Teaching Language Arts Skills Through Drama
by Karla Huntsman
Description:
LESSON OBJECTIVE: Participants will demonstrate understanding of how to use theatre skills to teach basic language skills through participation in a variety of theatre activities.
Workshop Directions:
CLASSROOM SET-UP/MATERIALS:
1. Four or five charts showing percentages from 10% to 100% (See attached) Four or five sets of individual strips of paper with the following: Reading, Listening, Looking at Charts, Watching a Film/Video, Watching a Demonstration, Participating in a Discussion, Making a Presentation, Participating in a Role Play, Simulating or Practicing the Real Thing/ Doing the Real Thing. Chart (See Edgar Dale's Learning Pyramid found in George Nelson's Breaking the Learning Barrier for Underachieving Students. California: Corwin Press, pg. 84)
2. Participants should be seated on chairs in a circular formation.
HOOK:
Divide participants into four or five groups. Give each group a chart and an envelope with strips of paper as described above. Have groups try to match the percentage of learning retention to learning activities. After giving groups sufficient time for this task, show a master chart of percentages and one by one show the correct match of learning activities to amount of retention. Discuss.
Transitional Statement: "So, we know that learning is deeper and more effective the more engaging it is. Today, we'll be focusing on some language arts skills found in the Utah State core curriculum-particularly how to teach students to use "strong verbs and vivid language." We'll be using a few basic theatre techniques to facilitate this learning."
1. CATEGORIES/Theatre Game/Warm-up
Transitional Statement: "We'll first do a review of the basic parts of speech using a
game called CATEGORIES. We start with a rhythmic pattern (slap knees twice, clap hands twice, snap fingers right, then left). I'll say a category and _________to my right will say a word within that category. We'll go round the circle with each person saying a word within the category. If someone misses, we'll just start again."
(Start with PERSON'S NAME.....then with PLACE......then THING)
Discuss how the physical activity of associating the noun with the activity creates greater retention than merely talking about the definition of a noun.
(Write NOUN on the blackboard)
2. STRONG VERBS/Pantomime/Warm-up
"One of the language arts standards is to use strong verbs. We'll use the technique of pantomime to illustrate how to achieve greater engagement with students. Let's have you find your own place in the room, close but not touching. When I say a certain verb, I'd like you to express this verb with your body in any way you choose."
(Take participants through a variety of verbs. ACCUSE BEG FLIRT
RUN FAINT TWIST TRIP CREEP BEND LASSO DANCE FIND
GRAB HUG SKIP HOP
"Now, I'm going to go around the room and touch several of you on the shoulder.
When I touch you, I'd like you to shout out a verb which the class will then demonstrate." (Tap several participants on the shoulder and have them call out verbs)
(Write VERB on the blackboard) Discuss.
2. IN THE MANNER OF THE ADVERB/Theatre Game/Pantomime
" Many of you have probably played the game "In the Manner of the Adverb." We'll choose one person to go out of the room. Those of us in the room will choose an adverb (ferociously, calmly, energetically, frantically, slowly, etc.) When the person comes in s/he will choose one person, several persons, or the entire class to do an action "in the manner of the adverb" (Go shopping, dance, play ball, etc.) S/he will then try to guess what the adverb is."
(Do a few rounds of this, then write the word ADVERB on the board). Discuss.
3. ADJECTIVE DESCRIPTION/Storytelling
"I'm going to say a simple sentence with no adjective descriptions (The dog ran down the road). ___________to my left will add an adjective to describe any of the nouns in the sentence. __________will then say the sentence with the added adjective and add one more. Feel free to use your voices in a way that expresses your choice of adjective. Use change in volume, pitch, tempo, or various expressive characteristics." (Example: The dog ran down the road. The yellow dog ran down the road. The rabid yellow dog ran down the dusty road)
Have participants add several adjectives to the chosen sentence. Go around about five times, then start a new sentence if you wish.
(Write ADJECTIVE on the board). Discuss.
4. PREPOSITIONAL HULA HOOPS/Pantomime
(Show the class a hula hoop). "If this hula hoop were NOT a hula hoop, what might it be?" (Answers might be tunnel, swimming pool, fiery hoop, etc.) " I'd like you to work in groups and prepare 3 demonstrations using this hula hoop as something else."
As the groups demonstrate the use of the hula hoop, ask where the students are in
relationship to the hula hoop (on, around, beside, in front of, in back of, in, etc.) "These words are, of course, prepositions. Prepositional phrases would be phrases such as ‘in the tunnel, above the sun, beside the pool.'"
(Write PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE on the board). Discuss.
5. DIRECT OBJECTS
Divide the class into groups of three. Ask them to think of a sentence which has just three parts-a subject, verb, and direct object. Give them an example (John mowed the lawn, Sally painted her fingernails. Leslie moved the vase.) Tell them that each person in their group will demonstrate an image of one of the words in the sentence.
After the demonstrations, write the word DIRECT OBJECT on the board.
5. LIVING LANGUAGE/Expressive Movement
"Now, let's put this all together. In the Language Arts core you are expected to teach the students how to use strong verbs and vivid language. I'm going to break you into groups of five and give each group a large sheet of paper. On this paper I'd like you to write down a subject. (Give them time to write). Now I'd like to write down a strong verb (Time to write). Then have them write down an adverb to describe the verb, an object or a prepositional phrase, and adjectives to describe the subjects and objects or objects of the preposition.
ORDER:
1) Subject
2) Strong verb
3) Adverb
4) Direct object and/or Prepositional Phrase (They can do both a direct object and
a prepositional phrase or just one or the other).
5) Adjectives to describe the subjects and direct objects or prepositional phrases.
"Now what I'd like you to do is to illustrate your sentence using movement. You may use your bodies and voices in any way you choose. You also must state the sentence in some way. This can be any way you wish. It could be before, during or after your presentation. It could be said by one person, by several persons or by the entire group." Have each group present their "movement pieces."
7. STORY TABLEAUS
"Now I'd like to break you into different groups. Each group will create a tableau which tells a story of some sort. I'll give you slips of paper which will suggest certain images. (Conflict in family, Selling of slaves during Civil War times, School bullying, etc.) Have each character in your group be prepared to say one line."
Give each group time to work on their tableaus.
Use thought-tracking as each group presents their tableaus.
8. WRITING
"Now I'd like you to sit down and write "the story of your tableau" remembering to use strong verbs and vivid language."
ASSESSMENT: Participants would be assessed by their level of engagement during the activities, their verbal feedback during the session and on their "tableau stories." (Were they engaged? Did they demonstrate by their comments and actions that they understood how to do the activities? )