What's Happening in Drama Classes

Kindergarten and First Grade students are immersed in our puppetry unit.  Over the course of this unit, the students have the chance to make several different types of puppets from stick puppets to marionettes.  They also learn how to operate other types of professionally made puppets and put on original puppet shows using both their own creations and my collection of puppets.

Students in Second Grade have just finished a unit on Teamwork and Electricity which included making closed circuits with each other and convincing a grumpy homeowner (me) why I shouldn't throw away my electronic devices (them).  We are now working on a play production unit in which the students take on all the jobs of putting on the play from writing the scripts to acting to directing to designing sets and costumes.

Third Grade students recently put on their fabulous production of Folktales from Around the World!  I was very proud of all the students.  Their hard work during rehearsals really paid off in what turned out to be a truly excellent show.  We are now getting back into our normal drama curriculum which includes upcoming units on Improv and set and costume design.

Students in Fourth Grade are continuing to develop their stage voices and acting skills by preparing monologues.  The students learned about monologues and the purpose they serve in the acting world, then each student chose a monologue to work with for the next several weeks.  We discussed how to go about learning and performing a monologue and then the students began to rehearse.  They are each preparing a memorized performance of their chosen monologue to share with the class after break.

Fifth Grade drama class is focusing on rehearsals for the upcoming Fifth Grade production of The American Revolution: The Musical.  While this show is directed by Ms. Russell I love to help in any way I can so we use drama class time to rehearse.  Once again, this show is going to be amazing.  The students always impress me with their acting, singing and dancing under Ms. Russell's direction.

Finally, in Seventh Grade, we are all about Improv!  The students learned about the golden rule of improv:  Yes, and... as well as the acronym CROW which stands for Character, Relationship, Objective and Where.  When performing an improv scene the actors want to establish CROW as quickly as possible.  We have been playing several improv games to reinforce these concepts.  They also happen to be a lot of fun!

I hope you all have relaxing and fun mid-winter breaks!

December in Drama Classes

As we get ready to head off for Winter Break, here is an update of what we've been doing in drama classes.

In Kindergarten, the students have begun to learn about the dramatic elements of plot, setting and character.  We have been using story drama to identify these elements and then act out the stories.   We have been having a lot of fun with Dr. Seuss stories, especially The Sneetches.

First Grade students spent several weeks using their imaginations to pretend that objects were something other then what they were intended to be, that fabric could turn in to anything we wanted it to be and that our classroom could transform in to any place we wanted to go.  The students then had the opportunity to work in small groups to create their own short plays about winter which they performed for one another.

In Second Grade, the students spent several weeks rehearsing a short play about space and community entitled Space Wrecked which they performed for their buddies.  Next, we thought more about communities when we did an activity which illustrated how we go from being individuals to members of a community in a unique and engaging way.  The past two weeks, the students have played some favorite pantomime guessing games in class.

Third Grade students have been learning about the 5 W's and how they are used in drama.  We began be exploring character (who) and then moved on to setting (where).  The students worked in small groups to write short scenes, then design and draw the sets for their scenes and finally rehearse and perform their scenes.  When we return from break we will get started rehearsing for the Third Grade Performance.  We have four new folktales to perform this year.

In Fourth Grade, the students have been working on their stage voices.  They began by choosing different dramatic poems which they rehearsed and performed for their classmates.  Then the students had some fun with MadScripts.  These are short plays done in the Mad Libs style, so they end up being very silly.

Sixth Grade students finished up learning about frozen pictures and giving and taking focus with fun activities such as Wax Museum and My Family Vacation.  They then spent time creating short scenes which solved different dramatic challenges, such as creating a game show or a fractured fairy tale.  After break, the Sixth Graders will spend some time researching an area of interest within the vast history of the theater and presenting their findings to the class.

In Eighth Grade, the students have continued to use all of the acting skills previously learned to solve complex dramatic challenges, such as creating a mock news cast.  Activities like this have been mixed with Improv games to keep the students thinking on their toes.  When we return from break Eighth Grade students will begin working on writing original plays based on urban legends.

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season!

Ms. Edwards

What's Happening in Drama Classes

It is hard to believe we are already in November, but here we are!  All of the students have been having a great time in Drama Classes this fall.  Here is a quick look at what we have been doing.

In Kindergarten and First Grade we spent several weeks working on movement; how to control our bodies and use them to complete different dramatic challenges.  We are now working on the important drama skill of Observation.  Recent classes have included favorite games such as Frog and Fly, Three Changes and Who Started the Motion.

Students in Second Grade completed a unit on Observing and Working Together and are now exploring Space and Community in Drama class.  We have taken Imagination Journeys into space and are now working on a great short play called Space Wrecked about a group of tourists in space who get stranded on an unidentified planet and have to work together to create their own community.

In Third Grade, we have been working on Pantomime Acting, acting without speaking or using any props.  The students have explored different environments in pantomime, communicated character and plot in pantomime and even tried to sell different items in pantomime.

Students in Fourth Grade have moved away form Pantomime Acting and have started a unit on Voice.  They are working on breathing, projection, rate, clarity and expression.  These are valuable skills not only for acting on stage but also for giving speeches and presentations.

In Sixth Grade, we have been working with the idea of frozen pictures or freeze frames and how an entire story can be told in one snapshot.  We have also been learning about giving and taking focus on stage.

Finally, in Eighth Grade we have been splitting our time between activities which emphasize Improv, acting without preparation, and scene building, creating short scenes with complete plots and well developed characters which solve different dramatic challenges.  We have spent a lot of time laughing at the creative and hysterical ideas the students have come up with.

Here We Go Again!

It's hard to believe that another school year is already underway, but here we are in the middle of our second week of the 2012-13 school year.  The first week of drama classes went very well.  We began with quick reviews of procedures and expectations then we dove right in to our first games and activities.  It is always fun for me to see how the children have grown and changed over the summer and how the dynamics change based on new class groupings.  For these reasons, I always start the year with fun ice breaker and team building activities.  These activities give the students a chance to get to know their new classmates and give me a chance to observe how the new groups work together.

This week the Kindergarten and First Grade classes will continue to do activities to get to know one another and learn how to work well together while the older grades will begin their first units of study. 

It is going to be another great year of drama classes at OWS!  As always, if you have any questions about drama classes or your child please don't hesitate to contact me at lisae@ows.org.  This year I am on campus Tuesday-Friday.

Partnerships with Older Drama Students

Students here at OWS are lucky.  They get to have drama class as a part of their educational experience from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade.  I certainly did not have this opportunity, in fact Drama wasn't offered as an option at my schools until high school.  I hope that I inspire my students to continue taking drama classes or pursue acting once they leave OWS.  To foster this sense of drama being a lifelong pursuit I am partnering with area high schools to bring high school theatre students here to work with my students. 

On Tuesday, students from the Northwest School came out for the afternoon to lead the First Grade students in drama workshops.  The high school students taught games and created frozen picture scenes with the First Graders.  Then they asked the little ones for ideas to add to a play they are writing.  Once the play is finished they are going to be coming back and performing it for us.  It was great fun to see 6 year old and 16 year old students working together!

Next, I am going to have the Improv Troupe from Newport High School come and lead some workshops with the Fourth Grade students during our unit on Improvisational Theatre.

We are just starting this exciting program and I can't wait to see how it expands!    

Wrapping Up 2011

As we are quickly approaching winter break the students have been very busy in drama classes!

Kindergarten students have been learning about the dramatic elements of plot, setting and character.  We have read several stories looking for these elements and then had a great time acting the stories out.  The students also got the opportunity to create their own short plays to perform for one another.  All of their plays had interesting plots, clear settings and strong characters...and they were great fun to watch!

Students in First Grade participated in a First Thanksgiving narrative pantomime activity to compliment their study of the First Thanksgiving in class.  We planted and harvested crops, went fishing and hunting and then prepared and enjoyed our feast.  It was fun for the kids to explore the content in a different way!  We then spend some time reviewing the dramatic elements and the students worked in small groups to write and perform winter scenes.

Second Grade students have been busy exploring the concepts of Space and Community.  We spent several weeks working on a Reader's Theater play called Space Wrecked about a group of space tourists who find themselves stranded on an unfamiliar planet and have to create a community in order to survive.  Next, we did an activity called "Coming Together" which encouraged the students to explore how communities form from groups of individuals in an abstract way.  I was impressed by the complex connections the students made during this activity.

In Third Grade we have been studying the 5 W's:  Who, What, When, Where and Why and how they are related to drama and acting.  The students have created characters, drawn set design plans, written plots and applied different motivations to their acting.  After we return from break we will begin rehearsing for the Third Grade performance.

Fourth Grade students have been working on their stage voices.  We have been doing different exercises to help with our breathing, articulation, rate, projection, clarity, expression and pitch.  The students used their stage voices to do dramatic performances of poems.  They had the choice of several poems and were able to perform either individually or in small groups.  They all did a fabulous job in their final performances!

I hope you all have wonderful break from school and I'm looking forward to more adventures in drama class when we return in 2012!

What's happening in K-4 Drama!

Students in Kindergarten and First Grade have been exploring the concepts of dramatic movement and observation this month in drama class.  We began by playing several games which emphasized physical control and spatial awareness.  Then we began to focus on of awareness and observation.  The students have been using different senses, mostly sight and hearing, to complete challenges and succeed at games.

In Second Grade Drama classes we have been working on teamwork.  All of the games and activities have emphasized different aspects of teamwork and encouraged the students to work cooperatively.

Students in Third Grade have been studying the art of pantomime acting, that is acting with making any vocal sounds or using any props.  The students learned the basic qualities of good pantomime acting and have since been applying these qualities to communicating effectively in pantomime.  They have completed several challenges and created wonderful pantomime scenes.

Fourth Grade students have also been practicing their pantomime acting at a more advanced level.  These students are solving more advanced dramatic challenges and creating more detailed scenes all without speaking.

This year has gotten off to a great start!  I can't believe it's almost November already!  I'm having so much fun teaching and learning from your children every day.

Lisa Edwards

Specialists' Night

I will not be at this event, but I encourage you all to attend!  It is a very fun evening which gives you additional insight into how your kids spend their days.  If you do have any Drama specific questions please e-mail me to schedule a conference during Fall Conference days, October 20 and 21.

Specialists’ Night

Thursday, October 13th, 6:15-8:30 P.M.

Does Your Child Love Going to Specialist Classes?
Come and Experience the Fun and Learning!

Spanish K – 4, Art, Music, and Physical Education specialist teachers are excited
to share their programs with you! They have planned activities similar to those they do with your children and are looking forward to doing them with you.

Wear comfortable clothing and be prepared for an enjoyable evening.

Meet in the gym for a welcome and directions to the lessons and activities.

We hope to see you there!

If you have questions about:
Drama, Library, or Computer classes:
Please make an appointment to meet with those teachers during Fall Conferences, October 20 and 21.

Welcome Back!

And we're off!  Another fabulous year of fun filled drama classes is just beginning!  This year I have the privilege of teaching every student at Open Window School and Vista at Open Window School.  That's right every student, Kindergarten through Eighth Grade, will be having weekly drama classes this year.  I think this is such an exciting change and I can't wait to see what the middle school kids can do!

I will be updating this blog twice a month with news about drama classes and any other information I think you will find useful.  If you're curious about what goes on in drama classes, this is the place to look for answers.  You can also feel free to contact me directly with any specific questions.

lisae@ows.org
(425) 747-2911  ext. 280

I'm looking forward to another wonderful year with all of your amazing children!

Lisa Edwards

Wrapping Up Another Great Year!

It's hard to believe but we only have eight more days of school this year! We have been busy finishing up projects in drama classes and reviewing all we've done this year in movement classes.

Kindergarten students just finished a unit all about insects! We moved like caterpillars metamorphosing into butterflies, made up our own insect stories to act out and even had an "Ugly Bug Ball," where we made antennae, wore wings and had a dance party!

First grade students finished creating their fabulous marionette puppets and then used these puppets to make their own fairy tale puppet shows.

In Second grade the students have been busy rehearsing the plays they wrote based on several different folk tales. They will be performing these plays for their classmates before the end of the school year.

Third grade students just finished up their big set design, costume design and monologue projects all using the play CSI: Mothergooseland as a base. I was very impressed by the creativity shown by the students, especially in the original monologues they wrote and performed.

In Fourth Grade we are ending the year with a unit on Improv. The students are having a great time playing improvisational acting games straight out of the Theater Sports playbook. It's nice to finish the year with a lot of laughter!

Movement classes have been spent reviewing all of our previous units, with students having two or three different options each class. It has been fun for me to see which activities they choose to do again, and how much they remember from classes we had back in September!

It has been another fantastic year of Drama and Movement here at OWS! Next year, I will not be teaching Movement any longer, but I will be taking on the additional challenge of teaching Drama at the middle school level. So check back here in the fall to find out what's happening in Drama classes from Kindergarten all the way to Eighth grade!

I wish you all a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing you in the fall!

Lisa Edwards

Why are performances important?

Here at Open Window School the students have many opportunities to perform every year. From small performances during drama classes, to all school assemblies and grade level performances on the stage for friends and family. This time of year is filled with grade level performances, at least one a week for the next several weeks. Planning and rehearsing these performances is one of my favorite aspects of my role as drama teacher. In the midst of switching from second grade's fabulous show, Everyday is Earth Day, last Friday to the Kindergarten Multicultural Parade and Performance this Thursday, I found myself reflecting on the importance of performance and how wonderful it is that our students get so many opportunities to perform.

You may or may not be aware that, according to several different surveys, the number one fear among adults is speaking in public/performing in front of an audience. Many adults are so afraid of public speaking that it has held them back in their careers and social lives. I want all of my students to have the confidence to speak or perform in front of audience if they ever want or need to. I am well aware that the majority of my students are not going to pursue an acting career, but public speaking is an important skill to master. One of the goals of all our performances is to give the children the confidence they need to feel comfortable speaking or performing in front of people.

The performances start out simple with large group song and dance numbers and become more complex with individual students speaking/singing/dancing alone. By Fifth grade, the students perform a complete musical comedy and I am blown away by it every year. Many students tell me that these performances are one of their favorite parts of the year. I am thrilled to hear these type of comments because I want to make performing a fun and positive experience for all of my students.

Working with Scripts

Beginning in First Grade, students are exposed to scripts in drama class and work with them in different ways in each subsequent year. Younger students use Reader's Theater scripts and learn how scripts are written differently from stories or books. Following along and reading the parts out loud at the correct times are the focus for this age group. In Second Grade, students have the opportunity to become playwrights by turning familiar stories into scripts. The students must include all dialogue and stage directions and write their scripts in the proper format. They then get to act out the plays they have written. In Third Grade, we do some really in-depth script work. Using a short play called CSI Mothergooseland, the students have to read the script with a director's eye really focusing on the stage directions and technical elements. They then use the information from the script to design sets, costumes and even write additional scenes that could be in the play. In Fourth and Fifth Grade, the students use all of their previous learned knowledge to direct and perform scenes from plays. They also have opportunities to write their own original scripts for performance. Knowing what to do with a script is an important element of drama. Students leave OWS with a deep understanding of how scripts are written and how to interpret them.

The Art of Pantomime

Fourth grade students are in the middle of learning how to communicate effectively without using their voices, otherwise known as pantomime acting. The students have been challenged with different games and activities that ask them to communicate character, plot, setting, theme, tone and object without speaking, making any vocal sounds or using any props. They have discovered the importance of facial expressions and body language through these challenges. Every student has improved dramatically in their ability to make the audience understand their non-verbal communication since the first class.

I have found that students who are able to master the art of pantomime acting become better all around actors. They become less reliant on their voices and use their whole bodies when playing different characters. When working with older elementary children this becomes especially important. Students this age are beginning to get stuck in their heads, worrying about what classmates are thinking. This tends to make them less physical in their acting and more reliant on only their voices. Beginning the semester with pantomime takes away the "safety net" of voice, they all know how to communicate that way, and requires them to get creative and look a little silly. This makes all of the acting for the rest of the semester higher quality.

Jumping for Joy!

In movement class, Kindergarten and First Grade students have been learning all about the importance of aerobic exercise, especially jumping rope, in keeping their hearts healthy. The students began the unit at a variety of different skill levels, from beginner to advanced jump ropers. All of the students are improving their jump roping ability by increasing their jump count, how many jumps in a row, increasing the length of time they can jump without stopping and learning some new jump rope tricks.

OWS is not doing an official Jump Rope for Heart event this year, but we are still doing many of the activities in movement class to make sure the important message of keeping your heart healthy through exercise and healthy eating is communicated to the students. We are also having a lot of fun jumping rope!

What's Happening in Drama Class?

Lots! We have been very busy since returning from winter break. Students in Kindergarten and First Grade have begun a unit on puppetry. They had the opportunity to explore my puppet collection and learn how different types of puppets are controlled. Now they are busy making several different types of puppets. They began with simple finger puppets then will move on to stick puppets, hand puppets and even marionettes for the First Graders. They will use their final puppets to create puppet shows to perform for each other.

In Second Grade Drama, the students are hard at work writing plays. Each group was given a story to turn in to a play which will be performed for an audience of their peers upon completion. First, we worked together to make outlines of the important plot points from the story and now the students are working in small groups writing the script. Each group has been assigned one section of the story. Once the script is finished we will choose parts and begin rehearsing. The students will also have the opportunity to design and create sets and props for their plays.

In Third Grade we have been busy rehearsing for the Third Grade Performance: Folktales from Around the World. The show is next Thursday, February 3rd and the kids have been learning their lines, blocking, orchestra parts and dances. They have all put in a lot of work and the show is going to be great!

Fifth Grade students had their last drama class yesterday and it was really a celebration! Since winter break the students had the choice of either writing and performing original plays or making their own modern day film versions of Hamlet. Yesterday we watched the films and the plays and they were all incredible!

Fourth Grade will start to have Drama classes next week...so fourth grade parents keep checking here for information about what your kids are up to.

-Lisa Edwards

Snowflake Dash

Students in Kindergarten and First Grade recently had the chance to participate in the OWS Snowflake Dash during Movement class. The students had the choice of running either 1/2 mile, 15 laps in our gym "track", or 1 mile, 30 laps. I am pleased to announce that all of the students participated and many of them completed the whole mile! They each received a certificate as a reward for this accomplishment.

I hope all of you have fun and active Winter Breaks and I'll see you in the new year!

The Dramatic Elements

One of the major goals of the drama program is for the students to leave fifth grade with a strong understanding of the dramatic elements of plot, setting, character, dialogue, conflict, design and theme. I begin laying the foundation for this understanding in Kindergarten and First Grade when the students are introduced to the concepts of plot, setting and character through a variety of story drama activities.

We start with the Dr. Seuss classic, The Sneetches and Other Stories, because the stories are very popular with the students and really lend themselves well to learning about plot, setting and characters. The students not only have the opportunity to talk about these concepts, they also get to act out the stories focusing on one of the dramatic elements.

In Second and Third Grade the students expand upon their knowledge of plot, setting and character by learning about the 5 W's, who, what, when, where and why, and how each W is related to a dramatic element. In Second Grade, the students use this knowledge to turn well known stories into scripts which they then perform. In Third Grade we spend at least one class on each of the 5 W's and the students are able to see the connections much more clearly. They create short, original scenes with emphasis on either character, setting, plot, theme or time period. Students in third grade also do a set design project.

All of this foundation allows the fourth and fifth grade students to delve in to the more complicated elements of dialogue, conflict and theme. We spend a great deal of time doing improvisational acting in the upper grades and it is clear that their understanding of the dramatic elements is very helpful when doing improv. The students are also able to analyze scripts using their knowledge of the dramatic elements to create incredible and meaningful performances.

Scene Study in Fifth Grade

Fifth grade students just finished doing their first scene studies in drama classes. I chose eight different scenes from several plays either written for children or with characters who are children and assigned the students a scene and a part in that scene. The plays ranged from classics like Alice in Wonderland to more modern plays such as Afternoon of the Elves.

Once they knew their plays, groups and parts the students had two weeks to plan and rehearse their scenes for final performances on the third week. I chose characters for the students that were intended to stretch them because they were very different from the students' personalities. All of the groups created or brought in props and set pieces to use for their performances. Several groups came in costume and some even memorized their scripts.

I was incredibly impressed by the final performances! It was very clear to me that the students really enjoyed this challenge and gave it their all. They are a very talented bunch and I can't wait for our next unit...we are going to be tackling Shakespeare!

Great Games in K-1 Movement

Kindergarten and first grade students are learning a ton of Great Games in Movement class this month! Games are an important part of the physical education curriculum because they help the children learn movement skills, strategies and cooperation.

The games we are playing are especially focused on developing basic locomotor skills such as travelling safely, dodging and fleeing. These games also help to improve general coordination, agility and teamwork.

Ask your child about the great games Clean Your Room, Houdini Hoops, Fours Corners, Trains at the Station and many more!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to another exciting year of drama and movement and Open Window School! My name is Lisa Edwards and I am lucky enough to be starting my sixth year at OWS. I teach drama classes to all students in grades K-5 and movement to students in kindergarten and first grade. This is the place to check for curriculum updates, highlights from our different units and any announcements about performances or other related topics.

I will be at Specialists' Night on September 27th to answer all your questions about K-1 movement and if you have any questions about drama class, you can schedule a conference with me during fall conferences, or shoot me an e-mail at lisae@ows.org

I am looking forward to another great year with all of your amazing kids!