Drama and Speech

Middle School drama and speech courses are designed to give students opportunities to explore basic communication and presentation skills. Course work provides opportunities to explore different modes of self-expression related to public speaking and drama in an environment in which the student feels challenged, yet safe and encouraged. Classes impart useful information and provide a forum for presentations, discussions, and peer critiques designed to broaden the students’ intellectual understanding and appreciation of the art form involved.

5th Grade

Introduction to Drama Students participate in creativity exercises incorporating specific elements of the performing arts to which they add their own imaginative inventions of movement, characters, and plots. Fifth grade students learn classic illusion mime techniques that they demonstrate through original character sketches, creative writing, and short skits that are presented to their classmates. Storytelling is another component of this curriculum. The culminating projects merge research and collaboration skills to students’ accumulation of theater arts knowledge as they transform original ideas and folk tales into staged theater presentations, and dramatize poetry for the Freedom School project.

6th Grade

Drama

Students participate in advanced creative drama exercises about life experiences set in historical contexts. For example, sixth grade students may study the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur by first reflecting upon their own first nights away from home. Students then place this experience into the character of a young person in ancient Athens whose name has been drawn to go to Crete where the Minotaur dwells. They participate in activities and recreate scenes from Greek mythology through role playing and playwriting exercises. Students also learn to recognize the elements of comedy that have been prevalent in Western Theatre from the times of the ancient Romans. They compare what made the Romans laugh to what sets our own modern funny bones into motion through the use of improvisation, playwriting, and presentation of class projects.

7th Grade

Public Speaking and Drama Seventh grade students participate in a variety of speech projects giving them several opportunities to prepare and perform formal and informal presentations in front of a group of people. Practical experience, imaginative vocal interpretation, and paradigms for entertaining, informative, and persuasive public speaking are introduced. Projects are sometimes individual, and sometimes group related. All projects emphasize poise and self-confidence, as well as the importance of critical listening skills and peer support.

8th Grade

Introduction to Theater Arts Eighth grade students survey the various components of theater arts through participation in both individual study and collaborative projects. Introduction to practical acting, play, and stage terminology, theater genres, playwriting, design, character analysis, scene study, and play presentation are part of the class agenda. Activities and projects encourage critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and application, along with creativity, concentration, and self-expression in defined formats and ensemble work.