Search the Drama Teacher Academy

In this lesson, we’ll look at how we use physical clues to help the audience infer a specific setting for a scene. Students will improvise a short, silent, pantomimed scene in small groups that shows a clear setting – using gestures and movements only.

In this lesson, we’ll look at multiple perspectives that can lead to a conflict. In pairs, students will improvise a short scene in which each character has an objective that conflicts with the other character’s objective.

In this lesson, we’ll look at multiple perspectives that can lead to a conflict. Students will take an objectives quiz to demonstrate their understanding of objectives, conflict, and stakes. This could be graded as a daily work grade or an assessment, and will give you a snapshot of students’ current understanding.

In this lesson, we’ll look at multiple perspectives that can lead to a conflict and strategies employed to resolve it. Students will improvise a scene using 2+ tactics in partner groups. Some groups will perform for the class and receiving coaching and feedback on the Tactics Rubric.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Brainstorm Sheet to plan out their partner scene for assessment.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will complete a Rehearsal Checklist.

In this lesson, students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned so far during this unit to communicate meaning in a scene: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics. Students will perform their final partner scene in front of the class for assessment. They will also complete an Audience Feedback Sheet in which they give their peers feedback on Rubric skills.

7 posters for the drama classroom, designed to support the objectives of the building improvised scenes unit.

In this second improvisation lesson, students will practice accepting offers, building on offers, and thinking quickly in improvisation exercises. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback on the second row (QUICK THINKING) of the Improvisation Rubric, using language from the Rubric.

In this third improvisation lesson, students will practice accepting offers, building on offers, thinking quickly and giving STRONG OFFERS in improvisation exercises. Students will also give written and verbal peer feedback using language from the Improvisation Rubric.

In this fourth improvisation lesson, students will participate in a mock improv assessment in small groups. They will also give partners written feedback on the entire Improvisation Rubric. Students will learn the exercise that will be used for their final improv assessment.

In this fifth improvisation lesson, students will learn the definition of “projection.” With partners, they will practice quick thinking, improv, and volume in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the VOLUME section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.

In this sixth improvisation lesson, students will practice in partners quick thinking, improv, and enunciation in performance. Afterward, students will give verbal feedback on the Improvisation Rubric and the ENUNCIATION section of the Vocal Clarity Rubric.

In this seventh lesson, students will practice their skills for the Lesson 8 test using a tongue twister (from Gilbert and Sullivan) as well as the improv game. Students will self-assess, and give/receive peer feedback.

In this final lesson for this unit, students will participate in the improv game Hitchhiker as part of a peer and teacher assessment on the Improvisation Rubric.

8 posters for the drama classroom, to support the objectives of the Improvisation Basics unit.

In this introductory lesson, students will be able to define “script” and “dialogue.” They will begin to brainstorm characters/relationships, setting, and conflicts to add content to a contentless scene that they will work on for the rest of the unit. Students will use a variety of methods they’ve learned in the previous unit to communicate meaning: setting, pantomime, relationship clues, objectives, stakes, and tactics.