LAUREN GORELOV

Sample Unit Plan #1: 9th grade drama

Building ensemble in the drama classroom

Thematic Question: 

• How do theatre artists use risk-taking, trust and collaboration to help create an ensemble?

  • Ensemble—a group of actors working together to create art

Know:

• Explore a variety of trust exercises to build ensemble and create a cohesive classroom.

• Explore and practice development of character, theme, and genre through applications of tableau

Understand:

• How risk-taking, trust and collaboration are essential when building a group of individuals to work together as an ensemble.

Do:

• Make physical choices that will show an understanding of character, theme, spatial relationships, imagination, tempo, energy, and balance.

• Collaborate with other artists to create art and images.

• Create a dramatic scene with a beginning, middle, and end.

Lesson 1:

1.  Warm up: Do you love your neighbor?

The participants will stand in a circle.  One player is picked to be in the middle.  That person will approach a person in the circle, he will ask: "Do you like your neighbors?"  If the answer is no, the two people on either side of the person must switch places while the person who did the asking will attempt to take one of their spaces in the circle.  If the answer is "Yes, I like my neighbors" The person must then “especially those who __________.” At that point, all the people who are doing/wearing what the person stated must switch places in the circle with someone else.

2.  Large circle—

Mirror teacher

Pass words- boo, zoom, hello, whats up, hi, shh

Pass name—fast, slow motion, robot, tired

Then all repeat name with gesture that goes along with it

(each student must choose a gesture that matches her name)

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3.  Good morning, good afternoon, good evening:

Stop in pairs and ask questions:

• Favorite food

• Last movie you saw

• Favorite thing to do after school

• Place you traveled over the summer

• Favorite song

• Last book you read

• Do you have a pet? Name?

• Favorite tv show?

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Reflect back in large group—what did you learn about each other?

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Lesson 2:

1.  Warm up: Invasion of the brain- STOP/GO/CLAP/JUMP (see attached sheet for directions)

2.  3 Facts game—Each student must think of 3 facts about themselves that are true. Then filter around the room and tell your 3 facts to someone else. Students will then take on the facts of the person they just met and continue the game with new facts. All share at end and guess who’s facts are who’s.

2.  Group walk—

Walk around- silent… quick sand, hot coals, thunderstorm, north pole, hot beach, huge rush, sneaking out of the house, etc

Groups of 3/5/7/9, etc

Small groups to make letters (A,M,F,X, etc) and animals (elephant, lion, animal of their choice!) Students use their bodies to create letters and animals—must work as a team.

3. Teams for diagnostics relay (students must complete tasks without talking)

• Alphabetical order (first names)

• Hair length (shortest to longest )

• Height order

• Shoe size

• Birthdate

Diagnostics/ hot corners (see attached sheet with questions)

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Reflection:  Things you hope to learn this year in drama class. One index card for each student. What does drama mean to them in one word. Write it down on the card and create a “pond” in middle of the floor with all inspiring words. Discuss words and class norms.

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Lesson 3:

1. Warm up: People to people game (see attached sheet for directions)

2. Blind handshake

3. Blind Finger- Students lead each other in trust exercise (first silent, then with music- alternate leader and follower)

4. Reflection:  Would you rather be the leader or follower? Why?

Performance: Support statues

Ask:  How can you show “support?” (physical, emotional, financial, mental, etc) Students in groups of 3 must create 3 statues/images that show support. The titles are:

• Two actors support one

• One actor supports two

• Three actors support each other

Reflection and analysis:

• How did you work together as a group?  What were your strengths?  Challenges?

• When challenges occurred, how were they resolved?

• How does this connect to ensemble?

Lesson 4:

1.  Collaboration mural—how can we create drama from music and art?

2.  Students will listen to a variety of different songs and draw what inspires them. Mural will be passed to the right, keeping integrity of artist and adding your own flare.

3.  Students will take the art and turn it into short dramatic scenes.

4.  Scenes will have 4-5 sentences, have a beginning/middle/end, and begin with “once upon a time.”

5.  Actors will perform these scenes as a final assessment for ensemble unit.