Join Me in my new Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/417126059784261

Menu

back to school

Drama Class Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School

By Leave a Comment

Drama Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School

I receive quite a few emails asking, “I have a question about drama exercises for the first two weeks of school. What would you suggest?” That’s a really important question.  After thirty-eight years of teaching various theater classes, I have a pretty good handle on what works for me.

However, I’ve been where you are–staring at a blank calendar anxiously wondering what is most important and where you should begin with your class.  I think it’s only natural that you feel this way. Simply put–get to know your students.

Everything, and I mean, everything will go much better if you get to know your students!  I don’t advise jumping on a bunch of rules unless your list is short like mine (Three R’s–respect, responsibility and ready to learn.) Just about every situation can be addressed using the three expectations.  But that’s me.

Pick up this  ready-to-go 5 Day of Middle School Drama Lessons.

If you need a scope and sequence for middle school students, here is one: Drama Curriculum Scope and Sequence 

 

GROUP HUG AFTER WILLY WONKA (I’M THE BLONDE HEAD IN THE MIDDLE)

Building Teacher/Student Relationships

When I was looking around for information concerning building teacher/student relationships, I stumbled upon this quote from the EducationNorthwest.org:

“When teachers make an intentional effort to get to know each of their students, it can foster in students a sense of belonging and connection to school—which can then build a foundation for academic success. Positive teacher-student relationships lead to increased cooperation and engagement in the classroom.”

Here’s another quip I appreciate from Reach.com: “Understanding your students’ interests will help you to provide them with quality learning opportunities. By giving them the opportunity to explore areas they are interested in – for example, the environment – they will be more likely to engage with the learning process.”

I believe that getting to know your students and vice versa, is imperative to everyone’s success!

Here’s a recent Instagram interview where I speak about particular games. https://www.instagram.com/tv/ChsDNC8MMgh/?igshid=Y2ZmNzg0YzQ=

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

Drama Class Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School

Elementary students are so sweet and enjoy just about everything you share with them.  One old standby of mine is Wax Museum.  Most people know this game, but if not check it out here:  Wax Museum 

When I Go to California is a terrific game for a smaller to medium size class.  The more outlandish the objects the students “take” on their imaginary trip, the better.  It goes like this:

Two of the most important skills an actor needs is the ability to concentrate and memorize. This exercise will do just that!⁣
You need an open area to play this. This game takes no materials and that’s always a nice thing, huh? ⁣
⁣
First, students sit in a circle on the floor. ⁣Person A stands and says, “WHEN I GO TO CALFORNIA, I WILL TAKE MY ____” and pantomimes something unusual he would take on a trip. (i.e. an elephant) Person A should make the sound of the object if it makes one. ⁣Person A sits again. ⁣

Person B stands and says, “When I go to California, I will take my (Person As object)  and my________” and pantomimes another unusual object. ⁣
⁣
The game continues until everyone has a chance to participate. ⁣An object can not be copied by another person as their choice for their object.  You also may need to help students when they forget objects. (I encourage students to help as well.)

If you are looking for a week’s worth of drama lessons to begin your school year, check out: First Week of School Drama Class

Or check out this one-which is a good one to use the first week of classes in elementary and middle school:  Drama Circle
⁣

Drama Games for the First Week of School

Middle School Drama Class Warm-Ups

I will admit that I enjoy teaching middle school students the most. Here’s a recent Facebook Live where I speak about teaching theater to students: Facebook Live with Deb the Storyteller

Middle School students can be shy or extrovertive.  Every class is different, so adjust your expectations according to what you observe right off the bat.  When your students enter your classroom, do they appear to be familiar with anyone (make a B line to sit with them), sit at the back or maybe the front of the room?

Nevertheless, middle school students love games of any sort.  Usually, I get them up on their feet and run through the Alliteration Name Game (you may know it by a different name). You can read about this game here: Drama Games for the Introvertive Student

This exercise will take atleast 20 minutes.  It’s important to take your time and if you find there is a student who can’t come up with an idea for their name, others may help him. Also, I require that students applaud after each person shares their  name. Why?  Because it establishes that everyone is equal and we appreciate everyone’s talent in the class.

Drama Exercises for the First Week of School

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

This exercise that will take several days to finish– 3 Things About Me.  It goes like this:

You, the teacher, bring in 3 things which are important to you–maybe a family photo, your first doll, a medal for something you entered and won–that sort of thing.  Take about 5 minutes to explain the items.  Hand out sign up sheet for several days.  Students sign up for a particular day. When I assign this, I encourage the students to have at least one really unusual thing to share with the class.  That makes it far more interesting. I give participation points–a blanket 10 points.

I’d advise warming up the class each day.  This tag is a really good one for day two or three.  You can pick up here for free: Firecracker Tag.

Another warm up which is good is the Three Word Improvisation.  I would use this on about day five with older middle school students.  Go here to pick up this game:  Three Word Improvisation 

If you’d like some more warm ups, go to my Instagram guide.

 

High School Students Theater Class Warm-Ups

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

High School students are great to teach, too. I’ve had some amazing high school theater classes.  Hopefully, students enrolled in your high school theater class are there because they signed up for the class which is not always the case with middle school students. If the students elected to take your class, then I’d start right in with your lessons.

If your students are new to theater (such as a Theater 101 course) a really great warm up for them (and quite difficult) is Name Volleyball.  You can pick it up here: NAME VOLLEYBALL PDF

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

Or another is Curveball Story

Description: (many thanks to Hoopla.com for this one) This is played in pairs (trios work too). One person makes up a story. As they tell it, the other will call out random words that need to be incorporated into the story. Wait for the last word to be folded in before giving another. (Honestly, I think even elementary students can play this game, but I thought it would be really funny with older students.)

Variations
Similar to What If? where the other person says something like “what if it started raining?” “What if you jumped on a boat?” and they incorporate that into the story.

Want a game that can last the entire class period?  This is the one! For years, I  have used this game which was titled, Hang Man Charades.  However, that is an offensive name so I call it Dancing Man Charades. Pick it up here:  DANCING MAN CHARADES PDF

My Recommendation for Theater Teachers

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

Recently, in a teachers Facebook group a drama teacher asked, “Do I really have to do warm ups every class period?”

No, you don’t especially if you think you have their attention.  However, warm ups usually help everyone–there are lots of laughs (which for some students is the only time they laugh their entire day), acknowledge a person’s skill that no one was aware that they had (like the shy kid who can tell a heck of a story.) They even help you!

I could be shooting myself in the foot here, but for warm ups for elementary and middle school students I recommend Theater Games for the Classroom by Viola Spolin.  One of the assets of this book which  I like is the use of side coaching.  Because of this book, I learned to side coach my students which is inordinately vital with elementary and middle schoolers. For high school, pick up her Improvisation for the Theater.  Equally as useful and powerful. Grab a free collection of warm ups for middle school here.

What games and exercises do you like to use at the beginning of the school year? I’d love it if you would share them with me?  Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

Woman behind DramaMommaSpeaks

 

Creative Dramatics Lessons That Kids Love

By 1 Comment

Creative Dramatics Lessons That Kids Love

Dramamommaspeaks Blog Author Deborah Baldwin

Hello!

Today, I wanted to blog about Creative Dramatics Lessons That Kids Love. You may not know me or be familiar with my work.  I’m Deborah Baldwin (but my friends call me Deb.)  I am a recently retired award-winning drama teacher of thirty-eight years.  In that time, I directed over 250 plays and musicals with students and adults as well.  I taught every grade level, but the bulk of my time was spent with secondary students.

Here is my resume if you’d like to see it:

If you’d like a free guide And lesson plan from me, click here LESSON PLAN

Creative Dramatics Lessons That Kids Love

My Teaching Style

Drama is a hands-on class. To this end, I’m always on my feet, modeling for my students while teaching them a host of concepts. It is not unusual to hear my classroom in chortles of laughter because humor is an outstanding way to gain a student’s attention. I empower students at an early age. Although I am always mindful of my learning objectives, I think it’s vital for students to experiment within the confines of my instruction.

I encourage students to be independent and creative thinkers. Many less confident or reluctant students benefit from my teaching methods as together we hit the challenges they encounter. I am creative, intense, driven and brave–these are qualities I nurture in all my students and generally receive outstanding results.

Creative Dramatics Lessons for Elementary Grades by an Award Winning Drama Teacher

If you need some warm ups for your class, whether a core or drama class check out Theatre Games Guide

Strengthening Reading Comprehension Skills

When I was researching this blog post, I found a wonderful site,  http://www.understood.org.  They discussed the reasons for reading aloud (aka drama class!):

1. Decoding

Decoding is a vital step in the reading process. Kids use this skill to sound out words they’ve heard before but haven’t seen written out. The ability to do that is the foundation for other reading skills.

Decoding relies on an early language skill called phonemic awareness. (This skill is part of an even broader skill called phonological awareness.) Phonemic awareness lets kids hear individual sounds in words (known as phonemes). It also allows them to “play” with sounds at the word and syllable level.

2. Fluency

To read fluently, kids need to instantly recognize words, including ones they can’t sound out. Fluency speeds up the rate at which they can read and understand text. It’s also important when kids encounter irregular words, like of and the, which can’t be sounded out.

Sounding out or decoding every word can take a lot of effort. Word recognition is the ability to recognize whole words instantly by sight, without sounding them out.

3. Vocabulary

To understand what you’re reading, you need to understand most of the words in the text. Having a strong vocabulary is a key component of reading comprehension. Students can learn vocabulary through instruction. But they typically learn the meaning of words through everyday experience and also by reading.

What can help: The more words kids are exposed to, the richer their vocabulary becomes. You can help build your child’s vocabulary by having frequent conversations on a variety of topics. Try to include new words and ideas. Telling jokes and playing word games is a fun way to build this skill.

Creative Dramatics Lessons for Elementary Grades by an Award Winning Drama Teacher

4. Sentence Construction and Cohesion

Understanding how sentences are built might seem like a writing skill. So might connecting ideas within and between sentences, which is called cohesion. But these skills are important for reading comprehension as well.

Knowing how ideas link up at the sentence level helps kids get meaning from passages and entire texts. It also leads to something called coherence, or the ability to connect ideas to other ideas in an overall piece of writing.

What can help: Explicit instruction can teach kids the basics of sentence construction. For example, teachers can work with students on connecting two or more thoughts, through both writing and reading.

Making Connections: Using What They Know to Understand

5. Reasoning and Background Knowledge

Most readers relate what they’ve read to what they know. So it’s important for kids to have background or prior knowledge about the world when they read. They also need to be able to “read between the lines” and pull out meaning even when it’s not literally spelled out.

What can help: Your child can build knowledge through reading, conversations, movies and TV shows, and art. Life experience and hands-on activities also build knowledge.

6. Working Memory and Attention

These two skills are both part of a group of abilities known as executive function. They’re different but closely related.

When kids read, attention allows them to take in information from the text. Working memory allows them to hold on to that information and use it to gain meaning and build knowledge from what they’re reading.

What can help: There are many ways you can help improve your child’s working memory. Skill builders don’t have to feel like work, either. There are a number of games and everyday activities that can build working memory without kids even knowing it.

Creative Dramatics from an Awarding Winning Drama Teacher

Maybe you are researching Back to School lessons. Or you are looking for drama units, lessons and plays for your elementary students. Or you want to save yourself time? 

I can help you. 

Here is my opinion about expectations of our elementary students. My Pet Peeve

Here are a few of my lessons for elementary students:

It Could Always Be Worse Readers Theater

Each lesson comes with a teacher’s letter, procedure, a warm-up, materials list, teacher’s script and assignments.

Recently, I created fifteen minute radio theater plays for grades 3 to 5.  These are royalty free, too! 

Recently, I created fifteen minute radio theater plays for grades 3 to 5.  These are royalty free, too!

I hope you’ll check out my creative dramatics lessons.  My thirty-eight years of teaching drama education serve me well in creating these lessons and/or adapting some which I all ready used in the classroom.

Have you taught creative dramatics with your students?  I’d love to hear about it.  Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Looking for a freebie or two?  Go to:

Free Teaching Resources Blog Hop

Free Stuff!

 

Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child’s Life

By 3 Comments

Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child’s Life

This is a re-publish of an article I wrote for Litpick.com.  I hope it’s useful to you.

03ep-stndaln-wonka-fun-xl1

Willy Wonka, Jr.  Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies August 2012

When the Litpick staff and I discussed writing several articles concerning drama education, I was stymied.  I have been a drama teacher and director since 1979. We decided upon the top seven reasons drama education is important to your child’s life.  

Personally, theater and the creativity that stems from it is very second nature to me. I forget that other people may not be aware of its strengths in the same manner.

Today’s the day for bolstering creativity in your child!

In a typical school day I taught theater classes to approximately 100 students, ages eight to eighteen.  Whew!  This included classes in creative dramatics, introduction to musical theater, film making, technical theater and a production based musical theater class. Most of what I taught, I created myself for the students.

Since I worked for an enrichment program for home school students, I taught a different group of students each day.  Double whew! In another words, creating curriculum plus teaching plus directing productions for nearly forty years equals expert first-hand knowledge.  Oh, I forgot that!

 Your Creative Child

Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child's Life

At the beginning of the school year, it was not uncommon for parents to stop me in the hallway and express delight that their child will be taking a drama class with me.

Many parents say, “My daughter is very imaginative and expressive.  She plays dress up all day if I let her, but other than dress up, I don’t know what to do with her imagination next.”

I think I know what the parent is trying to express to me.

They need some assurance that A. this is a normal part of the child’s development; B. it should not be squelched but promoted and C. there are many strengths to being a creative human being.  I smile and encourage the parent to allow the child to continue imagining. I take it from there and the magic begins.

I will admit I am very partial to theater arts.  Honestly, theatre saved my life when I was about ten years old, but that’s another story for some other time.  All arts classes will nurture your child’s creativity and every art form brings different gifts to the table.  Here are my top seven reasons for drama classes in your child’s life.

img_0463

 

Stage Make up Assignment in Technical Theater Class  May 2016

Drama Classes:

Strengthen literacy—We know that through reading, our reading becomes more fluid and comprehensive. Not everyone recognizes that in a drama class we READ a lot–plays, scenes, poems and stories to dramatize.  Of course, when we rehearse a piece we read the words over and over again—aha! Then we MEMORIZE them.

We practice a character’s lines using vocal inflection and variety.  Suddenly, the words come to life for the reader. Voila! We sneak in reading skills without any of us being aware of it.  It is that easy, but reading must be continued in order to have consistent success.

Build self-esteem and self-confidence—If a child has an opportunity to share his ideas through drama, he is immediately accepted. We applaud for the student and his attempt.  We encourage positive comments towards the student’s effort.  Over time, the child begins to see his worth within the classroom, within the school and consequently in the world as well. Self-actualization is realized. It is a known fact that many at-risk students attend school only because they can take an arts class.  That’s pretty powerful.

Build a team spirit—I compare a cast in a play to a football team. The only difference is that no one sits on the bench—everyone plays.  Everyone’s actions count to make the goal, the performance.  If a student knows that he is expected to help other members of the cast and crew, he takes on the responsibility.

This level of responsibility carries over into social situations, because by becoming a part of a team, a student can see himself as part of the whole instead of merely one piece. A P.E. teacher once remarked to me that she could tell which of my drama students took her classes.  When playing games, they were the ones who quickly pulled a group together, used their individual strengths and left out no one. How nice!

Aristocrats kids

Encourage tolerance—Through a scene or play, when one experiences first-hand what is like to be the down trodden character, the misunderstood, the shunned, the innocent accused, one’s framework of understanding broadens.

For example, when we dramatize the story of Anne Frank or Helen Keller, we begin to see life differently and the value of everyone.  Life’s issues become greyer in color to us and thereby we appreciate the many perspectives in a particular situation.

This is a remarkable attribute.

Provide a safe place to express one’s emotions—Society’s pressures have encouraged us to keep our emotions to ourselves, especially negative ones. I was one of those people.  In turn, some people are the opposite and show only negative emotions because they feel less vulnerable in so doing.

By creating a character and expressing the character’s emotions—happiness, sadness, fear, pride, curiosity, anger, joy, jealousy, etc. these feelings become an accepted part of one’s psyche. One’s acceptance of all one’s emotions, strengths and weaknesses is vital to our growth, no matter the age.

Lastly, there will come a day when your child will thank you for introducing theatre arts to them.  I have never known a student who didn’t flourish from a bit of drama education whether it was from taking a drama class or participating in a production.  There is something very special about the stage and I hope you’ll give it an opportunity to show you.

Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or check out my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

I’d love to hear from you!

If you are interested in a semester-long drama curriculum, check out: Bundle Drama Class and Units 

Here is an example of one of my popular lessons:  Costume Design with Fairy Tale Characters

Costume Design with Fairy Tales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Truth About Drama Exercises

By Leave a Comment

RSCN0525         Annie & Helen

Here is the truth about drama exercises.

I go back to work this week–teaching that is. First, I have teacher work days to complete. They consist of lots of meetings and information, some useful and some not, and then time to plan and find inspiration to teach kids about theater.

However, I have taught theater for so many years (about 38), that I think I might be of more help to other drama teachers than to myself! In other words, I am nearly a walking textbook about drama education.  (I say nearly, because I always learn something new each year and that what keeps me going.)

Bumbling Bea

In Bumbling Bea, the Language Arts teacher is drafted to direct the annual school play in which Beatrice and Michiko desperately want to play the lead role.  Ms. Phillips is a nice lady and appears to be a good LA teacher.  I am not being disrespectful of LA teachers–they are vital to our student’s education. But she’s not a drama teacher. We are a rare breed. Drama teachers train specifically to instruct in the dramatic arts. We are few and far between. I am one of them.

076

Into the Woods  July 2004

 

So, knowing that drama teachers like myself are frantically searching for new ideas or sound practices in drama education, I thought I would list a few of my favorite exercises and activities for you!  Remember, I have taught drama since the late 1970’s–back when women wore short shorts called “hot pants”–a really long time ago.  I don’t always know where the games came from, but I will endeavor to give links if I can:

Games and Exercises

Hangman Charades–(up to 60 minutes) This is an excellent twist on two favorite games we all grew up playing.  It works with second through twelfth graders. It would be helpful to have a large white board or a chalkboard.  As the originator of the game states, the students get so involved playing the game they forget there are game points to accrue.  I highly recommend this game!  Link:  http://www.geocities.ws/mattbuchanan.geo/hangman.html

Alliteration Name Game–(5 to 10 minutes)  A wonderful warm up on the first day of classes or a workshop.  Many teachers play this game several ways.  My favorite version is to have the students say a word that begins with the first letter of their first name and then use the word to demonstrate about themselves.  For instance:  Dragon Debbie (I act like a dragon as I say “Dragon Debbie”). If this is a new drama class, this is a clever way to assess the group.  A teacher can see very quickly who listens to directions, who is comfortable performing, who is naturally creative, etc.  With the hesitant students, I ask the rest of the class to suggest words that the student could choose from to describe them.  Link:  http://www.teachercooperative.com/lessonplan/alliteration-name-game/08/24/2011

One Word Story–-(10 minutes) We play this game as a warm up when I teach a story telling unit, or we are killing time waiting backstage before our production begins, or we are hanging out at the end of the class period.  I like it because it takes no materials in order to play it.  Link:  http://www.bbbpress.com/2013/01/one-word-story/

Musical Hot Potato--(10 minutes) Upon searching for a link, I found that there is now an electronic game version of this available at Kmart and Amazon.  Sigh.  You don’t need ANYTHING fancy for this game–just an average sized rubber ball and some great music on a CD player.  I buy a lot of animated movie showtune CD’s.  My kids just love them.  It keeps me current and of course, it’s cool to them.  Link:  http://spoonful.com/family-fun/hot-potato

Please Don’t Take Me–I completely forgot about this exercise until recently. What a fun game! It takes no materials, children of any  school age can play it together (like a cast of multi-ages) or students of similar ages. The great part is that students don’t even realize they are practicing improvisation (a necessary skill for an actor). The game goes like this (or at least how we play it) — Select four to six students at random.

Tell them they are things in a particular place (amusement park, library, grocery store, etc.) They can’t be animals or people. Turn your back and count to ten. View the group as a whole, then go to each “thing” and ask them what they are and why they are important in the particular setting.  Over time, once everyone knows which things the students have become, the characters begin to debate between themselves who they think is more important. To keep the students (audience) engaged, I usually have them vote on who they think has done the best job of persuading us why their character is important. This is a riot and the students’ answers are usually very clever.

There you have it–the truth about drama exercises.  I hope these help you.  I have many more, but they will have to be posted in another blog on another day.  Have a happy school year!