Drama in ELA: Rigorous & Collaborative
It’s no secret that I love using Drama in ELA! I’ve
written before on the Coffee Shop blog about getting started with Drama in ELA and different ways to spice up your Shakespeare unit. On my blog,
I’ve shared about my own experiences doing a Class Play. Still, many teachers
tell me that they don’t have time for drama. They point to their literature
anthologies that present a lengthy Shakespeare play. Teachers say they can
barely have students read it in five weeks, let alone act any of it.
Making the Case for Drama in ELA:
Incorporating drama in ELA isn’t a “fun” thing your
students do after hitting standards. Instead, it’s an activity that supports
your standards in a big way. Besides building student confidence,
promoting collaboration, and getting students moving, drama is rigorous.
When students take on a role, they’re interacting with a
character from a page. Actors make inferences about character motivations based
on textual evidence (RL.9-10.1). Acting requires fluency and learning the
meaning of new words and phrases (RL.9-10.4). Students also see text structure
and pacing in action, making choices to build mystery, tension, or comedy
(RL.9-10.5). These are just a few concrete examples, but drama really “does it
all.”
Performing a Play in a Week: A Staged Reading
Many teachers are familiar with Reader’s Theater. Having
students read aloud lines they’ve practiced is better than a cold
reading (what many of us were forced to do when we first encountered
Shakespeare!), but it’s not enough. Reader’s Theater doesn’t promote as much
movement or collaboration, and students don’t have time to walk around in the
character’s skin.
Instead, I encourage teachers to try a Staged Reading.
Your students will have their scripts, but they’ll come up with blocking and
use some props and costumes. This really elevates your production, and you can
accomplish it in a week. I have a whole collection of abridged plays called Shakespeare
in 30 in my TpT store to help you with this. Clocking in at 30 minutes,
each adaptation is short enough to get from page to stage in a week.
Before You Start
You can do a great staged reading in as few as five class
periods, but first, front load some knowledge. I recommend introducing to Shakespeare’s language before starting your Staged Reading. In
my TpT store, I have a Webquest to get students engaged and thinking about the language and rhythm. You can
also grab these free bookmarks to help increase your students’ fluency and
comprehension.
The following five-day plan has all students perform on one day. If your timing and number of students
doesn’t allow that, you’ll need to add a performance day. For example, if your
class is working on three different 30-minute plays, you might need to break
these up across two class periods.
You’ll do your students’ families a great service if
you have your Day 1 as a Thursday or Friday. Students will have all weekend
to negotiate and find props and costumes.
The 5-Day Rehearsal Plan
Day 1: Plays & Parts -
Students read through the
script aloud. They negotiate parts. Decide on necessary props or costumes.
HW: Students read through the script again (aloud),
looking up any unknown words and figuring out a meaning for each line they
speak.
Day 2: Table Work -
Students read through the script
again with their groups. They should read with much more rhythm and
expression. They can negotiate meaning and expression here, as well as make
initial notes for blocking ideas.
HW: Read your lines aloud for improved rhythm
& expression. Imagine what your character could do at each point.
Day 3: Blocking -
On Day 3, you’ll need a big space where
your groups can block their plays without stepping on each other. Students need
to figure out how and why their characters move throughout the play. You can
also go over very basic concepts like “staying open” (avoiding turning one’s
back to the audience). Students should write their blocking down.
HW: Read your lines aloud. As you do this, find
some space where you can stand and move around, imitating your blocking the
best you can. Gather props & costumes.
Day 4: Rehearsal -
Students rehearse with full expression,
volume, movement, and props. They should attempt to go through the whole script
without stopping, learning to “just keep going” if they mess up.
HW: Practice, practice, practice! Read through the
script at least once with movements. Try to recruit a friend or family member
to watch you.
Day 5: Performances of your Staged Readings! (And
reflection) -
Before students perform, you can run a couple warm ups and a breathing
exercise (to calm any frayed nerves!). All students not performing should have
their scripts, costumes, and props completely put away in order to be in the
moment and be the best audience members they can be.
Remember to put a “performance” sign at your door and
let the office know you need limited interruptions.
After your performances, give students an opportunity to
reflect on their experience in writing.
But what about the rest of the play?
When I suggest Staged Readings, teachers often worry that
they’re shortchanging their students by withholding the unabridged text. This
is not the case. Getting to know the play first, in an interactive way, is a
wonderful precursor to reading the whole play. If you choose to dig deeper, the
abridged plays provide access. Your students will have a strong sense of plot
and character, leaving them ready for a deeper analysis of the text. For
example, they can analyze how a gender-swapped version of Romeo & Juliet changes the audience’s connection to the characters or these subplots of Hamlet work to build different perspectives on his character.
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