A student takes an imaginary object from an imaginary box, uses it, and then passes it to the next student, who changes the object into a different imaginary object.
Buzz
This is a concentration game in which students form groups of five. Each student is numbered from one to five. Have them form a circle and count from one to six. The group repeats the count several times with variations, as called for by the teacher. For example, students must first say "buzz" instead of their own numbers, then say "flop" instead of "three," and finally say "splosh" instead of "one."
Cat and Mouse (Chair Tag)
Two students play tag, with one student as "it" and another as the person "it" is chasing. Other students sit in chairs scattered around the room. The student being chased can avoid being tagged by running away or by tapping a seated student on the shoulder and taking that studentıs seat. The student who is "it" then chases the student who was tapped. If a tag occurs, the roles are reversed, with a one-second delay before the new round starts to allow the new student being chased to get away from the new "it." Focus on fast reactions.
Cat and Mouse Variations
With the exception of three students, all sit on chairs scattered around the room. The students without seats are the fox and the two chickens. The fox tries to tag one of the chickens. If successful, the fox becomes a chicken, and the tagged chicken becomes the fox. A chicken can escape by tagging a seated person, who then gives up the chair and becomes a chicken. From time to time the teacher or designate can call "Barnyard!" at which time all of the seated students become chickens and are taggable until they find another seat.
Students in pairs link arms. Two students play a game of tag, running among the linked pairs. If a tag occurs, the roles are reversed, with a one-second delay before the round starts to allow the new student being chased to get away from the new "it." If the student being chased links arms with one of the paired students, the student at the other end of the new trio becomes the one being chased.
Students stand behind one another in pairs. Two students play a game of tag. If the student being chased stands in front of a pair, the student at the rear of the trio becomes the one being chased. If a tag occurs, the roles are reversed, with a one-second delay before the round starts to allow the new student being chased to get away from the new "it."
Tell a story one sentence at a time. Have students use "fortunately" and "unfortunately" alternately as the first word of the sentence.
Circle Stories Variations:
The teacher sits in the centre of the circle and points to a student, who starts the story, then points to a new student, who adds a word, and so on.
Perform the story that has been developed in the circle.
Go around the circle with each student leaving a "chunk" of story dangling. (For example, "The gate creaked open, and as the cloud passed by the full moon, we saw. . . .") The next student then takes over.
Tell a story that starts with a person in danger. Continue around the circle with each student contributing an additional sentence. The first word in each sentence should be "fortunately" or "unfortunately," alternating every time.
Students discuss various occupations, then each student selects a job. Scatter the class as much as possible, and remind them that they must work in isolation from others whose reality will not be theirs. The students begin the reality of their characterıs world at midnight, Thursday. For a minute or so, each student plays the characterıs reality (e.g., a night nurse checking patients, a teacher marking papers, a lawyer sleeping). Move on at two-hour increments until midnight, Friday. Following the exercise, discuss how the character is more than the occupation.
Describe a specific character, and decide on a significant event in that personıs day. As a group, improvise a full day in the characterıs life. Incorporate the variety of characters and occurrences before and after the significant event.
Students form a large circle with their chairs. One student stands within the circle, facing a seated student on the opposite side of the circle. The centre student asks the seated student, "Do you like your neighbours?" If the seated student replies "Yes," the students seated on either side change seats. If the seated student says "No," two replacement students must be named. Then the new neighbours exchange seats with the old ones. During either circumstance, the student in the centre of the circle attempts to get a seat. Whoever is left without a seat becomes the new centre person.
Eye-to-Eye Argument
In pairs, decide on a topic to argue about in the roles of parent and child (e.g., curfew, allowance). Argue for a minute or two, trying to maintain eye contact throughout the debate. Partners keep track of the number of times the other breaks eye contact.
Find Your Partner
Discuss how to walk safely in a group with eyes closed (e.g., hold hands up, walk slowly and carefully), then choose partners and with eyes closed, feel one anotherıs hands. Have the entire class scatter around the acting area, close their eyes and mouths, then try to find their partners by touching hands. When using this game, teachers are encouraged to take account of the cautions outlined under "Sensitive Content" (see Appendix H).
Have students find one another through a vocal sound (not a word, but a sound).
Have students form lines based on a given criterion that, in order to find their place, requires them to interact (e.g., hand size, alphabetical order of middle name, month and day of birth).
Freeze
Have students work in pairs. Person A freezes in a dramatic pose. Person B decides what the pose suggests and begins a dialogue. Persons A and B continue, using bold gestures to enhance the dialogue until someone says "Freeze!"
Freeze Tag
Discuss the use of levels in movement. Two students start a scene on a given topic and try to work with interesting shape relationships. When deemed appropriate, an audience member calls "freeze!" Both actors freeze, and the audience member enters the acting area, taking the frozen position of one of the actors. The new actor initiates a new scene from the stimulus of the frozen picture. Continue on, repeating the exercise and involving a new actor each time.
Students perform a selected scene and, at a critical point in the action or at the height of a dramatic moment, they are directed to "freeze," creating a still frame or "frozen picture." After an interval, actors are directed to resume action until the next "freeze" is called. Examples of scenes that lend themselves to the "frozen picture" activity might be a bank robbery, a roller coaster ride, beach volleyball, or a blind date.
Fruit Salad
Students sit in a large circle, with one student in the middle without a chair. Label the students as one of three fruits (e.g., apple, peach, kiwi). The student in the middle calls the name of a fruit, and everyone in the circle with that name must find another chair at the same time as the person in the middle is trying to find a chair. As a variation, the person in the middle may call either two fruit names or "fruit salad," which means everyone must find another seat.
Genre Switch
Working in small groups, have students choose and perform dramatic situations, rotating through different genres (e.g., romantic, melodramatic, Western, cartoon).
How the ___ Stories
To encourage the imagination, have students, as a class, in groups, or in pairs, use a process of brainstorming, selection, and rehearsal to create a story to explain How the Zebra Got Its Stripes, How the Pig Got Its Curly Tail, How the Turtle Had to Carry Its House on its Back, and so on. Use a narrator and a group of actors.
Incongruous Lines
Form pairs. Student A takes the opening line to a scene, and Student B takes the second line. Neither student knows the otherıs line, and both have to work to sustain and advance the scene. The lines should be incongruous. For example:
A: I just squeeze the trigger gently, right?
B: Do you want regular or supreme gas?
A: Pass the peanut butter, please!
B: Iıll be fine on my own, Dad (Mom).
Magic Carpet Ride
First, the teacher or guide creates a suitable environment by dimming the lights and relaxing the students. Students lie on the floor or sit in a relaxed position and are guided to imagine various places while the teacher or guide describes them. The exercise may progress to include touch and movement. Variations are Under Sea or Time Travel. When using this game, teachers are encouraged to take account of the cautions outlined under "Sensitive Content" (see Appendix H).
Marionettes
Have students practise moving like human marionettes, first as if controlled by strings from elbows, wrists, fingers, and then from knees, ankles, and toes. Finally, add strings for heads, necks, and shoulders. Once students have practised the movement, have them form small groups and choose a childrenıs story to perform. Have them try speaking in the same broken rhythm in which they move. Students may perform the story for the class and maybe for a much younger class (see also puppets).
Metaphor Bench
Set benches or chairs for eight in the acting area. Form groups of eight. Send one group into the acting area, and have the others form an audience. Number the acting group one through eight. Give the group in the acting area the following instructions (ensure that the audience does not know what will happen):
Actor One enters the acting area, looks around, then walks to the far end of the bench and sits. After about 10 seconds, Actor Two enters, looks around, then asks Actor One, "Has she arrived yet?" Actor One responds in the negative, and Actor Two sits beside Actor One. After 10 seconds, Actor Three enters and continues the process with Actor Two. The process continues until Actor Eight enters and sits beside Actor Seven.
After about 10 seconds, Actor Eight stands, justifies an exit, and leaves. After 10 seconds, Actor Seven repeats the process. Continue until the last actor leaves the stage. Throw in a few directions to the actors for variety if desired.
After the event, discuss the power of a group of performers simply staying in character, entering, interacting, and exiting.
Mirrors
Partners face one another an armıs length apart. Student A initiates movement, and Student B mirrors Student Aıs actions. Stress co-operation, but make moves complex and fast enough to give a challenge. Reverse roles.
Mirrors Variations:
After practice with mirrors, have students move with no one leading or following. The teacher then looks at individual pairs and eliminates groups in which one partner is leading or the moves are not mirrors.
Form the class into a large circle. Send one student out of the space, then assign a group leader. With the leader leading the circle, start a mirror activity. Call the excluded student back to stand in the centre of the circle and try to identify the leader.
Miss Julie is the only child of a wealthy landowner in 18th-century Sweden. At a traditional Midsummerıs Eve celebration, during which the estate workers mingle with the aristocracy, Miss Julie dances with Jean, a valet. Kirsten, Jeanıs fiancée, visits his room after the party, only to discover that Jean is missing, but a handkerchief belonging to Miss Julie is on the table. Kirsten picks up the handkerchief and responds to the implications. Gender roles can easily be reversed by making Miss Julie and the fiancée male, Jean a female, and the object in the room a riding crop.
Park Bench
When working on specific acting skills (e.g., making an entrance, creating a fully developed character, knowing how to sit), environments such as a park bench or an airport lounge become convenient settings for the chance meeting of characters. The teacher supplies the skill being learned and assessed.
Students create a chain of characters. The first student enters and is joined by a second. After some interaction, the first student leaves and the third student enters, and so on.
In pairs, students are given a picture of two people. They each select one of the people in the picture and create a character. With their partner, they enact a dramatic work based on an incident that occurred on the day the picture was taken. The class assesses whether the students achieved the characters in the photograph.
Following a thorough physical warm-up, form pairs. One student plays a puppet or marionette while the other pulls the imaginary strings, or the "puppeteer" points to or touches head, arms, and legs of the "puppet" to identify the part to move. Focus on discrete movement (see also Marionettes). When using this game, teachers are encouraged to take account of the cautions outlined under "Sensitive Content" (see Appendix H).
Sculptures
Working in pairs, students create a statue. One stu dent is the clay, and the other is the sculptor. The sculptors do not need to touch the clay, but by putting a hand near the part of the clay they want moved, they can manipulate the arms, legs, head, and body of the clay into an interesting statue based on titles or themes. The students then switch roles.
Sharks
Create a raft from three sheets of newspaper. Have students hold each other on the raft when the leader calls "Sharks!" Gradually remove each sheet of paper as the game progresses.
Silent Scream
Students face a wall and close their eyes. On a cue from the teacher, they give a huge but silent scream that builds from their toes and works right up through their bodies. Stress total physical involvement. However, do not let any sound come out.
Street Interview
Brainstorm topics of communal interest. Ask one student to be a newsperson and to conduct a person-in-the-street interview on the selected topic. A series of random yet plausible characters enter the scene and are interviewed.
Tableaux Moulding
Divide the class into three equal groups labelled A, B, and C. Number the members of each group, and ensure that the students can identify their corresponding numbers in other groups (A1, B1, C1). Group A keeps eyes closed. Group C forms a frozen picture with interesting levels and shapes. Group B observes group C. When the picture is frozen, Group B students move their number partners in Group A (who continue to keep their eyes closed) into replicas of the frozen picture made by their number partners in group C. Try to sustain similar relationships within the frozen picture. Each group should get a chance in each role (model, moulder, moulded). At the end, Group A members open their eyes and compare the shape of their tableau to that of Group C (see also Frozen Pictures).
Take Ten
In pairs or small groups, students create a series of ten frozen pictures that tell a story about a given idea or title (e.g., a robbery, a twist of fate). Stress awareness of levels, focus, and "action about to happen." Students show a tableau, lights are turned off, someone counts "One, two, three, four, five, take two," and lights come on to show the next tableau.
Telephone
The class forms a circle and a message is whispered around the circle. Compare the original with the message as heard by the last person in the circle.
Simultaneously run two messages in the opposite direction. Usually they corrupt one another.
In small groups, create a story based on a given story starter. Have students devise a scene based on their idea.
This Is a Book
The class sits in a circle and the leader hands an object (e.g., a book) to the left. The leader says, "This is a book." The student receiving the book says, "This is a what?" The leader replies, "This is a book." The first student then passes the book to the next student saying, "This is a book." The second student says, "This is a what?" The first student then asks the leader, "This is a what?" The leader replies, "This is a book." The first student then tells the second student, "This is a book," and the second student tells the third student, "This is a book." The third student asks back, student by student, to the leader, "This is a what?" and the answer is returned through each student, "This is a book." This is complicated when the leader passes a second object, perhaps a pencil, to the right. The same procedure of statement, question, statement is followed on that side of the circle as well. The fun is created and great concentration is required when the two objects cross and the students are then passing questions and answers about both objects back to the leader.
Trust Circle
Form groups of six or seven, using students of roughly the same size. One student stands in the centre of the circle and stands firm. The other students provide support by putting two hands on this centre student. When the centre student is ready and has eyes closed and body rigid, that student is gently passed around the circle. After a while, the group gently brings the studentıs body back to a central, upright position. Stress safety and co-operation. When using this game, teachers are encouraged to take account of the cautions outlined under "Sensitive Content" (see Appendix H). Note as well that exercises such as this are only one aspect of achieving trust in the classroom. Full trust develops only when students feel a sense of equity. This requires teachers to validate all studentsı personal and cultural backgrounds by recognizing and affirming their culturally based forms of self-expression.
Trust Falls
Divide into pairs of students who are approximately the same size. Stand toe to toe, hold hands, and lean back, balancing one another. When using this game, teachers are encouraged to take account of the cautions outlined under "Sensitive Content" (see Appendix H). Note as well that exercises such as this are only one aspect of achieving trust in the classroom. Full trust develops only when students feel a sense of equity. This requires teachers to validate all studentsı personal and cultural backgrounds by recognizing and affirming their culturally based forms of self-expression.
Trust Falls Variations:
Divide into pairs of students of approximately the same size. Stand heel to heel. Lean back, and balance one another.
Form into groups of three. Two students form a cradle by holding hands. The other student stands with their back to the cradle. When the two students doing the catching say "go," the single student falls back into their arms. Stress that students should not fall back until cued and should not catapult out of the cradle.
One student lies on the floor and keeps his or her body rigid. Six or seven other students lift that student above their heads. Stress safety.
Trust Walk
Have students form pairs. Person A keeps eyes closed, while Person B walks on one leg. The two students support each other as they move around. Halfway through the walk, students exchange roles. Students need to relate their experience, listing sounds, tactile experiences, and so on.
Tug of War with Old Curtain
Divide the class into two teams, with the team members numbered so there is a one, two, and so on, on each team. Place an old curtain on the ground between the two teams. The leader calls a number, and the two students whose number is called run out and try to pull the old curtain toward their team. Up to four numbers could be called out so that up to four team members from each team are tugging the curtain at the same time. This game is best played outdoors.
Two Truths and One Lie
Students introduce their partners by telling two facts and one lie about them; other students attempt to recognize the lie.
Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Education
Standards Department
İ 1995 Copyright
Maintained by: Fine Arts Coordinator - Drama
Revised: January 28, 1999
Ministry of Education Home Page
Table of Contents