Improvisation
http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/students/tb/06_02_improvexample.htm

We feel that improvisation is the very best way for young people to work. There is a simple, interactive introduction at the web site, but the students need to do improvisation. In the beginning, your willingness to step into role with students in a scene may be the most effective way to get them to commit to the role, to concentrate on the scene, and to extend the playing beyond the most obvious story ideas. After a bit of experience the students won't need your character help at all!

Vocabulary: action, concentration, critique, improvisation, motivation, rehearse, relax, vocal variety, volume

Use:

1. To help students understand the characters (people), setting and story (plot - problem/solution, beginning, middle, end) in classroom curriculum
2. To teach about acting: imaging a character, concentrating on the scene, creating action/movement that fits the character and tells the story, listening to the other characters, developing dialogue to fit the character and the scene

Standards

1. Theatre:
   1. Image characters
   2. Concentrate on the character and story
   3. Be involved in the playing, contribute to the action and dialogue
   4. Use effective movement and gesture
   5. Use effective vocal variety - volume, rate, tempo, pitch
   6. Communicate the scene and character to the audience (be seen and heard)
   7. Understand the character motivation, the cause and effect of their actions
2. Language Arts:
   1. Understand character traits and relationships
   2. Understand the meaning of the story
   3. With the audience in mind, use effective non-verbal and verbal communication to tell the story through the character being enacted

Your Role:

1. Read, with the children, the section on improvisation at http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/students/tb/05_02_improvexample.htm
   You can read the prompts and have the students respond.
2. Model an improvisation with the students. Perhaps you'd like to use one of the 'starters' from the web site http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/students/tb/05_03_improvstarters.htm . Or, ask the students for two characters that have a problem, the setting, and how the scene starts; then improvise the scene. At this point, it may be a good idea for you to take one of the roles so you can help the students see how they can develop dialogue and action.
3. Discuss with the students what they saw and heard in the improvisation, what helped to tell the story
4. Divide the students into pairs. Working at the same time, have the pairs improvise a short scene. Again, the starters at the web site may help you find material. If not, be certain the students know the characters and basic situation for their improvisation, which character they will play, and how the improvisation will start.
5. Discuss the improvisations. Have the students tell what their partner said and did. (Reward their listening to their partner. They should not report just on what they personally did.)
6. Move on to improvisations about curriculum content or based on scenarios written by the students. See the discussion at the beginning of the Acting section about the goals of student performance, and look at Directing that follows the Scene Design section.
7. Always be certain that the meaning of the drama is discussed and related to real life.

Time:

Improvisations can take only a few minutes to set up, play and discuss. Entire lessons can be built on improvisations.

Assessment:

1. As the audience, did the students listen and give helpful suggestions about concentration, listening, communication of the character and story? Could the students discuss the meaning of the drama and its relationship to life experiences?
2. Did the actors communicate the character and story? The following are from the more basic, simple skills to the more sophisticated. The students:
   1. Concentrated, and remained in character
   2. Were believable, contributed dialogue and action appropriate to the character and story
   3. Used effective movement and gesture
   4. Used effective vocal variety - had appropriate volume, effective pitch and rate
   5. Understood the character's traits, relationships and motivation; used specific words to describe the character and said who the character knew and why and how the character felt about the other characters
   6. Understood the story; summarized the plot and compared the story to real life experiences