Students explore how body language can show a story (i.e. how someone is feeling, character traits, etc.). This warm-up helps students take note of how their bodies move and respond to different given circumstances. This exercise also helps students to begin thinking about how to physically portray something as abstract as a feeling. Students will move around the room and be instructed to sit in different chairs in different ways. The teacher will provide all of the different ways to sit. Students will then be asked to use the chair as a different object (hat, cane, suitcase, phone, shield, etc.)
This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.
Students will practice using pantomime skills by creating inanimate objects. Students will work individually to create or use a variety of imaginary inanimate objects. The object ideas will be provided by the teacher. Students will have to quickly transition from one object to the next without overthinking.
Students will practice using pantomime skills by creating inanimate objects. Students will work in small groups and in pairs to create various objects. The object ideas will be provided by the teacher. Students will have to quickly transition from one object to the next without overthinking. Students will have the opportunity to observe and comment on this exercise.
Open scenes are great ways to get kids on their feet and acting. Open scenes are open to interpretation and should be purposely vague or ambiguous. The purpose of having kids write and later perform these short scenes is to get them on stage, help them start interpreting lines and trying to attempt to understand and play the subtext in dialogue. The scenes are short (16-24 lines) and can be memorized easily. The digital tool provided will show students an example of an open scene.
