PED 2140 D Session 2

Drama January 20th 2012

Thoughts/questions about engaging students through the arts?

Turn and talk for 2 minutes then be prepared to share your thoughts.

Drama has been described as ‘the great interrogator’... Why?

You have 3 minutes, on your own, to think of ways to use drama as a vehicle to explore the subject you have in your hand.

Find others in the room with the same subject and share your ideas. Create a ‘master’ list of ideas.

http://resources.curriculum.org/arts/explorers.shtml

‘Dude’

The purpose?

The point?

To break down barriers, to create community...

In order to engage with drama in the classroom there must be trust.Everyone has to feel comfortable, safe and included.

Drama games – age and maturity level do count!

Dude

The Blob

Hand squeeze

The plank

So, we’re all comfy and safe – now what do we teach!!

The fundamentals:

3 overall expectations

1. Creating and Presenting

2. Reflecting, Responding and Analysing

3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts

How are these different grade to grade?

The Fundamentals:

Role/character

Relationship

Time and place

Tension

Focus

Emphasis

http://resources.curriculum.org/arts/dramaelements.shtml

Drama requires the students (and teacher) to question and to explore beneath the surface... It requires students responses to be deeper than the regurgitation of information. Drama requires the exploration of the world and the people, places and things within it. Drama requires that students build on their innate creativity... not accept pat answers.Art at the Heart, A Practical Guide to Dance and Drama in Elementary Schools.

Role/Character

Where do I start?

Gr. 1 - demonstrate understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings and gestures relevant to the role being played.

Gr. 6 - build belief in a role and establish its dramatic context.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Gr. 1 - plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others

Gr. 6 - plan and shape the direction of the drama or role play by introducing new perspectives and ideas

Relationship?

If you had been working on a role play exercise with your class, what questions might you ask in order to extend their thinking about relationship as an element of drama? Pick a grade, review how relationship is defined for that grade... So, what questions might you ask?

Time and place:

Establishing time and place –

narrative structure

Production – is ‘stuff’ necessary?

Tension, focus emphasis:

Check out the grades

You Can't Handle The Truth - YouTube.flv

How does this clip make you feel?

Does it remind you of any other movie or story?

If you were directing the scene is there anything you would change?

Does this remind you of anything in real life?

Exploring forms:

2 minutes, how many forms of drama can you identify?

Cultural contexts?

Links to social studies?

The community?

http://resources.curriculum.org/arts/creative.shtml

Autobiography in 5 short chapters

To script or not to script...

‘It is not recommended that students at the elementary level be given instruction in formal drama or theatre techniques (e.g. memorizing scripts ...)’

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 – 8, The Arts

Reader’s Theatre?

Not memorized

Props and tools:

MasksPuppetsBasic clothing/clothHats

Next week:

You will need to bring scissors, pencils, probably markers... We are going to create some visual art and if you would like to work in a particular medium you may want to bring some

Consider drying time...

Exit Card