Add a Little Dramatic Play to Learning
A Colourful Drama Lesson Plan
This drama lesson plan was definitely a Smash Hit for the the students. It was used with grade 5 children who really enjoyed the drama and movement parts of the activity. Groups presented their performance poems to other classes and also at a weekly assembly. For a formal presentation to parents performers could wear black pants and t-shirts with headbands of the appropriate colour.
Living Colour Poems
A process for composing and dramatically presenting poems.
Step One: In class
Set up chart paper with colour titles: yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, green, black, white etc. The number of charts may depend on class size/group size. Three to five students in a group works best.
Brainstorm words for each colour: e.g. yellow things (lemons, sun, dandelions), synonyms (a thesaurus helps), moods, (joy, exuberance), movements/verbs (shine, squirt, dance)
Step Two: In class
Students organize the chart words into verse lines paying attention to rhythm and flow
e.g. Dandelions shine with joy
And lemons dance
When the sun squirts gold light everywhere.
Print the poems on large chart paper.
Step Three: In gym/cleared space.
Post charts on wall where each group works.
Lead-ins:
Movement:
Play frozen tag to build energy. Have students walk about in all directions. When the teacher calls a word, students must stop and freeze in a pose that expresses that word.
Cold! Hot! Afraid! Angry! Beautiful! Ugly!
Fearful! Menacing! Joyful! Agony! Misery!
Verbal Expression:
Use the words “Hickory dickory dock” to express different emotions. Have the students say the words emotionally.
*sadly
*angrily
*fearfully
*mysteriously
*argumentatively
*pleadingly
*suspiciously
*snobbishly
Step Four: In gym/cleared space
Students work on poses and movements that express the poem in their charts. There should be an opening movement, a development and a closing group tableau to go with the spoken lines.
Step Five: In gym/cleared space
Students present the polished form of their performance poem. These could be videotaped for a class presentation.
