Sandy Faison

April 6, 2005

 

                                     Unit Lesson Plan on Physical Movement

 

 

(Teacher Note: These three classes are set up as an introduction only. They are meant to be added to, amended, edited, and continued by the teacher in future classes.)

 

Learning Standards: 

 

These lessons meet New York State Theatre Standard 1:

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts.

These lessons address the following specific aspects of Standard 1 in the intermediate category.

·      Use gesture and movement to create character.

·      Use improvisation to communicate ideas and feelings

·      Identify and use, in individual and group experiences, some of the roles, processes and actions for performing.

 

These lessons also meet New York State Dance Standard 1: Elementary category

·      identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills: such as bend, twist, slide, as well as direction, space, levels

·      demonstrates ways of moving in relation to people and various environments         

·      create and perform (in class) simple dances based on their own movement ideas

           

Goal /Objective:

To introduce some fundamental elements and benefits of physical theatre

To free up the actors

To introduce them to basic dance, theater, and music terminology and concepts, in order to gain an awareness of the interrelatedness and interdependency of the different performing arts in the creation of a character.

To create a safe environment

 

To offer tools for building an expressive body.

 

Sandy Faison

Student Teaching

Professors Nan Smithner and Joe Salvatore

April 6, 2005

 

                                                                 Lesson #1

 

Learning Standards: 

 

This lesson meets New York State Theatre Standard 1:

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts.

This lesson addresses the following specific aspects of Standard 1 in the intermediate category.

·      Use gesture and movement to create character.

·      Use improvisation to communicate ideas and feelings

·      Identify and use, in individual and group experiences, some of the roles, processes and actions for performing.

 

This lesson also meets New York State Dance Standard 1: Elementary category

·      identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills: such as bend, twist, slide, as well as direction, space, levels

·      demonstrates ways of moving in relation to people and various environments         

·      students will create and perform simple dances based on their own movement ideas

           

Goal /Objective:

To introduce the class to some of the elements and benefits of physical theatre. This  lesson is designed to free up the actors, to introduce them to some basic dance and theater terminology and concepts, in order to gain an awareness of the interrelatedness and interdependency of the two performing arts in the creation of a character.

 

Audience:

This lesson plan is geared towards freshman drama students at an exclusive performing arts high school in a major eastern city. Large classes (36-70 students) are made up of socio-economically diverse students. Since the school requires a rigid audition for entrance, the students, for the most part, are motivated to be there. The class lasts 50 minutes

 

 

Developmental Considerations: The students can be at intermediate or beginner level in theater. The students can be at an advanced, intermediate, or beginner level in dance.

 

Previous Knowledge: The students are currently enrolled in a dance class, and also a character analysis class at their school. This is an attempt to connect the two mediums, in order to better inform their choices for their character.

 

Materials:

*A large white sheet that has the various elements of choreography written on it in magic marker. (See attached.) This is an initially time consuming art project. However, once created, the information can be transported from classroom to classroom, from one year to the next. That being said, the information can easily be written on a blackboard.

* A CD of music that is easily danced to, that is not too popular or comic, or attributable to one particular ethnicity. It must have a clear 4/4 beat.

 

 

Organization and procedure:

 

9:00-9:05 Class assembles. Have the students get their mats.

 

9:05-9:10 Short simple warm up, but add quiet music underneath.

 

9:10- 9:20

As they lay on the mats…

*Have the students think of a performance on stage or in film where they can remember how a particular actor walked or moved. Was there a specific tempo or pace? Was it an outward pace or an inner tempo? Was it particularly feminine or masculine, awkward or easy?

*Explain that the movement aspect of a character is what we are going to explore over the next three classes. Examples: Jamie Foxx in “Ray,” Dustin Hoffman in “Rainman,” Hillary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry” and Charlize Theron in “Monster.”

 

As the students rest on their mats, an introduction might go as follows:

 

“The ideas that I will be introducing to you over the next few classes are elements you might want to consider in relation to building a character in your current scenes and beyond. How does your character move?  Is it slow?  Is it fast? Is your chin up or your head facing down? Do you walk with a purpose? Or do you daydream? How do you differ from the character you are rehearsing right now?  Is your character healthy or ill? What has happened to you ‘the moment before’ the scene starts? What’s the weather like? How might the ‘moment before’ impact the way you move? Are you in trouble? Is there an inner tempo for your character? Sometimes there are characters where you can almost feel a time bomb ticking inside them. Some you actually feel the smoothness and the peace of a character. The movement you discover may be very subtle, or it may not be. Today is the first step towards the realization of the physical part of your character.”

 

*Show students display sheet of elements of movement. Point out some of the elements we will be exploring over the next few classes.

 

 

 

9:20- 9:25   The Wave.   Ask students, “How many of you know the wave?” Introduce wave exercise in a circle. Teacher demonstrates a physical movement that the students immediately follow one at a time, creating a wave effect. Once that action has completed the circle, the student to the teacher’s left, immediately creates his/her own movement and the Wave continues.

 

 

9:25-9:40    Explore space, levels, direction.  Experiment with walks.

 

1.     Have the students walk around the entire room to music. They are not to make contact with anyone else. They are not to relate to another character. They are lost in their own thought. This is the time of solo work and exploration. They are to use the entire space available. After a minute, add walking forwards, backwards, sideways, in a zig-zag, skating, crouching, spinning.

 

2.     Walking with intent. Add private detective element. Have students follow someone, without them knowing. “If you’re discovered, you’ll be fired. Move subtly and follow someone, keeping the other person in your direct line of vision at all times. If you make too big a movement, you will call attention to yourself.” (This game allows the students to move to the music and still have an acting focus, not a dance or movement focus.)

 

3.     Have the students hold still and count to 16 with the music. Make sure they all get the beat. Can they hear it?  Does anyone need the music louder?  Explain the way to count to 16 in music, is 2 counts of 8.

                                    1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 /  2,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.

                 Have students repeat the counts.

 

4.     Introduce high, medium and low levels. Have them pick a movement of their own (like one of the ones they used in the wave warm-up) and repeat it up over their heads for 16 counts (2 counts of 8), then at the height of their waists for 16 counts, and then down low for 16 counts. Repeat this a few times until they seem to get it. “Everybody got that?”

 

5.     Have them walk around the room as they did in the beginning, but now adding awareness of levels, intent, and attitude.

They may walk in a straight line or zig-zag, spin or skip. Whatever    they chose. Explore heads held high and heads down, faces hidden (“hangdog”). After a minute, ask them to make up a specific character with a distinctive walk and attitude. If they prefer, they can imitate a relative, or they can try to inhabit one of the characters they thought of during warm up. The movement can be subtle or exaggerated. Keep music underneath.

a.     “This is still solo work. No one should be watching anyone else. This is a private moment for you to try out different movement. It is for exploration only.

b.     Questions you might ask yourself: What is your occupation? Do you walk in a direct line? Or do you think you should dart about? Are holding your head high or do you need to crouch down low? Are you safe or in trouble? Are you healthy or ill? Are you happy and open or disturbed, preoccupied, or ashamed? If you can’t think of anyone, pick a relative who has a distinctive walk. Or pick one of the characters you thought about in the warm up.

c.     Keep reinforcing the safe environment.  “No one will know who you chose, because they are focusing on their own physical choices. So, use the entire space and take a chance. Experiment. Find out what you can do.”

 

 

9:45-9:50   Reflection with students:

*   What was that like? Can they think of ways they might be able to  incorporate some of this information with the character they are working on now?

*   What characters or roles did they think of during warm up and why?

*   Could intention influence physical behavior of a character? How? Why?

 

 

Assessment of students: 

*   Have the students look at the display sheet again. See if they can point to any of the dance elements as ones they attempted today.

*   Did the students actively engage in the exercise? Did they seem to understand the connection between movement and character?

*   Did they participate in dialogue about examples of characters in film or stage?

*   Have the students write a list in their journals of actors in specific roles that were impressive to them. They should include why they chose them and why they were impressive. Tell them they will share their choices at the next class. Remind them to include actors who display a very subtle or compressed physical life  (such as Ben Kingsley in “Schindler’s List,”  or “Ghandi,”  as well as performances that incorporated very big physical choices (such as Jamie Foxx in “Ray,” John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever,” Dustin Hoffman in “Rainman,” Charlize Theron in “Monster,” and Hillary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry.”

 

Assessment of teacher:

 

           *Did I explain the exercises carefully enough?

*Were there any students who had great difficulty with this exercise?

*Did I introduce too many ideas?

*Did any of the exercises take longer than I had originally thought?

*Did I allow enough time for final reflection?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        Lesson #2

Learning Standards: 

 

This lesson meets New York State Theatre Standard 1:

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts.

This lesson addresses the following specific aspects of Standard 1 in the intermediate category.

·      Use gesture and movement to create character.

·      Use improvisation to communicate ideas and feelings

·      Identify and use, in individual and group experiences, some of the roles, processes and actions for performing.

 

This lesson also meets New York State Dance Standard 1: Elementary category

·      Identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills: such as bend, twist, slide, as well as direction, space, levels

·      demonstrates ways of moving in relation to people and various environments         

·      students will create and perform simple dances based on their own movement ideas

           

 

Goal /Objective:

To build upon concepts introduced in the last class regarding some of the elements and benefits of physical theatre. This lesson is designed to free up the actors, to introduce them to some basic dance and theater terminology and concepts, in order to gain an awareness of the interrelatedness and interdependency of the two performing arts in the creation of a character.

 

Audience:

This lesson plan is geared towards a 50 minute freshman drama class at an exclusive performing arts high school in a major eastern city. The large classes (36-70 students) are made up of socio-economically diverse students. Since the school requires a rigid audition for entrance, the students, for the most part, are motivated to be there.

 

 

Developmental Considerations: The students can be at intermediate or beginner level in theater. The students can be at an advanced, intermediate, or beginner level in dance.

 

Previous Knowledge: The students are currently enrolled in a dance class, and also a character analysis class at their school. This is an attempt to connect the two mediums, in order to better inform their choices for their character.

 

 

Materials:

*The large white sheet that has the various elements of choreography written on it

* A CD of music that is fun and indicative of a theme or of a particular way of moving. Examples: waltzes, James Bond theme, Bugs Bunny,

* A CD made up of less dramatic music and different sound effects. Examples: subway sounds, windstorms, construction site, dentist drill, heartbeats, sirens.

 

 

Organization and procedure:

 

9:00-9:05 Class assembles.

 

9:05-9:10 Ask student to lead the classes own warm up. Add quiet music underneath.

 

9:10-9:15 The Wave.

*Have students repeat Wave exercise from the last lesson.

*Add new element to exercise. I demonstrate a movement to the person to my left. They must watch me carefully and imitate it back to me. Then they must turn to their left and create a new movement of their own that the third person then imitates back to person #2. This is continued around the entire circle. (FYI- This should be the first and only time in today’s lesson where there is direct eye contact between the actors.)

9:15- 9:40 Walking To Music, Movement in Place, with winning/losing/obstacle.

* Show sheet display and point out the different elements we will be adding.

* Play fun music that helps the actor to exaggerate a particular walk. (They are not to make eye contact with any other actors. Private exploration only.)

* Holding still, have the students improvise/dance different non-locomotor movement. Examples are sway, melt, turn, twist, bend and stretch, plus any movements from the Wave. Remind them of the high, medium, and low levels of last class.

*Play CD of fun music that allows the actor to move about the room with exaggerated walks and movement.

* Play CD of less dramatic music that also contains some sound effects.

* As the students walk about as their current characters from scene class…

            a. have the students think of what they want more than anything else in the world.

b. have the students think of what will happen to them if they don’t get what they want. (Add track of sound effects of cold wind blowing, rattling chains, sirens, heartbeats etc.)

c. “You want to be alone, but you have to get on the subway. It’s very crowded.”

d. have the students imagine what it would feel like if they got everything they wanted. No more obstacles. You won. It’s all yours.

 

 

 

 

 

9:40-9:50   Reflection and discussion of homework assignment.

·      How did not getting what you wanted feel?

·      Did it affect how you walked?

·      How did winning affect your movement? What did you notice happening to your body? Anything?

·      What happened to your body when you heard the loud subway sounds, sirens, windstorm, etc.?

·      What are some of the actors you wrote about in your journal? 

·      What performances came to mind? What made their physical presence so noteworthy? 

 

Assessment of students:  

 

·      Ask the students to write about the reverse. “Can you think of any actor whose physical presence is sometimes too much? Where his/her movement(s) actually detracted from his/her overall performance? Write a paragraph about the performance, the actor, and why you felt it detracted.

 

Assessment of teacher:

 

                        Am I trying to cover too much material in too short a time?

                        Are they making any connections?

                        Can they relate this information to their own experiences viewing roles?

                        Did I allow enough time for discussion?

 

               

 

 

 

 

Sandy Faison

Student Teaching

Professors Nan Smithner and Joe Salvatore

Single Lesson #3 of Unit Lesson Plan

                                                               

                                                        Lesson #3

Learning Standards: 

 

This lesson meets New York State Theatre Standard 1:

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts.

This lesson addresses the following specific aspects of Standard 1 in the intermediate category.

·      Use gesture and movement

·      Use improvisation to communicate ideas and feelings

·      Identify and use, in individual and group experiences, some of the processes and actions for performing.

 

This lesson also meets New York State Dance Standard 1: Elementary category

·      Identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills

·      demonstrates ways of moving in relation to people and various environments         

           

Goal /Objective:

To directly build upon concepts introduced in the last two classes regarding some of the elements and benefits of physical theatre.  These students have been rehearsing their scenes in chairs.  This is designed to give them tools and permission to get up on their feet and be physically expressive.

 

Audience:

This lesson plan is geared towards an hour and twenty-five minute freshman drama class of 36 students. (Double acting period.)

 

Developmental Considerations: The students can be at intermediate or beginner level in theater.  The students can be at an advanced, intermediate, or beginner level in dance.

 

Previous Knowledge: This class builds directly on the last two classes introduced.

 

Materials:

*The white sheet that has the various elements of choreography written on it.

*Pieces of paper with names of famous duos, trios, quartets (i.e. Tarzan & Jane,          The Three Musketeers, Batman, Robin, & Catwoman; Fred Astaire & Ginger Rodgers; Dorothy, Toto, The Cowardly Lion, The Scarecrow, and The Wicked Witch; characters from THE MATRIX (Trinity, Nemo & Morpheus)).

* Optional: a CD of the Star Wars Theme

* Optional: a CD of cocktail music.

 

Organization and procedure:

 

9:00-9:05 Class assembles.

 

9:05-9:10  Short physical warm up of stretching, shaking, relaxing, focusing

 

9:10-9:20 “The Wave”

Divide group in half.  Have a leader share a movement with gibberish to the person to their left.  They must be trying to communicate with their partner, but they may not use words.  Person #2 must respond in movement and gibberish from Person #1.  Once completed, Person #2 turns to Person #3 and tries to communicate something new through movement and gibberish to Person #3.  And so forth.  (Dividing the group takes less class time, and lessens self-consciousness.)

 

9:20-9:30 “Star Wars”

(Adds additional elements to original detective game. Moving to Star Wars Theme)

Remind students of rules of detective game. “This time, not only must you keep someone in your line of vision at all times, but that person can now do you real harm. So you need a third person, a good person, an Obi Wan with ‘the force’ to be between you and the bad force, Darth Vadar. Again, if you call attention to yourself, Darth Vadar may see you and vaporize you. Move quietly and smoothly. No jarring moves.

Be inconspicuous, stay focused, but stay safe. Let’s begin and …

“May the force be with you.”

           

9:30-9:45 “You’re Invited to a Party”

Out of a hat, have each student draw one name, read the character, and keep it to themselves.  Assign one person to be the host at the party and greet everyone.  Everyone arrives and makes an entrance at the party by themselves.  They are to find their partner without any words.  All of this must be done by movement and characterization alone.  For added fun, a CD of cocktail music could be added underneath.  Students are allowed to make sound, noises, and gibberish.  They can talk and ask questions in gibberish, but no real words can be used.

 

9:45-9:50  Reflection

• How did you find each other?
• What signals were other people giving you?
• How did such extreme movement feel?  Were you comfortable?  Uncomfortable?
• What would be the difference between playing these characters standing up, sitting down, moving, and/or standing still?  If you had to play these characters sitting in a chair, would it feel constricted?

 

Assessment of students:

 

• Did the students commit to the exercise?
• Were they able to leave their Zone of Comfort?
• Have them write in their journals ways they would or would not move as the characters they are currently working on in their scenes.

 

Assessment of teacher:

 

• Did I graduate the exercises slowly enough so the students were able to dare in the party scene?
• Am I able to see any difference in how the students approach movement and characterization after these lessons?
• Read the journals carefully and watch for signs in the scenes.
• Did I strike the right balance between learning, play, and self-control?