Lesson 5

Standards: 

Standard 7–8.T.P.4: Communicate meaning using the body through space, shape, energy, and gesture

Learning Objectives:

Students will explore and practice the different ways that your body can express emotions through the creation and rehearsal of their walks project.

Essential Questions: 

How does my body language affect how I am being understood by my audience?

How can I use my movement to tell a clearer story?

Essential Understandings:

Students will understand that their movement can be read and understood and interpreted like any other language.

Students will understand that the way that they choose to move their bodies builds the story of their character.

Students will understand that they should think about and be intentional about how they move their bodies.

Materials: 

Rubric

Instruction: 

HOOK: (20 minutes)

• Roll
• Sit in seats
• Welcome to class guys! 

• Game: 

  • One person plays the party host and a small group of guests are each allocated a secret quirky character.
  • I suggest that the audience knows who each of the quirky characters are (they are much more engaged this way) so the host should be sent out of the room while they are allocated.
  • Before starting, remind the party host that they are acting as the host of a party, so must continue to carry out 'host duties' as the guests arrive and while they are trying to work out what each guests 'character' is. It will be easier for them to get the quirky characters to engage with them (and figure out who they are) if they are more engaged in host activities (such as getting guests some food, showing them around the house, taking their bags / coat, warning them about the pet dog, engaging in chit chat etc.)
  • The quirky guests should also be reminded that they are at a party - this gives them lots to do and they should continue to act out the scene as if they were at a party even when the host is not talking to them.
  • The game starts with the host on stage preparing for their guests to arrive. The quirky guests stand to the side.​
  • When each guest arrives, I like them to either knock on the make believe door or make a doorbell sound.
  • Each quirky guest arrives at the party one at a time and interacts with the host and any other guest at the party until the host guesses each character.
  • Guests should allow a short time between each other before entering (by knocking or ringing the doorbell) which allows the host to meet and greet the newest character and ask them some questions about themselves. It also gives each guest time to establish themselves.
  • The host should try to guess the characters and continue to interact with and discover all of the guests. As the host guesses each quirky character, that character leaves.

REHEARSAL: (20 minutes)

• Have everyone take about 15 minutes to finish working on their projects and rehearse. 

PRESENT: (20 minutes)

• Students will present their walks and the class will guess what the walks were. 

  • Make sure that students are good audience members.
  • Fill out rubrics as we go. 

FEEDBACK: (10 minutes)

• Have students sit in the house and debrief on the performances 

  • What were some things that we learned that we put into practice here? 
  • Where do we have room for improvement? 
  • What did you enjoy? 
  • What still doesn’t make sense? 

GAME: (10 minutes)

• Go back and play more of the party quirks game on the stage with the remaining time. 

CLEAN UP: (5 minutes)

• What did you learn? 
• What steps are we taking next time we come to class? 
• Thank you for your participation today!
• Clean up