Lesson 1, Segment I: Projection
Lesson Objective
Students will be able to use projection by performing a brief recitation in a large performance space.
Pre-assessment
Ask the students to raise their hands if they know what projection is. Invite a student to define projection. Prompt students as needed to give the correct definition by asking clarifying questions such as, “What parts of the body do I use to project?” Emphasize that projection is not yelling (using the throat and vocal chords to make sound); it is producing sound by using your diaphragm and lungs to produce air that moves through the vocal chords.
Guided Practice
Invite the students to stand in a circle facing inward. Ask them to listen to and practice the following instructions to explore breath control and centering projection in the body rather than the vocal chords:
- Inhale through the nose slowly on a count of 4.
- Exhale through the mouth while pushing the air out using your diaphragm.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Inhale through the nose slowly on a count of 4.
- Exhale through the mouth while quietly making the sound “Haaaa”. Remind students to continue to relax the upper body while inhaling and exhaling. Model a supported and non-supported sound if needed.
- Repeat 3 times.
Ask students if they notice a difference in the sound they produce when doing so “on the breath” (speaking by pushing air from the diaphragm to support sound through the vocal chords). Invite the students to share their observations.
- Inhale through the nose quickly, filling the lungs to capacity as quickly as possible.
- Exhale through the mouth while projecting to the opposite side of the room the sound “Haaaa” on the breath.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Inhale quickly again, and this time on the exhale recite the phrase, “Mary had a little lamb.”
- Do NOT inhale deeply, and repeat the phrase without breath support.
Ask students what differences they noticed between the first and second recitation.
- Do NOT inhale deeply, and recite the following without taking a breath:
Mary had a little lamb,
It’s fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
- Inhale deeply and quickly through the nose and repeat the phrase again, this time on the breath.
Ask students what differences they noticed between the first and second recitation.
Assessment
Dependent on time, invite the students to individually or in groups recite Mary Had a Little Lamb (or The Pledge of Allegiance or other short quote). The goal for each student is to be heard on the opposite side of the space.
Closure
Ask the students, “Is projection shouting?” Ask the students what projection is and accept/restate a couple of definitions. Ask for a couple of examples from volunteers.