Theatre Arts Content
We use a drama curriculum inspired by the Evergreen Drama Curriculum (http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/) The approach taken in this curriculum is known as "drama in context."
Drama in context means that dramas are structured to provide a context, a situation, or a metaphoric framework in which students and teacher work together. This can also be referred to as drama for understanding, role drama, group drama or process drama.
In process drama, participants are committed to cooperate in sustaining and extending imaginary worlds -- experimenting with diverse roles, facing issues, negotiating and deepening meanings -- while gaining authentic verbal and non-verbal communication skills practice. (Anita Manley)
Theatre Arts classes also encourage team building as well as good concentration and communication skills. Lower school curriculum is supported by "Getting Started With Drama" by Karen L. Erickson. Upper school curriculum is supported by "Everything About Drama" by Robert L. Lee. In addition to these basic texts, lessons and game ideas come from many books and resources in the theatre room: skits, games, story books, poetry, fairy tales, music, newspapers, photographs, puppetry and most importantly, our imaginations, are used.
Theatre Arts classes are full of a variety of activities and drama strategies. Through these activites, students are challenged to:
KINDERGARTEN
Name 4 Fine Arts; Working in space (self, partner, group); Listen to directions; Freeze signal; Imitation; 5 senses; Primary drama tools (mind, body, voice); Imitate emotions; Re-tell story through action; Imagination.
FIRST GRADE
All of K, Plus: Work with own group; Sit to plan and stand to practice; Story Elements; 4 Word Focus (imagination, concentration, transformation, imitation); No showing off. Skits with puppets.
SECOND GRADE
All of K-1, Plus: Vocal/non vocal sound; Adding details/adapting; Speaking (lines, text, language with voice); Observe to create; Link drama to other arts/subjects. Readers Theatre.
THIRD GRADE
All of K-2, Plus: Personification; Recall/use past experience to create; storytelling skills/narration; Support tools (costumes, set, props, lights, sound, makeup); Roles (director and actor.) Readers Theatre. Skits.
FOURTH GRADE
Review K-4 in depth; Story writing; blocking; rehearsal; performance; story adaptation; fairy tales. Scene work and skits.
FIFTH GRADE
Team building; Trust; Cooperation; Communication; Jobs within Theatre; Aesthetic picture; Artistic process; Action/reaction; Believability; Mood; Sequence; Character Development; Scene work and skits.
SIXTH GRADE
Story telling as an art; Character Development; Scene work and skits; Greek Theatre; Dramatizing myths and tales.
SEVENTH GRADE
Evaluation; Mime and pantomime; Improvisation skills; Scene work and skits.
EIGHTH GRADE
Script Writing; (Writing to be seen vs. writing to be read); Character Development; Stage Cues; Blocking; Rehearsal Skills; Shakespeare/Elizabethan Theatre; Costume Design.
We use a drama curriculum inspired by the Evergreen Drama Curriculum (http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/) The approach taken in this curriculum is known as "drama in context."
Drama in context means that dramas are structured to provide a context, a situation, or a metaphoric framework in which students and teacher work together. This can also be referred to as drama for understanding, role drama, group drama or process drama.
In process drama, participants are committed to cooperate in sustaining and extending imaginary worlds -- experimenting with diverse roles, facing issues, negotiating and deepening meanings -- while gaining authentic verbal and non-verbal communication skills practice. (Anita Manley)
Theatre Arts classes also encourage team building as well as good concentration and communication skills. Lower school curriculum is supported by "Getting Started With Drama" by Karen L. Erickson. Upper school curriculum is supported by "Everything About Drama" by Robert L. Lee. In addition to these basic texts, lessons and game ideas come from many books and resources in the theatre room: skits, games, story books, poetry, fairy tales, music, newspapers, photographs, puppetry and most importantly, our imaginations, are used.
Theatre Arts classes are full of a variety of activities and drama strategies. Through these activites, students are challenged to:
- Explore themes, social situations and issues
- Stretch their thinking
- Solve problems
- Create something from nothing
- Function as a team
- Extend their use of language
- Deepen their understanding of human behavior
- Develop abilities to express ideas and feelings through dramatic art form
KINDERGARTEN
Name 4 Fine Arts; Working in space (self, partner, group); Listen to directions; Freeze signal; Imitation; 5 senses; Primary drama tools (mind, body, voice); Imitate emotions; Re-tell story through action; Imagination.
FIRST GRADE
All of K, Plus: Work with own group; Sit to plan and stand to practice; Story Elements; 4 Word Focus (imagination, concentration, transformation, imitation); No showing off. Skits with puppets.
SECOND GRADE
All of K-1, Plus: Vocal/non vocal sound; Adding details/adapting; Speaking (lines, text, language with voice); Observe to create; Link drama to other arts/subjects. Readers Theatre.
THIRD GRADE
All of K-2, Plus: Personification; Recall/use past experience to create; storytelling skills/narration; Support tools (costumes, set, props, lights, sound, makeup); Roles (director and actor.) Readers Theatre. Skits.
FOURTH GRADE
Review K-4 in depth; Story writing; blocking; rehearsal; performance; story adaptation; fairy tales. Scene work and skits.
FIFTH GRADE
Team building; Trust; Cooperation; Communication; Jobs within Theatre; Aesthetic picture; Artistic process; Action/reaction; Believability; Mood; Sequence; Character Development; Scene work and skits.
SIXTH GRADE
Story telling as an art; Character Development; Scene work and skits; Greek Theatre; Dramatizing myths and tales.
SEVENTH GRADE
Evaluation; Mime and pantomime; Improvisation skills; Scene work and skits.
EIGHTH GRADE
Script Writing; (Writing to be seen vs. writing to be read); Character Development; Stage Cues; Blocking; Rehearsal Skills; Shakespeare/Elizabethan Theatre; Costume Design.