Where I teach, Drama is a mandatory part of the curriculum for students in Grades 1 to 8. I enjoy teaching drama, but I have heard from other teachers that they find this subject hard to plan for without a textbook or background experience. The following blog post outlines great drama lessons for your classroom.
Below is a general outline on how to start your year and possible topics you can cover depending on the time you have for this course.
Starting Your Year
- Establish rules specific for drama class to create a safe space for all students.
- Co-create Dramatic Presentation Success Criteria.
- Teach the Elements of Drama: Role/Character, Focus and Emphasis, Place and Time, Relationships, Tension.
- Use Ice Breakers and Drama Circles to get students more comfortable with drama and create a safe space.
Sample Drama Year Plan
- Establish classroom rules together to ensure safety of students.
- Co-create overall success criteria, then add to it for each new unit
- Explicitly teach the Elements of Drama
- Ice Breakers
- Drama Circles
Select a few ideas from the list below depending on the age, grade level and readiness of your students.
Cross-Curricular Integration
- Interview An Expert from Science or Social Studies
- Monologues
- Character Hot Seat
- Wax Museum
Resources
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