Stanhope Public Schools

24 Valley Rd.

Stanhope, NJ 07874

973-347-0008

STANHOPE SCHOOL

ACTING/DRAMA CURRICULUM

2012

STANHOPE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Gina Thomas, President

Gil Moscatello, Vice President

1

Jennifer Russell

Gene Wronko

Michael Stiner

Donna Kali

Erin Maiello

1

1

ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Maria Cleary, Chief School Administrator

Nadia Inskeep, Assistant Principal

CREATOR

Sherry Fehir

Preface

Both legislative mandates and societal demands have driven the increased necessity for an integrated approach to language arts skills. To that end, this curriculum strives to address all of the identified skill areas targeted in the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS), the federal requirements established under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and the needs of everyday, reality-based communication.

It must be understood that the purpose of this curriculum is to be a general guide to both the specific reading and writing skills as well as the other curricula in which those skills should be implemented.

This curriculum is based on a choice class, created for a single grade level but can be modified to fit the needs of various levels. It is designed to be executed in a 10 week session or the length of one marking period.

GENERAL GOALS

  • Speaking- Students should be able to express their thoughts verbally in a clear, concise, animated manner before a variety of audiences and for a variety of purposes.
  • Listening- Students should be able to demonstrate actively that they can interpret, evaluate, and appropriately respond to information given orally in a variety of settings.
  • Writing- Students should be able to write in a clear, concise, and organized style that reflects an awareness of a specific audience and a specific purpose.
  • Reading-Students should be able to comprehend a variety of materials utilizing various reading skills including but not limited to word attack skills, context clues, and phonics.
  • Thinking-Students should be able to demonstrate progressive use of critical thinking skills through their growing sophistication in speaking, listening, writing, and reading.

GRADE 7

COURSE
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Acting for the Aspiring Adolescent
Time frame / One Marking Period/10 weeks
21st Century Themes /
  • Communication and Collaboration
  • Media Literacy
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Interdisciplinary focus and technology integration / History, Art, Language Arts, Technology, Communications
Big Ideas / /
Essential Questions
  • Exposure to the theatrical arts fosters enrichment in many areas such as history and art appreciation, good written and spoken communication skills, and cultural experiences.
  • Actors exercise their voices and bodies through a wide variety of techniques to expand the range and the clarity of the characters they develop.
  • Emotion and meaning are often communicated through modulations of vocal rate, pitch, and volume.
  • A team of artists, technicians, and managers who collaborate to achieve a common goal use a broad range of skills to create theatrical performances.
  • Effective scripted and improvisational performances require informed, supported, and sustained choices by actors, directors, and designers.
  • Dramatic context and active listening skills inform development of believable, multidimensional characters in scripted and improvised performances.
  • Mastery of physical and vocal skills enables actors to create dramatic action that generates a sense of truth and credibility.
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  • What are the important dramatic elements of a play?
  • How can one identify strong acting skills?
  • What makes a successful, interesting script?
  • How does a play/film/show reach success?
  • How can working in a group improve writing, acting, and oral speaking skills?
  • Why is it important to analyze and compare different productions and film?

Learning Targets-students will be able to
  • Learn the fundamentals of drama through creative dramatics and theatre games.
  • Familiarize themselves with the history of global theater and dramatic literature
  • Think critically about both texts and theatrical productions and to be able to express original critical and analytical thoughts through class discussions.
  • Use the body and voice expressively.
  • Develop sensory awareness and spatial perception.
  • View films/television to analyze acting skills and environment.
  • Cooperate in pairs/groups to solve problems.
  • Place self in other dramatic situations
  • Observe and criticize one another's work.
  • Learn to work in groups and collaborate.
  • Attend live theatre presentations.
  • Critique the successes and weaknesses of dramatic expressions both in class and in formal performances.
  • Understand and identify terms and elements of drama.
  • Compare and contrast art forms such as theatre, music, visual art, dance, electronic media, etc.
  • Create/co-write scripts.
  • Group critiques.
  • Exercise memorization skills.
  • Refine diction and volume of speech.
  • Role-play.
  • Identify and execute improvisation.
  • Direct classroom reader’s theatre.
  • Virtually create environments for theatre.
  • Explore careers in the theatre and related fields.

Content Standards
LANGUAGE ARTS
Reading: Literature
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
5. Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.
6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
7. Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).
9. Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
10.By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking & Listening
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
  • Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
  • Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
  • Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
  • Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
  • Spell correctly.
3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
  • Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.*
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
  • Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
  • Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
  • Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context.
  • Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand each of the words.
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Range, Quality, & Complexity
1.Students in grade 7 apply the Reading standards to the following range of text types, with texts selected from a broad range of cultures and periods.
•Stories
•Dramas
•Poetry
•Includes the subgenres of adventure, historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies, and satire.
.•Includes one-act and multi-act plays, both in written form and on filmIncludes the subgenres of narrative poems, lyrical poems, free verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics.
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
  1. All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
  • By the end of grade 8 those students choosing THEATRE as their required area of specialization demonstrate COMPETENCY in the following content knowledge and skills.
  • Determine the effectiveness of various methods of vocal, physical, relaxation, and acting techniques used in actor training.
  • Differentiate among vocal rate, pitch, and volume, and explain how they affect articulation, meaning, and character.
  • Define the areas of responsibility (e.g., actor, director, producer, scenic, lighting, costume, stagehand, etc.) and necessary job skills of the front and back-of-house members of a theatre company.
  1. All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
  2. All students will synthesize those skills, media, methods, and technologies appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art
  • By the end of grade 8, those students choosing THEATRE as their required area of specialization demonstrate COMPETENCY in the following content knowledge and skills.
  • Create a method for defining and articulating character objectives, intentions, and subtext, and apply the method to the portrayal of characters in live performances or recorded venues.
  • Create and apply a process for developing believable, multidimensional characters in scripted and improvised performances by combining methods of relaxation, physical and vocal skills, acting techniques, and active listening skills.
  • By the end of grade 8, those students choosing VISUAL ART as their required area of specialization demonstrate COMPETENCY in the following content knowledge and skills.
  • Synthesize the physical properties, processes, and techniques for visual communication in multiple art media (including digital media), and apply this knowledge to the creation of original artworks.
  1. All students will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis to works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
  • By the end of grade 8, all students demonstrate COMPETENCY in the following content knowledge and skills for their required area of specialization in DANCE, MUSIC, THEATRE, or VISUAL ART.
  • Generate observational and emotional responses to diverse culturally and historically specific works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Analyze the form, function, craftsmanship, and originality of representative works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
  1. All students will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis to works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
  • By the end of grade 8, all students demonstrate COMPETENCY in the following content knowledge and skills for their required area of specialization in DANCE, MUSIC, THEATRE, or VISUAL ART.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of a work of art by differentiating between the artist’s technical proficiency and the work’s content or form.

Teaching Strategies/Procedures
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Learning Activities
Direct Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Reinforcement and Remediation
Scaffolding
Modeling
Teacher circulation
Group discussions
Use of technological tools
Verbal feedback
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Theater games and warm-ups
Writer’s workshop (brainstorming, prewriting, organizing, drafting, proofreading, editing, critiquing of screenplays and scripts)

Research of the theatre and playwrights

Cooperative Learning Activities (e.g. group/pair writing of scripts, group games)

Analysis of actors/actresses and mock casting

Costume design

Set design

Production rehearsal and critique

Analyzing and critiquing film and TV

Videos on careers in the theater

Possible trip to theatre and/or guest speaker

Class discussions

Word processing

Interactive whiteboard activities

Homework

Differentiation

  • Cooperative Learning (Flexible Grouping/Pairing)
  • Peer tutoring
  • Tiered activities, assignments, and assessments
  • Hands-on activities
  • Re-teach and enrichment activities
  • Study Guides

Assessment

  • Formal and informal teacher observation
  • Student performances
  • Group work
  • Class discussions/participation
  • Homework/class work
  • Discussion List
  • Notebooks
  • Rubrics
  • Student self-evaluation

Suggested Resources

  1. Middle Mania: Imaginative Theater Projects for Middle School Actors (Young Actors Series)by Maureen Brady Johnson
  2. Monologues and Scenes for Middle School ActorsbyMary Hall Surface
  3. Triple Play Volume VI for Middle School/10+ Format Comedy by Kristen Dabrowski
  4. Triple Play Volume VII for Middle School/10+ Format Drama by Kristen Dabrowski
  5. 101 Improv Games for Children and Adultsby Bob Bedore
  6. Comedy Scenes for Student Actors: Short Sketches for Young Performersby Laurie Allen
  7. More Ten-Minute Plays for Middle School Performers: Plays for a Variety of Cast Sizesby Rebecca Young and Ashley Gritton
  8. The Drama Notebook Website

  1. Discovery Education Website

  1. Costume Design

  1. Kids Playscripts

APPENDIX A

Dramatics and Theater

Glossary of Terms

  1. Act- segmentation of a play that indicates a change in time, action, or location, and helps organize a play’s dramatic structure. Plays may be composed of acts that, in turn, are composed of scenes.
  2. Acting- the portrayal of a character’s words and actions by an actor. Acting requires actors to embody the personality, characteristics, and motivations of a character or individual they are portraying.
  3. Anachronism- term used to describe anything incongruous with its historical context
  4. Antagonist-main character in a story offering opposition to the protagonist
  5. Aside- a theatrical convention (commonly used in drama prior to the nineteenth century but less often afterwards) in which a character, unnoticed by the other characters on stage, speaks frankly and directly to the audience to express a thought.
  6. Arena- a theater with seating that surrounds the playing area on all sidesto create a more intimate experience for the audience. Stage configurations can include circular, oval, or rectangular playing areas.
  7. Back story- The wider context or background, which sheds light on the current story.
  8. Blocking- the specific movement or positioning of actors onstage intended to enhance the theatrical experience for the spectator, whether that be the realistic portrayal of a domestic conflict or an abstract idea.
  9. Casting-the process of deciding which actors are to play which parts.
  10. Characters-see literary elements
  11. Cliché- see figurative language
  12. Climax- see literary elements
  13. Compositional risks- elements of style or structure (e.g. dialogue, inversion, high-level vocabulary, and hyperbole) that elevate the overall quality of a piece of writing.
  14. Conflict- see literary elements
  15. Dialogue-see literary device
  16. Diction-the choice in language or words made by a playwright or performer in a drama to achieve a specific effect or style. Diction can also refer to a performer’s manner of speech or rhetoric, sometimes used for character development.
  17. Downstage-the area on stage closest to the audience.
  18. Dramatic irony-a plot device in which a character holds a position or has an expectation that is reversed or fulfilled in a way that the character did not expect but that the audience members or readers, have anticipated because the knowledge of events or individuals is more complete.
  19. Enigma-A riddle, puzzling person or thing; something that cannot absolutely be known or resolved.
  20. Epilogue- a concluding address by an actor or group of actors that is directed toward the audience; intended to comment on the preceding events and offer a final perspective by the author or actors.
  21. Euphemism-see figurative language
  22. Flat characters- characters in a play who are relatively simple; who are presented as having few, though sometimes dominant, traits; and who thus do not change much in the course of a play.
  23. Genre- A literary or artistic type or style, e.g. thriller or romance.
  24. Inspirational- a type of genre fiction where the primary goal is to provide uplifting,inspirational feelings to the reader. May be set in any time period, and may be based uponsome set of religious beliefs or not.
  25. Literary Device-a tool to enhance, embellish, or illuminate language

Types: