1.       Concentration:  Make a tray of items.  Direct student to mentally picture/ study items for ten seconds.  Cover the tray.  Student then list all they can remember.

2.      Two Facts/ One Lie:  Student lists three facts about themselves.  One item is false.  Student read aloud items.  The audience applauds to show which one they believe is the lie.  Note:  Discuss how to be creative without being obvious.
 

Pantomime Seed Strategies 

1.       Action Songs:  Use songs with characters and actions, such as boat rowing, stars twinkling, or ants marching.  Eaxmples:  “Grand Old Duke of York,” “My Hat It Has Three Corners,” and “This Old Man, He Played One.”  YouTube videos show many “action songs.”  Instead of having students imitate or follow movement directions, challenge them to listen to lyrics to collect actions and then imagine unique ways to mime each. 
 

Verbal Improvisation Strategies 
 

Television Shows:  Adapt game and talk show format such as Jeopary, Wheel of Fortune, and Oprah.  Students take on roles and prepare show materials.  Adaptations work best afet a unit of study (e.g. Oprah discussion/ interview format on endangered species.) 
 

Connecting Drama to Curricular Areas
(English Language Arts, Literacy Focus) 

Pretend and Write:  Journals:  In the role of a real or fictional character, each student keeps a daily journal.  The point is to write about what could have happened, or feelings caused by events, rather than literally recounting events.  When using historical fiction or biography, students can extend the journal’s authenticity by doing research on characters.  Variation:  For chapter books, provide time for entries after each chapter to document changes in the main character’s thoughts and emotions in reaction to events.  Students can pair up and read each other’s journals for different perspectives. 

1.       Concentration:  Make a tray of items.  Direct student to mentally picture/ study items for ten seconds.  Cover the tray.  Student then list all they can remember.

2.      Two Facts/ One Lie:  Student lists three facts about themselves.  One item is false.  Student read aloud items.  The audience applauds to show which one they believe is the lie.  Note:  Discuss how to be creative without being obvious.
 

Pantomime Seed Strategies 

1.       Action Songs:  Use songs with characters and actions, such as boat rowing, stars twinkling, or ants marching.  Eaxmples:  “Grand Old Duke of York,” “My Hat It Has Three Corners,” and “This Old Man, He Played One.”  YouTube videos show many “action songs.”  Instead of having students imitate or follow movement directions, challenge them to listen to lyrics to collect actions and then imagine unique ways to mime each. 
 

Verbal Improvisation Strategies 
 

Television Shows:  Adapt game and talk show format such as Jeopary, Wheel of Fortune, and Oprah.  Students take on roles and prepare show materials.  Adaptations work best afet a unit of study (e.g. Oprah discussion/ interview format on endangered species.) 
 

Connecting Drama to Curricular Areas
(English Language Arts, Literacy Focus) 

Pretend and Write:  Journals:  In the role of a real or fictional character, each student keeps a daily journal.  The point is to write about what could have happened, or feelings caused by events, rather than literally recounting events.  When using historical fiction or biography, students can extend the journal’s authenticity by doing research on characters.  Variation:  For chapter books, provide time for entries after each chapter to document changes in the main character’s thoughts and emotions in reaction to events.  Students can pair up and read each other’s journals for different perspectives. 

-Communication, students with special needs or ESL learners may not be able to write what they know, but they may be able to dance, draw, or act what they know.

-Understanding.  Students are better able to understand a character if they have to act out what he/ she is thinking and feeling, to walk a moment in his/ her shoes.

·        Kids aren’t frightened of being wrong.

·        Why not dance as often as we teach math?  

·        3 things about intelligence

o   It’s diverse

o   It’s dynamic

o   It’s interactive (your brain is not defined into departments).

o   It’s distinct (some people have to move to think, for example).