Theater Arts Units and Lesson Plans Using Google Slides

SAVE 30% !! Pick up the Cream of the Crop! This GROWING bundle of (perfect for back to school or second semester ) 12 drama units (Costume Design, Stage Properties, Set Design), Broadway musical lessons (Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, Hamilton and In the Heights) and radio plays (Invisible Man, Bow Wow Blues) plus play analysis and a biography about Lin Manuel Miranda all created for the Google Classroom. Purchase now and receive extra resources for free as I add them! This is a heck of a deal, my friend. FREE: Audra McDonald Biography and One Pager Assignment

RADIO THEATER UNIT AND PLAY:

This THREE WEEK radio theater unit for the Google Classroom and a play with roles for 17 + students, teaches the history of radio theater, Foley engineering and gives students an opportunity to write a commercial, create sound effects and perform in a radio play. Plus students' reading, writing, listening and speaking skills are strengthened. It's a one-stop-shop!

#DistancelearningTPT

It includes:

• A lesson on the history of radio theater

• Information about Foley engineers

• Three links to video clips of Foleys

• Student-created sound effect project

• Five links to radio play performances (some vintage and some recent)

• A lesson in writing and producing radio commercials

• Links to four commercials and two acting exercises focused on sound effects

• A FREE script of my adaptation of H.G. Welles' The Invisible Man, with roles for 17+ students, is suitable for the classroom with NO ROYALTIES for performances, including sound effects and music cues placed in the script

• Procedure plan to follow throughout the unit

• Teacher’s script---what I say and how I say it

• Warm-up exercises

• A sound effects quiz

• A student group example of a radio commercial

• Trivia about radio theater stars and radio programs

• Music suggestions with links

• Floor plan for blocking a radio play and suggestions on how to direct it, plus links demonstrating the directing of a radio play

In my thirty-eight years of teaching drama, this radio theater unit is one of my most popular lessons with students.

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COSTUME DESIGN UNIT:

This five-day unit on costume design for the Google Classroom, is suitable for high school students and perhaps gifted middle graders. Students learn about the process of costume design, researching, metaphor and have an opportunity to be costume designers. They develop a keen eye for what makes a distinctive design and how to critique their peer's work as well.

The product includes:

• Teacher's Script for Several Sections of Unit
• The Rationale for Teaching Costume Design
• Questions to Ask when Designing Costumes
• A Complete Slide Presentation about the History of Costume Design
• An Additional Slide Presentation about Color, Tone, and Basic Design Concepts
• How to Use Metaphor in Design
• Procedure for each day, including time allotments
• Materials List
• Musical and Play List Titles of Most Popular Productions in High Schools
• Sources & Video links list including Video Clip Suggestions
• Two Warm-up Exercises—engaging and creative, perfect for the unit
• Two Assignments--one a short essay and another to design
• Peer evaluation activity

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HAMILTON MUSICAL LESSON:

My Broadway musical lesson of the Pulitzer and Tony award winning Hamilton is now adapted for the GOOGLE CLASSROOM. Steeped in American history and present day rap, this lesson is an excellent arts integration--in a language arts or American history class, a drama or a gifted/talented class. Students have an opportunity to become very familiar with the production itself and its journey to Broadway. Teachers combine this lesson with one of my Famous Theater Artist lesson biographies such as Denzel Washington, Audra McDonald, Lin Manuel Miranda or many more. Or one of many bundles of theater artists for your choosing such as this one: Black History Theater Artists

Need a quick emergency lesson plan? Or one for a substitute? Everything is provided for the busy teacher.

This Product includes:

• Letter to Teacher
• Warm Up--MY Version of a Popular Physical Warm Up
• Teacher's Script--what I say and how I say it!
• Photos from the Broadway Production
• Slides for Teacher's Lecture
• Plot of the Musical
• History about the Origination of the Production
• Information concerning the composer Lin Manuel Miranda
• A Shortened Lesson on: What are the Tony Awards?
• Tony Awards it Received
• What are the Tony Awards
• New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
• Student Note Page
• Teacher Note Page Key
• Trivia
• Quotes from the Musical--Good for Discussions and Assignments
• Extension Activities--Six Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience
• Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show

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SET DESIGN UNIT:

This 8 day unit on set design, created for the Google classroom, is suitable for high school students and perhaps gifted middle graders. Students learn about the history of set design, a set designer's process, metaphor, color, tone, texture and have an opportunity to create a set design and model. They develop a keen eye for what makes a distinctive design and learn how to critique their peer's work as well.

#DistanceLearningTPT

The product includes:

• Warm Up Exercise
• The History of Set Design
• The Rationale for Teaching Set Design
• How to Use Metaphor in Design
• Questions to Consider when Designing a Set
• Procedure for Each day
• Teacher's Script to Introduce the Unit --what I say and how I say it!
• Teacher's Script for Slide Presentation
• Materials List
• Musical and Play List Titles of Most Popular Productions in High Schools
• Sources & Video links list including clip suggestions
• Two Assignments--one a short essay and another to design in a particular style (modernism, expressionism, surrealism)
• Assignment Rubric
• Peer evaluation activity

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BOW WOW BLUES RADIO PLAY:

Here's a fifteen minute comedy radio play, created for the Google Classrooom, with 15 roles for students, written especially for the classroom! Strengthen your students' listening, speaking, reading skills all at once. A one stop shop!

#DistanceLearningTPT

Synopsis of Bow Wow Blues:

From town to town, the Witty Gritty Gang are hitting all the banks in eastern Missouri. The year is 1932. The Dust Bowl Days are past and there are no crops and no money. But what little money is left, the Witty Gritty Gang has stolen.

Heading for their home of Chicago, the gang stops at Mavi’s Diner for breakfast and to strategize their next steps homeward. Little do they know the police detectives of Harrison Stone and Harry Harrison are following right behind them.

Over a cup of coffee, the Witty Gritty Gang become acquainted with the detectives. A funny conversation ensues between them. When the detectives nearly have the gang in their grips, the leader of the gang’s girlfriend appears suddenly. Joe abandoned Deenie in Kansas City and is now in cahoots with the detectives. (Or is she?) Joe admits the real reason why he dumped Deenie in K.C. and it’s not to “get invisible” in Chicago as everyone thinks. Something is mentioned about getting home to Smoochie?

Putting everyone in handcuffs, the gang is arrested. As the detective is saying his goodbyes to Mavis and his diner friends, the Witty Gritty Gang escapes junior detective Harrison and takes off again.

Will Sergeant Stone and Officer Harrison catch up with the Witty Gritty Gang? Or will they give up, sit down and have the rest of the cherry pie, with ice cream and early in the morning?

Tune in for another episode of “Gangster Theater!” brought to you by Giggling Ginseng, the cream that gives you that "get up and go giggling feeling."

The product includes:

• a note to the director
• radio play script complete with sound and music cues
• a commercial which can be used or switched out with one of your students' own!

This is a crowd pleasing radio play created by an award winning drama teacher and author with 38 years of experienc

PLAY ANALYSIS/PRESENTATION/PROJECT:

This drama assignment, created for your GOOGLE classroom, focuses on play reading, analysis, presentation and design. Students read a play, answer questions considering the play from three different viewpoints and finish with an oral presentation about the play for their peers. This assignment was created for high school students, however it could be adapted for middle grade students. It could be an assignment which continues throughout a semester or over a shorter amount of time. This can be used with any play. #DistanceLearningTPT

The Product includes:

• Letter to Teacher
• Project Assignment--What is Expected in the Assignment
• Play Analysis Questions--as a Producer, Director and Designer
• Play Titles--Vetted and Compiled from Drama Teachers Around the World
• Rubric
• Exit Slip prompts for 5 days--Questions are Provided for Each Day
• Source Page

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IN THE HEIGHTS, THE MUSICAL:

This two-day lesson focuses on the Tony award winning In the Heights musical adapted for the Google Classroom. In the Heights tells the story of a vibrant Hispanic community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Students have an opportunity to become very familiar with the production itself and its journey to Broadway.

The lesson can stand alone or be combined with one of my Famous Artist Biographies (Lin Manuel Miranda) or other musical lessons (Hamilton) #DistanceLearningTPT

This Product includes:

• Letter to Teacher
• Warm Up--MY Version of a Popular Acting Exercise
• Teacher's Script--What I Say and How I Say it!
• Photos of Lin Manuel Miranda
• Synopsis of the Musical
• Plot of the Musical
• Short Biography about Lin Manuel Miranda, book writer Quiara Alegria Hudes and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler
• Separate File of Photos for Teacher's Use in Lecture
• History about the Origination of the Production
• AND a Mini Lesson on: What are the Tony Awards?
• List of Tony Awards
• New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
• Student Note Page
• Teacher Note Page Key
• Trivia about Broadway and In the Heights
• Songs List
• Pinterest Board Link Specifically about In the Heights
• Extension Activities-- NINE Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience either Individual or Group
• Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show
• And More!

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WICKED, THE MUSICAL:

The Broadway musical lesson of Wicked is now created for the GOOGLE CLASSROOM! Wicked is an engaging, exciting and ever popular and Tony award musical and this lesson demonstrates that. This one or two-day lesson can stand alone or be combined with one of my Famous Artist biographies or other musical lessons.

#DistanceLearningTPT

This Product includes:

• Letter to Teacher
• Warm Up--MY Version of a Popular Physical Warm Up
• Teacher's Script--what I say and how I say it!
• Photos from the Broadway Production
• Slides for Teacher to Use to Lecture
• Plot of the Musical
• History about the Origination of the Production
• Information concerning the composer, Steven Schwartz
• Information about the playwright, Winnie Holzman
• A Shortened Lesson on : What are the Tony Awards?
• Tony Awards it Received
• What are the Tony Awards
• New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
• Student Note Page
• Teacher Note Page Key
• Trivia
• Quotes from the Musical--Good for Discussions and Assignments
• Extension Activities--One Pager Assignment, a Terrific Way to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience
• One Pager Templates
• Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show

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DEAR EVAN HANSEN:

My Broadway musical lesson of Dear Evan Hansen is now adapted for the GOOGLE CLASSROOM. Dear Evan Hansen is at the forefront of popular musicals with themes which relate with our teens. This one or two-day lesson can stand alone or be combined with one of my Famous Artist biographies or other musical lessons.

Need a quick emergency lesson plan? Or one for a substitute? Everything is provided for the busy teacher.

This Product includes:

• Letter to Teacher
• Warm Up--MY Version of a Popular Physical Warm Up
• Teacher's Script--what I say and how I say it!
• Photos from the Broadway Production
• Slides for Teacher's Lecture
• Plot of the Musical
• History about the Origination of the Production
• Information concerning the composers, Pacek and Paul
• A Shortened Lesson on: What are the Tony Awards?
• Tony Awards it Received
• What are the Tony Awards
• New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
• Student Note Page
• Teacher Note Page Key
• Trivia
• Quotes from the Musical--Good for Discussions and Assignments
• Extension Activities--Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience
• Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show
• And More!

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THE WIZ:

• Letter to Teacher
• Two Warm Ups--MY Version of a Popular Improvisation Exercises
• Teacher's Script--What I Say and How I Say it!
• Photos of the musical
• Plot of the Musical
• Synopsis of the Musical
• A Brief Description of Afrofuturism
• Photos for Teacher's Use in Lecture
• Information on the Producer, Ken Harper
• Information on the Composer and Lyricist, Charles Small
• Information on the Playwright, William F. Brown
• A Shortened Lesson on : What are the Tony Awards?
• List of Tony Awards and which The Wiz won
• New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
• Student Note Page
• Teacher Note Page Key
• Trivia about The Wiz with Some Surprising Facts!
• Lyrics from "Ease on Down the Road "--Good for Class Discussions or as a Jumping Off Point
• Extension Activities--Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience, Individual and Group
• Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show
• And More!

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ONE PAGER BIOGRAPHIES--LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AND IDINA MENZEL

• Letter to teacher explaining the lesson
• Student note sheet
• Teacher's key
• Assignment
• One-pager template for assignment
• One pager example of assignment
• Enrichment activities
• Sources including three links to videos of Menzel's performances

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