(Q4) Switch! Improvisation Activity/ Grade 8

Students in the 8th grade used their improvisation skills to play a game called "Switch!" Students began to act out a story beginning only with a small prompt given to each student. Then someone who wasn't playing would call time out, and someone in the scene would be swapped out with another person who would have to continue the scene exactly where it left off. If during the performance another character was created or talked about, a 3rd or 4th person would be added to the scene. The end result was a hilarious and entertaining performance from all of the students. This activity helps the students learn to think quickly and discover that performing comedy is easier than one may think!

Learner Profile

ATL Skills

(Q3) Long Form Improvisation / Grade 6

Students in the 6th grade learned about long form improvisation by particiating in an activity in class that required them to improvise with a partner for 3 minutes at a time. All they were given was a starting line and starting emotion to begin the conversation. They then worked with a partner to create their own long form improvisational game or activity. Once it was fully mapped out using scrap paper, the students needed to submit a form for approval from the teacher and then demonostrate their activity in front of the class using audience participation.

Learner Profile

Balanced

ATL Skills

Thinking

(Q2) Short Form Improvisation / Grade 7

Students in the 7th grade learned about the difference between long-form and short-form improvisation:

Long-Form Improvisation: Where a 3rd party gives information before the performance begins and the presentation that follows is completely built on the spot from the information or cues that were given.

Short-Form Improvisation: Where a 3rd party gives information throughout the performance and makes the presentation evolve on the spot.

The students have covered long-form improvisation in 6th grade but had not studied short-form. They were given the opportunity to create their own short-form game or activity in groups of 2 or 3 or by themselves.

Learner Profile:

Principled

ATL Skills:

Social

(Q1) Set Design - Vision Boards / Grade 8

Students have been studying Set Design during quarter one in Theater class. Every design begins with a concept, and often this is inspired by an object or image. This imagery provides the foundation for the design.

In their journals, students designed a concept surrounding scenes in a script from "The Wizard of Oz." Here were the steps:

Step 1: Write out your concept in paragraph form using descriptive words and imagery.
Step 2: Carefully draw a picture/stage map of what this might look like.
Step 3: Research and create a Vision Board to guide your design. A vision board (or inspiration board) is a physical or digital collage of ideas that’s commonly used in fields like interior design, fashion, and graphic design. It can include photography, designs or illustrations, color palettes, textures, descriptive words and anything else that helps you define the direction of your project.