Drama Activities

Waxworks (Level I)

Students all sit in a circle. The teacher begins to tell a detailed story about one time that he/she visited the Waxworks museum in London.  They describe what the museum looked like, felt like, and what they saw. The goal is to make the students feel like they are really there. Then, the teacher gets locked into the museum after it closes because he/she needed to use the bathroom. The teacher decides to take a closer look at some of the figures, when they hear the footsteps of a security guard. The teacher quickly freezes and tries to blend in with whatever wax figure is nearby, trying not to be seen. At this point, the teacher asks students to stand up and pretend like they are the person locked in the museum.  The teacher chooses different rooms to be in, such as a pop room, a king room, a room with famous sportsmen, etc. The students tip-toe around the room, until they hear footsteps (drum beats made by the teacher). Once the students hear the footsteps, they must freeze to blend into whatever room they are in.  The teacher then pretends to be the security guard and walks around the room, trying to catch anyone who isn't being completely still. I think this game is a great way to allow students an opportunity to "get their feet wet" into the world of drama. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, as it was the first drama activity we did, but by the end of it, and when we got more comfortable around each other and the teacher, it became a lot of fun. I think children would be less afraid or shy to act out these different people. I think it is a must-do in a classroom in the beginning of the school year.

Waxworks (Level II)

Waxworth Level II takes acting to the next level. Students pair up in groups of two (or three, if necessary). The teacher explains to students each pair will choose a folktale to act out. In this phase, students are acting out a preview to their folktale. Students get three poses for their preview, each static, without any talking.  Students' goal is to grab the audience's attention, make them want to see the movie, but not give away the ending. For these reasons, they must choose their "poses" carefully. This ended up being really cool. You could tell which folktale each grow used. My partner and I chose to act out Little Red Riding Hood. In the first scene, we showed the wolf pretending to be Little Red and the grandma in bed. In the next pose, we showed the wolf attacking the grandma. In the third scene, we chased the wolf disguised as the grandma and Little Red at the door. This left the audience hanging, but also gave enough information to tell what folktale it is and what the main events are. Our class loved this, so I know kids would too!

Dramatizing a Story (Level III)

In this level, the students get to use language to act out a preview of their folktale. Once again, they get three (20-30 seconds) takes to represent their folktale. The goal is to really incorporate drama into the acting and talking, making the audience feel like they were there and want to see more. Some students really got into it, and others were a bit shy. However, this is a great place to (gently) "push" students out of their comfort zones and work on their storytelling and acting. Also, the teacher encouraged us to use our whole bodies to tell the story. If the teacher could tell students weren't really trying, they gave them tips to keep trying until they are really acting. We chose to tell Snow White this time. In the first scene, the Queen looked into the mirror and asked, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?" The mirror responded, "Snow White." The scene ends with Snow White looking pure and beautiful, and the Queen looking outraged. In the next scene, we acted out when the Queen gives Snow White an apple. We were encouraged to really show the evilness of the Queen's actions, and the innocence of Snow White, looking up at the Queen as if she is pure and kind. In the final scene, Snow White bites into the apple and dramatically falls to the ground. The Queen cackles in delight. What a great way to get students to act and have fun with it! I will definitely do these three levels of this game in my classroom.

Simulating the Assembly Line (Social science project on the Industrial Revolution)

This was such a cool activity that I definitely will do in my classroom if I can get the resources (which are simple and cheap). The teacher asks students to collect newspapers and bring them to school. Depending on how many students you have, form 2-3 groups (2 is ideal). If possible, transform the classroom so there are two long tables and all of the chairs pushed aside. These represent two assembly lines in a factory. Cover the tables with extra newspaper or butcher paper to protect them from glue. Make a mixture of glue and water to make a Modge-podge like mixture. Without demonstrating how to make the newspaper "pipes," the teacher shows the student workers what they need to produce. The teacher should also introduce the materials students may use: newspaper, glue, paintbrushes, and dowel sticks. (To form the pipes, students soak a large piece of newspaper in the glue mixture. Next, students use dowel sticks to wrap the newspaper around to form the pipes.) Finally students deliver their pipes to a safe place for them to dry. Ideally, students should line up on both sides of the table, each in charge of one of the steps of the process, forming an assembly line. The teacher allows students 10 minutes to figure out how to make the pipes and process manufacturing them. Then, the teacher introduces the competition. Students will have five minutes to make as many pipes as the can. They will be scored on two categories: quality and quantity. Whichever group scores highest, is the winner. We had several 3-5 sessions to keep racing against the other group, once we discovered strategies. This was an excellent way to show students what it might have felt like to work in a factory during the Industrial Revolution. It was not a glorious job, and they pay was minimal. At the same time, it encourages group work and kinesthetic growth. I loved this activity and also how it connects to another project the is introduced later-building geodescent domes!