Improvisation Teacher Resources

This site was developed by a college jazz educator based on one of her improvisation classes. Material suitable educators or the student who is serious about learning jazz improvisation.

In this lesson, you will use improvised units to compute the volume of a solid by using multiplication and division. Login gives access to two additional videos. [4:57]

A look at what makes free jazz musically unique. Contains specific examples of free rhythm and tonality.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This slide show introduces the major stock characters in Commedia Dell'Arte, a form of theatre characterized by masked "types," improvised dialogue, and a cast of colorful stock characters which began...

This company produces educational materials to help you succeed in jazz improvisation and sight reading. Of note on their site is "The Art of Improvisation," a free download that guides you through the improvisational process.

This site is a place to learn about the art of improvisational comedy. "One cannot really learn improvisational comedy from a web page, however the list of exercises included here will definitely help."

A instructional activity that requires students to act out a sequence of events in the form of improvisation. Students learn to improvise and identify the sequence of events in a dramatization.

The Spolin Center website offers information and workshops based on Viola Spolin groundbreaking improvisational methods. Also includes nontheatrical applications for businesses, etc. Links to Improvisation Webring included.

This is a rectangle subdivision task; ideally instead of counting each square. students should break the letters into rectangles, multiply to find the areas, and add up the areas. Aligns with 3.MD.C: CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.C.6 Measure...

A lesson that helps learners develop their improvisational skills. Students select a random topic and speak about it for one minute.

This video briefly discusses the Improvised Explosive Device, which is the weapon of choice by Afgan insurgents. About 6 IED's are discovered each day and combating the IED's is a major offensive by the Afghan and NATO Forces. Duration 1...

[Free Registration/Login Required] Scenes from stories can be enhanced with this set of drama cards. Students can use a genre card to improvise a scene or use a card with one drama and then shift to another genre with the choosing of...

If you have or want to start an improvisation group at your school this would be an amazing opportunity for you to check out. Open only to schools in Canada, the Canadian Improv Games is a friendly competition where high school students...

A teacher models how to conduct an improv lesson, beginning with the rules to follow. She presents the problem and conflict situation which students must resolve through their improvisation. [4:33]

Students will demonstrate an understanding of character through improvisation. Students will imagine and clearly describe their characters through performance. They will relate a character's actions and emotions and create a setting.

Students will exhibit their understanding of character through improvisation. Students will listen to a story and act out the actions. They will demonstrate the verbs and adjectives that describe their characters' movements.

Lesson plan where students use improvisational techniques to frighten or encourage their partner.

This instructional activity invites students to derive inspiration from photographs (portraits and people) from the Civil War era. These images serve as impetus to write monologues and create improvisational skits.

Read about a trumpet player's insights and experiences with jazz improvisation. This is a large blog site with a lot of great information and ideas concerning improvisation.

This article focuses on writing a one-minute persuasive speech force students to be clear and concise and to hone debate skills. From there it suggests the use of improvisation speeches.

In this lesson students will learn basic stage directions and stage positions. Using that knowledge they will create improvisational scenes and present them to the class.

In this lesson plan use dramatic games and improvisations to liven up the classroom and help students communicate better. These lesson plans can be adapted to a number of curricular subjects. Suited for elementary students.

A very indepth examination of free jazz. Site contains music theory and specific illustrated examples.

Biographical information, photos, and a discography of jazz great John Coltrane, whose work in the 1960s included excursions into free jazz.