Drama: Voice and Improvisation

It is expected that students will:

Elements and Principles
Creating/Performing/Communicating

create/perform a work of art demonstrating an awareness and experience of several of the basic elements and principles of the discipline used
create/perform a work of art demonstrating the use of the basic elements and principles of the discipline to communicate specific ideas, moods, or feelings
create/perform a work of art demonstrating the use of strategies for developing an artistic image or idea

Perceiving/Responding/Reflecting

develop the vocabulary for the discipline studied
identify, describe, analyse, interpret, and make judgements about the basic elements and principles as used in a variety of art works

Personal, Social, Cultural, Historical Contexts
Creating/Performing/Communicating

create/perform a work of art that reflects an understanding of the impact of social/cultural/historical contexts
create/perform a work of art that communicates specific beliefs/traditions in response to historical/contemporary issues

Perceiving/Responding/Reflecting

identify, describe, and analyse cultural or historical styles as represented in a variety of art works
critique a work of art relating its content to the context in which it was created
describe or demonstrate how a specific work of art supports/challenges specific beliefs/traditions, or responds to historical/contemporary issues

Expressing our Humanity
Creating/Performing/Communicating

create/perform a work of art expressing the students' own ideas, thoughts, or feelings
create or perform a work of art for a specific public need (e.g., advertising, public ceremony, or social cause)

Perceiving/Responding/Reflecting

identify, describe, analyse, interpret, and make judgements about how ideas, thoughts, feelings, or messages are communicated in a variety of others' art works
examine the tensions between public acceptance and personal expression in the art discipline being studied

Have students:

demonstrate the use of the vocabulary used in voice and improvisation (e.g., pitch, rate, volume, blocking, side coaching)
identify elements of storytelling and participate in varied storytelling activities (include stories from diverse cultures)
present a choral interpretation of a piece of poetry
present a scripted choral interpretation in small groups
present a children's readers' theatre script
videotape their presentation or perform live for an audience of children
create a narrative with sound effects, using materials such as paper, styrofoam, metal, wood, and plastic
prepare and present a sound plot
create a combination of sound and nonsense poetry
listen and respond to a dramatic reading of a soliloquy
tape a radio play of their own creation
present a taped anthologybased on a theme of their choice
participate in large-group improvisations (e.g., in a railroad station, restaurant, hospital, or mall)
improvise scenes based on lyrics from songs
practise the skills of theatre sports
participate in improvisations in pairs and small groups
participate in role-dramawith the teacher-on-role
create and present a short (5 - 10 minutes) theme-based anthology demonstrating learned skills
explore history of a dramatic form focused on voice (e.g., storytelling, radio plays, choral reading, talking blues, poetry reading, sound plotting, vocal sound effects)

Test students' knowledge of the vocabulary used in voice and improvisational work.
Evaluate students' vocal presentations (choral interpretation, readers' theatre, sound plot, etc.). Assessment criteria may include whether the student:
- shows technical skill
- exhibits an imaginative approach (e.g., seating arrangement, use of voice levels, voice change)
- is focused during the presentation
- is able to project his/her voice with good volume
Evaluate students' improvisational work. Assessment criteria may include students':
- technical skills
- effective use of vocal and imrpovisational skills
- effective use of materials (e.g., sound effects, tape, voice quality)
- concentration on their roles
- ability to work well with the group
Test students' knowledge of theatre sports.
Observe students' skills during theatre sports games in small teams. Assessment criteria may include whether the student:
- stays in role
- builds on his/her teammates' ideas
- supports the team onstage and offstage
- follows the rules of the game
Use self, peer, and teacher evaluation.
Evaluate each student's anthology. Assessment criteria may include:
- the appropriateness of the material to the theme
- the choice of dramatic methods used to present ideas
- whether the student offers and accepts others' ideas
- the use of lighting, sound, costume, and set
- technical skill
- imaginative approach
- coherence

Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Education
Curriculum Branch

Revised: April 1995