to take the state teaching exam and probably a few additional clases. In my case, I had to take three classes to become certified in English. (I graduated from college with my certification in Speech and Drama. Usually, English or Language Arts accompanies this certification.)

(source–“Teachers” by iwantt)

Step Five: Your Mentor Teacher

When I became a teacher about a hundred years ago, I was on my own. No one helped me or advised me. I’m tough old bird and I figured it out by the third year. My journey was typical of all new teachers at the time. Thankfully, it isn’t that way anymore. My advice? Give teaching at least five years before you make a decision whether you want to continue or not.

You are assigned a mentor teacher who serves as a guide and hopefully a friend. This person knows the ins and outs of teaching in your school and about teaching in general.

Alternative Teacher Certification

I was looking around the internet and found this great explanation for alternative teacher cetification at www.teachercertificationdegrees.com:

“Alternative or non-traditional teacher certification was initially introduced to fill critical teacher shortages. Today, alternative certification has been widely adopted as a way to recruit talented individuals in all subjects who have a passion for teaching but do not have backgrounds in education. According to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) covering the 2015-2016 school year, about 18% of public school teachers–676,000 individuals–had earned their teaching license through an alternative certification program.

This is up from the 2011-2012 school year when 14.6% of teachers leading classrooms in public schools reported entering teaching through an alternative pathway.”

Luckily, there are people who find they want to become teachers who did not study education when they were in college. If that’s you–you are so valuable because you have real life experiences (for instance, I know a scientist who became a science teacher.)

Teaching has its challenges, but so do most careers. My advice? Give. it. time.

Want a FREE Guide and 10 page lesson? Click here.

Advice from a 38 Year Veteran–

Find someone in the school who you can vent to and they to you.
Socialize with other teachers.
Don’t each lunch alone.
Get some exercise every day even if it feels like you can’t do it. Taking a walk, even a mile, will help you tremendously.
Your desk is like a little home, so outfit it with things which make you smile–your favorite coffee cup or water bottle, a small poster which inspires you, photos of family or friends.
Decorate your room in such a manner that is classic and a bit on trend. YOU DON’T NEED TO LOOK LIKE PINTEREST PIN YOU’VE SEEN. This is not a competition.
Keep your sense of humor–I can’t express this enough to you.
Keep your perspective. These are young people and children. Parents? Well, they mean well but are generally biased toward their child.
Make friends with the office and custodial staff. They can make or break you and besides, they are always kinda fun.
Email me if you are having a rough day–I have a listening ear.

As I mentioned above, I never thought I’d become a teacher. But you know, it suits me well and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to do so.

Got any questions? Please feel free to contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

My Theatre Vocabulary List for the Classroom

June 23, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 4 Comments

My Theatre Vocabulary List for the Classroom

Let’s talk about my theatre vocabulary list for the classroom. I apologize. It never occurred to me that teachers needed a list of vocabulary for their theatre classes.

Theatre is such a major part of my life, I’d forgotten not everyone comes into teaching theatre classes as knowledgeable as I was. However, as I think about it, I remember what it’s like getting started teaching a theatre class.

It’s tough to get started. Although there are colleagues who will advise you, sometimes you need someone sort of “at your finger tips” to help you. That’s me!

Why teach vocabulary words?

This seems this would have an obvious answer. But just as in every other subject students teach, theater students need to know the words and phrases you will use in your classroom. We can’t expect out students to be good communicators if we don’t help them, yes?

There are many processes students can use to learn these words. If you pick up my Word Wall product, I’ve included several different ways to learn the vocabulary words.

Teach by osmosis! What’s that, you say? Learning by proxy, or being exposed to someone, can naturally achieve an unconscious assimilation of ideas, vocabulary, knowledge and even technical skills. It’s called osmosis.

A teacher could share a vocabulary word each day. Start the day with the word and even demonstrate it. Honestly, you will be surprised how quickly the students will learn them using osmosis. Just by seeing, demonstrating themselves and writing them, they’ll learn many of these words as if by magic.

++++++++ I am sorry there aren’t more words and their definitions listed here. I think students were coming here and filling out their vocabulary and definition sheet list and not finding the words and their definitions on their own.

Tsk, tsk. So, I edited the list to give you a basic idea..

Actor to Choreography:

Actor A male person who performs a role in a play, work of theatre, or movie

Actress A female person who performers in a role in a play, work of theatre, or movie.

Apron The section of the stage floor which projects towards or into the auditorium. In proscenium theatres, it’s the part of the stage in front of the house tabs, or in front of the proscenium arch, above the orchestra pit

My Theatre Vocabulary List for the Classroom (Example)

Cast A set of actors in a play

Catharsis A moment of high tragedy at the emotional climax of a play is followed by an emotional cleansing for the characters and the audience

Chanting A word or phrase repeated for an effect

Character A person in a novel, play, or movie

Are you considering becoming a teacher? Check out this blog post Why is it Important to Create a Lesson Plan?

If you are a student, sorry. You are going to have to look up these words yourself to attain the rest of the defintions.

Looking for a lesson for tomorrow? Pick up this one about Lin Manuel Miranda.

My Theatre Vocabulary List for the Classroom

I was looking around the internet and found this great blog post about the reasons it is important to know how to spell.

Everything is provided for you. Check it out at: Word Wall

The Reasons It’s Important to Learn to Spell

It develops reading skills: Knowing how to spell correctly helps children become better readers. If they don’t know how to spell a word, they’re more likely to guess at its meaning, rather than understand its true meaning. Additionally, being able to accurately spell words helps to build fluency and allow kids to read faster.
It enhances writing skills: Knowing how to spell words correctly helps children become better writers as well. When they’re able to accurately spell words, they can express their thoughts and feelings more clearly, resulting in stronger writing overall.
It builds confidence: Being able to accurately spell words is a great confidence booster for primary school kids. Knowing that they can spell words correctly helps them become more confident readers and writers.
It improves vocabulary: Learning how to spell words correctly helps children learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and increase their vocabulary. This can be very beneficial for them in the future as they continue their education.
It helps with concentration: Spelling correctly requires focus and concentration, both of which are important skills for primary school children to learn. By mastering spelling, kids will be able to transfer these skills to other areas of their studies as well.
Ultimately, spelling is an essential skill for primary school children to learn. Not only does it help them become better readers and writers, but it also boosts their confidence, expands their vocabulary, and helps them develop concentration skills. Therefore, it’s important that primary school kids take the time to practice their spelling regularly.

Instead of copying all of these words and making printables for your students, there are 64 in this product! Check out this WORD WALL:

First African American to Win National Spelling Bee

Have you heard of Zaila Avant-garde? The multitalented teenage phenomenon Zaila Avant-garde, became an overnight sensation with her Scripps National Spelling Bee win at the age of fourteen, when she became the first African American contestant to win. Zaila Avant-garde, now sixteen, will add “author” to her already-impressive list of accolades that includes: 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, 2021 Sports Kid of the Year by Sports Illustrated Kids; and two-time Guinness World Record holder for feats related to her basketball prowess.

Her books, IT’S NOT BRAGGING IF IT’S TRUE: HOW TO BE AWESOME AT LIFE, a non-fiction middle-grade and a picture book, WORDS OF WONDER FROM Z TO A, a children’s picture book, will be published on June 27, 2023, by Doubleday Books for Young Readers and edited by VP, Editor-in-Chief Frances Gilbert.

Pick up my Drama Word Wall. Everything is provided for you. Check it out at: Word Wall or you can pick up posters (some are FREE) for your classroom, too! Growth Mindset Posters and Vocabulary

I hope this helps you. Please feel free to contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Want some more help in the classroom? Check out my FREE Guide and ten page lesson Here

Happy Super Hero Day!

April 28, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

April 28 is Super Hero Day!

Who established Super Hero Day?

National Superhero Day was founded by Marvel Comics in 1995. Now, every year since its birth on April 28, 1995, people come together annually on this day to celebrate all their favorite heroes. No matter if your fav heroes are fictional or real, this is the day to be thankful for them.

Well, how fun!

When I was a child, Superman wasn’t near as popular as he is today. Now super heroes are everywhere.

Why should I teach about Super Heroes?

According to Brittanica.com, during the late 1930’s to 1950’s, the Golden Age of Comic Books were created. Modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity among the masses. The first Super Hero ever was created in 1936? The superhero was named Phantom, and he started with his own comic strip in a U.S. newspaper. This was the first known beginnings of a published superhero, and now there are hundreds of well-known heroes that everyone loves.

The superhero archetype was created and many well-known characters were introduced, including Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Captain America, and Wonder Woman. Most superheroes served as a figure who inspired hope. This hero could save us all from dark and difficult times. Superhero stories promote the ideas of peace, safety and freedom. Some experts consider this message a necessary reassurance in difficult times. The message isn’t about a country succeeding, but recognition that there are others with similar hope for a peaceful future.

Students love to design a Super Hero costume. Here are a few pointers:

Figure out the color scheme of the costume. Usually, the whole costume should include 3 or fewer colors/shades only. This helps ensure that the costume does not distract from your superhero. It will also make it easier for you to replicate the look in a comic. Think of your superhero’s powers, motivations, and backstory. Lighter colors tend to indicate heroism, while darker colors indicate a conflicted nature; rich colors point toward sophistication, while bright colors tend to reveal youthful energy. If you’d like to read more about costume design, see my post: Your Secret Teaching Allies–Super Heroes
Classic superheroes tend to dress in some combination of red, blue, and yellow, which can denote energy and determination. A mix of black, grey, and green, though, could denote mysterious and naturalistic qualities.
Nail down the basic costume before accessorizing it.Design the actual outfit first, before figuring out the logo, or whether it will include a mask, cape, etc. Once you have designed your base costume, it gives you a blank slate to work with. Feel free to take cues from iconic superhero costumes, but be sure to refine them into your own creation. Skin-tight, full-coverage bodysuits tend to be the standard base layer for male superheroes, while female heroes often show a bit more skin. You don’t have to follow in this tradition, but body-hugging base layers do provide a clean palette for accessorizing.

What Color Scheme Should I Use?

Figure out the color scheme of the costume. Usually, the whole costume should include 3 or fewer colors/shades only. This helps ensure that the costume does not distract from your superhero. It will also make it easier for you to replicate the look in a comic. Think of your superhero’s powers, motivations, and backstory. Lighter colors tend to indicate heroism, while darker colors indicate a conflicted nature; rich colors point toward sophistication, while bright colors tend to reveal youthful energy.
Classic superheroes tend to dress in some combination of red, blue, and yellow, which can denote energy and determination. A mix of black, grey, and green, though, could denote mysterious and naturalistic qualities.

What About a Logo?

Nail down the basic costume before accessorizing it. Design the actual outfit first, before figuring out the logo, or whether it will include a mask, cape, etc. Once you have designed your base costume, it gives you a blank slate to work with. Feel free to take cues from iconic superhero costumes, but be sure to refine them into your own creation. Skin-tight, full-coverage bodysuits tend to be the standard base layer for male superheroes, while female heroes often show a bit more skin. You don’t have to follow in this tradition, but body-hugging base layers do provide a clean palette for accessorizing.
Consider if a cape is right for your hero. While capes are often considered synonymous with superheroes, plenty of famous ones — like Iron Man and Wolverine, for instance — go without them. Capes can help accentuate motion or indicate flight (think Superman), or add a layer of mystery (as with Batman). However, they can also be an unnecessary complication for a well-designed costume. If you can’t think of a good reason why your hero should have a cape — either for practical (e.g., concealment, protection) or expressive (e.g., flair, royalty) purposes — it may be best to exclude it.
Create a memorable logo or other distinctive element. Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man are arguably the three most famous superheroes, and each has a simple chest emblem — the ‘S’ shield, bat, and spider — that immediately identifies them. Don’t obsess over the small details of a totally-awesome costume before you’ve nailed down the iconic logo, symbol, color, etc. Make sure it’s easy to recognize and repeat, and that it can adapt to variations on your design. Brainstorm logo ideas based on the hero’s name, origins, or powers: in the last case, for instance, consider the lightning bolt used for the Flash.

My Super Hero Drama Lessons

If you’d like some drama lessons with super heroes as the focus, I have several here: DramaMommaSpeaks and also in my Payhip store at: Super Heroes

One lesson I developed focuses on storytelling. Using postcards as a springboard for a story, students take elements from the postcards they randomly choose. But, there is a secret requirement which is LOADS of Fun. You can learn about Storytelling with Super Heroes here: Storytelling with Super Heroes Postcards

Another lesson students enjoy is Costume Design with Super Heroes. In this lesson, students study costume design and learn a bit about the characteristics of a super hero costume. Then they design one costume plus write a letter explaining their choices. You can find this lesson here: Costume Design with Super Heroes

If you want further study, try movement with Super Heroes! These movement exercises are a great way to begin or end your class celebrating national super hero day. Word of warning–your student may leave class with a “zap” so if you are okay with that, you are good! Tableau and Movement with Super Heroes

I think Super Heroes and Super Heroes Day is here to stay. It does me good to see children imitating them, especially our girls. Here are my two granddaughters having fun as Super Heroes. I doubt either of them have seen many television shows or movies with Super Heroes in them since they are so young, but they know enough to understand super heroes protect people and try to make the world a better place. At this point in their short lives, I think that’s a good start.

Have you taught with a super hero theme? How did it go for you? I’d love to hear about it. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

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