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Free Drama Lesson Ideas
Lesson Plans * Drama Classroom Ideas * Theatre Games * Mad-Scripts! * Writing Tips * Free Play Scripts
- Reading can come alive when you read with a group.
- Hook (Anticipatory Set): As a class, discuss the following questions: What are some of the students' favorite movies? Are they dramas or comedies?
- Part 1: Divide the classroom up in to small groups. Have the student groups discuss if they like a serious story (drama) or a funny one (comedy). As a group, they will decide on which one they like better. (optional: maybe students will want to change groups to join a comedy group or a dramatic one)
- Part 2: Have students go to freedrama.net and search the website for scripts that match the size of their group. From these scripts, did they find a dramatic one or a comedy?
- Part 3: The students will print out enough copies of the script for each member of the group. Each student picks a part. They will read the entire play aloud in a small group.
- Part 4: The students will pick a short scene from the script and practice that scene.
- Conclusion: The groups will summarize the script for the class. Then they will perform the short scene for the entire class and discuss why they picked the script and that scene. (Optional: students can say which famous actors they would cast in the script as a fun way to engage the class)
Classroom Lesson Plan Ideas
Welcome to a part of the Freedrama website that has ideas for using these plays in the classroom.
Here are some of the ideas so far:
- NEW! Mad-Scripts! Fill in the blank plays that are different every time you use them. Check them out
- THEME UNIT! Use Peggy the Pint Sized Pirate and do a theme week in the classroom. Peggy fits well with many themes including Pirates, Oceans and the Environment.
- RESEARCH PROJECT! Use Holka Polka and do a fairy tale research project. Explore all the fairy tales mentioned in Holka Polka and have students research the original Grimm, Mother Goose or Anderson stories (Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella, Humpty Dumpty, Pinocchio, etc.).
- FRACTURED FAIRY TALES! Discuss plays such as Gingerbread Girl, Sleeping Handsome and Beauty IS a Beast and compare them to the original stories or Disney versions.
- HISTORY! Use The Hysterical History of Troy and research the history behind the play. Older students can compare the play to Homer's Iliad and younger students can research Sparta, Troy and other Greek cultures.
- AUTHOR! AUTHOR! Read the author's bio at http://www.freedrama.net/bio.html and email the author with questions doug@freedrama.net
- Make a diorama of set for the play or create the set on computer using a program such as CAD.
- WRITING! Write a sequel or new scene - send to doug@freedrama.net - the best will be posted! Use any play from the website or try one of these:
"Seeing Beyond with Maya Fantasma" - Short Comedy - 3 w 1 m
"Ghost Hunters of Route 666" - Short Comedy - 2 w 3 m
A play for ages 12 and over - FESTIVAL! Have a play festival or competition between theatre classes. Here are some short plays that might work:
"Big Nose: A Modern Cyrano" - Short Comedy - flexible cast
"Hippies, Housewives, and Watering Holes" - Short Comedy - 2 w 1 m
"Seeing Beyond with Maya Fantasma" - Short Comedy - 3 w 1 m [html]
"Ghost Hunters of Route 666" - Short Comedy - 2 w 3 m - CHARACTER ANALYSIS! Do a character analysis of a character from one of the plays. Go beyond the script and decide who the person, where they come from, how did they get where they are at the start of the play, what do they like/not like, and why are they the way they are.
- ART! Draw a picture of your favorite character
- Create a costume for a character
- Cast the play with your favorite actors (make powerpoint presentation of the cast as if you are trying to promote the script for production as a movie)
- Write a play review for the play you're reading.
- Do a mock trial: put a character from a play on trial or do a small claims trial on copyright laws for plays published on the internet. (Thank you to Bryan Ross in Canada for this idea).
- The Evolution of a Script Take a look at the changes made to different versions of my plays. A great study in writing and revision.
- Read one of the following plays and come up with a better title. (Bad Air or Baklavia) Email these new title suggestions to the author: doug@freedrama.net
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Fake History
Make your own history!
- Hook (Anticipatory Set): Have students play Rock, Scissors, Paper. Ask them where they think the game came from.
- Direct Instruction: Read play "Rock, Sword, Firecracker!" a short comedy about the legend behind the game of Rock, Scissors, Paper.
- Guided Practice: In groups, create ideas for a short play where you make up the history behind something ordinary such as Knock, Knock Jokes.
- Closure: Have students tell about their short play ideas.
- Independent Practice: Students will pick their favorite fake history contest and write a script.
- Follow-up: Groups of students can practice and perform a student written script for the class.
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