Designing Drama Learning Experiences for the Classroom

There are many different ways to learn about drama in a structured manner. The elements discussed here are just one way to organize drama activities in the classroom. This method focuses on using storytelling, with its conflicts and characters, as a central part of the learning experience. By using a variety of 21 specific drama tools alongside these elements, students can explore drama and other curricular content in more detail.

Imagination

Begin with imagination, concentrating on visualization, sensory work, and identifying creative choice. For example, after classroom read-aloud, teachers could encourage students to imagine and share a possible ending to the story, or imagine a particular scene differently.

Dramatic Play

Engage children's natural dramatic play skills by inviting them to pretend, participate in role-play, and become characters, objects, or aspects of the setting or environment of the story. One way of practicing dramatic play is encouraging students to act out a favorite memory.

Movement and Rhythm

Adding movement and rhythm organizes the students' energy as they incorporate repeated patterns of gesture, sound, and percussion that support their exploration of character, conflict, and setting. The student's use of body, voice, and imagination to incorporate movement and rhythm helps deeply express emotions and experiences in a different manner than using only words or speech. For example, class members could use movement and rhythm to demonstrate the feelings and language in Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky.”

Pantomime

Next, try pantomime, or acting with no voice, though music can be added. Students' use of abstract movement and precise, natural movement in pantomime can illustrate an emotion or emphasize the sensory details of a story. Using characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, students could take turns pantomiming each child's choices and consequences during the factory tour.

Improvisation

Students can practice improvisation, which reflects a spontaneous, unrehearsed scene co-created with partner(s) without pen or paper. For example, one student might assume the role of a slave owner while another student acts as an abolitionist, meeting for the first time at a dinner party.

Playmaking/Storytelling

Incorporate playmaking and storytelling for informal audiences, including puppetry and playwriting. Sets, props, costumes, sound, and lighting are design elements that can be added. Favorite books or stories can provide inspiration for these live, three-dimensional performances. Consider a winter-themed Bunraku puppet show of Snowmen at Night, or a fashion show to accompany the text of Today I Feel Silly, or a shadow puppet presentation to accompany a poem by Shel Silverstein.

Creating Theatre

Intended for more formal audiences, theatre involves more advanced performance skills, rehearsal time, in-depth design development, and production work. (See vocabulary section above.) Guided classroom drama is designed primarily for in-depth learning and expression. While guided drama may develop preparatory and foundational tools for a more advanced and formal theatre production at a future point, theatre production is not intended to be a primary focus or end goal of guided classroom drama. Additionally, as a general rule, formal theatre should not be a requirement of children before fourth grade, although interested children can certainly self-select into after-school drama groups, or participate in professional or community theatre.

Try Designing Your Own Drama Lesson

Give it a try! Put this framework into practice, adapt it to fit your needs, and use the 21 red-hot process drama tools to support your lesson. The best way to develop the skill of integrating drama instruction into the classroom is to practice!

However, if you need a drama lesson ready-made for you to use today, check out the drama-integrated lesson plans designed for K-6 classrooms on our website. You can find drama lesson plans that support student autonomy and artistic expression and their understanding of core standards in math, English, science, health, and social studies.