Movement Unit

Unit Objective: Students will communicate using movement techniques through a practice game of “Freeze!” in pantomime.
Grade Level: Drama 1 (HS Proficient)
Prior Experience Needed: Being a human ;) And then what we’ve worked on in the Stage Presence and Vocal Work units. But skills can be rebuilt as needed.
Big Ideas: Vocabulary, Movement, Reacting, Stories, Practice, Communication, Reflection Major National Standards:

1. TH:Cr2-8.b. Share leadership and responsibilities to develop collaborative goals when preparing or devising drama/theatre work.
2. TH:Cr2-II.b. Cooperate as a creative team to make interpretive choices for a drama/theatre work.
3. TH:Cr3.1.I.a. Practice and revise a devised or scripted drama/theatre work using theatrical staging conventions.
4. TH:Cr3.1.I.b. Explore physical, vocal, and physiological choices to develop a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant to a drama/theatre work.
5. TH:Pr4.1.I.a. Examine how character relationships assist in telling the story of a drama/theatre work.
6. TH:Pr5.1.I.a. Practice various acting techniques to expand skills in a rehearsal or drama/theatre performance.
7. TH:Re7.1.I.a. Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theatre work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
8. TH:Re8.1.I.c. Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theatre work.
9. TH:Re9.1.I.a. Examine a drama/theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.

Major State Standards:

1. Standard L1.T.CR.1: Develop imagination to create artistic ideas and work.

2. Standard L1.T.CR.5: Explore physical, vocal, and emotional choices to develop a

   performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant to a drama/theatre work.

3. Standard L1.T.P.3: Observe, listen, and respond in character to other actors throughout a

   scripted or improvised scene.

4. Standard L1.T.P.4: Use body to communicate meaning through space, shape, energy,

   and gesture.

5. Standard L1.T.P.7: Identify and use appropriate vocabulary to describe kinds of stage

   spaces, stage directions, areas of the stage, and blocking techniques.

6. Standard L1.T.R.8: Apply appropriate theatre terminology to describe and analyze the

   strengths and weaknesses of own or the group’s work.

7. Standard L1.T.P.9: Present a drama/theatre work using creative processes that shape the production for a specific audience.
8. Standard L1.T.R.2: Defend responses based on personal experiences when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
9. Standard L1.T.R.4: Demonstrate the ability to receive and act upon coaching, feedback, and constructive criticism.

10. Standard L1.T.R.5: Examine a drama/theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.

11.Standard L1.T.R.7: Identify and explain why artistic choices are made in a drama/theatre work.

Enduring Understandings:

1. Students will understand that collaboration is an important skill.
2. Students will understand that rules can help us make better performances.
3. Students will understand that humans are connected across time and place.
4. Students will understand that we can communicate without words.
5. Students will understand that there are different kinds of art.
6. Students will understand that assessments lead to growth.
7. Students will understand that reflection is an important part of learning.

Essential Questions:

1. How do we tell stories?
2. How do we communicate?
3. What makes good character choices?
4. How do we observe the world?
5. What makes a good performance?
6. What is the value of movement?
7. How do we reflect?

Key Knowledge:

1. Students will know the areas of a stage.
2. Students will know that events create change.
3. Students will know tools that can help us communicate non-verbally.

Key Skills:

1. Students will be able to identify the consequences of events.
2. Students will be able to communicate a story/event non-verbally.
3. Students will be able to motivate movement from a character.
4. Students will be able to create clear facial expressions.

Authentic Performance Tasks:

1. Students will play “Freeze” in pantomime.
2. Students will play an intentional movement game.
3. Students will play a facial expressions game.
4. Students will create tableaux and machines.

5. Students will play a stage areas Simon Says game.
6. Students will create a reflection response.