Beginning to Use the Voice: Creating Sounds and Motions

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Students will first mimic sounds and motions (demonstrated by their teacher) as they pass them around the circle. Students will then have an opportunity to create a sound and motion to be passed around the circle. Finally, students will create a motion to go with their name (their name serves as the sound part of the exercise).

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

Phase

Before/Engage

Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 09-12 - Theatre

AE17.TH.PRO.11
Explore various acting techniques to expand skills in a rehearsal or drama/theatre performance.

Vocabulary

Research

motivation
origin

Analysis

rising actions
climax
protagonist vs antagonist

Vocal

Alexander Technique
diction
consonants
vowels

Movement

motivated movement
blocking

Characterization
Design
Theatrical production

Essential Questions

EU: Theatre artists develop personal processes and skills for a performance or design.
EQ: What can I do to fully prepare a performance or technical design?

Skills Examples

Students will discuss in a classroom setting the differences in dealing with friends, family, fellow workers, employees or a boss: how you speak, listen and react differently in each of those relationships.
Students will have improvisational scenes using those roles as starting points in the scenes.
Students will study Viola Spolin techniques in class and use those techniques in classroom scene work.
Students will research scenic painting and how it can enhance scene aesthetic for their various plays and performances.
Students will create Living Newspapers for their classroom audience, using modern articles, various roles for each student and rehearsal to refine the final performance.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.

Learning Objectives

Learning Targets

I can:

make a sound and a motion at the same time.
copy/mimic a sound and a motion.
create my own sound and motion.
create a motion to go with the sound of my name.

Activity Details

Strategy #1

Students stand in a circle.
You will model this exercise for your students. "Send" a sound and a motion around the circle by turning to the person to your right and generating a sound and a motion. Example: Vocally you say "ohhhh-noooo"; Physically you raise your hands to protect your face.
Each student then continues to pass this sound and motion around the circle by turning to their right and making the same sound and motion.
Do this until the sound/motion gets back to you.
At this point, you may want to demonstrate another sound/motion. Example: Vocally you say "hoot-hoot"; Physically you flap your arms up and down like a bird.
Each student then continues to pass this sound and motion around the circle by turning to their right and making the same sound and motion.
Do this until the sound/motion gets back to you.

Strategy #2

Have the next person in the circle (the student to your right) create a new sound a motion to send around the circle.
Continue until each student has had the opportunity to pass their sound and motion.
Encourage students to keep the sound and motion going.
Encourage students to mimic exactly what they see and hear and to keep the energy and pacing consistent.

Strategy #3

Explain to the students that now they are going to create a motion to go with their name. (Their name takes the place of the sound.) Demonstrate this for them using your own name. For example, you may say, "Ms. Smith" and wave both of your hands. Have the students say your name and do your motion.
Next, have the student to your right say their name with a motion.
Tell the class that any school appropriate motion will do. Do not think of this as a dance. Think of it as gestures. They might wave, spin, kick, give a thumbs up, shrug, flip their hair, stomp one foot, etc. Be prepared to give suggestions and to support any simple gesture they may make.
Ask the class to repeat that student's name and motion.
Then you restart the game by beginning with your name/motion and adding to the next student's name/motion.
By the end of this exercise you will start with your name/motion and then go through every student's name/motion.
This becomes a memory game as well as an opportunity for students to experience movement and sound simultaneously.

Assessment Strategies

Assess your students based on your observations of their participation.

Students demonstrate the ability to create a sound and motion at the same time.
Students demonstrate the ability to repeat a sound and motion that is shown to them.
Students maintain a general pace as they repeated sounds and motions around the circle.
Students create a motion/gesture to go with their name.

Variation Tips

This exercise is suitable for the Proficient level standards.

Background / Preparation

In preparation for this activity, you will want to determine what sound and motion you will first pass around the circle. You will also want to create a motion/gesture to go with your name. Be prepared to coach students. Some may need ideas for gestures. If a student does something as simple as a shrug you can use that! This should be a non-threatening exercise.

Approved Date

2018-05-02

Owner (Author)

vlemmons

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