Fifth graders examine basic theatre vocabulary and use it to discuss a play.  In this theater lesson, 5th graders identify the elements of a play.  Students perform their play and use theatre vocabulary to explain their...

Students explore tableaux.  In this social studies and fine arts cross curriculum lesson, students work in groups of four to create "frozen" stage pictures (tableaux) representing vocabulary and concepts from a "From Farm to You"...

What a great lesson, upper graders are sure to love. They explore costume design and the relationships between theatre, culture, and history. They research three time periods, write a response about two of them, then create a composit...

Students discover how setting, props, and character-action communicate information about the characters and the story. Access to videos and a video camera are important to make this lesson a success.

Students create a tableau for a Greek myth.  In this introduction to Greek theatre instructional activity, students discuss the history of Greek theatre and tableau and complete a handout.  Students work in groups to choose a...

Second graders study heroes, inventors, and explorers and role-play as one of the people. In this theatre and history lesson plan, 2nd graders review the people and their accomplishments using a Promethean flipchart. Students then act...

Experience movement in literature. High schoolers are introduced to new vocabulary related to drama and theatre. In groups, they use a piece of literature and develop their own skit to act out in front of the class. As a class, they...

High schoolers create plastic bag costumes for a short scene developed in the classroom. Performances and assessment occur at the end of this quick lesson. A very creative mini-project for theatre arts classes.

Students identify and create flashcards of important key terms as related to theatre. Students observe and write a 1-page summary of events seen at the High School Musical production using at least 8 vocabulary words in your summary....

Second graders identify story elements in familiar stories from their lives. In this story elements lesson, 2nd graders act out familiar activities  by following directions. Students read a story and discuss the story elements....

Young scholars participate in theatre activities to study American history. In this American history and theatre lesson, students work in groups to research a specific Native American group to investigate their lifestyle. Young scholars...

Young analysts write a comparative essay, but about what? They compose a paper based on several critical discussion about reality and illusion, and how both are blurred in art. They analyze several theatre pieces that exemplify Brechtian...

Fifth graders explore the elements of theatre. In this dramatic performances lesson, 5th graders discuss the structural elements of theatre and dramatize "The Origins of the Season," an explanation myth.

Sixth graders present reader's theatre by improvising folktales from different countries. In groups, they produce an improvisation of a folktale story from an assigned reading of a folktale.

Sixth graders recreate scenes from the theories about the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. In this history and theatre lesson, 6th graders review the story of Earhart using a flip chart. Students work on one act plays to depict one of...

Second graders read the story, The Bundle of Sticks, and discuss the story elements within the story; setting, plot, conflict resolution.  For this readers theater lesson, 2nd graders reenact the story in small...

Second graders explore setting through improvisations.  In this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments. 

Second graders view a video from United Streaming and design still frames of important parts of a story.  In this story-telling from different cultures lesson, 2nd graders understand general vocabulary about performing. ...

Students explore Greek Mythology. In this Greek Mythology unit, students read myths, pantomime vocabulary words, practice research skills, create city-states, and demonstrate knowledge of ratios and proportions. This unit includes many...

Students create and perform folktale plays. In this reader's theater and Asian literature lesson, students work in groups to rewrite Asian folktales into scripts and perform the folktales for their class in a Reader's Theater. Lesson...

Students create masks from the Italian Renaisance theatre and use them in one-act plays they write. they analyze the role and development of theatre in world cultures.

Use drama techniques to recreate the story, Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni. They engage in problem-solving as they identify the roles they will fufill in their groups for the performance. This is a motivating way to...

Students read and discuss the literary elements of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. They explore the elements of dramatic performance and create a TV news program based on life in Narnia. They videotape their...

Students view different commercials and ad campaigns that present opposing notions of "truth." Students use these commercials to evaluate what makes an effective public service announcement (PSA) or advertisement, then choose a national...