Using Props Creatively

LESSON 2: USING PROPS CREATIVELY LESSON AT A GLANCE

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will participate in theatre activities to understand the importance of props and story. Students will collaborate with one another to create short scenes and use objects in innovative ways.

DURATION: One Class Period, 70 mins

MATERIALS: Household/classroom objects, Handout 2: Objects in 17 Border Crossings, Internet to View Video

STANDARDS: CA VAPA, Theatre Grades Nine Through Twelve-Proficient: 2.2 Write dialogues and scenes, applying basic dramatic structure: exposition, complication, conflict, crisis, climax, and resolution. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. SEL Competencies: Three C’s: collaborate, create, and choose, innovation

GUIDING QUESTIONS: How can we use items creatively to set a scene? What does a border crossing mean to you?

PRE-LESSON PREP LESSON PLAN

Have students bring an object from home that represents a time they have crossed a border. This could be a border to a different city, state, country, etc. Let them know that they will need to bring the item to class and briefly explain the story.

MAIN LESSON Part 1: Traveling Objects Ask students to get out the object they brought and to pair up. Give students 3 minutes to share their story and object to their partner. After pair sharing, have a class discussion on the impact of storytelling and the use of their prop. Questions may include:

Did any objects help you better visualize the story? What are some similarities and differences between your stories? What did you notice about the way your partner was sharing their story? What did you notice about the way you were sharing your story?

Part 2: Theatre Exercises Have students watch the preview for 17 Border Crossings. Using Handout 2, have students write down all the props and set pieces that they see in the trailer and their uses. After, give students 2-3 minutes to write down any other uses of these props they can think of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOWrHnHPx74

Share as a class what they observed and how Thaddeus Phillips used each item effectively/ineffectively. Discuss how students can use objects in place of others creatively if they give them the same amount of care and background as the objects they brought in from home.

Have the class stand in a circle and place 5-7 random items in the center. Items can be anything you can find in a classroom or something simple from home: ex. Book, jacket, bottle, backpack. Have as many students go into the circle one at a time and highlight one thing an object can do. Example: A student enters the circle and chooses a jacket. The student does one of the following - pulls down the zipper, turns it inside out, folds it neatly, ties the sleeves up, etc.

Continue until all students have had a chance and each item’s many different uses have been demonstrated. This will start the students on the path of understanding the versatility of each object without assigning it a specific purpose

Once every student has gone in the circle, choose one item (preferably the one that had the most uses or students picked up the most) and play a variation of the theater game “What Are You Doing”:

11 • Student A holds the object, for example a binder. • Student B asks Student A “What is that?” • Student A says what the object is, for example a butterfly. • Student A passes the object to Student B. Student B then must use the binder as a butterfly. • Student C asks Student B “What is that?” and the cycle continues with Student B improvising a different use for the binder. Go around the circle until all students have participated. Option to change the object half way through.

THE BROAD STAGE AT THE SANTA MONICA COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THEBROADSTAGE.ORG/EDUCATION 1310 11TH ST., SANTA MONICA, CA 90401 / 310.434.3560

Task: Students will create short scenes in a group where they use an object in multiple ways.

Put the students in pairs or small groups. Give students 10-15 minutes for this activity and either read or write these instructions on the board: • Find an item in the room for your group to use as a prop. This can be a classroom object or an object from home. • Brainstorm 3-4 different things the object can be. • Write a 1-2 minute scene where the object is used these different ways including basic dramatic structure: exposition, complication, conflict, crisis, climax, and resolution. • Rehearse to perform this scene to the class.

Have each group present their scenes.

Assessment Criteria: • Students participate in working with props and making creative choices. • Students work collaboratively with a partner or group to create a short scene. • Students are able to identify unique design choices in theatre pieces.

Purpose: To understand the use of innovative design choices, create and perform in a scene, and practice thinking outside the box.

Take it Further!

Have students create a monologue about an object and what it means to them like the first exercise, but this time using an object as something else.

Part 4: Discussion and Reflection

Have a quick debrief with students on what uses of objects stood out to them throughout the entire lesson. Then, ask what was effective in making the props believable and why.