Learning Activity

Self-Evaluation of a Performance Video

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Theater students will watch a video of their prior performance and evaluate the performance using a rubric and reflective questions.

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

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

AE17.TH.PRO.14

Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theatre work in order to make artistic choices.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.TH.PRO.14

Vocabulary

Research
  • Original Play Critiques
  • Live Theatre
Analysis
  • Reflection
  • Written Critiques
Vocal
  • Open forum discussion
  • Constructive Feedback
  • Alexander Technique
  • Tone
  • Volume
  • Enunciation
Movement
Characterization
  • Believability
  • Stanislavski
  • Blocking
  • Business on stage
Directing
  • Choices
  • Balanced stages
  • Picturization
Design
  • Lighting
    • gels
    • LEDs
    • stage plots
    • cues
  • Costume
    • characterization
    • Sewing
    • patterns
    • costume plots
  • Sound
    • stage plot
    • sound cues
    • special effects
  • Makeup
    • Stage makeup
    • Use of shadow
    • corrective makeup
    • Cleaning procedures
Theatrical production
  • Stage management

Essential Questions

EU: Theatre artists reflect to understand the impact of drama processes and theatre experiences.
EQ: How do theatre artists comprehend the essence of drama processes and theatre experiences?

Skills Examples

  • Students will watch a play or a filmed play if live theatre is not available (for prime examples, network with high schools, local community and college theatre programs, or traveling professional theatre companies).
  • Students will have an open discussion of their opinions about the play. They will begin by answering the questions: 1. What did I see? 2. What did I feel?
  • Review online original critiques of the previously viewed play. Discuss the value and weight these reviews receive on a daily basis in the world of theatre. Taking into consideration the critiques and earlier open discussion, students will write their own critiques in which they justify their perspectives and beliefs concerning the play.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 09-12 - Theatre

AE17.TH.AC.15

Develop detailed supporting evidence and criteria to reinforce artistic choices, when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.TH.AC.15

Vocabulary

Research
  • Understanding the play
Analysis
  • What defines a good performance?
  • What is a positive critique?
  • Performing iambic pentameter
    • Vocal
    • Linklater
    • Vowel Tree
    • freeing the natural voice
    Movement
    • Shakespearean movement
    • Characterization's impact on movement
    Design
    • scenic painting from historical impact to techniques
    Theatrical production
    • modernizing historical plays
    • performing in historical plays
    • The impact of language on the actor

    Essential Questions

    EU: Theatre artists' interpretations of drama/theatre work are influenced by personal experiences and aesthetics
    EQ: How can the same work of art communicate different messages to different people?

    Skills Examples

    • Students will watch a live performance or film of a classic play that they study in their English classes. They will use their literary and theatrical knowledge to write a critique in class. They will cover multiple aspects of performance: design, acting technique and directing choices as well as their personal response to the play.
    • Students will perform a scene with a partner. They will use their character analysis, play analysis, and period research to develop strong choices for their scene work. They will perform for the class.
    • Students will perform for each other. They will have an open oral critique of each performance.
    • Students will openly discuss what worked for each scene and what was challenging. Students will learn how to critique in a positive way.
    • Students will pick a Shakespearean monologue to perform. They will use historical information, personal experiences, and cultural norms of the time to create and perform the monologue.
    • Students will study theatre during the Elizabethan period. They will discuss Shakespeare and his contemporaries' technique of critiquing political policies in plays. Students and teacher will discuss modern examples of writers referencing current issues in their plays and films. Examples: The West Wing, 13 Reasons Why, Avengers were all created to comment on current popular cultural issues.

    Anchor Standards

    Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
    Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 09-12 - Theatre

    AE17.TH.ADV.15

    Use detailed supporting evidence and appropriate criteria to revise personal work and interpret the work of others when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:AE17.TH.ADV.15

    Vocabulary

    Research
    • How does a Director's point of view impact the play?
    Analysis
    • Using critique to analyze personal performances
    • being able to recognize a quality performance
    • Using analytical ability to discuss positives and negatives of performances
    Design
    • aesthetic critique
    • application of design principles on productions
    Theatrical production
    • Defining the needs of producing a play
    • critically assessing their success in their productions
    • Developing the ability to compare and contrast productions

    Essential Questions

    EU: Theatre artists' interpretations of drama/theatre work are influenced by personal experiences and aesthetics
    EQ: How can the same work of art communicate different messages to different people?

    Skills Examples

    • Students will create a theatre blog in which they go see live theatre in the area. Students will write Theatre Reviews for each play that they see and post their critique. Students will use their interpretive skills to acknowledge and write about different directorial choices and design differences.
    • Students will pair up to peer critique monologues and scenes for competition. Students will create their own rubric for the exercise. They will watch each piece and write a critique. They will also work to help each other grow in their scenes and monologues. They will do a final performance for the class and do an oral critique.
    • Students will film a performance of one of their class plays. They will create an anonymous survey where they critique their work. They will read the critique and discuss the comments in class.

    Anchor Standards

    Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.

    Phase

    After/Explain/Elaborate
    Learning Objectives

    Learning Objectives

    Students will be able to evaluate their own performance using given criteria.

    Students will be able to describe strengths and weaknesses of the performance. 

    Students will be able to set goals for further improvement. 

    Activity Details

    Students will watch a video of their own performance TWICE. The first time, they can allow themselves to feel awkward or hypercritical. It's natural to feel that way. The second time they watch the video, encourage them to watch it and pretend that they are NOT watching themselves. They are watching someone who just happens to look like them. They may even decide to give that actor a different name and refer to the actor in third person, as "him" or "her," rather than the first person "me." (NOTE: For some students, this may take several viewings before they are able to distance themselves.)

    Using the attached document, students will evaluate their performance according to the given criteria. 

    Assessment Strategies

    Assessment Strategies

    The teacher may meet with each student to discuss the student's self-evaluation. They may compare the student's self-evaluation with the teacher's evaluation of the performance.

    Background and Preparation

    Background / Preparation

    Teacher modeling is essential for this activity to be effective. The teacher may record their own performance, or use a video from a movie. Together, the teacher and students should watch the video TWICE, just as the students will watch their own video twice. Afterward, the teacher can discuss their evaluations of the performance. 

    The teacher will need to print enough rubrics for the entire class.

    Each student will need a device to watch their performance.

    Digital Tools / Resources

    Performance Self-Evaluation
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1unEcRkWJeJv-ug9jljt2NECk4X0Ffmyd5PVKXVSFg6w…

    Approved Date

    Owner (Author)

    appatel
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