How to Teach Your First Drama Class

Students will want to perform something during the very first class. These short pantomimes are a perfect way to get your group onstage!

Team Pantomime

There is an entire section in Drama Notebook packed with pantomime activities!
Divide Players into teams of four. Hand each team a card with a general activity written on it. Make sure that all actors know they are to pantomime the activity, and not to speak. Give the teams a couple of minutes to plan, ask that each person do a different task related to that activity. If you use space objects, be sure to establish their shapes and keep them the same throughout.

Team Pantomime – Occupations

Divide Players into teams of four. Each team will have a couple of minutes to come up with an occupation that involves a group. Such as: firemen; road workers; basketball players; construction workers; emergency room physicians; etc. teach-pantomime-starTeams have one minute onstage to act out their occupations.

Ten Second Tableaus

In small groups. A scene is called out and the group has to create an image of that location, while the leader counts down slowly from ten to zero. Usually every group will find a different way of depicting the scene.

Examples:

School Settings

  • Teacher’s Lounge
  • School Office
  • Cafeteria
  • Playground
  • Last Day of School
  • Assembly
  • Detention

Nature Settings

  • Beach
  • Desert
  • Forest
  • Mountain
  • Ocean
  • The Moon
  • Under Water
  • A Parkteach-pantomime-star-two

Urban Settings

  • Busy Hair Salon
  • Fire Station
  • Grocery Store
  • Bank
  • Restaurant
  • Gas Station
  • Jail
  • Movie Theater
  • Amusement Park
  • Zoo
  • Public Library
  • Rock Concert

Inside Drama Notebook, there are literally hundreds of
performance games, drama activities and ideas!

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DN Why Subscribe to Drama NotebookInside Drama Notebook, you will find a huge collection of well-organized lesson plans, scripts for kids, drama activities, 50 drama games on video and more! Join today and dramatically reduce your planning time while delivering fresh, innovative drama lessons to your students! If you are new to teaching drama, this site will be a Godsend! You will immediately feel confident about teaching drama like an expert. The site guides you step-by-step and provides you with materials that you can use right away with your students.

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The site is packed with original, innovative lessons and activities that you will not find anywhere else—and new materials are added monthly.

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