Instructional Units
This portion of the website contains a collection of instructional units, enabling users to view how the author intended individual lesson plans and projects to be grouped together within the context of day-by-day instruction. All of these units are developed in line with the National Standards for Theatre Education, showing how all of the curriculum created here are connected to a specific academic standard for the arts. Some of the units submitted to the database have been taught and revised in actual secondary classrooms while others have been created by Theatre Education university students and have not been tested in the classroom yet. You can contribute to this portion of the website: if you have a theatre unit you want to share please contact our site administrator.
These units were submitted voluntarily by educators. BYU makes no claims for their quality or completeness. The intellectual rights to these lessons remain with their author.
Subject: Directing & Dramaturgy
Objective: Students will be demonstrate their creative abilities by developing a director's book.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: script analysis, design analysis
Subject: Technical Theatre & Stage Management
Objective: The students will display their ability to make designs for a show by creating at least one set design, costume design, lighting design, prop design, and make-up design for The Odd Couple (female version).
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: overview of the major theatrical design elements
Subject: Directing & Dramaturgy
Objective: The students will demonstrate their directing skills by directing a one-act play of their choice.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: script analysis, production design, acting objectives and tactics, director’s concept
Subject: Directing & Dramaturgy
Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to follow through with a directing concept by staging a two to three minute silent scene with music, costumes, and color to support their concept.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: Directing concept, collaboration, analyze
Subject: Directing & Dramaturgy
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding and ability to direct a one act play by creating a director’s book and using it to guide them in directing a show.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: scene breakdowns, character analysis, set design, concept/vision, auditioning, casting, blocking
Subject: Directing & Dramaturgy
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Dramaturgy by leading a research-based discussion on either a scene or a film clip.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: Appreciation, Research, Design, Leadership, presentation
Subject: Improvisation - Acting
Objective: Students will demonstrate their improvisation skills by participating in various activities and assignments that require students to use their improv skills.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: thinking on your feet, making choices, acting without a script
Subject: Improvisation - Acting
Objective: Students will demonstrate through daily and final performance of contentless scenes an understanding of the importance of the principles explored in the improvisational unit and how they can be used in scene work.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: taking risks, trust, spontaneous acting
Subject: Playwriting & Script Analysis
Objective: Students will demonstrate broader knowledge in playwriting and scripting by writing a ten-minute, original scene.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: Format, structure, characterization
Subject: Scenic Design, Painting, & Construction
Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to think and work as designers as they interpret and create set designs for a particular scene of a play.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: Students will come to an understanding of close readings and concept analyses of scripts; obtain a basic, working knowledge of the elements of design; and create sketches, renderings, and models of their scenic design.
Subject: Lighting - Tech Theatre
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of stage lighting by creating and applying a lighting concept.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: Instruments, angles, colors, moods
Subject: Lighting - Tech Theatre
Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of the technical aspect of theater lighting by creating a basic lighting design for a scene and by participating in a lighting tech showcase.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: aims of lighting, knowledge of lighting instruments, colors, light & cue plot, control (manual vs. rigging)
Subject: Acting Skills & Techniques
Objective: Students will display the ability to be good listeners, by participating in activities that will teach them how, and then proving that they can do so.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: listening to others
Subject: Props & Makeup - Tech Theatre
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the make-up design and application process through research, creating designs in old age, stylized, and injury make-up, executing these designs, and reflecting on it.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: Old-Age, stylized, injury makeup
Subject: Movement & Pantomime
Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate their improved movement skills by participating in various exercises and activities.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: movement, body expression, posture
Subject: Movement & Pantomime
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of musical pantomime by rehearsing and perorming a musical pantomime performance.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: Music, pantomime, characterization
Subject: Musical Dance Theatre
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of musical theatre by presenting a time period and performing a group musical project
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: musical theatre, dance, theatre history
Subject: Musical Dance Theatre
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of musical theatre by performing a musical theatre act with a song and body movement.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: Voice, Dance
Subject: Musical Dance Theatre
Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of the various elements of musical theatre by putting on a musical theatre review in class.
Class Level: Advanced
Concepts: Musical Theatre history, basic vocal technique, movement skills, performance
Subject: Playwriting & Script Analysis
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the basic concepts of playwriting by writing a 7-minute script of their own original fairy tale.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: Plot structure, Dialogue, Characterization, Setting, Genres.
Subject: Scenic Design, Painting, & Construction
Objective: Students will demonstrate their scenic painting skills by painting various surfaces and creating a final project incorporating the skills they have learned.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: scenic painting
Subject: Movement & Pantomime
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of acting without words by learning the pantomime qualities, creating a pantomime storyline, and performing a complete pantomime.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: movement, telling a story through body language, acting without sound
Subject: Playwriting & Script Analysis
Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of playwrights and their works. They will also learn basic monologue skills using the work of a specific playwright.
Class Level: Intermediate
Concepts: research, script analysis, monologue skills
Subject: Playwriting & Script Analysis
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of dramatic structure and their ability to use this structure to create an original script by writing a short one-act play.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: writing dialogue, creating characters, plot structure
Subject: Playwriting & Script Analysis
Objective: Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of playwriting by creating a 10-minute play in a group.
Class Level: Beginning
Concepts: Creating, organizing, Written Script