Lesson 2 Lesson Title: Where Am I?

Beginning to Understand Blocking Lesson Author: Shanda Veatch Grade Level: 6, 7, 8 Subject Area: Theatre Time Allotted for the Lesson: 1 hour or 1 -2 class periods Short Description of Lesson: Students will be led through the interactive web pages in order to learn about blocking. Upon conclusion of this activity, they will have a discussion regarding the need for understanding blocking, and examples will be given using students in the classroom for demonstration. Classroom Layout and Grouping of Students: This unit will take place in an open theatre classroom. Students will be led through the graphics by the instructor through whole group instruction. Students will also participate in small group demonstrations as well as paired for creating their visuals. State Curriculum Standards met in this lesson: EALR 1 The student understands and applies arts knowledge and skills in theatre Component 1.1: Understands and applies arts concepts and vocabulary. Component 1.2: Develops arts skills and techniques. EALR 2 The student demonstrates thinking skills using artistic processes of creating, performing/presenting and responding in theatre. Component 2.1: Applies a creative process in the arts (dance, music, theatre and visual arts.) (Identifies, explores, gathers, interprets, uses ideas, implements, reflects, refines, presents) Component 2.2: Applies a performance process. (Identifies, selects, analyzes, interprets, rehearses, adjusts, refines, presents, exhibits, produces, reflects, and selfevaluates) Component 2.3: Applies a responding process. (Engages, describes, analyzes, interprets, and evaluates) EALR 3 The student communicates through the arts (dance, music, theatre and visual arts).

Component: 3.1: Uses the arts to express and present ideas and feelings. Component: 3.2: Uses the arts to communicate for a specific purpose. Component: 3.3: Develops personal aesthetic criteria to communicate artistic choices. National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETSS) met in this lesson: 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression. c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. d. identify trends and forecast possibilities. Instructional Objective(s): Each instructional objective [learning outcome] for this lesson should identify the A, B, C and D.(Activities are NOT learning outcomes). 1. Students will demonstrate understanding of stage directions by verbally identifying the locations on the stage when prompted by the teacher 2. Students will view written stage directions and effectively communicate them to a team partner. 3. Students will, upon hearing spoken stage directions, properly execute these blocking movements. Materials, Resources and Technology: 1. Computer with broadband internet connection 2. Web based instructional materials 3. Computer projector 4. Projector screen 5. Printer 6. Writing tools (ie pen or pencil) 7. Blank drawing paper

Web Addresses needed for this lesson:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/veatchs/506/506%20homepage.htm http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/veatchs/506/which%20way%20gif.htm http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/veatchs/506/Attention.html http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/veatchs/506/stage%20movements/stage%20directions.html http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/veatchs/506/Review%20Lighting/beginning/Start%20Page. html

Students Present level of Performance and Knowledge: Students need no theatrical or technology background knowledge in order to complete this lesson. This is a beginning unit which is designed for an introduction to the theatre course. Instructional Procedures Lesson Set: In order to communicate in the theatre, it is important for everyone to use the same language. This is especially important in directing movement on the stage. People involved in performance will often find written references to stage directions within scripts, and actors, directors, stage managers, production teams, and set designers use this simple form of scoring plays in order to communicate movement, stage layout and design. Students will be using these stage directions throughout the year in their Theatre class. So far, students have been involved in interactive exercises through improvisation. The stage terminology has been used for all instruction in the class. Students will be directing scenes using this same terminology at the conclusion of this unit. Techniques and Activities: 1. Introduce the Advance Organizer Graphic. 2. Ask the students to describe a simple way to communicate with the actor in the graphic to make a simple cross to Stage Right 3. Display the graphic at the bottom of the page. Explain the orientation and how each box represents a place on the stage. 4. Display the graphic Attention Visual. Quiz the students using this visual. Point at a box, and ask them to identify the location. Roll over the box to check for the correct answer. 5. Display the Mental Models and Near Transfer Graphic. Ask students, in groups of three or four to move from center stage to a given point on the stage. When the students have made a choice, play the graphic in order to check their answers. This can be done with multiple groups of volunteers until students have demonstrated understanding of this concept. 6. Display the Facts Graphic. Students can interact with this graphic independently or as a whole group with a student volunteer. They can use this to further their understanding of stage directions.

Lesson Closure: Instructor will provide interactive opportunity for students to interact with the Facts graphic. Adaptations for Special Learners: Students will be given the opportunity to work on this lesson within whole group and small groups for instructional mastery. Supplemental Activities: Extension and remediation: Students will be given the chance to review the material upon conclusion of this lesson, as well as ask for clarification throughout this process. Assessment/Evaluation: There will be an informal assessment at the end of this lesson. Students will demonstrate their understanding based upon discussion participation, as well as demonstrating understanding by working as small groups moving about the stage to the mental models and near transfer graphic. Student Products: N/A