National Endowment for the Humanities
Dramatic and Theatrical Aspects in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town”: A Common Core Exemplar
“So I’m going to have a copy of this play put in the cornerstone and the people a thousand years from now’ll know a few simple facts about us.” Our Town is used as the text in a Common Core exemplar that examines the dramatic and...
Curated OER
Lighting Instruments from the Inside Out
Students examine theatrical lighting instruments to see how light is controlled, and write a paragraph telling of their discoveries.
Curated OER
Let There Be Light
Students explore the relationship between light and color. They explore the NineColours computer program, blend colors, create a slideshow of hues of colors, and conduct an experiment using a flashlight and colored cellophane.
Orange Public Schools
Stagecraft
The house lights dim, the curtain parts, lights slowly come up, revealing the stage. Before the actors appear, before a word is spoken, the audience is drawn in by the lighting, by the colors, by lines of the set, by the props, and...
Curated OER
Imagers: The Adventure of Echo the Bat Number to Pictures: How Satellite Images are Created
Students examine the three primary colors of light and design a numerical code to represent those colors. They tell how satellites use numbers to create satellite images after completing a number of experimental activities.
Curated OER
Solar Lesson
First graders complete sunlight and solar effects activities to learn about light and its power. In this solar activity lesson, 1st graders complete a sunscreen test activity, a light test, a black light test, a cloudy test, a sunglasses...
Curated OER
Word Bank; Theater
Students are given a word bank relating to theater. For this word bank lesson, students are introduced to a list of words and their definitions. Students then build their vocabulary regarding theatrical concepts.
Curated OER
Stage Directions Lesson Plan
Students examine and discuss stage directions, stage area layout, and body positions. They complete a stage directions and body positions worksheet, and draw the body positions for each stage area layout.
Curated OER
A Study Guide for The Phantom of the Opera
Immerse yourself in the beautiful, twisted world of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. A detailed lesson plan provides important details about the writing, stagecraft, music, and literary elements of the famous musical, as...
Curated OER
If Paintings Could Talk: Art and Language
Middle schoolers learn about the artist Canaletto, play a vocabulary game, and create a landscape using collage technique. Background information on the artist is provided along with instructions for the game and vocabulary words to...
Social Studies School Service
DVD Lesson Plan: Thirteen Days
Here you'll find a fine teacher reference for presenting the film Thirteen Days, a dramatic interpretation of the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Kennedy administration. It includes a brief description of the film, learning objectives, a...
Curated OER
A Deeper Shade of Purple
Third graders explore the color purple. In this visual arts lesson, 3rd graders sort purple objects in various ways and create the color purple by mixing paint. Students create a purple portrait of a character from the play, Lost and Found.
Ballet Austin
The History of Modern Dance
The evolution of modern dance, and the dance history of many of the key figures in the development of this uniquely American form, are the focus of a 13-page packet that includes photos of revolutionaries.
Curated OER
Tableau
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 pose to...
Curated OER
Theatre Lesson Plan- Tableau (part 2)
Students explore tableaux. In this social studies and fine arts cross curriculum instructional activity, students work in groups of four to create "frozen" stage pictures (tableaux) representing vocabulary and concepts from a "From Farm...
Curated OER
Our Town by Thornton Wilder
In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 15 multiple choice questions about Wilder's Our Town. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
The Greatest Show on Earth: Then and Now
Students explore the history of the circus in the United States. They explore the life of John Bill Ricketts, founder of the first circus. Students compare Ricketts' first circus to the modern circus.
Curated OER
Motion Picture Analysis Worksheet
In this motion picture analysis learning exercise, students decipher what type of motion picture they viewed based on a complete list of criteria. Students then answer multiple questions based on their discoveries.
Curated OER
Houdini
Students examine Houdini, and his legacy in the world of magice. Also, they explore documentary techniques that help tell a story. In addition, they perform a magic trick and discuss what goes into a magic act.