Just a little bit of DRAMA!

You probably thought that not going to school meant no more drama, but you are wrong!

Below you will find a list of activities for you that have been provided by your drama teacher, Mrs. Mackenney! These are activities that you can do on your own, and they are not specifically assigned by me! If you are to participate in any of the following, please, send me a video or picture of your performance or creation as I can document them! These activities can be done when you have some extra free time and with the whole family!

Wacky Fashion/Talent Show

Students may use found objects and costumes at home to act out a fashion/talent show skit for their family.

Crazy hair and make up can also be used depending on how detailed students wish to be.

Multiple family members may take part acting out different roles as contestants, judges, etc. while others can be audience members.

Different types of music can be used for emphasis as contestants walk down the "runway"or background music if performing a talent. 

This can be as simple or as "wacky" as possible and someone can be presented with a "trophy" at the end.

You may wish to set up comical situations in which everything goes wrong at the fashion/talent show.

Drama From Picture Books & Movies

Students can read a favourite book (or have one read to them). 

They will act out either the entire story, or one scene from the book. They may act out several different characters or have siblings and other family members take on different roles and tackle this as a family creative project. The students could use clothing or even Halloween outfits as costumes and household objects can be used as props. Students may wish to add background music to their creations. They can record some of their work,  and view & critique it after the project is completed.

An alternate idea, is that they could take one of their favourite movies (Disney works well) and re-enact the whole movie or particular scenes only.

Narrative Pantomime

Students can act out a a simple story or an important scene from a book or a movie (either individually or with a sibling) while another family member tells it.

No props or costumes may be used. The student (s) should not speak and only use "body language" and facial expressions to clearly get across what is happening in the story.

Again, this can be recorded and shared with family members afterwards.

Paper Masks Pantomime

*For safety reasons, students must ensure that they can see out of the masks clearly before using them.

Students will need the following supplies to make a mask:

-heavy card stock (or the plain inside of a large cereal box)

-string

-scissors

-hole punch

-crayons or markers

Students may  go online and find many types of masks that they can print out or use as a suggestion for their own ideas.

Using masks reminds students that acting is not only from "the neck up" but involves the entire body to express what is happening.

Students will wear the mask they have created and try to use their whole body to show the following emotions and states of being to other members of the family :

*happiness

*anger

*sadness

*excitement

*fear

*bashfulness

*hunger

*greed

*silliness

*enthusiasm

*extreme thirst

*laziness

*worry

*impatience

*forgetfulness *nervousness

etc.

They can perform individually or with siblings for other family members and

the "audience" can guess what they are trying to portray.

Another way I like to use the masks, is that the performer(s) can act out a few scenarios that they either

think of themselves or they may use situations that are decided by the "audience".

Performer(s) may act out the scenario with or without the problem given.

Scenarios For Mask Pantomimes                                     Problem:

Someone who is ordering food in a restaurant.             (Service is really bad.)

A tourist is trying to ask for directions.                            (Gets poor and confusing instructions and gets lost.) 

A teacher explaining a lesson.                                           (A student in class is not paying attention.)

A baseball fan who is watching a game on T.V.               (The fan's team loses the game.)

Someone who is baking a cake.                                         (The cake is forgotten in the oven & causes a fire.)

A person who is watching T.V. at home, changes           (The popcorn ends up everywhere.)

channels with a remote and reacts to different

content on television (a comical T.V. show,   a game show, a horror movie)  while miming eating popcorn.             

*Students can also make up their own ideas.

Puppets

Students can use found objects at home to create a puppet and perform for family members.

Paper bags, socks, mittens, plush toys, dolls, and more can be used in your puppet show.

You can make up your own story or act out a well known fairy tale.

Make Me Laugh

This exercise helps students work on concentration and focus. Normal blinking is fine.

Set a timer for 1 minute. Stand on the floor across from a family member who is approx. 3 meters away from you. When the timer starts, you must look right into the eyes of your opponent without laughing or changing your expression from "neutral". The first person to to look away, move their mouth or laugh is out.

After you have mastered this type of concentration exercise, you can move on to simultaneously making funny faces at your opponent for one minute while they stay in character and don't laugh. 

The final challenge is to stand 1 meter away from your opponent. Decide who gets to go first.

One person has to look into the eyes of their opponent fully focused while the other person can sing,

dance, tell jokes, and make faces without touching the other participant and while standing 1 meter away. Next you switch spots. The person that remains "neutral" is the winner.

You can work your way up to entire family challenges and see who the grand champion is.

Lip Sync Performance

Students may choose to do this activity individually or with other family members.

Choose an appropriate song and decide how much of the song you will perform.

Decide if you are going to present it realistically or with lots of comedy.

Make sure that you learn the lyrics and work on your timing before you perform.

Choose props and a costume to add to your performance.

Remember to use LOTS of facial expressions and body language when you lip sync.

Add dance moves to your performance.

You can have a family member record your performance and send it to relatives so that they can enjoy it too.

 Skit Project

Write your own skit. This activity could take more than a few days, depending on how much detail you'd like to include in your finished project. It should be approximately 3 to 4 minutes long when performed.

You can always check out You Tube for skit ideas if you can't think of anything.

Either make it a MONOLOGUE for one person, or include a few characters (family members and family pets can be included in the skit).

Remember to add costumes & props from around your house, and add music to make your performance more interesting to watch. 

Have one of your family members record your skit as a dress rehearsal so you can see if you need to make any changes before the final performance.

Perform and record your complete performance.

Have a family "Skit Night" to watch your masterpiece.