Title: Play Practice

Date: 30 November 200X

Grade Level: 5^th/6^th

Purpose:

• Help students make some changes in their plays to prepare their Greek plays for performance

Materials Needed:

• Student-provided props
• Small sheet of paper/pen for recording brainstormed ideas
• Large sheet of paper/marker for final ‘rules’
• Tape
• Copies of their plays for each performer
• Chairs for audience and Narrator

Objectives:

• TLW participate in the brainstorming session by providing at least one idea and/or by voting for or against each idea’s inclusion in our final ‘rules’.
• TLW use the ‘rules of good acting’ by adjusting his/her acting at least once to fit with the rules.

Procedure:

• Attention-getter:
  • Take students into the hallway.  Have the first play group line up along one side.  Have the other group line their chairs along the other.  Set up the narrator’s chair.
  • Before class, ask two students to help you do a quick demonstration.  (one student will do if the teacher plays the other part)
  • Clap for students’ attention.  Tell them that we are going to see a quick play demonstration and you want them to tell you what they think of it. 
  • The students mumble their lines with your backs to the other students.
  • What do they think of this performance?  Was it interesting?  Do they know what is going on in the play?
  • Today we are going to practice their plays, but first we need to make a few ‘rules’ of good acting’
• Activities:
  • Brainstorming
    • What are some things we might want to keep in mind while acting?  (Remind them that during brainstorming we write down every idea and don’t reject any) – (some ideas:  always face the audience, speak clearly and loudly, be serious-don’t giggle, enter from the same side that you exited, use facial expressions, etc)
    • After quick brainstorming (1 min), choose a student to write on the large piece of paper.  Have all students vote each idea up/down for the final list.
    • Remind them to use the ‘rules’ while practicing and to help the other group remember.
  • Play Practice
    • Remind to be a good audience (How should we act while the other group is performing?)
    • Have the first group practice.  Audience and teacher provide feedback/suggestions
    • Have the 2^nd group practice.  Audience and teacher provide feedback/suggestions.
    • Time permitting, allow the groups to practice again/work together for ideas on how to improve their performance.
• Closure
  • Remind students to use the ‘rules’ as they practice their plays.  This will help their parents understand what is happening and will make them seem like the actors on (pick a favorite TV program)

Assessment:

• As the students practice their plays, the teacher will provide suggestions and encouragement to remind them to use our brainstormed ‘rules of good acting’.
• The teacher will compare observations from today’s practice with yesterday’s to look for changes due to our ‘rules’.

Diversity:

• Students who have difficulty will get extra help from the teacher.
• All ideas will be accepted in the brainstorming session.

Teacher Evaluation:

• This lesson will be complete when both groups have practiced their plays and made some changes in preparation for their upcoming performances.