Ooltewah Middle School
EighthGrade Theatre Syllabus
Teacher: Mr. Chris M. Cooper
Course Description: 8th Grade Theatre is a semester long course that provides students with an opportunity to study and develop skills in the fundamentals of acting, creating characters, storytelling, improvisation, scriptwriting and acting with the script. Students will also be introduced tomusical theater, technical theater and theater history.
It is my hope that together we can create an environment in which you will learn more about yourself and your world; build self-confidence by discovering and developing your talent; and improve your ability to appreciate and work with others.
Essential Questions for Quarter 2:
How is literacy (reading, writing) connected to theater?
What role does performing have in everyday life?
How can theater training prepare one for college and careers (related and unrelated to theater)?
2nd Quarter
- Week 9 – Introduce and acclimate new students
- Week 10 – Research, Script writing for Duet Play Projects
- Week 11 – Duet sketch performances
- Week 12 – Character Work
- Week 13 –Directing
- Week 14 – Trio Stories
- Week 15 – Scene writing of Christmas theme sketches
- Week 16 – Rehearsal and preparation for exam performances
- Week 17 –Final Exam Performance
- Week 18 – Exam Week
Procedure:Each day the students are expected to bring to class their theatre folder or binder with notebook paper, sharpened pencils and their agenda mate. After roll is taken there will be a warm up,then lesson for the day will begin. Students are expected to participate fully in class.
Daily Grades:Based on the participation rubric (effort, focus, participating, on task, listening, following directions, contributing). This is a separate document that will be available upon request. Daily grades will account for 60% of the course grade. Participation in class activities is critical to success in this class.
Test and Exam Grades:Rubrics will be used for performance and project based assessments. Objective tests will be given periodically to cover vocabulary terms and theatre history. Tests and quizzes will account for 20% of the final grade.
Final Exam:Most (75%) of the final exam for this course will be taken from the rubric used to evaluate performance, preparation, and participation in theexam performanceat the end of the semester. The rest (25%) will be an open note test over vocabulary and history topics covered in class. These 2 items combine to account for 20% of the final grade.
Discipline Plan: If a student is disruptive or disrespectful in class the following plan will take place.
First Offense – warning
Second Offense – in class consequence (writing assignment or other additional work)
Third Offense – discipline letter sent home with student to be signed by parent; must be returned before student is allowed to rejoin class activities.
**If behavior problems continue, then an office referral will be turned into an administrator.
Exam Performances: The eighth grade classes will have their final exam performance onThur. Dec. 11during their class period in the theater. These performances will constitute the majority of the exam grades for this class. Full participationis extremely important. Parents will be invited to this performance as will the other Related Arts classes.
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Please sign (adult and student), cutand return this portion. This will be a daily grade for your student.
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Circle ClassABGrade 8