Creative Lesson Starters for Drama: Exploring History
Idea 1: The Period Costume and Character Challenge
Objective: To ignite interest in the historical context of dramatic works by engaging students' creativity and critical thinking.
Activity Setup:
- Materials Needed: Access to a selection of costume pieces, props, or images representing various historical periods (e.g., Victorian, Ancient Rome, the Roaring Twenties).
- Duration: 15-20 minutes.
Instructions:
- Begin the class by dimming the lights and playing instrumental music that reflects a specific historical era.
- As students enter the room, encourage them to explore the costume pieces laid out on tables.
- Ask each student to select one piece that resonates with them and write a brief character backstory connected to a historical event or period.
- After they’ve created their character, each student will introduce themselves to the class in character, providing a brief monologue that encapsulates their character’s thoughts and feelings about a significant event from their chosen period.
Wrap-Up:
- Facilitate a class discussion around the differences in societal norms and drama across the selected historical periods, prompting questions like:
- How does understanding historical context enhance our performance and appreciation of dramatic works?
- In what ways does historical drama reflect current societal issues?
Idea 2: Historical Newsroom Role Play
Objective: To help students understand the impact of historical events on theater and dramatic storytelling through active participation.
Activity Setup:
- Materials Needed: Newspapers from various periods (either printed or projected), poster boards, markers, and props representing different professions (e.g., reporter, playwright, actor).
- Duration: 20-30 minutes.
Instructions:
- Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different historical event or period significant to the development of drama (e.g., the fall of the Berlin Wall, the influence of the Harlem Renaissance, etc.).
- Each group will set up a “newsroom” where they will create a front-page news article about their assigned event, highlighting its cultural impact on entertainment and drama.
- Once the articles are crafted, students will take turns role-playing as reporters, playwrights, and characters from the time period, presenting the news article to the class as if they were live on-air reporting the crucial drama-filled moments of their historical event.
Wrap-Up:
- Conclude the activity with a class discussion about how historical events are depicted through drama and how they can influence contemporary society. Prompt students to consider:
- How does the portrayal of these events affect audience perception?
- What can modern drama learn from historical narratives?