Grades 9-12 Lesson: Acting Up, A Melodrama
In this lesson, the students practice some melodramatic movement.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Adapting a Musical
This lesson explores the implications of developing a musical from a literary text or an historical event, and includes suggestions for immersing students into the creative process of building a musical.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
English |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: All Around the Baseball Field
Students construct a mock baseball field and from there explore the sport of baseball through art, movement, and sound
|
K-4 |
Music, Theater, Visual Arts |
Math, Language Arts, Physical Education |
Grades K-2 Lesson: Animal Habitats
Pre-readers are introduced to animal habitats through story, song, and dramatic play using children’s books
|
K-4 |
Music, Theater |
Math, Science, Geography, Physical Education |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Art from Tragedy: Remembering 9/11
Students will interview their peers about their memories of September 11th, 2001, and use those memories to craft a one-act play for performance
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, History |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Art Show with the Masters
Research information on artists' lives and works and prepare works of art based on their understanding of the artists, their time and place in history, and their works.
|
5-8 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Arthur Miller and The Crucible
This lesson examines the consequences of personal conscience in conflict with rigid societal perceptions of what is "right" in human behavior as articulated in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Arts of the Gilded Age
Learn about and discuss characteristics of the Gilded Age. Using books, internet and other media, research the various fine and performing art forms popular during that time period.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, History |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Broken Worlds
This lesson provides a variety of options for conducting comparative analysis between Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: A Character Life Box
This language arts lesson offers a hands-on opportunity for students to understand characterization in literature and to connect historical and contemporary culture
|
5-8 |
Theater |
History, English |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Characterization in Literature and Theater
In this lesson, students explore various methods authors use to create effective characters.
|
9-12 |
Literary Arts, Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Children of War
This lesson explores the realities and effects of war on children by examining diaries, journals, and letters written by children during times of war
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Chivalry and Courtly Love
Explore the Arthurian codes of chivalry and courtly love in art, modern films, books, and poetry. Examine the way in which these ideals have influenced modern concepts.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, History |
Grade 5 Lesson: Civil War Letters
Using letters written during the Civil War students develop an understanding of the message of the letters. They will create a dramatic reading based on their letter.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Social Studies, Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Counting Crows
Students will learn the meaning of Aesop's fable, "The Crow and the Pitcher," blending math and art with literature and film
|
K-4 |
Theater |
Math, Science |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Creating Characters
Students examine character as a significant element of fiction, learning methods of characterization, identify and critique
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
English |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Elements of Fables
This lesson focuses on describing the general literary elements in fables. In this particular lesson, students will recognize the key elements of a fable (moral, character, and figurative language).
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Elements of Myth
How can myths help to explain nature and science? Students will explore these themes in this lesson. Students will read and explore several myths, identifying the elements of this literary form.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Science |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Escape from Reality: Miró and Surrealism
This lesson will introduce the history and concepts of the Surrealist movement
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Eugene O'Neill on Page and Stage
Continue the exploration of "Puritanism" as an influence on the development of modern American drama by focusing on elements of narrative, theme and characterization.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grade 5 Lesson: Exploring American Tall Tales
Students will explore the common elements of folktales and tall tales while learning how these tales built the spirit of the American people
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Exploring Russian Folktales
Students are introduced to the genre of folktales and engage in a study of several Russian folktales. They are asked to read the tales aloud, and then to fill in a chart about each one.
|
5-8 |
Literary Arts, Theater |
History, Language Arts, World Languages, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Exploring A Streetcar Named Desire
Students study setting, plot, and character development in Tennessee Williams' play, A Streetcar Named Desire and discuss its impact on American theater.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
English |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Fancy Fencing
Stage-fighting, and especially sword-fighting, is important to the plot of many Shakespearean plays. In theatre, fights are based on precise choreography.
|
5-8 |
Dance, Theater |
Physical Education |
Grade 5 Lesson: Finding Your Own Frog Prince
Students will use a traditional tale, “The Frog Prince,” and Jon Scieszka’s variation of it, The Frog Prince Continued, to create improvised scenes and then a book for a mini-musical.
|
5-8 |
Theater, Music |
Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Fractured Families in American Drama
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Long Day's Journey into Night, explore the tension, tragedy, heartbreak, and love within flawed and fractured families.
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Get Dramatic: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
In this lesson students will explore the concepts behind the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle slogan through theater
|
K-4 |
Theater |
Science, Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Giving Voice to History
Students will understand a somber period in American history. During World War II, the U.S. government ordered more than 120,000 Japanese Americans to detainment camps.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Harriet Tubman: Dancing on the Freedom Trail
In this lesson, students are introduced to the emotional struggles Tubman faced as she helped slaves escape and travel north along the Underground Railroad.
|
K-4 |
Theater |
Geography |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Immigrating to America
Students will learn what it was like for new immigrants to come through Ellis Island—a symbolic heart of American immigration—at the turn of the 20th century
|
K-4 |
Theater |
Geography, Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Inspired by Muses, Graces and Fates
Muses of ancient Greece inspired poets, playwrights, dancers, actors, musicians, and scientists. Graces added life to a party and the Fates determined a life’s destiny.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: It's All in the Translation
In this lesson students will examine the important role translation plays in interpreting the dramatic literature and theater of the ancient Greeks.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: King Arthur: Man or Legend
In this lesson, students will learn about the legend of King Arthur as depicted in stories, poems, and artwork
|
5-8 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Language Arts, History |
Grade 5 Lesson: A Light in the Storm: A Personal Look at the Civil War
Create a historical timeline and personal event timeline based on the historical fiction book and play A Light in the Storm and its main character, Amelia Martin.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: A Listening Doll
Create a listening doll in the tradition of the Native American storyteller dolls
|
K-4 |
Visual Arts, Theater |
Social Studies, Language Arts |
Grades K-2 Lesson: Masks and Aesop's Fables
This multi-media visual and language arts lesson offers intellectual, creative, and interpretive opportunities through use of books, music and the internet
|
K-4 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Social Studies, English |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Mountain Creation: A Drama Exploration
Students examine a poem about mountain creation from a Native American perspective and watching a scientifically-accurate film about mountain formation
|
K-4 |
Literary Arts, Theater |
Science, Geography |
Grade 5 Lesson: Moving Tales
Students practice using their bodies to communicate through movement, improvisation, and pantomime games. Groups then read and interpret an assigned Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Physical Education, Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Noh Theater
In learning about the history, theatrical elements, music, dance, and costuming, of Noh Plays students are also comparing and contrasting these to the other theater elements
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, History |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Oh, Say Can You See…
Students will learn about the history behind the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
|
K-4 |
Music, Visual Arts, Theater |
Social Studies, Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Performance Essay
By investigating Shakespeare through both an analytical and theatrical lens, students achieve a much deeper understanding of his work.
|
9-12 |
Literary Arts, Theater |
English |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Pioneer America: Journey West
In this lesson, students will learn about the early pioneers in America and their motivations for moving West
|
K-4 |
Theater |
History, Geography |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners
In this lesson, students will work in pairs to research legendary westerners
|
K-4 |
Theater |
History, Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Pioneer America: Pioneer Living
In this lesson, students will learn about what life was like for early American pioneers
|
K-4 |
Theater |
History |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Playing with Puns
This theater and language arts lesson offers intellectual, creative and interpretive opportunities. Students will analyze and compare the puns and word play in selected scenes
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts, History |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Plotting the Story
Students examine plot as a significant element of fiction. They distinguish plot from narrative to gain a firm understanding of a plot’s function within a story
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
English, Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Puppets on the Move: China and the Silk Road
Through map-making, research, and class discussions, students will gain an understanding of the dynamics of trade in China along the Silk Road
|
5-8 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: A Question of Style
Students will explore the nature of comedy by informally staging the opening scenes in Shakespeare's As You Like It
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Reliving History Through Slave Narratives
After reading narratives from former slaves that were recorded in the 1930's as part of the Federal Writers' Project, students will research slavery
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Social Studies, Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Setting the Story
Students examine setting as a significant element of fiction. They learn devices for creating a realistic setting, and use the methods in works of their own
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
English |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Southern Puritanism and Tennessee Williams
This lesson continues the exploration of "Puritanism" as an influence on the development of modern American drama in works by Tennessee Williams.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Sundiata, Mali’s Lion King
This lesson introduces the legendary Malian king Sundiata Keita, known as the Lion King of Mali, by using elements of traditional Malian festivals.
|
5-8 |
Dance, Theater, Visual Arts |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grade 5 Lesson: Tall Tales Today
In this lesson, students are introduced to the genre of American tall tales and will create an original tall tale featuring a "larger-than life" main character.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades K-2 Lesson: The Chinese Lion Dance
Dance in the Chinese New Year with your K-2 students
|
K-4 |
Dance, Theater |
Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: The Memory Play in American Drama
This lesson explores structural and technical devices of the "memory" play by focusing on a Tennessee Williams' masterpiece, The Glass Menagerie
|
9-12 |
Theater |
English |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: The Poetics of Hip-Hop
Students will analyze form in Shakespearean sonnets and hip-hop music
|
9-12 |
Music, Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: The Science of Shadow Puppets
Through online learning tools and the creation of shadow puppets and plays, students will learn how light interacts with matter
|
5-8 |
Visual Arts, Theater |
Language Arts, Science |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Tolerance: Gender Issues
In this lesson, students research how professions such as nursing, clerking, and teaching have changed gender dominance over the past 150 years in the United States.
|
5-8 |
Theater |
Social Studies, Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Twain: An American Humorist
Students will analyze humor and the American character, developing a definition of “American humor”
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
Language Arts |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Twain: Icon and Iconoclast
This lesson asks students to examine samples of Twain’s work in the context of pre- and post-Civil War America
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
Language Arts, History |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Twain: Tom Sawyer—Mythic Adventurer
Learn about the source for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Read, and analyze the novel, with attention to character and style.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Geography |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Uncivil Civilization in The Hairy Ape
Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape presents a disheartening assessment of the impact of living in the industrialized society of the early 20th century.
|
9-12 |
Theater |
Language Arts, Social Studies |
Grades 9-12 Lesson: Utopian Visions
Students are introduced to the idea of a "utopia"—an idealized society. Students read Sir Thomas More's Utopia and examine the concepts behind his vision of an ideal society.
|
9-12 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
English, History |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: A Way With Words or Say What?
Many words and phrases that we use every day were coined by Shakespeare. He is credited with inventing over 2,000 words and expressive phrases.
|
5-8 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
History, Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: The Whale Trail
In this lesson students will explore the world of gray whales
|
K-4 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Science, Geography, Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: What a Character
In this lesson, students analyze how a character's personality traits, actions and motives influence the plot of a story
|
K-4 |
Theater |
Language Arts |
Grades 3-4 Lesson: Who Has Seen the Wind?
In this lesson students are introduced to and encouraged to explore characteristics of the wind through poetry and van Gogh’s paintings
|
K-4 |
Theater, Visual Arts |
Science |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Writing Myths
Students will explore how myths provide explanations for nature and science. They will read and analyze the Native American myth "Giants and Mosquitoes."
|
5-8 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
Science, Language Arts |
Grades 6-8 Lesson: Writing an Original Fable
In this lesson, students will use the steps of the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing) to write and perform original fables as skits.
|
5-8 |
Theater, Literary Arts |
Language Arts |