Download Developmental Stages: High School

High School
Performance concerns: Students in high school are very aware of their surroundings
and peer pressure determines much of their behavior. Used effectively, this can be a
resource to any teacher, but any perceived threat to a student’s acceptance by their
peers can caused negative reactions/emotions, and could result in a complete
withdrawal of the student’s engagement. Consequences are just beginning to become a
reality. Visual appearance, peer-acceptance and use of electronic media are often more
important than the teacher’s lesson. Laughter is a defense mechanism of most
teenagers and the confident “class clown” is often the most fragile and insecure.
Improvisation certainly has its place in any curriculum, but most activities performed in
front of an audience should be given some rehearsal time. This includes reading in front
of the class; students should be informed of sections that might be read aloud so they
can pre-read them at home.
Skills to be built through drama activities:
Identification of self
Personal reflection
Problem solving, both by the individual and as a group
Resiliency after a failed attempt
Voicing/asserting oneself and his/her needs to others
Tolerance and acceptance of others
Following set rules and boundaries
Dealing with negative feelings (anger, sorrow, frustration)
Theatre etiquette as a performer, designer or audience member
Working with or alongside adults
Identify various theatrical styles
Create, present scenes and monologues in various theatrical styles
Identify, decode, dramatize figurative language
Theatrical vocabulary
View, evaluate theatre
Memorizing scripts
Manage time efficiently while collaborating with others
Suggested Theatre Components:
Small group (2- & 3-person scenes)
Whole class and duo/trio improvisation
Improvisation for more “difficult” topics (self-esteem, social networking, drug use,
etc.)
Drama festivals and workshops
Technical theatre skills
Performance skills
Pantomime (alone and in groups)
Student-led (as opposed to teacher-led) scenes and rehearsals
Character analyses
Speech/dialect development
Monologue work geared toward presenting a formal audition piece
Student-created study guides for plays being presented outside of class
Devising a theatre unit on Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed
Advanced study of theatrical periods, speech and movement
Acting scenes from various periods and styles
Portfolio creation
Greek/Roman theatre history and plays
Shakespeare’s plays and Elizabethan history
Mask or clown work
Commedia dell’Arte
Discovering, reflecting, assessing:
Textual study of a play, discovering the subtext
Devising, writing and creating an entire theatrical experience
Psychological studies and observations/reflections of real people
Analyzing theme before developing a directorial or design concept
Journaling and reflections, both verbal (after a scene, for example) and written
Student-created rubrics for scene study, monologues and theatrical criticism
Peer review and criticism
Character analyses, discovering what drives a character
Touring shows to younger audiences