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Students will be introduced to the unit through the running man exercise. This exercise demonstrates how physically committing to a specific set of actions creates a sense of emotion without the actor having to play the emotion.

Students will learn how to identify the architecture of a mask—that is to choose specific shapes that they can mimic in their bodies to find a mask character.

In this lesson, students will learn what a character zero is, how to use the body to create a character zero, how to physically commit to that body before moving, and how to make bigger choices in their character zero and in their movement.

In this lesson, students will explore the eight qualities of movement to give more variety, texture, and richness to their movement choices and then apply the qualities of movement to their mask work.

All masks can be played in more than one way, even if there’s a dominant look. In this lesson, students will explore how two physical interpretations paired with each other and opposite to each other become the mask and the countermask—the opposite reaction. They will then apply the qualities of movement to their mask/countermask.

Short, simple scenes help the mask actors find character and start responding to each other in the moment as their characters. Students will explore solo, duo, and group scenes in their mask characters.

Students will take everything they’ve learned and use it to create an original mask duo scene.

Students will read through a handout that defines the monologue form and outlines what every monologue needs. Using these “must-haves,” students will brainstorm, outline, and write a monologue.

Students will use the storyboard form to create pictures for each moment in a scene they plan to write. The key will be to really think about the key plot points and character motivations students want their scenes to both show and tell. Then, the focus will be to create visual representations of what the audience will see when they are watching the scene/play.

Students will read a text that shares a point of view on a specific playwriting concept. They will freewrite their first impression of the text, answer questions on the text to develop their own personal opinion, and then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read a text that shares a point of view on a specific playwriting concept. They will freewrite their first impression of the text, answer questions on the text to develop their own personal opinion, and then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read a text that shares a point of view on a specific playwriting concept. They will freewrite their first impression of the text, answer questions on the text to develop their own personal opinion, and then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read a text that shares a point of view on a specific playwriting concept. They will freewrite their first impression of the text, answer questions on the text to develop their own personal opinion, and then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read the provided text that explores a playwriting “non-truth.” Students will summarize the main idea of the text and share their personal opinions of the concept by answering questions. They will then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read the provided text that explores a playwriting “non-truth.” Students will summarize the main idea of the text and share their personal opinions of the concept by answering questions. They will then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read the provided text that explores a playwriting “non-truth.” Students will summarize the main idea of the text and share their personal opinions of the concept by answering questions. They will then complete a theatrical response to the text. Do they agree with the text? Disagree? Do they theatricalize the concept? This could be a scene, monologue, performance poem, costume, or set design, anything that can be put on paper and submitted.

Students will read a list of basic playwriting rules, infer the meaning of the rules, read the meanings of each and respond with their personal opinions.

This ebook contains 15 different task sheets, designed to be used as Emergency Lesson Plans for middle school students. A task sheet is a sheet that provides students with a task to complete. Each task will have an itemized list of steps. All tasks are written so they can be completed individually and independently using pen and paper. If you are a computer or laptop one-to-one school, simply adapt any substitute instruction to reflect that students will work digitally and submit online. Emergency Lesson Plans: Middle School Drama Class Task Sheets includes Single-Task Sheets, meaning all the instructions have a single-subject focus (monologues, scene writing, theatre vocabulary). Task Sheets come with additional handouts and worksheets to make it as straightforward as possible for substitutes to give information to students and for students to complete their tasks.

An introduction to the concept of the spoken word performance using examples and self-reflection.

Students use personal experiences or views to write a spoken word poem about a challenge young people face in their community.