Students describe and compare characters and situations in dramas from and about cultures and historical periods, illustrate in improvised or scripted scenes, and discuss how theater reflects a culture.

Students analyze and critique theater events by evaluating and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from theater, film, television, and electronic media productions.

J-Peezy to hang? Would John Proctor by any other name be as brave? High school scholars update scenes from Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and perform them before the class. After viewing and enjoying the modern trappings of their scenes,...

Young thespians can try their hand at writing a script and acting out a scene, while gaining a deeper understanding of the universal topics presented in Shakespeare's wide array of plays. Begin the lesson by conducting a compare and...

Students explain how individual elements (e.g., plot, theme, character, conflict, etc.) comprise the structure of a play. They write an original one-act play with developed characters, specific setting, conflict, and resolution.

Before beginning The Winter's Tale groups read and discuss a scenario that parallels the plot of Shakespeare's play. They then brainstorm possible solutions to the problem.

Pupils are introduced to the world of drama and explore and discuss the prospect of being an "outsider." They are encouraged to look into another person's experiences with drama. Each group of students act out short scenes to be...

Pick and choose which activities to include in this crime scene investigation. Junior detectives can examine fingerprints, DNA, blood samples, or bone structure.  The plan suggests you have teams solve a mystery, but it does not...

Learn about animal habitats, characteristics, and writing in a different perspective. The class composes a narrative from the perspective of a fresh water animal, they include a problem and the animal's reaction to the problem. The...

Young scholars participate in a variety of shared reading and writing activities related to the book "The Big Sneeze" by Ruth Brown. They develop a list of farm vocabulary, sequence the events of the story on a graphic organizer, act out...

Middle schoolers take a close look at the different forms that bullying can take, and share their ideas of ways to stop bullying in schools. Learners get together in groups of three and come up with a scenario that depicts a...

Second graders compare and contrast the city and the country. After reading books about animals, 2nd graders create picture cards of animals in both the country and city environment. In partners, students draw pictures of animals,...

Seventh graders create and perform one act scenes that use the strategies of advertising. in this propaganda study lesson, 7th graders watch a commercial and are assigned a propaganda strategy. Students plan a scene that illustrates the...

Tired of those blank stares after your class reads a particularly complex passage from a Shakespearean play? Help high schoolers untangle that prose with a literature circle activity. Ten different roles prompt class members to focus on...

For some schools, character-counts lessons are a big part of the curriculum. This resource focuses on following directions and the importance of being a cooperative team player. Learners role-play a variety of situations by being...

The world is a stage, and so is your classroom! Hone the skills of the next generation of Tony® award winners with a set of exercises, reference pages, writing prompts, and excerpts from famous plays.

Students discover the "dumb show," a scene that enacts a story silently while focusing on an example from Hamlet. Divided into groups, they act out the silent scene from the play. Again, in groups, they create a "dumb show" from Julius...

Fifth graders explore sequential dramatization through children's literature. In this drama lesson, 5th graders act out and record scenes using digital and video cameras.  Students create a digital poster using pictures from their...

Students create podcasts of Measure for Measure. In this Measure for Measure activity, students decide which lines are the most important and edit scenes to create a shorter version of the play that includes the important...

Fourth graders role play situations representing different eras of prehistoric people. They create the role play scenes and design a mural depicting scenes from each prehistoric group.

Seventh graders practice dramatic acting skills, using three words - why, oh, and sorry in different contexts. Working in groups of two or three, they create scenes in which the three words are the only ones spoken and are used to convey...

Learners analyze Macbeth through the lens of a pop song. In this Macbeth lesson, students read Act I, Scene 7 of Macbeth and determine Lady Macbeth's viewpoint. Learners read the lyrics to Alanis Morrissette's song 'Wake Up' and work in...

Students assume the role of a crime scene detective and examine the lives of various immigrant groups. In this immigration lesson, students examine evidence, websites, and pull from existing knowledge to determine which group they are...

Students act out lines from King Lear to show a character's folly.  For this English literature lesson, students identify the 'folly' of a given character by choosing a passage from King Lear to demonstrate a time when the...