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I teach drama to select classes from K-4. We use a process-based approach that emphasises creativity, collaboration and communication. Check back to this section regularly for updates on games and activities we have been working on!
Game of the Week: There is Only One Liar
Game of the Week: There is Only One Liar
Players sit in a circle and close their eyes while I secretly select one "liar". At my signal, everyone opens their eyes. They spend 30-60 seconds silently observing their peers and trying to determine who the "liar" is. Once most people have a guess, they point on the count of three and then the "liar" is revealed. We follow up by discussing the clues and strategies we use to solve the mystery.
Working with a Simple Script
Working with a Simple Script
Partners worked with this very simple script to create a scenario and skit that used only these four words! The punctuation was deliberately left out so that we could talk about how different inflections could influence the meaning. The results were creative and hilarious!
Inspiration from Tableau
Inspiration from Tableau
Partners and small groups worked together to recreate this funny image. Once in their tableaux, the characters each voiced a thought that gave insight into what was happening. There were a wide variety of explanations for the situation and a fairly even division of those who thought the person was being fed to the snowman, or whether an attempted rescue was in process!
The Power of a Wordless Story
The Power of a Wordless Story
I watched this clip with all the sections of my drama classes this week and I still well up every time I watch! We had some amazing discussions about the importance of body language, facial expressions and details that helped us understand the story.
Keeping It Calm (and Fair!) Leading Up to the Holidays
Keeping It Calm (and Fair!) Leading Up to the Holidays
We got a chance to play some of our favourite games this last week of school before being off for the holidays. In order to maintain some structure and fairness I let the kids each have three votes for the games that they wanted to play. I also used an online name picker to decide who got to be "it" to try to avoid some of the disappointment that comes along with not getting chosen.
Wishing all of my wonderful students and their families a very happy holiday!
Working with Stories - Getting Inspiration
Working with Stories - Getting Inspiration
We had fun telling stories in a round. We used "Rory's Story Cubes" story cubes as inspiration and the additional challenge of following the pattern fortunately, unfortunately! Each person contributed one idea to come up with this crazy adventure!
One story sounded like this:
- One day I found a book on the sidewalk.
- Unfortunately, it was locked.
- Fortunately, an alien came and gave the person a potato which summoned the keys.
- Unfortunately, the potato was rotten and the key was broken. Oh no!
- Fortunately, the clock was working - tick tock!
- Unfortunately, the book disappeared. Unfortunately, the potato is dead.
- Fortunately, there was an apple in the book so we didn't need the potato.
- Unfortunately, there was a shooting star which destroyed the clock.
- Fortunately, even though it was getting dark, I found a flashlight...
Working With Wordless Texts
Working With Wordless Texts
I love working with books without words! The complex images provide so much fodder for discussion and really force students to look closely and infer to make meaning. Today we worked with the incredible text Journey by Aaron Becker. We discussed the title and first few pages which depict a little girl against a monochrome backdrop. The girl picks up a red crayon and draws a door which she then opens and passes through. In partners, students acted as the narrator and the child and depicted the scene and what they thought happened through the door. The creativity, collaboration and communication skills demonstrated were superb!
A New Game Worth Playing
A New Game Worth Playing
This month, we are continuing to work with wordless texts. I am continually amazed by the insights, attention to details, and deep inferring that happen when students have to construct the meaning of a text together from the images alone!
However, we don't just dive into this challenging work right away. We always start class with a game or two to build trust, have fun, and work on drama skills such as focus, communication, physicality, etc...
During a bout of daylight-savings induced insomnia, I found myself scouring Pinterest at 2 am for new warm up game ideas when I can across one I have never (!) heard of called Ninja Star, Baby Kitten, Angry Chihuahua. I found the instructions on this website:
The grade 3's really exceeded my expectations of this game. I was having so much fun watching them silently pass these three imaginary objects among each other that I paused the game and had half of the students observe while the others played and then we switched. What was as impressive as the acting, was the insightful comments they had to offer while observing their peers. Here is a little sample of what they looked like:
Enter and Applause
Enter and Applause
I decided to try a simple exercise whereby students, one at a time, enter the stage space, face the audience, receive applause, and then exit. I chose this activity because, despite the simplicity, I think there are so many applications to real life. Stepping onto a sports field, performing for a class, meeting someone new - these are all circumstances where you enter and make an impression. Being in the audience is an equally important skill. I find students need a lot of coaching to know when it is time to perform and when it is time to listen. I think being conscious of this will serve them well in every area of life.
At first, I was met with some skepticism. Students wanted to know, "What is the point?" and someone commented to their neighbour, "This is so boring". However, every single student volunteered to participate and once they tried it once, they begged for a second and third chance.
Being an outside observer in this activity was so much fun! You could see the students beaming as they received applause from their classmates. It was almost as if they were being filled up by positive energy from the audience. I coached the audience to stay focused and the performers to take their time. Whether they simply walked on and off stage or performed an action was up to them.
Although it sounds simple, making an entrance is a skill that requires confidence and courage and one that will be necessary in a variety of contexts over a lifetime. Similarly, being an audience member is a skill that it harder than it looks! Good audience behaviour requires focus and concentration.
As important as the activity itself was, the discussion that followed was even more interesting. I was so impressed with how self-aware and honest the students were in reflecting on the activity. Students were able to articulate their positive feelings - of feeling included, appreciated, and happy. But there were also feelings of discomfort, embarrassment and shyness. Having a chance to acknowledge these feelings made public the universal experiences of all performers and hopefully my students will be empowered to enter that stage - whatever the context -again!
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