Grade 9 - Drama Skills (Body and Voice)

It is expected that students will use body and voice expressively in the discipline of drama.

It is expected that students will:

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Drama Skills (Body and Voice) in other grades click on an icon below.

Perform movement exercises (see open and closed positions, Appendix F and glossary).
Use warm-up exercises to focus on physical, technical, and emotional elements of the voice.
Participate in Readers Theatre or the creation of a vocal collage.
Deliver the same solo line in different given circumstances, applying movement to text (e.g., "Oh yea," with exaggerated shoulder shrug, strong chin thrust, abrupt hand gesture). Reflect on the interdependent relationship of gesture and voice.
Working in groups, create frozen pictures clipped from the development of a situation to demonstrate how the body can be used for expression.
Speak in gibberish using voice elements (e.g., stress, pause, volume) to demonstrate the meaning of a given text.
Reflect on strong emotional memories of people and events to stimulate realistic dramatic work.
In groups, use a variety of techniques to present Browningšs "Pied Piper" (e.g., choral, realism, dance drama, Story Theatre, round). Video tape each and compare.
Create machines and machine sounds, each student first creating an individual mechanical sound and movement, then combining with other students into pairs, quads, and groups.
Have students reflect on the use of body and voice expression in a variety of cultures, then identify similarities and differences.

Divide the class into pairs and ask them to develop a list of criteria related to voice and movement. Have two pairs prepare and present a scene to each other. When groups perform, have the other pair use the criteria to respond to the performers. Criteria might include the extent to which students:
- choose ways of moving to enhance character
- move in ways that create specific effects
- demonstrate fluidity in their movements
- use voice to enhance character
- speak in ways that create specific effects
- make choices that fit their vocal qualities
- project their voices appropriately for the performance space
- combine speech and gesture to provide a consistent interpretation
Look for evidence that students can draw on and represent emotional recall by noting such features as facial expression, voice, gesture, movement, and use of space.
When students participate in gibberish exercises, note the extent to which they reflect the meaning of the text. Do they replicate recognizable speech patterns, including stress, pause, volume, pace, and intonation?

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Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Education
Standards Department Š 1996 Copyright

Revised: March 13, 1996