Boost Drama Class with These 5 Teacher Favorites
To begin with, as theater teachers, we often face a familiar set of challenges: limited prep time and diverse student needs. Plus, these are coupled with th desire to build a strong classroom community while still hitting learning goals. How can we do that? What resources will it require? Let’s discuss how to boost drama class with these five teacher favorites! Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your curriculum, the right resource can make all the difference.
Over time, I’ve created and refined dozens of drama education materials that aim to solve these challenges. These aren’t just popular—they’ve been tested by real teachers and praised for how well they support classroom success. (Proof of Concept? To date, over 23,000 teachers have purchased from my Dramamommaspeaks store.)
Boost Drama Class with These 5 Teacher Favorites
1. Drama Ice Breakers and Ensemble Builders
Why it helps:
A strong ensemble is the heartbeat of any theater classroom. These ice breakers and team-building games are more than just “fun activities”. They teach students how to collaborate, listen actively, and take creative risks in a low-pressure environment. I’ve used these same for questions for years to help my students become confident and connected performers.
What’s included:
- Engaging warm-ups for all experience levels
- Games that promote trust and communication
- Easy-to-follow instructions for quick implementation
As a result, this is a teacher favorite because:
They save you time and get your students up and moving—essential in the first few weeks of school.
One reviewer wrote, “These helped my students open up immediately and created a supportive classroom culture.”
Boost Drama Class with These 5 Teacher Favorites
Daily Drama That Delivers: Engage Every Student, Every Day
2. Morning Meeting Bell Ringers: Tony Award-Winning Plays
Why it helps:
These 24 bell ringers bring Broadway into your classroom through bite-sized lessons that celebrate Tony award-winning plays. Each includes a brief synopsis, the awards it won, and a thoughtful question to encourage discussion or journal writing. In addition, they’re great for daily warm-ups or as part of a broader curriculum on theater history.
What’s included:
- 24 ready-to-use slides
- Tony-winning play summaries and awards
- Video clip links for reference
- Critical thinking questions to prompt student reflection
Teacher favorite because:
They introduce important theatrical works without adding to your prep load. Consequently, students get exposed to a wide range of plays, and teachers love the simplicity and depth. “These were a great way to start my class and got my students talking about theater right away,” one educator said.
Why it helps:
This unit taps into the often-overlooked world of radio drama. It is ideal for classrooms with limited space or performance anxiety. Students learn about sound effects, vocal inflection, and character development. Lastly, they create and perform their own radio commercials. Pick up one of my radio play scripts and you’ve got three weeks of learning!
What’s included:
- A full unit guide with daily procedures for 12 days
- Warm-ups and vocal exercises
- Radio play scripts and sound design activities
Altogether, this is a teacher favorite because:
It combines performance, technical design, and storytelling into one seamless unit. One teacher shared, “My class LOVED this! It allowed even shy students to shine and brought a new energy to our drama time.”
Connect with Culture and Creativity
4. The Story of Lin-Manuel Miranda: Read-Aloud Biography Unit
Why it helps:
Students are always more engaged when they can relate to the subject. This biography of Lin-Manuel Miranda—complete with prompts and journaling ideas—makes for a great literacy integration! Plus, it’a super jumping-off point for conversations about creativity, diversity, and perseverance.
What’s included:
- A read-aloud biography concerning his life, education, journey to Broadway and accolades he’s won
- Student discussion questions
- Journal writing prompts for reflection and connection
Teacher favorite because:
It inspires students with a story they care about while encouraging thoughtful writing. Additionally, teachers often use this during Hispanic Heritage Month, literacy blocks, or between units. One teacher remarked, “My students really enjoyed this lesson. The resources were great and they loved putting together the rap!”
Check out this blog post for other famous Broadway actor biographies: Teaching Stage Legends: Burnett, Andrews, Jones, and Van Dyke
5. Costume Design for Beginners
Why it helps: Costume design is a fantastic entry point into technical theater. Furthermore, it helps students think critically about character, mood, and time period. This beginner-friendly unit introduces students to the basics of costume design through research, drawing, and hands-on activities.
What’s included:
- Introduction to costume design principles
- Guided drawing and analysis assignments
- Creative prompts for designing original character costumes
Teacher favorite because: It taps into visual learning and creativity while supporting script analysis and design thinking. One teacher noted, “This was a perfect way to engage students who love art and fashion while still connecting back to theater concepts.”
Pick up a FREE holiday parade costume design lesson here:
In Conclusion
Lastly, you’re looking for materials that are trusted, easy to implement, and designed with teachers in mind, give these a try. Check out this post for additional resources which can help you: 5 Easy Drama Games for Emergency Sub Plans
Have a favorite you’d like me to feature next? Drop me a message—I love hearing how these resources work in your classroom. Also, I’m so pleased to announce that my blog is one of the top 5 for drama teachers in the world.
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Deb