Theatre (4th & 5th Grade)
Developing literacy in theatre means discovering the expressive elements of theatre, knowing the terminology that is used to comprehend theatre, having a clear sense of what theatre embodies, and being able to reflect, critique, and connect personal experience to theatre.
The theatre standards are written with both drama processes and theatre production in mind. While many secondary theatre programs focus on performance and design in staged productions as evidence of a student’s understanding and achievement in the art, ongoing student engagement in theatre without an end product is a valid expression of theatre understanding. These standards address those drama processes as well as traditional theatre. Drama processes encompass envisioned worlds and unscripted activities designed to engage students in a wide range of real and imagined issues; theatre includes the broader and more traditional conventions of the craft developed over the centuries—scripted plays, acting, public performance, and technical theatre elements. The pre-K through second grade standards, acknowledging the early childhood need for supervision and unfettered play, use the phrases “dramatic play” or a “guided drama experience.” 4th Grade Standards
Theatre 4.TH:Cr1 a. Articulate the visual details of imagined worlds and improvised stories that support the given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. b. Imagine how a character might move and speak to support the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. c. Visualize and design technical theatre elements that support the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. 4.TH:Cr2 a. Collaborate to devise original ideas for a drama/theatre work by asking questions about characters and plots. b. Make and discuss group decisions and identify responsibilities required to present a drama/theatre work to peers. 4.TH:Cr3 a. Revise and refine an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work through rehearsal and collaborative review. b. Develop physical and vocal exercise techniques for an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work. c. Collaborate on solutions to design and technical theatre element problems that arise in rehearsal for a drama/theatre work. 4.TH:Pr4 a. Adapt the dialogue and action to change the story in a drama/theatre work. b. Make physical choices to develop a character in a drama/theatre work. 4.TH:Pr5 a. Practice selected exercises that can be used in a group setting for drama/theatre work. b. Propose the use of technical theatre elements in a drama/theatre work. 4.TH:Pr6 Present a drama/theatre work to peers as audience and reflect on performance. 4.TH:Re7 Identify artistic choices made in a drama/theatre work through participation and observation. 4.TH:Re8 a. Develop and implement a plan to evaluate drama/theatre work. b. Analyze and evaluate a character’s choice in a drama/theatre work from an audience perspective. c. Explore how technical theatre elements may support a theme or idea in a drama/theatre work. 4.TH:Re9 Define and discuss the characteristics that make a dance artistic and apply those characteristics to dances observed or performed in a specific genre, style,or cultural movement practice. Use basic dance terminology. 4.TH:Cn10 Imagine and identify the ways drama/theatre work reflects the perspectives of a community or culture. 4.TH:Cn11.1 a. Respond to community and social issues and incorporate other content areas in drama/theatre work. b. Use responsible practices for creating and adapting drama/theatre works. 4.TH:Cn11.2 a. Investigate cross-cultural approaches to storytelling in drama/theatre work. b. Compare the drama/theatre conventions of a given time period with those of the present. Resources:
Visual & Performing Arts - Website The four artistic processes addressed separately in the theatre standards (creating, performing, responding, and connecting) are envisioned to occur simultaneously in the actual practice of theatre. The theatre student makes a character, scene, or story—real or imagined—come alive (creating), shares it with others (performing), analyzes and evaluates the product (responding), and connects the experience to all other contexts of meaning or knowledge (connecting). As a result, aspects of multiple standards can be combined within a learning activity: students can learn a skill, apply it to a scene, make creative decisions while in rehearsal, think critically about their ideas, and relate their ideas to other experiences, contexts, and meanings. Four Artistic Processes 1. Creating Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work. 2. Performing, Presenting or Producing Performing (for Dance, Music,and Theatre) Realizing artistic ideas and work through interpretation and presentation. Presenting (for Visual Arts) Interpreting and sharing artistic work. Producing (for Media Arts) Realizing and presenting artistic ideas and work. 3. Responding Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning. 4. Connecting Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context. 11 Anchor Standards (aligned with the 4 Processes) Creating 1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. 2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. 3. Refine and complete artistic work. Performing, Presenting and Producing 4. Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation. 5. Develop and refine artistic work for presentation. 6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. Responding 7. Perceive and analyze artistic work. 8. Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. 9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work. Connecting 10. Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art. 11. Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding. |
5th Grade Standards
Creating--Anchor Standard 1: Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas and Work Process Component: Envision/Conceptualize Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists rely on intuition, curiosity, culture, and critical inquiry. Essential Question: What happens when theatre artists use their culture, imaginations, and/or learned theatre skills while engaging in creative exploration and inquiry? 5.TH.Cr1 a. Identify physical qualities that might reveal a character’s inner traits in the imagined world of a drama/theatre work. b. Imagine how a character’s inner thoughts impact the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. c. Propose design ideas that support the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. Creating--Anchor Standard 2: Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work Process Component: Develop Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists work to discover different ways of communicating meaning. Essential Question: How, when, and why do theatre artists’ choices change? 5.TH:Cr2 a. Devise original ideas for a drama/theatre work that reflect collective inquiry about characters and their given circumstances. b. Participate in defined responsibilities required to present a drama/theatre work informally to an audience. Creating--Anchor Standard 3: Refine and Complete Artistic Work Process Component: Rehearse Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists refine their work and practice their craft through rehearsal. Essential Question: How do theatre artists transform and edit their initial ideas? 5.TH:Cr3 a. Revise and refine an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work through rehearsal, collaborative review, and reflection. b. Use physical and vocal exploration for character development in a devised or scripted drama/theatre work. c. Create innovative solutions to design and technical theatre element problems that arise in rehearsal for a drama/theatre work. Performing--Anchor Standard 4: Select, Analyze, and Interpret Artistic Work for Presentation Process Component: Select Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists make strong choices to effectively convey meaning. Essential Question: Why are strong choices essential to interpreting a drama or theatre piece? 5.TH:Pr4 a. Describe the underlying thoughts and emotions that create dialogue and action in a drama/theatre work. b. Use physical choices to create meaning in a drama/theatre work. Performing--Anchor Standard 5: Develop and Refine Artistic Techniques and Work for Presentation Process Component: Prepare Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists develop personal processes and skills for a performance or design. Essential Question: What can I do to fully prepare a performance or technical design? 5.TH:Pr5 a. Choose acting exercises that can be applied to a drama/theatre work. b. Demonstrate the use of technical theatre elements in a drama/theatre work. Performing--Anchor Standard 6: Convey Meaning Through the Presentation of Artistic Work Process Component: Share, Present Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists share and present stories, ideas, and envisioned worlds to explore the human experience in diverse cultures. Essential Question: What happens when theatre artists and audiences share a creative experience? 5.TH:Pr6 Present drama/theatre work to an audience. Responding—Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and Analyze Artistic Work Process Component: Reflect Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists reflect to understand the impact of drama processes and theatre experiences. Essential Question: How do theatre artists comprehend the essence of drama processes and theatre experiences? 5.TH:Re7 Explain personal reactions to artistic choices made in a drama/theatre work through participation and observation. Responding--Anchor Standard 8: Interpret Intent and Meaning in Artistic Work Process Component: Interpret Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists’ interpretations of drama/theatre work are influenced by personal experiences, culture, and aesthetics. Essential Question: How can the same work of art communicate different messages to different people? 5.TH:Re8 a. Justify responses based on personal experiences when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work. b. Explain responses to characters based on cultural contexts when participating in or observing drama/theatre work. c. Investigate the effects of emotions on posture, gesture, breathing, and vocal intonation in a drama/theatre work. Responding--Anchor Standard 9: Apply Criteria to Evaluate Artistic Work Process Component: Evaluate Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists apply criteria to understand, explore, and assess drama and theatre work. Essential Question: How do analysis and synthesis impact the theatre artist’s process and audience’s perspectives? 5.TH:Re9 a. Develop multiple criteria to evaluate drama/theatre work. b. Analyze and evaluate a character’s circumstances in a drama/theatre work from an audience perspective. c. Assess how technical theatre elements represent the theme of a drama/theatre work. Connecting--Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and Relate Knowledge and Personal Experiences to Make Art Process Component: Empathize Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists allow awareness of interrelationships between self and others to influence and inform their work. Essential Question: What happens when theatre artists foster understanding between self and others through critical awareness, social responsibility, and the exploration of empathy? 5.TH:Cn10 Explain how drama/theatre connects oneself to a community or culture. Connecting--Anchor Standard 11: Relate Artistic Ideas and Works with Societal, Cultural, and Historical Context to Deepen Understanding 11.1 Process Component: Interrelate 11.1 Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists understand and can communicate through their creative process as they analyze the way the world may be understood. 11.1 Essential Question: What happens when theatre artists allow an understanding of themselves and the world to inform perceptions about theatre and the purpose of their work? 5.TH:Cn11.1 a. Investigate historical, global, and social issues expressed in drama/theatre work. b. Explore the ethical responsibilities to oneself and others when observing and performing. 11.2 Process Component: Research 11.2 Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists critically inquire into the ways others have thought about and created drama processes and productions to inform their own work. 11.2 Essential Question: In what ways can research into theatre histories, theories, literature, and performances alter the way a drama process or production is understood? 5.TH:Cn11.2 a. Analyze commonalities and differences between stories set in different cultures in preparation for a drama/theatre work. b. Identify historical sources that explain drama/theatre terminology and conventions. |