Stagecraft Fall 2020 Syllabus Mr. Blau, Miss Towne Heritage Academy, Mesa

COURSE OVERVIEW: This course is an introduction to theatre production. It is meant to introduce students to the many ways in which they can participate in the art. Students will learn the basics of stagecraft through a variety of lessons, hands-on activities, and some scholars will be selected to learn through practical experience with rehearsals and performances of the fall play.

Student Expectations: Be Safe – Be Responsible - Be Respectful - Be Ready – Be Considerate Students are to adhere to the Heritage code of conduct, rules and standards, as well as the Stagecraft Safety handbook. Participation in class activities, and outside rehearsals and performances are mandatory and graded. Students must attend and be on time to any scheduled out of class rehearsal or evening performances. Students will work with a variety of tools, including some power tools. (See Stagecraft Safety)

Participation: Scholars must be on time, have active and positive participation, and adhere to Heritage standards of scholar conduct in order to earn full daily participation points. Attitude is everything! If scholars do not actively participate or are pulled from activities due to behavior, full participation points will not be earned. When classes are held online, participation points will be earned when scholars fully complete assignments and turn them in on time.

Assignments/ Performances: This is an interactive course. Scholars will regularly participate in small and large group activities. When assignments are given online, they are due based on class schedule. Assignments will be posted online by 8 am on your first Drama day of the week. A-day assignments are due Wednesday or Monday by midnight. B-day assignments are due Thursday or Tuesday by midnight. Some online assignments will be due in 2 days and others will not be due for a week or more. Scholars may be required to submit video recordings when in person assignments are not possible. Both written and performance-based assignments, quizzes and tests will be given during the semester. Attendance is mandatory for final presentations (usually the week of the semester).

Homework: Students should expect a limited amount of homework. Designs must be prepared by the date indicated and may require out of class time. Quizzes will be given periodically to assess vocabulary and knowledge. Special Projects will be assigned and presented in class individually or as a team. At the end of each semester there will be a final assessment. Rehearsals and performances that are held outside of class time will require backstage assistance from stagecraft scholars. If selected, attendance is mandatory.

IMPORTANT: If selected, attendance is required at all technical, dress rehearsals and performances unless otherwise stated. Appeals for unique and rare circumstances need to be submitted in writing to the teacher at least two weeks prior to the date of the performance in order to be considered as an excused absence from a performance. Emergency absences must be discussed with the teacher within one school day of a missed performance. A scholar must have verifiable evidence to support his/her emergency situation or it will affect the scholar’s grade. If an excused absence is granted, a scholar will need to write a paper as assigned by the teacher in order to make up for the missed performance.

Late Work due to Absence: Scholars are allowed to make up missed assignments based on the number of days that they were absent. (except for dress rehearsals and performances)

Required Supplies 2 sharpened pencils, a 3 prong folder with pockets for class materials

School Appropriate: Scholars are given a great deal of creative freedom within this class. However, the creativity must be confined within “school appropriateness.” Please refer to your student handbook for any questions regarding what is acceptable at Heritage Academy. If the teacher feels the content is questionable, scholars will be advised and warned if deemed inappropriate.

No Food/Drinks/Gum: There will be no food, drinks or gum allowed in the auditorium or the dressing room classrooms except re-sealable bottled water. Food or drink may be stored in a lunchbox or backpack.

Dress Code: This school has an enforced dress code. Follow it. In stagecraft, you will be expected to do a full range of movements and could get messy with sawdust, prop material, or paint. We have paint smocks available but scholars should take care not to get paint on their pants and shoes. It is the scholar’s responsibility to paint in the designated area and not to track paint on the carpet. If the scholar would like to bring a change of pants/shoes for painting, they may do so. But it should still be within Heritage Dress code.

Consequences: Scholars are expected to behave as theatre professionals and will be treated as such. However, when a scholar is not being professional the following will occur: 1. Teacher Warning 2. Log entry 3. Conference between student and teacher 4. Removal from classroom and parent contacted. Students will be subject to the discipline procedures outlined in the student handbook. More serious infractions will accelerate discipline procedures.

Grading Policy: There are three types of grades earned in Stagecraft:

Class Participation (40% of Grade)

Quizzes (20% of Grade)

Performances and Projects (40% of Grade)

Grading Scale A+ - A- = 100% - 90% B+ - B- = 89% - 80% C+ - C- = 79% - 70% D+ - D- = 69% - 60% F = Below 60

Contact info: Email – kblau@heritageacademyaz.com ltowne@heritageacademyaz.com

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We look forward to having you in our class this year. We will have a lot of fun. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us via email or comment on google assignments.

Please complete the google classroom syllabus assignment indicating that both you and your parent/guardian have read and understood this syllabus.

Best Practices and Expectations

for Online Learning

As a Distance Learning Scholar, it is anticipated that you will...

1. Check your assignments for the week in Google classroom by 8 a.m. Monday morning for A days and 8 a.m. Tuesday morning for B days.

2. Take attendance every day by 8:15 a.m. for 1st period classes and by 2 p.m. for all other classes. There is a Google Form that your teachers will share everyday in each Google Classroom. Teachers will enter attendance each day into PowerSchool by 3 p.m. If you have not submitted your attendance by 2 p.m. for each class, you will be marked absent in classes missing attendance. If you are sick for a day and won’t be working on your schoolwork, please have a parent call the front desk and let them know you are “absent” for the day.

3. Monitor your assignments and pay close attention to deadlines. You will have a more successful learning experience if you carefully manage your time. Our expectation is that you will be “in school” during school hours, Monday - Thursday. Evenings and weekends can be used to catch up or prepare for the next week. Set aside time every day to complete your school work.

4. Turn assignments in on time. Assignments are due based on class schedule. A-day assignments are due Monday and Wednesday by midnight. B-day assignments are due Tuesday and Thursday by midnight.

5. Be aware that late work will be penalized. Unlike the 4th quarter of last year, teachers will mark your work late and will deduct points according to their syllabus. Some teachers may not accept late work. We are not in an emergency online learning situation. We are in school and value both academic learning and behavioral character. Be responsible. If you have a computer issue or need extra time, communicate clearly and promptly to your teachers. They may or may not give extended time.

6. Advocate and problem solve for yourself. When you get stuck reread instructions, rewatch posted videos, ask a friend for help, work with your success coach or parent, email your teachers. We want you to be successful. We want you to learn. Use all your resources to get help. Your teachers will do their best to reply to your emails during school hours Monday through Thursday. If you email them in the evening, they may not get back to you until the next day. If you email them over the weekend, they will reply on Monday.

7. Help your parents or success coach help you. When you have questions, log into your Google Classrooms and show your parents or success coach your assignments. Your assignment due dates can also be viewed through the calendar on your teachers’ Google Sites.

8. ​Join your teachers each week during office hours for help. ​Each member of each department will be online in two, one hour blocks for office hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays of every week. Click the “meet link” on the homepage of a Google Classroom, and it will take you directly to the Google Meet.

Schedule: 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. math, 10:00 - 11:00 English & history, 11:00 - noon science and world languages, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. performing arts, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. athletics.

9. Maintain Heritage standards and character. When joining Google Meets, making videos, working out, submitting assignments, etc. Heritage standards in dress and speech should be maintained. Be respectful and use proper English usage. Even though we’re online, academic language should be used (not “social media or texting” language) when communicating with each other and your teachers.

10. Participate in community building. Your teachers will plan activities to develop classroom community while learning online. Be a full participant in your class not just academically but also socially. Get to know the other scholars in your classes so you can support each other.

11. Remember that we’re all in this together. We miss you and wish we could hold school in person. We are all Heritage Heroes! Together we can have a great school year.