FREEHOLD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION ENGLISH
DRAMA COURSE DESCRIPTION
Grade Level: 9-12
Department: English
Course Title: Drama
Credits: 2.5
Course Code: 01070X
Board of Education adoption date: August 22, 2011
FREEHOLD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education Mr. Heshy Moses, President Mrs. Jennifer Sutera, Vice President Mr. Carl Accettola Mr. William Bruno Mrs. Elizabeth Canario Mrs. Kathie Lavin Mr. Ronald G. Lawson Mr. Michael Messinger Ms. Maryanne Tomazic Mr. Charles Sampson, Superintendent Ms. Donna M. Evangelista, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum Writing Committee Mr. Patrick Giblin Ms. Amy Acchione
Supervisors Ms. Tyniesha Douglas Ms. Judith Lagana Mr. Craig Chern Mr. Thomas Gallahue Ms. Jane Goldstein
Drama - Introduction
Introduction
Course Philosophy
One of the best ways to appreciate and understand art is to make the effort to create it. This course will provide students with opportunities to better understand what it takes to be an artist within the worlds of acting and theatre. Students will explore various areas of performance and production, and may use the skills learned from these experiences in their everyday lives.
Course Description
This course will provide students with opportunities to experience various aspects of theatre production and performance. Students will study theatre history in order to better appreciate modern theatrical conventions. Technical aspects of staging a production will be introduced and explored. Emphasis will be on developing performance skills via the use of improvisation, character development, script writing, and staging. Students will have opportunity to use their creative energies and imaginations to explore how a range of multi‐faceted characters are realized and developed. Students will explore character background as well as how to develop an emotional viewpoint for their characters. The use of body language, vocal inflection, and emotional range will be explored via individual and small group performances and improvisations. The course will culminate in a final production where students will use simple props, sets, and costumes to showcase original script writing skills and performance abilities.
Course Map and Proficiencies/Pacing
Course Map
Relevant Standards
AR.9‐12 1.1.12.C.2 1.3.12.C.2
AR.9‐12 1.1.12.C.3 1.3.12.C.1
AR.9‐12 1.1.12.C.1 1.2.12.A.1 1.2.12.A.2 1.3.12.C.2
Assessments
Enduring Understandings
Essential Questions
A complete actor utilizes all the tools that are at his disposal, including an imaginative mind, a healthy graceful body and a strong able voice.
Student responses to survey questions How does an actor apply imagination to the needs of performance? Viewing of video and sound clips How can voice create character? Stretching
How is the actor expected to behave Good theatrical performance is created through hard in rehearsal and performance work, professional behavior, and communication situations? between designers, actors and audience members. How do actors rehearse?
Every artist has a style; every artistic period has a style.
Diagnostic
Student responses to survey questions Viewing of video and sound clips
Student responses to What can we learn about the history survey questions of mankind by studying the history of theatre? Viewing of video and sound clips
Formative
Summative
Journals Class discussions Teacher monitored rehearsal Initial performances
Final project performances Written tests Peer critique
Journals Class discussions Teacher monitored rehearsal Initial performances
Final project performances Written tests Peer critique Self‐critique
Class discussions Textbook chapters questions
Theatrical period presentations Projects Written tests
AR.9‐12 1.4.12.A.1 1.4.12.A.2 1.4.12.A.3 1.4.12.A.4 1.4.12.B.1 1.4.12.B.2 1.4.12.B.3
AR.9‐12 1.1.12.C.2 1.3.12.C.2
AR.9‐12 1.1.12.C.2 1.3.12.C.1 1.3.12.C.2
The critique of art is personal, but should be understood universally.
How does an effective performance engage the audience?
Student responses to survey questions Viewing of video and How does knowledgeable and respectful critique improve production sound clips values?
Journals Class discussions Initial performances
Final project performances Peer critique Self‐critique
Final project performances Written tests Peer critique Self‐critique
Final improvisations Peer critique Self critique
Our potential as communicators can only be achieved through open and honest feeling and careful and deliberate listening.
How does an actor use the body as a tool for performance?
Student responses to survey questions Viewing of video and sound clips
Journals Class discussions Teacher monitored rehearsal Initial performances
Truth and honesty of character is essential to the creation of real people living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.
How does an actor create a character Student responses to that elicits emotion? survey questions Why does a background in Viewing of video and improvisation help one to become an sound clips effective actor?
Journals Class discussions Teacher monitored rehearsal Initial performances
Proficiencies and Pacing
Unit Title
Unit Understanding(s) and Goal(s)
Recommended Duration
Unit 1: Improvisation
Truth and honesty of character is essential to the creation of real people living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to: 1. Listen and respond to communication without censoring responses. 2. Perform informally with and in front of classmates.
ongoing
Unit 2: Theatre History
Every artist has a style; every artistic period has a style. At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to: 1.Describe early theatrical movements and connect those movements to theatre today. 2. Explain the link between certain historical events and theatrical movements.
4 weeks
Unit 3: Characterization
A complete actor utilizes all the tools that are at his disposal including an imaginative mind, a healthy graceful body and a strong able voice. Our potential as communicators can only be achieved through open and honest feeling and careful and deliberate listening. Truth and honesty of character is essential to the creation of real people living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to: 1. Create a character unlike themselves in background, body and voice. 2. Utilize their body as a tool to create different characters at will.
4 weeks
Good theatrical performance is created through hard work, professional behavior, and communication between designers, actors and audience members. Our potential as communicators can only be achieved through open and honest feeling and careful and deliberate listening. Unit 4: Scene Work
8 weeks At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to: 1. Create and present a formal performance. 2. Find given circumstances in a script 3. Collaborate with scene partners 4. Synthesize stage movement with memorized lines, props and set.
Drama - Unit 01
Unit Plan
Enduring Understanding: Truth and honesty of character is essential to the creation of real people living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Essential Question: Why does a background in improvisation help one to become an effective actor? Unit Goals: 1. Listen and respond to communication without censoring responses. 2. Perform informally with, and in front of, classmates. Recommended Duration: ongoing Guiding/Topical Questions
Content/Themes/Skills
Resources and Materials
Why is developing a familiarity with the techniques of improvisation essential to understanding dramatic structure?
Develop a sense of who, what, where, and why
Basic Drama Projects, Fran Tanner
Develop a sense of motivation and action
Theater Games for the Classroom, Viola Spolin
Develop improved concentration Utilize observation and sensory recall
Suggested Assessments
Activity: Create improvisation scenarios designed to Diagnostic‐ Individual vs. whole group monitoring develop character awareness and communication. Elicit scenarios from students, emphasizing the need Student generated rubric for conflict in dramatic situations.
Activity: Have students create improvisations in small Formative‐ Check individual progress by noting involvement in the Improvisation for the Theater, groups or in pairs. practice of the exercises.
Viola Spolin Activity: Have students create structured Clips from “Whose Line is It, improvisations, utilizing exercises such as “Alphabet Game,” “Questions Only,” and “Whose Line.” Anyway?” ‐ ABC‐TV
Experience conflict to move a scene forward Utilize body language to develop a character
Suggested Strategies
Summative‐ Perform an original scene based upon a teacher designed rubric
Activity: Have students create improvisation based on Journal entry utilizing self and group critique select pre‐determined lines.
Clips from “Thank God You’re Activity: Have students create a character based on a Summative ‐ Have students lead an Here!,” NBC‐TV improvisation exercise using pre‐determined body position or posture. previously learned techniques.
Differentiation
Provide a variety of activities that involve creating situations/conflicts, using provided situations/conflicts and non‐structured improvisation. Physical and non‐verbal activities may also be included.
Technology
Use Moodle, or other web‐based programs, and have students submit scenarios for improvisation Use video clips and have students complete the ending Film or video tape student improvisational exercises for self‐critique
College and Workplace Readiness
Provide improvisational scenarios that involve real‐life situations, such as job interviews, speaking opportunities, and person‐to‐person conferences.
Drama - Unit 02
Unit Plan
Enduring Understanding: Every artist and artistic period has a unique style. Essential Question: 1. What can we learn about the history of mankind by studying the history of theatre? Unit Goals: 1. Describe early theatrical movements and connect those movements to theatre today. 2. Explain the link between certain historical events and theatrical movements. Duration: 4 weeks
Guiding/Topical Questions
Content/Themes/Skills
Resources and Materials
Suggested Strategies
Suggested Assessments
How do previous theatrical periods affect modern drama?
Primitive rituals
Basic Drama Projects
Early theatre
Theater: Art in Action
Activity: Present an overview of the periods through notes or handouts, utilizing suggested multi‐media to enhance understanding
Diagnostic‐ Elicit student knowledge base through a survey of the historical theatre periods
Greek/Roman Theatre
Video Clips from Discovery Streaming Video (such as Oedipus, Roman Theatre and Globe theater)
Chinese/Japanese Theatre Medieval Elizabethan Theatre (Shakespeare)
Activity: As each period is presented, Formative ‐ Assess student highlight innovations that have responses in classroom continued to modern theatre (such as discussion. Theatre period the trap door or ramp), and those history quiz. Small group oral that have since evolved (all actors presentation on theatrical being male, masks, morality plays); periods utilizing web quests in focus on how these conventions were the presentation products of their times Summative ‐ Stage a dramatic
Activity: Simulate oral presentations from reading based upon a teacher each of the given periods so that students designed rubric. understand the atmosphere of each type of theatre. Activity: Have students read and present short pieces from each period, using conventions of the time period.
How does life reflect art Ancient religious theatre and vice‐versa? Biblical references Miracle/morality plays
The Dark Ages The Renaissance Shakespeare Vaudeville/Burlesque McCarthyism Protest Plays
Activity: Compare the political, Formative: A video recall social and religious aspects of the quiz, showing video clips and headlines, with students period to the theatre being Everyman by Anonymous created through notes or identifying the period “Broadway, The American Musical,” PBS, handouts, utilizing suggested Documentary (clips from appropriate vehicles such multi‐media to enhance Summative: students as the Ziegfeld Follies, Showboat, and Hair) understanding. (Example: Show a present the results of their web‐quest to the class. news headline regarding prohibition, then show a clip from a vaudeville or burlesque show of the 1920’s) Activity: Have students do a web‐ quest in small groups to find sample scripts or clips to show that climate in the larger world is reflected in the theatre of the period (ex. The Crucible and The Normal Heart) “Changing Stages,” BBC‐TV, documentary
Differentiation
Students may create physical models or drawings of costumes, set styles, or theatre buildings of each period
Students may create a video or PowerPoint of a period in theatre history
Technology
Teachers can use a basic program such as multimedia presentations to create an overview of theatre history Students can use an advanced program such as Google Sketch Up to create a multi‐dimensional model of a period stage/theatre. Teachers can use video to show how technology has progressed from the outdoor amphitheater to indoor, lighted theatre; from wheels to computer ‐driven tracking; from gaslights to laser beams; form projecting with masks to wireless microphone
College and Workplace Readiness Using the knowledge of theatre history, explore how art is influenced by social and economic conditions. Explore how technology influences theatrical development and how theatre is a global communicator of a message.
Drama - Unit 03
Unit Plan
Enduring Understandings: 1. A complete actor utilizes all the tools at his disposal including an imaginative mind, a healthy graceful body, and a strong able voice. 2. Truth and honesty of character is essential to the creation of real people living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. 3. Our potential as communicators can only be achieved through open and honest feeling and careful and deliberate listening. Essential Questions: 1. How can voice create character? 2. How does the actor use the body as a tool for performance? 3. How does an actor apply imagination to the needs of a production? 4. How does an actor create a character that elicits emotion? Unit Goals: 1. Create a character unlike themselves in background, body and voice. 2. Utilize their body as a tool to create different characters. Recommended Duration: 4 weeks
Guiding/Topical Questions
How do people communicate?
What are the body postures in our culture?
Content/ Themes/Skills
Resources and Materials
Suggested Strategies Suggested Assessments
Different types of communication
Albert Mehrabian study information and power point Theater Games for Young People ‐ Maria C. Novelly
Activity: Ask students to list different types of communication; ask them to guess at the percentages of the Mehrabian study. Reveal the results and discuss. Activity: Discuss the rules of pantomime and assign Everyday Action Pantomimes from the Maria C. Novelly book.
The body postures and movement of young people, teenagers, adults and old people
Activity: Have students move around the room like different animals and as humans at different stages of life. Activity: Have students walk Pick four people in different life stages and observe their movement. Come to class Room large enough for movement of all the students around the room asking them ready to point out their center and to demonstrate their movements. to change their centers as they walk. Ask students to discuss how the knowledge of centers can help them in creation of character.
Observe body language How do people communicate Communicate utilizing only subconsciously? body language
Room large enough for all students to work independently
Activity: What sort of subconscious moves do you make? Your friends? Activity: Ask students to create a 20 second scene utilizing only facial expressions and body language. An example of a scenario: You are sitting in class and you want to communicate something to your friend‐ if you speak, you will receive detention.
Assign students pantomime projects to communicate emotions utilizing only body language and movement.
Select a person in your life and observe them for three days. Keep a log of subconscious moves they make. Hypothesize why they move as they do and what is the catalyst.
What is the terminology of speech?
Pitch, volume, rate, articulation, tone
How does an actor vary his voice to portray different characters?
Making choices that utilize pitch, volume, and rate in order to create character
How can efficient breathing help an actor?
Inefficient versus efficient breathing
Activity: Utilizing the Assign tongue twisters to students. Let them choose which ones they want to Terminology sheets terminology sheets, model the complete. Give more points in the rubric for the harder tongue twisters. They must different terminology while Basic Drama Projects ‐Tanner utilize articulation, volume and a fast rate. students copy definitions Children's books
Activity: Ask students to verbalize lines in class selecting specific choices in volume, pitch and rate. Students in class should be able to recognize choices based on performances.
Ask students to pick a children's story with multiple characters. Ask students to perform the story for the class by reading it as they would to a class of four year olds. They should have any 60 seconds of the story performance ready. The rubric should be based on their specific choices of pitch, volume, and rate. The time limit specifications can be included in the rubric.
Activity: Ask students to lie down on the floor and put their hands on their stomachs. Ask them to take A classroom big enough for all deep breaths pushing out their students to be able to lie on hands and pushing their lower the ground Give students the first verse to "Modern Major General" and assign them to read as backs into the floor. Explain much of it in one breath as possible. Allow time for improvement of their scores over the use of the diaphragm and Lyrics to "Modern Major the semester. need to use as much of their General" by Gilbert and lungs as possible on stage. Sullivan Activity: Ask student to stand and take deep breaths without using their shoulders.
Character question sheet Theater Games for Young Create character's life beyond People‐ Maria Novelly the text Room large enough for each How is imagination important Belief in the setting of a scene student to move independently without the aids of set to acting and designing?
Activity: Have students create their own characters and setting improvisations. For example, allow each of their characters meet each other on a train or in a park
After scenes have been selected, ask students to complete a character sheet with information that the script does not address. Ask students to create a set and costume plot for their scene based on the information in the scene and their imaginations.
How do the given Translating knowledge of circumstances of a scene help circumstances into actable an actor create character? choices
Published plays Practice scenes
In pairs, assign students a specific lines and then change the given circumstances (such as weather, time of day, setting, and year ) Ask students to select time of day, era, weather, or relationship and perform those given circumstances with a small piece of a script Give circumstances in terms of relationships between characters
Differentiation
For struggling students: Teacher modeling of expectations is helpful, as is allowing students to create characters of their choosing. Providing consistent opportunities for students to reflect on their own lives and connect these experiences and observations with class assignments is also helpful. For students with physical disabilities focus on the body language postures that they can use in order to communicate is recommended. For advanced students: Teacher modeling of expectations is helpful, as is allowing students to create characters, scenes, and settings of their own. Students should be encouraged to seek out relevant reviews and performances so that the relevancy of what they are doing in class is emphasized. Extended study in the practice and observation of body language as it applies to the stage is also recommended.
Technology
Students can research the Mehrabian study or other areas of interest in order to learn more on the topics. Also the students can compile and publish information regarding their observations of people's subconscious movement and body language. Students may read on line publications related to the theatre field to increase familiarity with reviews, auditions, technical and performance aspects of the theatre.
College and Workplace Readiness Teachers are to emphasize that performance skills are valuable in all walks of life, but are especially valuable in college and in the workplace. Students are to be presented with activities that emphasize the importance of utilizing time management, clear communication skills, and the intricacies of body language. The classroom teacher should emphasize that student speech, movement, and performance skills can be assets in college interviews, job interviews and personal relationships.
Drama - Unit 04
Unit Plan-Scene Study and Performance
Enduring Understandings: 1. Good theatrical performance is created through hard work, professional behavior, and communication between designers, actors and audience members. 2. The critique of art is personal, but should be understood universally. Essential Questions: 1. How is the actor expected to behave in rehearsal and performance situations? 2. How do actors rehearse? 3. How does knowledgeable and respectful critique improve production values? 4. How does an effective performance engage the audience? Unit Goals: 1. Create and present a formal performance. 2. Find given circumstances in a script 3. Collaborate with scene partners 4. Synthesize stage movement with memorized lines, props and set. Duration: 8 weeks Guiding/Topical Questions
Content/Themes/Skills
Resources and Materials
Suggested Strategies
Suggested Assessments
What are the parts of the stage?
Stage terminology
Stage
Basic Drama Projects‐ Fran Tanner
Activity: Take students on a tour of the auditorium and point out parts of the stage.
Diagnostic: Ask students to move/point to different parts of the stage to see who has a basic theatre vocabulary. Summative: Test the parts of the stage though a diagram that needs labeling or other objective assessment.
Formative: Have students stage on stage and create a scavenger hunt asking students to go place to place in the auditorium to find clues.
How does an actor move?
Blocking terminology
Stage
Sofa and other living room furniture
Activity: Ask for volunteers and “block” the students demonstrating crosses and other stage movement. Give all students the chance to move around the space.
A bench A room large enough for actors to rehearse with distance between groups
Formative: Give students a sheet and write 5 movements on it. Give them time to practice it. Then ask them to recreate it on the stage. (i.e. They would right cross up left as the first movement and you would see if it matches the sheet) Formative: Begin to add furniture to the stage and do a larger version of this project.
Books of scenes and plays Summative: Have students view a scene on a video or in class and answer objective questions on the blocking during the scene. i.e. In the beginning of the scene Eliza is standing a. upstage left b. upstage right etc.
Basic Drama Projects‐ Fran Tanner Theater Games for the Student‐ Viola Spolin
What is an actor expected to do during a rehearsal and performance?
Rehearsal and performance etiquette
Stage
Sofa and other living room furniture
Activity: Before beginning scene work Summative: As scene work progresses, discuss the written and unwritten rules of assess rehearsal etiquette in actual rehearsal through a Dos and Don’ts sheet. rehearsal situations.
Work cooperatively with other actors
A bench
A room large enough for actors to rehearse with distance between groups
How does an actor memorize lines?
Tips for memorization
Books of scenes and plays Published scenes and plays
How to call for and give lines
Activity: After assigning scenes to students, give them time to rehearse in class to assist with memorization.
Activity: Create a list of tips for memorizing. Activity: Model the correct way to call or ask for a line
Summative: Have a day early in the rehearsal process (2‐3 weeks after assigning scenes) to have a separate off book test. The teacher should meet with each scene individually and actors will have to say their lines in order without acting. Teacher will then assign a grade based on an off‐book rubric previously given to the students
What are useful rehearsal strategies?
Using time productively in rehearsal situations
Each scene should be viewed multiple times by the entire class. This can be time st consuming, but it is necessary. The 1 run Sofa and other living room furniture (diagnostic) of a scene should focus on the given circumstances, super objectives and A bench nd character. The 2 run (formative) should demonstrate improvement over the first A room large enough for actors to rehearse run in the areas the teacher and the class Activity: When scenes are worked in front with distance between groups gave notes to the actors. The third and of the class the teacher should utilize final run (summative) should incorporate strategies such as improvisation, Books of scenes and plays an idea of costume and set and should be a discussion, and demonstration to get polished run that does not stop and students to achieve their objectives. students should not be able to call line. Basic Drama Projects‐ Fran Tanner Stage
Activity: Each scene needs time and space to rehearse in class. During that time circulate the room working with individual scenes.
Theatre Gamer for the Classroom‐ Viola Spolin What is an objective?
Define and understand objectives and write them
The Art of Direction – William Ball Books of scenes and plays
Basic Drama Projects‐ Fran Tanner Distinguish between all verbs and actable verbs Theatre Games for the Classroom‐ Viola Spolin What is critique?
Theater aesthetics
Visual pieces of theatre to critique
Constructive criticism
Attend professional productions
Formative: Students should work in small Activity: Utilizing Ball’s chapter on groups on objectives and discuss as class. Objectives‐ writes the formula on the board. Using small pieces of script, write objectives as a whole class activity. Then, Summative: Students should turn it copies give students time to write them with their of the scenes with written objectives. scene partner.
Activity: Ask students what films, TV or Diagnostic and Formative: discussions of theatre they have seen recently and what theatre and informal journaling. they like and disliked about it. Summative: Writing assignments where students have to critique professional productions and movies Activity: Read critical reviews of theatre and movies as a class and discuss together. Summative: Self evaluations of work performed in class
What is the best way to critique your peers?
Theatre aesthetics Working with peers
Common critical vocabulary
Activity: Discuss and decide on tactful and Diagnostic and Formative: Discussions of work performed in class. constructive vocabulary to use in class. Activity: Allow time after viewing scenes Summative: Formal written critiques of for students to comment to the actors and classmates work the class. Activity: Point out improvements made in scenes based on in class critiques.
What is good theatre?
Quality of art
Visual pieces of theatre to critique
Theatre aesthetics
Activity: Show clips of plays and movies and ask students if the pieces are good. See if as a class we can come up with characteristics of good theatre.
Written papers where students create their definition of art.
Point out what parts of class scenes are good.
Attend professional productions
Activity: ask what pieces of art have affected the students as audience members and discuss.
Differentiation
Teachers may assign smaller scenes for students who have specials needs. Teachers can encourage students to move around and speak out loud when learning their lines for kinesthetic and audio learners. Teachers may find scenes that have characters with physical disabilities for students with disabilities if they think this could help the morale of the student. This may not always be the best choice for every student, but it may encourage students that feel there are no roles for them. One good suggestion is And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson. In this play a girl has polio and is in a wheelchair.
Technology
Teachers can film the class's scenes for playback in the class so that the teacher can use the videos to show the actors what they are doing. With parental permission, teachers can post student scenes on a streaming video for parents to see final performances. If the auditorium is available, teachers may utilize microphones to give the students an idea of how the scene may work differently without microphones and with microphones. Teachers can encourage students to add multimedia presentations to their scenes for settings.
College and Workplace Readiness Additional job readiness and college readiness lessons would include seeing professional theatre in person or on the screen, researching audition sites and viewing a professional rehearsal.
Presenting material in front of peers and audiences is a life skill that also stresses the need to be prepared for performance. This skill can be translated into running business meetings or presenting advertising pitches. Finally, it helps students work collaboratively toward a goal. Collaborative work is expected in all areas of the job market.
