Honors College at Scholar Commons
From Start to Strike: A Lesson Plan for the Whole Theatre Experience
Introduce young thespians to all aspects of the theater. A syllabus for a one-semester drama course provides lessons that take learners from the history of drama to the many facets of play production.
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Lesson 2- Costume Design
Clothes might not make the man but they certainly do help an actor create a character. How costume designers employ the same elements of design found in sets (line, color, texture, shape) to realize a character is the focus of a lesson...
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Lesson 3 - Lighting Design
The final lesson in a series on theatre design spotlights how lighting is incorporated into a production. After watching videos that focus on lighting fixtures and their positioning, individuals create a basic design plan for a scene,...
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Sophocles' Oedipus the King
Introduce your class to the Greek tragedy with a study of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Learners examine the features of a Greek tragedy, Sophocles’ achievements and contributions, and the universal themes that make the drama an enduring...
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Personal Safety
Students read a tragic true story about personal safety and devise ways to reach a public audience with the message of personal safety in this Drama lesson for the high school classroom. Emphasis is placed on cooperative learning and...
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Macbeth - Analyzing Characterization in Drama
The writing activity in this lesson plan could be used to assess student understanding of previously taught concepts of how language reveals character.
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Lessons from the Holocaust
Students investigate the horrors of World War II by participating in a role-playing activity. In this holocaust instructional activity, students read handouts describing the atrocities committed against the Jews in Germany during the...
Roald Dahl
The Twits - Muggle-Wump Has an Idea
If a bar of chocolate was on the floor, would you try to pick it up? What if it was covered with glue? The eighth lesson plan in an 11-part unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl has scholars imagine crazy scenarios. The...
New York City Department of Education
Myself and Others
Self reflection is an important skill to reinforce in our children, and it's especially helpful to help them realize who they are in the context of their environment. A collection of lessons about self image and community encourage...
Trinity University
Julius Caesar: The Power of Persuasion
"Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Those words begin one of the most persuasive speeches in literature. Explore the elements of persuasion in a series of lessons related to William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In addition...
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Lesson Plan for Waiting to Waltz: A Childhood by Cynthia Rylant
Sixth graders examine the elements of writing poetry. In this creative writing lesson, 6th graders discuss a book of poetry in the setting of Appalachia. Students incorporate childhood experiences into the development of visual and...
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Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor
Need a musical lesson for your drama or performing arts class? VH1 has put together a really neat lesson, in which learners use biographical information about Alicia Keys to write and perform a one-act musical related to her life. This...
Curated OER
From Start to Finish: Shakespeare's Plays
This online interactive quiz is too low-quality to assign to your class; however, you may want to adapt the idea of recognizing starts and finishes of works for your own lesson or quiz. An example from the instructional activity is:...
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The Russian Revolution
Students explore the Russian Revolution through dramatization. In this Russian Revolution lesson, students participate in drama workshops prior to writing and presenting one-act plays featuring figures of the revolution.
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The Great Gatsby
Students participate in a reader's theater, adapting scenes from The Great Gatsby. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, students interpret a given scene from The Great Gatsby in a readers' theater. Students analyze the scene for...
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Women Monarchs And Heads Of State
Students explore the rule of women throughout history. In this world history lesson, students participate in a panel discussion which requires them to share the strengths and weaknesses of selected women rulers.
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Leprechaun Dust
Learners make "leprechaun dust" in this short art activity using Jello instant pistachio pudding, small jars, milk, and spoons. Ideal for celebrating St. Patrick's Day with early-elementary students. Can be combined with the reading of a...
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Paper Flowers
Here is a great art project to use at the onset of spring. Little ones use paper towels, tempera paint, and glue to create free-form flowers. Tip: Use this idea to make the front of a Mother's Day card.
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Wild Moving Lizard Sculpture
Lizards are amazing! After a lesson on reptiles, take a look at this set of instructions. You'll be able to guide your class in making a paper lizard sculpture that moves. This idea also includes variations on the paper technique used...
New York City Department of Education
Egypt
This six-week unit encompasses all subjects with a focus study on world history and the development of ancient civilizations. As gifted and talented students dive into the interesting yet challenging topic of Egypt, they think critically...
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Art Through the Eyes of Youth
Learners take a field trip to an art gallery reflecting on the paintings they like the most. Individually, they use magazines to find pictures related to their personality. In pairs, they make a mask to represent their ethnic group and...
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Providing a Helping Hand
Students examine the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson plan, students create charts that display how corporate sponsorships benefit communities.
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Ancient Rome
Learners investigate information about the leaders of Rome. In this ancient Rome lesson, students research Roman warfare and military leaders in order to write and present their own one-act plays based on Scipio, Hannibal, Julius Caesar,...
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Walden
Students participate in a panel discussion on materialism, assuming the identities of Henry David Thoreau and other experts on materialism. In this Walden lesson, students create a panel discussion of prominent people, including Henry...