common core standards: reading (drama...

Susan PopeTheatre Artist / Director, TheatrEXpands

859-516-1802 www.susanpope.com [email protected]

Teaching Common Core Literacy Standards Through Drama

Southside Elementary PD Workshop Handout

The paper, “Strengthening Verbal Skills through the Use of Classroom Drama: A Clear Link” (see resource list), presents evidence that classroom drama is effective in building reading readiness, reading comprehension, vocabulary, oral language development, and writing, for example:

Reading: visualizing imagery for text Writing: Persuasive writing, colorful writing, vocabulary, grammar Speaking: communication skills, audience awareness, collaboration skills, listening,

understanding, critiquing.In the Common Core excerpts below, I have bolded areas where drama and improvisation can be particularly effective.

Common Core Standards: Reading (Drama Connections)Students who are College and Career Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Language The descriptions that follow are not standards themselves but instead offer a portrait of students who meet the standards set out in this document. As students advance through the grades and master the standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, they are able to exhibit with increasing fullness and regularity these capacities of the literate individual.

They demonstrate independence. Students can, without significant scaffolding, comprehend and evaluate complex texts across a range of types and disciplines, and they can construct effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information. Likewise, students are able independently to discern a speaker’s key points, request clarification, and ask relevant questions. They build on others’ ideas, articulate their own ideas, and confirm they have been understood. Without prompting, they demonstrate command of standard English and acquire and use a wide-ranging vocabulary. More broadly, they become self-directed learners, effectively seeking out and using resources to assist them, including teachers, peers, and print and digital reference materials.

They build strong content knowledge. Students establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter by engaging with works of quality and substance. They become proficient in new areas through research and study. They read purposefully and listen attentively to gain both general knowledge and discipline-specific expertise. They refine and share their knowledge through writing and speaking.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.susanpope.com/



They respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline. Students adapt their communication in relation to audience, task, purpose, and discipline. They set and adjust purpose for reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use as warranted by the task. They appreciate nuances, such as how the composition of an audience should affect tone when speaking and how the connotations of words affect meaning. They also know that different disciplines call for different types of evidence (e.g., documentary evidence in history, experimental evidence in science).

They comprehend as well as critique. Students are engaged and open-minded—but discerning—readers and listeners. They work diligently to understand precisely what an author or speaker is saying, but they also question an author’s or speaker’s assumptions and premises and assess the veracity of claims and the soundness of reasoning.

They value evidence. Students cite specific evidence when offering an oral or written interpretation of a text. They use relevant evidence when supporting their own points in writing and speaking, making their reasoning clear to the reader or listener, and they constructively evaluate others’ use of evidence.

They use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Students employ technology thoughtfully to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use. They tailor their searches online to acquire useful information efficiently, and they integrate what they learn using technology with what they learn offline. They are familiar with the strengths and limitations of various technological tools and mediums and can select and use those best suited to their communication goals.

They come to understand other perspectives and cultures. Students appreciate that the twenty-first-century classroom and workplace are settings in which people from often widely divergent cultures and who represent diverse experiences and perspectives must learn and work together. Students actively seek to understand other perspectives and cultures through reading and listening, and they are able to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. They evaluate other points of view critically and constructively. Through reading great classic and contemporary works of literature representative of a variety of periods, cultures, and worldviews, students can vicariously inhabit worlds and have experiences much different than their own.

Key features of the Standards





Reading: Text complexity and the growth of comprehension The Reading standards place equal emphasis on the sophistication of what students read and the skill with which they read. Standard 10 defines a grade-by grade “staircase” of increasing text complexity that rises from beginning reading to the college and career readiness level. Whatever they are reading, students must also show a steadily growing ability to discern more from and make fuller use of text, including making an increasing number of connections among ideas and between texts, considering a wider range of textual evidence, and becoming more sensitive to inconsistencies, ambiguities, and poor reasoning in texts.

Writing: text types, responding to reading, and research The Standards acknowledge the fact that whereas some writing skills, such as the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish, are applicable to many types of writing, other skills are more properly defined in terms of specific writing types: arguments, informative/explanatory texts, and narratives. Standard 9 stresses the importance of the writing-reading connection by requiring students to draw and write about evidence from literary and informational texts. Because of the centrality of writing to most forms of inquiry, research standards are prominently included in this strand, though skills important to research are infused throughout the document.

Speaking and Listening: flexible communication and collaboration Including but not limited to skills necessary for formal presentations, the Speaking and Listening standards require students to develop a range of broadly useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. Students must learn to work together, express and listen carefully to ideas, integrate information from oral, visual, quantitative, and media sources, evaluate what they hear, use media and visual displays strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and adapt speech to context and task.

Language: Conventions, effective use, and vocabulary The Language standards include the essential “rules” of standard written and spoken English, but they also approach language as a matter of craft and informed choice among alternatives. The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases, their relationships, and their nuances and on acquiring new vocabulary, particularly general academic and domain-specific words and phrases





Basic principles of infusing drama across other curricular content: (You can teach anything through theatre because theatre is just a way of communicating.)

Imagery—frozen image, tableau, pantomime Personification/Anthropomorphism (turn animals, plants, inanimate

objects, ideas, forces in the world—anything—into characters with names, characteristics, personalities, voices . . .)

Conflict---- between people in history, between people dealing with conflicting interests, between ideas, between forces (social, political, forces of nature . . . )

Storyo Add movement, dialogue to tableau and pantomime -- or just a

succession of frozen images (like a storyboard)o Use the anthropomorphized characters and conflict above as the

basis for student-devised storieso Look for existing stories in the curriculum and build drama off of

them (history; biography; math story problems; timelines; case studies or hypothetical cases; oral history; application of math or science in real life; songs, visual art, photographs, dances that tell stories . . . )

Relationship-- where this concept, element, person, phenomenon, historic event, etc. falls on a spectrum in relation to other similar concepts, events, etc.

o Good for interpreting and understanding data, timelines, properties of things . . .

o (Sociodrama games, such as spectrogram or spectrograph are good for this)

What makes a kinesthetic or hands-on activity a drama exercise? Many kinesthetic or storytelling or focus exercises are actually improv games used by professional actors. Such games or activities can spice up a lesson and help you teach to multiple learning styles, even if applied for only 10 minutes during class. An exercise becomes an arts integration activity if, in addition, students are creating and performing original work and evaluating and discussing work based on arts standards. For instance, a science teacher can quickly stand students up to help demonstrate a science concept. However, this becomes a drama activity if:





Students are given communication challenges that they must creatively and collaboratively problem solve

They are taught non-verbal or verbal communication skills through the activity

The debrief includes a self-assessment of the performance elements of drama utilized

Students and teacher behave as if they are in imaginary circumstances (ie as adults solving a real-world problem, as historical characters, as Mr. Earth trying to explain his orbit and the resulting seasons to unhappy inhabitants of the world, etc.).

Types of drama skills to assess for:

Vocal communication/ acting / presentation/ verbal communication skills:

o Vocal projection (throwing your voice—a projectile is thrown)o Diction (articulating consonants)o Variety of pitcho Using specific language (correct vocabulary, colorful, varied

language, etc.)o Turning toward the audience when you speak, even if referring to

things behind you (in a scene, you and a scene partner can each turn ¼ (not facing each other or facing forward – halfway in between)

o Communicating different emotions through vocal intonation (See Theatre Games for the Classroom by Viola Spolin -- Gibberish Games.)

o As a director, can you tell your actors specifically what you would like them to do (or move them physically or demonstrate for them)? Can you use stage directions to move them around a space?

Non-verbal communication/ acting / presentation skills:o Communicating character with whole body, including facial

expression and eyes focused on what the character is focused on (not the audience)

o Clearly showing relationship between characterso Clearly showing what is happening in a sceneo Are you communicating what you intended to communicate? What

is the audience seeing (especially in your non-verbal scene)?o Specificity in pantomime (this teaches a lot of body awareness and

is useful for then teaching lots of other things. See Theatre Games for the Classroom by Viola Spolin – especially “Part of a Whole, Location” and her Playground games, such as “jumprope”.)

How can you clearly tell that a person is doing something (ie. eating with a fork)?





What non-verbal behavior makes the difference between whether you can tell what a person is doing or not? How specific do you need to be? Can you slow the movement down and be more accurate?

If someone were picking up cotton balls off the floor, would they be looking at the balls or looking around? Which looks more realistic? (have students watch both ways and tell you)

Can you throw a beach ball to each other making eye contact so that your partner knows who you’re throwing to, keeping the ball the same size and weight, and making it clear that you are throwing or catching the ball (students will need you to demonstrate this).

o Awareness of others on stage and incorporating a variety of levels in a scene or exercise

o For public speaking: standing in a neutral position (weight evenly on both feet, feet and legs still, hands to side) and making eye contact with audience.

Imagination / character skillso Can you make detailed choices when creating characters or

imaginary playing spaces? (students verbalize choices for their character or for an imaginary acting space – ask each other questions.)

o Will you try to think and behave and speak like a person different from yourself (your character)?

o Can you see things from another person’s perspective (empathy, emotional intelligence)

o Can you design detailed costumes or sets that help communicate a certain thing (play dough is interesting for set design)?

Problem Solving / collaboration skills:o Can you solve spatial communication problems? o Can you solve verbal communication problems (often in groups –

theatre is a group art form)?o Can you collaboratively figure out how to depict something on stage

(in tableau, pantomime, adding dialogue)? Focus (there are so many focus games. Viola Spolin has some in her

book. There are many online. Just google “focus drama games”





Ideas for student-created scenes:

You can start with tableau, then add movement, then add dialogue (maybe each character has a specific number of lines 1-3. Students can either just remember the line or they can write it down.)

Give groups of 5 students 3 props (a chair, a paper towel, and a rope or ball work good). They have 3 minutes (approx.) to come up with a non-verbal scene that uses these objects in a way different from how they are normally used. They must communicate clearly the relationship between the characters on stage, what is happening, where they are, and what the props represent (who, what, where) and the scene must have a beginning, middle and end. (I may have students stop and write their choices down). Then give them a minute to rehearse the scene exactly as they expect to perform it. They should keep rehearsing until you stop them. Then show the scenes. Don’t let students tell what they were trying to depict. Ask the audience what they saw. Ask students if that was what they were really trying to communicate? Either let students try again to communicate more accurately and see what the audience sees now, or talk about “How could they communicate this more accurately? What would make this more clear to the audience? What could they do differently?”

Students may then add a certain number of lines of dialogue – or not. Students may add technical elements:

o Lighting is interesting – choose different colored “gels” to place over clamp lights for different effects. I use colored report covers or page dividers. Try combining colors and see what happens. You’ll want several lights per scene shone from different angels. Darken the room.

o Different pieces of fabric can be used to depict a set.o Fabric and clothes pins can also become costumes.o Colored eye liner pencils can be used to make whiskers, tattoos,

blood, wrinkles (makeup) o Sound can be created in a variety of wayso Props can be added if not added in the beginning

Students can create scenes based on primary source photos or documents

Students can create scenes about events in history or social conditions or science challenges. They can anthropomorphize a scientific or political process.

Students can create tableau and/or scenes from a book – ie. creating human illustrations for a book they are unfamiliar with the pictures of (so that they have to imagine them).

Students can also just sit in chairs and behave and speak like characters—verbal improv.





Students can add action and dialogue to math word problems. Then they can solve the problem and then go back and write a word problem again from the equation.

Creating and performing doesn’t have to mean a school play. It can be creating, performing, and evaluating tableaux, pantomime scenes, improv scenes, dialogue between seated characters, etc.

Some ways to coach students for more interesting or realistic acting:

Add side-coaching (Calling out instructions while they are acting -- Try for non-judgmental reminders. Avoid negatives.)

Stay in character Stay focused on the scene (or on your character). Remember what your character wants. Facial expression is part of it. Facial expression matches your body Remember where your audience is. We want to see your face right now. We want to see more of your face. Open up to the audience (may have to explain ahead of time what this

means. I mean the group needs to open up the scene so the audience can see them – stand in an angle facing out to the audience – not in a clump facing each other.)

We want to hear you. Project your voice. Use your consonants.

If you know the scene you can side-coach more specifically:

Your want her to go with you. Make her go with you. Really try. Try to get away from him. Make him work to catch you. We need to see that you want to keep the ball. Show us that you really

want it.o (focus on motivation—instead of saying, “act sad” or “act angry”,

ask the character to really go after what they want. The emotional expression will come if they invest in what they want.)

If you’re stopping the scene to work on it, you can ask, “What do you want from her?” or “What do you want her to do?” “Ok. Can you show me that? (to class)





Can you tell that she wants that? We’re not seeing it yet. We’re still not seeing it. What could she do to show us that? That’s a good idea. Could you try grabbing onto the table when she tries to pull you? (to class) Now, what do you see? Did it change?”

(These are basic directing techniques. You will know when students are ready to be pushed in this way and have a sense of who can handle it.)

Also, you notice I’m not advocating the words “better”, “good”, “right”, “wrong”, etc. I’m focusing on “What do you see?” “What is being communicated?” “What is effective?” “What is working?”

Another approach is “What would make this scene (or this stage picture) more interesting?” That’s especially useful with tableaux. Artists have to train themselves to see what is interesting. Being interesting is essential for communication through art. You have to make people want to look at/listen to your work.

o On stage, using a variety of levels and using your whole body and face to communicate relationship between characters and what a character wants makes a scene more interesting.

Common Core, Literacy, and Role Drama:I am beginning to think in terms of literacy as more than reading or writing but talking. If students can articulate and reason well and use good vocabulary, they can understand more complex text and they can express themselves better in writing.

When I look at the Common Core description of the characteristics of proficient readers, I see over and over again that skills are described in terms of hearing, understanding, getting the nuance of meaning, asking questions to get more understanding, building on other’s ideas, articulating their own ideas, confirming that they’ve been understood, demonstrating a command of language and acquiring a wide ranging vocabulary, adapting communication to their audience, look for details of meaning, making reasoning clear and constructively evaluating others’ use of evidence, understanding divergent cultures and perspectives, being able to communicate with people from wide points of view, be able to vicariously inhabit worlds much different from their own . . . .

Sounds like drama to me! And more specifically it sounds like role drama.

Role drama is wonderful. It’s rather prep-heavy, but the assessment is embedded in the exercise. You learn what they know and don’t know and address it from within the exercise. It’s a very powerful method of teaching.





Role drama is about incessantly asking questions and allowing children (and yourself) to sit with the ambiguity and discomfort. Get their buy in for authentically taking on the characters. Take on a character yourself. Present a problem to them as their characters. Put the problem in their lap. And then leave it there. And wait. Sit with the

silence. Take a back seat role and let them struggle to sort it out. If you set it up well, you can take a minor role. And sometimes they do really amazing things.

A story, poem, episode from history, photo, etc. is just the launching point. From there you take it to some key question about how do people behave and why? What is the cause and effect of _____?

Examples of topics you could pull from Charlotte’s Web Ethics, politics, economics of factory farming vs family farms and ethical

treatment of animals Children feeling adults don’t take them seriously What is a true friend? What is it like to have someone you’ve relied on die?

Put them in adult situations. What do adults do? They present at conferences, they serve on juries, they sit on boards . . . You put them in the role of adult decision-makers or expert advisors . . . you make them responsible for people in ways that have real-world consequences. . . .

You start with a key question.

Key questions have human conflict in them. They have a problem that must be solved.

Key questions for Revolutionary War Role Drama residency: What does “representation” mean?

o What does it mean to politically represent a constituencyo What are the implications of having power (authority) and having

other people dependent on you (being responsible for them)?o What are the unique challenges representatives face in times of war?o What happens when representatives fall down in their duties?o What happens when no one is representing / advocating for a

population to the decision makers?





Role drama: Scarcity in Appalachia: Lesson PlanKey Question: How can a social service organization or a public health agency tackle health problems in Appalachia (in particular, hunger, poor nutrition, and dental problems) that are brought on or exacerbated by scarcity of resources in the region?

History—how did we get here? If we give out money for food, should we limit how the food vouchers can be

spent? How much money do people without a job need to feed their family in a

healthy manner? How can we convince people to feed their kids healthier food and drinks (and

limit soft drinks)? How can we make healthy food more available in this community?

My Jack Tale role drama lesson (based on “Jack and the North Wind”) was about bullying, but really ended up exploring what entities took responsibility for what in a town and what made those things run – The key question would have been something like “How do the various infrastructures in a town work together to protect the town’s citizens and what happens when those systems break down or the various entities work against each other (the system becomes corrupted)?”

You don’t have to reach a conclusion. The struggle itself is the lesson – the fact that decisions are hard because there are so many conflicting interests and needs to consider—the fact that you must consider many perspectives when you have responsibility for people

Take a leadership role, model, then bow out.

Example of a Role Drama Activity: Panel of Expert Characters Role Drama Activity Complete instructions here: http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/social-studies-drama-lessons.html

Set up 4 chairs. Ask 1 volunteer character from each of the 4 historical periods to sit in the

chairs. Seat them in order of earliest time period to latest. As the teacher, assume the part of a meeting facilitator at a conference of

experts meeting by time travel in the present. Lay out the props. Allow panelists choose props for their characters—based

on their time period. (you might include enough props for audience members



http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/social-studies-drama-lessons.html



to do the same.) Explain that the props may jog their thoughts and inspire them to give useful input from their time period or life experience.

Announce:

“Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. We have convened this panel discussion tonight to address some issues we are seeking a solution to. I’d like to express my thanks to the panelists for taking time out of your busy schedules to travel here to 2014 from your various periods of history to help us seek solutions to these pressing problems. With so many great minds in one room, I’m sure we will generate some great ideas!

o “I’m going to begin by asking our panelists to introduce themselves and tell their greatest accomplishments and when those took place.

“Thank you, panel. Now the problem we are facing is a great many young people in our community who feel they don’t have choices in life – like no matter what they do, nothing in their life is going to change – that they’re going to end up with the same life their parents and grandparents had, no matter what they want. They feel they can’t stand up for themselves and get what they need. To illustrate this, I’d like to read you a letter I recently received from a young person in the community:

(Read from a separate paper.) “Dear Sir: I am 12 years old, and I am sad because my life looks kind of hopeless. I think it would be fun to be a scientist who studies animals or a person who trains dogs, but my dad says that’s just for rich people. He says I should just look around me. He says I’m not any smarter than anybody else in the family and nobody in my family gets anywhere, so I should quit thinking I’m going to be such a big deal. My step brother did have a good job, but then he got caught with some drugs and went to jail. I might end up going to jail too, because I’m a lot like my brother. What should I do? Sincerely, A normal kid.

“What would you smart people have to say to an individual like that?”

In character as the meeting facilitator, encourage panelist and audience

characters to share insights from their historical period and life experience.





Also pose questions students might not generate themselves. Ask for specifics.

o Open the floor to questions or comments from the audience (always ask audience participants to introduce themselves and tell their greatest accomplishment, when that was, etc. before they ask their question or make their comment). Call all participants “maam, sir, Mr. Count Bassie”, etc.

o Ask if audience members agree or disagree with the panelists. o Single out participants and ask about specific areas of expertise or

specific life experience that may qualify them to address a certain subject that comes up. Always ask for stories from their own life (as characters) and how they personally managed to accomplish the things they are suggesting.

o Coach for more details, stories. Coach participants to use their prop to help solve the problem – not distract

from solving the problem (tell story about the prop that relates to solving the problem, use it to suggest or accomplish a solution, etc.)

Coach participants to stay in character, project their voice, etc. “Don’t you think . . . “ or even “Do you think . . . “ (Probe. Play Devil’s

advocate) Opt: switch out panelists if desired. Try to stay in character and deal with behavior issues in character

(“Gentlemen, I’m sure you behave more professionally than this in your own time period. Otherwise, you would never have been able to accomplish the great things that you have. Please amend your behavior or I will be forced to eject you from this conference.”)

If you must break out of character and address students as actors or re-assume your teacher role, just explain, “I’m going to speak to you now as Ms. Smith.” Or “Let me break out of character for a moment and talk to you as actors.”

Process:

Belief-building activities:Many teachers are already having students act our or debate situations in class. Adding in belief-building activities and getting buy-in from students can move this into a more authentic arts-integration activity which requires them to think, behave, and speak like a character and fully commit to that character and circumstance and use their imagination. Some possible belief building activities: Drawing pictures or maps of the town Drawing diagrams of a room





Making very specific decisions about the town (where it’s located, what type of economy, Is there a hospital in the town?)

Describing what you see in every direction, including up and down Sharing character decisions with a partner Telling a story as your character Writing letters as character (or suggestion cards or letters to the editor or

newspaper reports or biographies or diary entries . . .) Guided imagery where students picture themselves doing things or picturing

their surroundings Naming towns, naming characters, Interviewing each other, reporting on the interview Group interviewing the character Teacher interviewing the reporters (and asking their opinion) Tableaux and frozen images Speaking a character’s thoughts (maybe while frozen) Physically setting up an acting space (students decide how to use current

furniture to represent a different location) Listening to a narrated pre-moment before a scene (teacher narrates pre-

moment) Practicing standing, sitting, walking as character Creating props or symbols (name cards for the meeting tables, etc.) Tell story about a prop (and take questions in character) Sociograms and timelines

Ways to increase student buy in: Get their commitment: We can find out what happened, what they were thinking, etc. by taking on these roles. I’m going to take on the role of _____ and try to think and behave and speak like that person. Are you willing to try to think and act and speak like ____? We can use our imaginations. I don’t have experience with these aspects of my character, but I will use my imagination and do my best to think what that might be like. Are you willing to try that too? We need everyone to agree before we go on. It won’t work without everyone. (Then model this commitment for them)

Share the power – give students lots of choices – how would you like to set up the meeting? Where

would you like to begin the drama (at what point in the story)? Get out of the way and let them struggle a bit. Sit down on their level.





Model leader role: then turn it over to a student and just intervene in role. ( I modeled what to ask the people who wanted to nominate other people – stand up, say your name, nominee stand up, why do you think they would be uniquely qualified. . .? and after awhile she started asking these things on her own more and more. )

Examples of Belief-Building Activities from lesson about poverty in a former coal town:

Story and Key question: Exploring Literature:

o Sit on flooro Do you remember the story, A Penny’s Worth of Character? o Can someone tell me the story as best you remember it? o Ask them questions about the story

Did they live in a town? What do you think Shan’s parents did for a living? Was Shan’s family part of a community? What was the community like? Did they know each other? Did they

help each other? Etc.

Exploring history: Well we can imagine that Shan grew up and had kids and grandkids, and that his descendants still live in Appalachia. And the community where they live has a lot of social problems – extreme poverty, lack of education, lack of health care – so recently a non-profit organization in town started asking the question, “How can we help improve the health of people in this community?” And that lead them to ask, “How did our town get like this? How did this town get stared? How did people first come to settle in this community? And what factors in our history led up to the social problems that so many people are dealing with now?”

So they set out to find some answers. They started doing research and talking to older people in the community. They asked people what stories they remember their grandparents telling them and whether they had any old photographs and newspaper clippings.

And they collected quite a few stories and photos. In fact, I have some of them here with me. (NOTE: much of this info comes from

the book “Growing up in Coal Country” by Susan Bartoletti.)





o It turns out the town got started after the Civil War. It was a “patch village” originally. That’s where a coal mining company set up a town just for the miners that worked in their coal mine – and their families. The houses were thrown up very quickly in long rows, and everything in the town belonged to the coal company – the houses, the store, the school, the police . . . The coal company owned everything and made all the rules for the town. The houses went from the richest people to the poorest people.

The bosses lived at one end of the town. (show photo of a boss’s house p. 66)

And then the miner’s houses, which just had two rooms and were pretty leaky and had an outhouse that was shared for two families. (show photo p. 69)

And at the far end was shacks for the unskilled workers, with sometimes 20 or 30 people crowded into one shack and lots of cockroaches and mice and bedbugs.

And here’s a story Samuel Wentovich, who grew up here, told his family:

“There were twelve of us kids. There were three or 4 of us kids in one bed. Instead of lengthwise, we’d sleep crossways. I used to tie my end of the blanket to the end of the bed so nobody could steal it. My brother used to pull it off me.”

The coal company charged very high rent and didn’t seem to care much about the safety of the houses. Sometimes the houses were built on top of the mines and if the land shifted, the house would fall in. One family had to move when the kitchen caved in, swallowing the furniture. They managed to rescue the coal stove just before it began to slip in. (show photo. P. 70)

There was a water pump in the village that sometimes 25 families would use for their water. The women and children would wait in line to carry buckets of water home for laundry and baths. (photo p. 71) A woman said her mother always told her, “It’s hard to get at keeping clean when you’re tired from carrying all that water.”

People made brick ovens to cook bread in the back yard when it was hot. A family had to bake about 20 loaves of bread each week.

Families had chickens and pigs and goats in their yard. And each family owned a cow or two. All the cows would graze in the open land and kids would drive them home at night. A woman named,





Helen said, “In the evening when the cows came home from grazing, all you could hear was the tinkling of bells. Our cow would come in and put her head over our gate and moo. That way we knew she was home and it was time to feed her up and milk her.” A man named Alex McLaughlin said one day his family’s cow sank into a mine cave. When they found her she was twenty-five feet below the surface. She must have sank gradually because the cow didn’t seem hurt. But the family decided to kill her there and carry the meat home because of all the trouble it would take to get her out again.

Each patch village had a company store that was owned by the coal company. Women bought flour and sugar and things they couldn’t make. Men brought gun powder and oil and mining supplies. On payday, children who had a nickel to spend bought candy and ice cream.

Coal companies made a lot of money off the store. They sometimes charged way more for things at their store, but if miners complained or went to another town to shop, they might loose their jobs or be kicked out of their houses. Whenever a miner needed something from the store they would deduct it out of his pay, so a lot of times when it was payday, miners would find out they had already spent their paycheck or even spent more than their paycheck and owed their company money! One man said the store used to deduct money for things you didn’t even buy, but when his granddad complained, people told him, “You better keep quiet if you want to keep your job.”

People had to buy coal from the company to heat their houses. This made some people mad because they had already mined that coal. And lots of people didn’t have any money to pay for coal, so the women and children would go out with buckets and wheelbarrows to the piles of coal that were thrown out and gather coal. This was against the rules, and sometimes the company sent people to smash their buckets and wheelbarrows. Also, it was dangerous.

One woman said her family’s neighbor never came home from gathering coal and they found out she had climbed up to high on the hill and there was a cave-in and it swallowed her. (photos p. 77)





A woman named Lil Ferretti said, “Each day before it was light, my grandmother and her sisters were sent out to pick coal for their coal stove. The neighbors would hear their wagon creaking along the dark streets. They’d fill the wagon with coal, then hurry home, get washed up, and go to school. The next day the’d go pick coal again.”

Some kids went to school but they often didn’t go many years because their family had trouble buying food and paying rent. Buy the time they were 10 or 12 a lot of boys went to work to help their families (often working in the coal mines with their fathers) and a sometimes girls got married after they were 13. (show some kids mining photos p. 14, 18, 30, 82last page, 40)

One man who worked in the mines as a kid said, “Many a time I cried with the pain, but yet when the whistle blew for quitting time in the evening, I was so happy as a king to know I had finished another day and added another quarter to my pay to help support my family.”

Exploring character thoughts and behavior: So hearing these stories makes me wonder what the people in these photos dreamed about . . . I wander what kind of dreams they have for themselves and their grandchildren. I wonder what they want to do when they grow up, or what kind of town they would like their grandchildren and great grandchildren to grow up in. We can find out by putting ourselves into the place of these mining families.

o Tableaux: First, we will create some frozen images of the people in this town and their daily lives – like a photograph.

I’m going to put you into groups (count off into groups of 5) and I’ll give you a minute to decide what’s going on in the photo and where it was taken. You can decide whether each person is an adult or a kid and how you know each other (maybe you are related or just friends) and whether you are working or having fun and what you’re doing.

Have them write 3 things on an index card or paper: Who the characters are (relationship – family, co-workers,

friends, whether adults, children, or both . . ) Where the photo was taken (indoors or out) What activity the people in the photo were engaged in





When I count you down and say freeze, you should freeze, focusing on each other and your activity – not posing for the camera (like you don’t notice someone is taking a photograph of you)

When they have created the images, have each half the room walk around and look at each others’ images. (This takes time—and students were tempted to poke at each other. They may be just able to relax and look from where they are standing.)

Students may tell what they see and students may share what they created.

o Verbalizing: Now I’d like you to imagine some of the things these people thought about.

Resume your frozen images. When I stand next to an image, anyone in that image may speak. Say either “my dream is ______” or “my dream for my kids/

grandkids is ____. o You may tell your dream for yourself or your kids or

grandkids (kids might tell what they want to be when they grow up, and adults might tell what they want for their kids or grandkids when they grow up—what they want them to have or to be able to do.)

(this would take less time than a sociogram and might work better with this exercise where most of the dreams will be true for all characters.)

Note: students seemed to want to say what they were thinking first in the moment. After they did that, I tried to steer them toward thinking long term (I want to own a mine company vs. I want my brother to play with me). Some students did that and others stayed in the present.

Or Action sociogram: I’ll ask you to make a circle. Anyone who wants to can step forward and speak for their

character. (If necessary explain the difference between actor and character.)

Say, “My dream is ______ “ or “my dream for my kids/ grandkids is ____.

If it’s true for any other character, that actor may step in and join that person in the center of the circle. Then both step back.





Demonstrate.

The following day, students discovered that in the current time period, this town had a lot of poverty. They learned that a committee had been formed to address poverty in the town and chose a name for the committee. They took on characters from the current town who were struggling financially. They heard that the committee was planning to distribute some financial aid, so they wrote financial aid application narratives explaining their financial situation to the committee and why they needed the money. I then read some of these at the next class. This is that day’s lesson, where they took on characters of members of the committee and did belief-building activities for those characters:

Read cards/ 2nd Question / Make a class acting contract: 5 min. Reconvene on floor. Read applications quickly. Take them seriously. Would you like to know what the funders did when they got these

applications? I don’t know, but I know how we can find out. We have to take on the roles of the members of the _____ committee and try to

think and act like them. Could you do that? Here’s the deal. I can take on the role of the chair of the committee and try to

think and act like her (which is hard, because I’ve never chaired a committee like this before and had the weight of that responsibility on me and people blaming me if things go wrong.). But I’m willing to try that if you are willing to try to take on the role of the adult committee members and think and behave like them. Can you do that? Will you try?

I may need to explain that even though I don’t know all about being a chair of a committee, and don’t have a lot of time to interview one, I have a great imagination and use it whenever I have to play a character whose life is different from my own.

I need to make sure we all agree to try this before we go on.Character Questions: 5 min. Students think while drama teacher questions (pause for students to think)

So I would like you to close your eyes now, and I’m going to ask you some questions about your character. You are a professional in this community. What is your profession? What

do you do for a living? Do you own your own business? Are you an elected official? Are you a teacher or a doctor or police officer?

How old are you exactly? (You need to be old enough to have completed the education you would need to do your job. Be exact.)





Why did you decide to take on this career? Do you enjoy your work? What other jobs did you think about choosing? Did you do other jobs before this one?

Are you married? Do you have children? If so, do your children go to school with any kids

who are struggling financially? Are they friends with those kids or not? Do they ever invite one of those kids over to your house?

Do you have employees or co-workers who you know are in financial difficulty?

Where do you live in _________ town? Could you describe your house to someone so that that person could

recognize it from a photograph? How big is it? Is it made of brick? Or wood? How big is the front yard? Are there trees in the yard?

Exactly where is your house in _______ town? Is it near a part of town where families are living in poverty? Do you drive through areas of town where you can see that people are having financial troubles or are less well off than you? How can you tell?

Who are your neighbors? Do you get along with them? What do you think they say about you to other people?

What are your hobbies? Etc.

Character Sharing: 5 – 20 min. Talking in Pairs (5 min.)

o Students pair up (grab a partner and sit together. If you need a partner, raise your hand) – or pair them up myself.

o Discuss with your partner what you have decided about yourself as a professional in the community.

Take about 2 minutes. I’ll tell you to switch.

Or Interviewing (15 min.) p. 64

o Pair interviewing: Choose who is A and who is B A’s raise your hand. A’s just for a minute forget about the job you chose for

yourself. You are a reporter. You are doing a news story on this committee and have been

sent to interview a committee member. You must find out everything you can about that person. (Demonstrate with a student) A’s interview B’s / teacher circulates, encouraging students to

dig deeper for more details.o Reporting back:





All interviewers please stand. Tell us one thing you learned from your interview. Be selective.

What was the most interesting thing you learned? If students report silly choices, let the actors know that they’re

not following our agreement to really try to think like an adult professional in the community. (also take it as a clue that students are not buying In yet and need more belief building activities.)

o Pair interviewing again: B’s interview A’s as before Be sure to find out what they studied in college and whether

they like their job, and anything else you can.o Drama Teacher in role, questioning:

B’s stand Teacher goes into role, taking a definite opinion about the

committee members’ characters “So you’ve been interviewing members of ______? I

heard the people in that organization were all just in it for the money. Did it seem that way to you?”

“I bet they don’t really care about poor people. I bet they just want to look good to get elected to the city council.”

“I don’t think those guys will ever stand up to a big organization like the Pepsi company, do you? I think they’re like all rich people – just trying to mess with poor people for their own personal gain. I think all rich people just work together to make sure poor people don’t get ahead. Don’t you agree?”

“Doesn’t it kind of seem like in the old days when the mining company made all the rules for the town and decided who got ahead and who didn’t? Like when you had to act like they were great or they could just squash you?”

“ Would you trust the committee member you talked to with your personal information that they ask for on the application? Did she seem honest to you?”

If someone expresses an opinion one way or the other, ask them what gave them that impression. Probe for details about the reporter’s perception of the teacher’s character, competency, etc.

“This guy over here thought the committee member he interviewed was really conscientious and really wanted to help people. Was that your impression too?





(students are forced to go into role and make a judgment about the person they just interviewed.)

Opt: decide and diagram the set up for the meeting room.Set up the room physically (setting): 5 min-- opt.

What does the committee’s meeting room look like? Do you think we could create a room like that with the furniture we have

here? (use chairs or desks and chairs depending on room and classroom teacher preference)

Move any items not necessary for the scene out of the playing area (student books, etc.)

Is this how you want the room?Find a way of standing or sitting (character) / Still image while teacher narrates:

Students sit somewhere in room and find a way of sitting that makes you feel more like an adult teacher.

Count down: 3,2,1, freeze. Students stand and move away from desks / chairs Find a way of standing that makes you feel like an adult teacher. Count down: 3,2,1, freeze. Students stay frozen while teacher narrates:

o As the organization’s members finished up their day’s work, they remembered the meeting scheduled for this evening. They had already gotten several phone calls from the newspaper and from people in the community. So many people were suffering and were looking to them for solutions. Would they be able to live up to the hope that people placed in them?

Speaking thoughts out loud (character): Students continue to freeze. I’m going to come around and put my hand on some of your shoulders,

and if I do, I’d like you to tell us what that teacher is thinking while waiting for the meeting to start.

Just tell us one thought that’s in your head at the moment I put my hand on your shoulder.

Alternatively: Committee members pose in a photograph for the newspaper on the steps of the public library (before the meeting)Note that students did have some difficulty choosing a professional job for themselves. I tried to take their choices and suggest status increases. “You cut hair? How about we say you own your own hair salon – a ritzy, fashionable one?” or “You’re a hunter? I wonder if you do that in your spare time but for your job you own and manage the sporting goods store in town.”

General Drama Activities (Theatre Games):

Warm-up Exercise to teach focus with elementary students:





Focus is an underlying skill that allows students to safely create within boundaries. I generally begin drama instruction at the elementary level by teaching focus, and watch to see that students have achieved a level of body awareness, physical self-control, and the ability to monitor themselves and implement strategies for re-gaining control before moving on to the next drama activity. I begin most elementary school drama lessons with one or more focus warm-up exercise.

Warm-up game: Shake out and freeze:

Isolation shake out o Stand in neutral position (feet shoulder distance apart, weight

evenly on both feet (not one hip jutting, etc.), arms hanging to your sides, head tall, face looking straight ahead with no particular expression, eyes fixed on a spot, still, silent.

o In this position, begin to move only the fingers of your right hand. Nothing else. (stay with this until most students have achieved this level of isolation)

o Now, begin moving your whole hand up to the wrist. Make sure the rest of your body stays still.

o Now move your right hand up to the elbow (keep reminding, as needed, to keep rest of body still. Also remind them that this is a silent exercise).

o Now move your whole right armo Now with that right arm moving however it wants, start to move only

the fingers of the left hand.o Now add the whole left hand, up to the wrist.o Now the left arm up to the elbow.o Now both arms are moving anywhere they want but nothing else on

your body is moving. The rest of your body is very still.o Now add the head.o Now add the body above the waist, but the hips and everything

below them are still very still.o Now add everything above the feet, but the feet are still stuck to the

floor. o Now – silently—shake your whole body. Listen for the next

instructions. Now in a minute I’m going to ask you to silently shake your whole body

and then freeze when I call freeze. Freeze in such a way that only the bottoms of your feet are touching the floor and nothing else.

Freeze!o What do I mean by freeze?

Body frozen (not moving) Voice frozen (no sound) Eyes frozen on one spot on the wall





What if you’re falling over? Choose a new position and re-freeze

What if someone is making you laugh? What can you do to get control of yourself so you can freeze without laughing?

Focus on a spot on the wall. Use all your self-control to stop laughing (like an actor in a sad play can’t laugh, even if

something is funny.) Shake. Freeze. Continue. Discuss the importance of focus in theatre. (someone is spacing

or messing around when they’re supposed to say a line or give a prop to you and they leave you looking silly in front of the audience, etc.)

Continue multiple times, holding freezes until everyone gains control and is frozen and silent

o Please use your self-control to completely freeze. Please focus on one spot. Etc.

Variations: o Now freeze in a high position. Shake again.o Now freeze in a low position – but be careful that only the bottoms

of your feet are touching the floor – nothing else.o Now freeze in a medium position.o Now choose any position – high, medium, or lowo Now choose a different position from the one you just chose (if you

were high, choose medium or low)o Now freeze as:

Your character A water molecule An animal that has an exoskeleton A machine that came out of the Industrial Revolution The first letter of the word, “cat” (you can forgo the “only

bottoms of feet touching floor” rule when you feel they can handle it.)

The word “altitude” (let them interpret vocabulary words however they choose. Possibly talk about why they chose to interpret them the way they did.)

Etc.o Now move around the room as your character would move.

This can include a personification of an inanimate object. You can have them explore both theatre and dance

performance elements here (gesture, body alignment, facial expression, levels, sharp/smooth, high/low, slow/fast, etc.)

Water molecule freezes, turns to steam, encounters other molecules, etc.





Move in a sneaky, proud, etc. way Move in a sharp manner Add a facial expression that might go with that

movement. “The Martha Game” http://www.childdrama.com/warmups.html is another

great game for teaching focus to young students.

Mirroring: A focus warm-up for all grade levels: Here is a link to an excellent website that has instructions for drama games. Go to lesson plans > mirror, mirror (this is on the old childdrama site). http://www.childdrama.com/mainframe.html

Spin and freeze (useful for vocabulary)Everyone stand in a circle and face out. Teacher says a word and counts down from 5 to “freeze”. Students begin to spin into the circle when she starts counting and freezes on the word “freeze”. After a few times of this, ask if they are using a variety of levels. Ask if there are several people in a row at the same level. Count again and see if they can be aware of their neighbors and choose a different level from their neighbors. Ask if they could get even more variety of levels. If so, try again. Keep this expectation of variety of levels for future words and count more than once if necessary to achieve that. This same technique can be used to improve tableaux if they are static or need energy and variety of expression (Count and re-freeze several times. Ask the audience to tell when it is most interesting and why.)

Narrative Pantomime (example of teaching Science through drama. Additional science lessons here: http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/science-drama-lessons.html

o Spread out in the room. o Now you are a leaf of that plant, Freeze.

Begin to move like a leaf in the wind (feet stay stuck to the floor). o Now you are a leaf that is dying from lack of water (remember facial

expression is part of it). o Now you’re a leaf that is dying even moreo Now a leaf that’s completely shriveled and deado Now you’re a water molecule being pulled up the stem of the plant to

save a leaf that’s not quite dead yet (talk students through roots, stem, etc.).

o Now you’re the sun sending its energy into the leafo Now you’re the water molecule again. You’ve reached the leaf, o Now in just a minute (but not yet), the sun’s energy is going to hit you,

and you are going to explode into an oxygen atom and 2 hydrogen atoms.



http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/science-drama-lessons.html

http://www.childdrama.com/mainframe.html

http://www.childdrama.com/warmups.html



You’re going to make a sound when you explode, but the explosion and the sound is only going to last for a second.

And then your feet are going to be stuck to the floor again. Here comes the sun’s energy. Ready? 1,2,3, Explode! Freeze!

o Now you are an oxygen atom, but Oxygen atoms don’t like to be alone. So you find another oxygen atom to hold onto to make a molecule. (An oxygen molecule is two Oxygen atoms together.)

If an oxygen atom is left alone, he’s going to grab a pair of oxygen atoms and make a Ozone (which is three Oxygen atoms together) because Oxygen atoms really don’t like to be alone.

o Now as your molecule, you’re going to look for a stomata in the leaf to escape through.

o You found it now, so you climb out. o You’re out in the air, but the air is cold. o The oxygen molecules are moving very slowly and are close together. o But the sun is out, so the air is heating up. o As the molecules heat up, they begin to move just a little bit faster (not

too fast). o Freeze. I have some instructions for the actors. There are invisible

molecules all around you. You might bump into one of them and change direction suddenly. But don’t bump into other actors because someone might be uncomfortable or get hurt. You can just bump into the invisible molecules. Now you can move again.

Process: What was it like as actors playing the role of oxygen atoms How was it different when you became a molecule? Was it hard to do what you needed to do for your character

(bump into things) and still take care of yourself and your scene partners (other actors in the scene)?

For teachers: How would you document this for program review? Teachers assess selves based on student self-

evaluation forms Note: For a problem solving activity, you could stop in the middle

and have the students think of ways to do the exercise of moving fast and bumping into other molecules without any actors getting hurt. If needed, you could suggest a solution, or they might have a great one you hadn’t thought of.

For instance: When teachers at last year’s PD tried this out, we discovered it was difficult for a pair of oxygen atoms bonded together to react together to a collision from an invisible molecule. One atom responded to the other atom (there was a delay). This might or might not reflect the way this really is in nature. It might or might not be a creative problem that would need to be solved and the activity revised accordingly.





Tableau / Frozen Image Exercise (with elementary students): (here’s a nice video on using tableau to teach literacy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B89ZxL0kv5M )

Demonstrateo I start by teaching focus (see above).o 3-5 volunteer students come up

Explain: Tableau is a frozen picture (like a DVD paused at an exciting moment)

Students and teacher make a tableau of a baseball game (or something else active but obvious)

Get an audience student to count down from 5 to freeze. Ask class:

How are we using our whole bodies to communicate? (adjust to use whole bodies more)

How are we communicating _____? (conflict, action, what we want, what we’re trying to do, etc. . . .)

How could we communicate that better? (adjust in response to suggestions)

Now count off into groups of 5o Explain artistic standards you are expecting, ie:

use whole body, communicate who or what you are, communicate relationship communicate what’s happening show conflict etc. .. . .

o You have 30 seconds (or give them 1-3 minutes) to create a tableau of ____ (a certain scene from a book, a water molecule, the force of gravity, the Boston Tea Party, the word, “_____”, the action in a word [math] problem, . . . . etc. etc.)

o Warn that you’re about to count down.o Count down to Freeze.o Process according to arts standards:o Technical:

Did you/they stay focused? Did you/they show conflict? Did you/they use whole body to communicate? How could we do these things more effectively? (adjust and

show again)o Communication:

To audience: What did they communicate? To actors: Is that what you were trying to communicate? To audience: What was your clue? Why did you think they

were trying to communicate that? To actors: How could we communicate more clearly?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B89ZxL0kv5M




Try again and see how it communicates.o Other curriculum content:

Did they have cell phones at that time? What would happen if the hydrogen molecule bumped into

him? Let’s see that. What sequence should these images go in? Can you

arrange your images in order of _________ ? What happened next? What just happened before this

moment? What will happen next? How does this image communicate the meaning of this word

to you? What letter comes next?

Frozen image / movement: (example of applying science content, but works with any “story”.)

Groups of 3-4 First teach tableau (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B89ZxL0kv5M Give each group a card about a step in the process of photosynthesis:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/process-of-photosynthesis.html

o Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere enters the plant leaf through the stomata ( pores in the leaves and stem)

o Water molecules enter the roots (roots draw them in)o Water molecules are transported up the stem to the leaveso The sun shines and the chlorophyll (green pigment) in the leaves traps

the energy.o The sun’s energy changes (splits) the water into hydrogen and oxygen.o The hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide to make food for the plant.o The oxygen escapes (or is released or is expelled) through the stomata

( pores in the leaves and stem).o (chemical reactions occur within the plant. Would be included in lesson

for older students.) 30 seconds to create a tableau. Count down. Show /discuss

o Could have them mixed up so we have to guess, etc.o Could have to put in order without any group explaining what they

represent (only knowing themselves and guessing about others.—although they would find out as they hear other group discussions. Might have to rig up a system where each group had a number and they decided order of numbers.)

o Could talk about communication – feedback for actors – what is communicated? Is this what you wanted to communicate? What could you do differently to communicate that more effectively?—do this with one group.



http://www.buzzle.com/articles/process-of-photosynthesis.html




Figure out how to activate (use slow motion movement to communicate your photosynthesis step)

Put on music and activate the tableaux in succession around the room. o Vivaldi Four Seasons: Springo Edvard Grieg: Morning Mood (from Peer Gynt)

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=QJPgQMUVnY8&feature=BFa&list=PL2750F5E21D6C3347

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEzh3MwILY&feature=related Or if no speakers available, ask students to start making a

soundscape that sounds like springtime, and build on one another. Process.

Additional Narrative Pantomime Instructions (for elementary):

Create a narrative with a lot of action. Ask students to spread around the room so that they are not touching each other. Narrate and have students pantomime the actions as you narrate them. They can pick any character or switch characters during the narration. If desired, stop and ask for class input and incorporate it into the story. Ex: TEACHER: “And then they found a big . . . “ STUDENT: “gun!” TEACHER: “something that looked sort of like a gun but then they realized it was really a . . .” (you control the story and decide which choices to incorporate). Or TEACHER: “And then the giant leaf said . . .” (they supply dialogue). “Exactly! He said, ‘Bring me my water molecules!’

Create and walk in imaginary space/ environment. (Applied to Reading or even to math word problems). Complete instructions here: http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/drama-literacy-lessons.html

Read a literary passage and describe in great detail what you “see in every direction, including above and below. Probe for more and more details. Then walk in the space, touching and interacting with the imaginary environment. (Theatre is behaving in imaginary circumstances.)

One-word Story Improv Game – for Grammar. Complete instructions here: http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/writing-drama-lessons.html

Stand in a circle Tell a story one word at at a time. Add in grammar gestures.



http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/writing-drama-lessons.html

http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/drama-literacy-lessons.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEzh3MwILY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJPgQMUVnY8&feature=BFa&list=PL2750F5E21D6C3347

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJPgQMUVnY8&feature=BFa&list=PL2750F5E21D6C3347



Persuasive Writing Improv: http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/drama-literacy-lessons.html

Resources: Professional Development Opportunities:

o Susan is available for artist residencies k-12 and/or PD workshops. She will assist with writing the Teaching Arts Together grant through the Kentucky Arts Council. A week of grant-funded residency can include up to 3 hours of teacher PD.

o Berea Festival of Learnshops: Check back next year for PD workshops.o Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

http://www.kentuckycenter.org/Education/School Books and websites

o My own web site has lesson plans for integrating drama across the curriculum: http://susanpope.com/k-12-lesson-plans

o I also have many links to arts education resources: http://susanpope.com/links o Theatre Games for the Classroom, by Viola Spolin (This is a classic book. It

gives very clear instructions for teaching basic theatre games that can be adapted for many purposes.) http://books.google.com/books/about/Theater_Games_for_the_Classroom.html?id=_Cp-xvnCEgIC

o Role Drama, by Tarlington/Verriour (Role drama is the British way of doing theatre in education, and is particularly applicable to integrating theatre into other subject matter.) http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=7869981

o Wings to Fly: Bringing Theatre Arts to Students With Special Needs, by Sally Bailey http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Fly-Bringing-Theatre-Students/dp/0933149581

o Sociodrama: Who’s in Your Shoes? by Patricia Sternberg and Antonia Garcia. (Sociodrama games are especially useful for social studies, language arts, health, practical living, and behavior skills.) This is out of print but well worth searching for at a college library.

o www.childdrama.com (many great drama lesson plans indexed by grade level, with cross-curricular connections. A wonderful resource.)

o http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/teachers/lesson/drama/lesson/units.html (drama lesson plans indexed by grade level and theatre skills addressed)

o http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators.aspx ( Arts lesson plans from the Kennedy Center)

o A google search for “improv games” will turn up games and warm-ups used in comedy improv that can also be adapted for educational purposes. “One word scene” is one such game. A youtube search will provide many instructional videos for common improv games.

o The same can be said for a google or youtube search for “creative drama”. This will bring up theatre games, primarily aimed at elementary or middle school.

o Strengthening Verbal Skills through the Use of Classroom Drama: A Clear Link: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3333644?uid=3739256&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102520284967 by Ann Podlozny (Check with a University Library to view this JSTOR article, which



http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3333644?uid=3739256&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102520284967

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3333644?uid=3739256&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102520284967

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators.aspx

http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/teachers/lesson/drama/lesson/units.html

http://www.childdrama.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Fly-Bringing-Theatre-Students/dp/0933149581

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=7869981

http://books.google.com/books/about/Theater_Games_for_the_Classroom.html?id=_Cp-xvnCEgIC

http://books.google.com/books/about/Theater_Games_for_the_Classroom.html?id=_Cp-xvnCEgIC

http://susanpope.com/links

http://susanpope.com/k-12-lesson-plans

http://www.kentuckycenter.org/Education/School

http://susanpope.com/lesson-plans/drama-literacy-lessons.html



documents studies about the effectiveness of drama in Literacy education – not a how-to article.)

o A Reason to Read: Linking Literacy and the Arts, by Eileen Landay and Kurt Wootton http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Read-Linking-Literacy-Arts/dp/1612504604

Excerpt from A Reason to Read:



http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Read-Linking-Literacy-Arts/dp/1612504604



http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Read-Linking-Literacy-Arts/dp/1612504604#reader_B00ELV5WMA





common core standards: reading (drama...

Documents