Wallingford Public Schools - HIGH SCHOOL COURSE OUTLINE

Course Title: Dramatic Arts / Course Number: A0123
Department: English / Grade(s): 9-12
Level(s): Academic / Credit: 1
Course Description
Dramatic Arts emphasizes the performance aspects of play production. It helps students to become more comfortable speaking and performing in front of an audience. Core components of this course are the study of body movement and language, voice, stage movement, character and script analysis, single character performance, and complete scene production including blocking, costuming, and lighting.
Required Instructional Materials / Completion/Revision Date
Approved by Board of Education
on June 16, 2005
Mission Statement of the Curriculum Management Team
The mission of the Language Arts Curriculum Management Team is to ensure that all students develop a high level of proficiency and independence in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing, enabling them to become lifelong, effective communicators in a culturally diverse society.
Enduring Understandings for the Course
  • Acting is a means to develop and express a persona using inner resources and learned techniques.

  • Acting expands understanding of the world, people, and oneself.

  • Executing a production is a multi-step process.

  • Acting is a reflective process.

  • People communicate through words and actions.

  • Actors understand and are aware of how people’s feelings and attitudes impact verbal expression.

  • Actors use a variety of inner resources in the creation of believable characters.

  • Body language and movement are effective forms of communication.

  • Actors understand and appreciate theatre.

  • The voice is an essential form of expression for actors.

  • Actors observe and are aware of people’s feelings and attitudes

  • Stage movement must be carefully planned and executed.

LEARNING STRAND
1.0 Inner Resources
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(S)
  • Actors use a variety of inner resources in the creation of believable characters.
  • Acting is a reflective process.
  • Actors observe and are aware of people’s feelings and attitudes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES The student will:
1.1Use the body as a tool of expression.
1.2Create believable action.
1.3Use observations of people and environmentsas an acting technique.
1.4Demonstrate concentration as an essential component of creating a consistent character.
1.5Utilize sensoryand memory recall.
1.6Demonstrate examples of emotional responses for different situations.
1.7Explore inner resources through improvisation.
1.8Reflect on personal and ensemble performances.
1.9Use constructive criticism to guide their performance. / INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
  • Tanner’s Basic Drama Projects
  • Viola Spolin’s Improvisation for the Theater
SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
  • Pantomime/charades
  • Compare a child’s make-believe play to that of an actor in a play
  • Discuss the importance of observation to an actor
  • Connect concentration to the actor’s dual role
  • Discuss the role of imagination in creating an illusion of reality
  • Describe an activity that will stimulate imagination
  • Theatre activities/ games
  • Improvisation
  • Voice warm-ups
  • Body relaxation
SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT METHODS
  • Grading rubrics
  • Constructive criticism sheets
  • Pantomime presentations
  • Oral presentations
  • Participation
  • Self-evaluation
  • Peer evaluation

LEARNING STRAND
2.0 Movement

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(S)

  • Body language and movement are effective forms of communication.
  • Stage movement must be carefully planned and executed.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES – The student will:
2.1Understand the importance of stage directions in various productions.
2.2Execute stage movement, combat, and other specialized movements.
2.3Plan stage movement (blocking) for a scene.
2.4Analyze the importance of motivation for actions.
2.5Explore movement through improvisation
2.6Recognize the difference between. subconscious and conscious movement on stage.
2.7Show awareness of audience through appropriate stage movement.
2.8Recognize the whole body as a vehicle for dramatic expression. / INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
  • Tanner’s Basic Drama Projects
  • Viola Spolin’s Improvisation for the Theater

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

  • Discuss stage areas and their placement
  • Demonstrate crosses, counter crosses, and stage areas
  • Model accurate stage movement
  • Discuss reasons for careful training in stage combat
  • Pantomimes
  • Improvisations
  • Cooperative learning techniques

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT METHODS

  • Self-assessment journal logs
  • Rubrics
  • Pantomimes
  • Improvisations
  • Participation
  • Peer evaluation

LEARNING STRAND

3.0 Voice

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(S)

  • The voice is an essential form of expression for actors.
  • Actors understand and are aware of how people’s feelings and attitudes impact verbal expression.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES – The student will:
3.1 Determine effective articulation and
pronunciation.
3.2Interpret character’s lines for vocal texture.
3.3Memorize dialogue of different complexities and lengths.
3.4Demonstrate the importance of breathing, pacing, tone, and volume as a means of emphasis.
3.5Analyze scenes to detect possible vocal approaches.
3.6Explore voice through improvisation.
3.7Communicate emotions and develop a character through one’s voice.
3.8Understand the foundation for daily vocal practice. / INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
  • Tanner’s Basic Drama Projects
  • Viola Spolin’s Improvisation for the Theater

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

  • Describe the process of voice production
  • Read orally
  • Choose, analyze, and prepare literature
  • Retell stories
  • Relate spontaneity to line reading
  • Pick up cues
  • Motivate desire
  • Special line techniques
  • Scene study/ analysis
  • Vocal warm ups

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT METHODS

  • Oral presentations
  • Participation
  • Peer and teacher evaluation
  • Self-evaluation

LEARNING STRAND

4.0 Characterization

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(S)

  • Acting is a means to develop and express a persona using inner resources and learned techniques.
  • Acting expands understanding of the world, people, and oneself.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES – The student will:
4.1 Analyze a character for objectives,
motivation, and stakes.
4.2 Create a character in a play, demonstrating
various emotions.
4.3Analyze the requirements for playing serious and comedic scenes.
4.4Recognize the various types of comedy.
4.5Understand the dual role of character and
actor.
4.6Analyze plays for plot, structure, and character.
4.7Explore characterization through improvisation.
4.8Understand how natural, believable movement enhances characterization. / INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
  • Tanner’s Basic Drama Projects
  • Viola Spolin’s Improvisation for the Theater

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

  • Observe various characters in a play
  • Observe and note actions of others
  • Explain characteristics of tragedy and comedy
  • Apply motivating desires through selective actions and external qualities
  • Compose a critique on characters viewed in movies and plays

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT METHODS

  • Critiques
  • Self-evaluation/peer evaluation using rubrics
  • Journals
  • Projects
  • Oral presentations
  • Teacher observation of group activity
  • Homework
  • Participation
  • Rubrics

LEARNING STRAND

5.0 Theatre Appreciation

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(S)

  • Actors understand and appreciate theater.
  • Executing a production is a multi-step process.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES – The student will:
5.1 Understand the purpose and value of the
theater.
5.2Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior/etiquette.
5.3Critique a play/production.
5.4Compare and contrast theater to other media. / INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
  • Tanner’s Basic Drama Projects

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

  • Viewing a play
  • Play analysis
  • Group discussions on plot, protagonist, and antagonist

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT METHODS

  • Compose an evaluation
  • Rubrics

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