【Theatre】

Theatre

Standards:California Arts Standards for Public Schools – Pre-Kindergarten – G12

Assessment:Presentations/Projects 40% ,Participation 30%,

Content Knowledge 10% ,Classwork/Homework 15%, Language Usage 5%

From G6 to G8, students are examining social behaviors and their relationship to the world on a deeper level and developing a self-identity with which they feel comfortable. The evolving emotions and rapid physical changes of the age group present both challenges and opportunities for skill development and expression in theatre.Studentsgain knowledge in movement vocabulary and concepts and apply theatre techniques to create a believable and sustainable original character;develop an understanding of the concept of a turning point in a character’s life and the relationships between the characters on stage;develop, select, and apply a range of strategies for improvisation and understand the structure of a well-developed plot;develop and apply understanding of movement concepts to express meaning and emotion within the context of a story;use movement to communicate with an audience;apply rehearsal etiquette and process;understand staging and blocking;give and apply feedback for refining and revising in order to perform for an audience with concentration and commitment;acquire observational and analysis skills as an audience member and demonstrate literacy in theatre/drama vocabulary; anduse reasoning and evidence to support inference and observations.

The following snapshot provides a glimpse of student learning in seventh grade theatre standards, supporting student growth in the ability to observe, evaluate, rehearse, and refine in preparation for a performance. This example could be adapted for sixth grade standards with increased scaffolding and support, or eighth grade standards with increased rigor and complexity.

Dance

Standards:California Arts Standards for Public Schools – Pre-Kindergarten – G12

Assessment:Presentations/Projects 40%, Participation 30%

Content Knowledge 10% ,Classwork/Homework 15% ,Language Usage 5%

From G6 to G8, students are examining social behaviors and their relationship to the world on a deeper level and developing a self-identity with which they feel comfortable. The evolving emotions and rapid physical changes of the age group present both challenges and opportunities for skill development and expression in dance.

Studentswilldevelop, select, and apply a range of strategies for exploring and improvising.Students observe and analyze creative possibilities and see the connection between the need to develop flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination in order to accomplish the movement imagined. Students have fuller bodily control in motion and stillness and are aware of more anatomical details and alignment principles.Students learn to revise choreography based on feedback.

The elements of movement have become incorporated in everything they do and they are swift to respond to an element that is called out by the teacher. Movement sequences and formations of dancers can become more complex. They can quickly solve creative problems in dance and also enjoy a blend of technique, improvisation, and choreography.Students learn to develop and refine artistic techniques and works. Acquisition of skills and technique takes time, repetition, feedback, and willingness to improve.

The teacher may engage the class in a discussion of why practice and refinement in dance is essential, saying, “Developing a work takes multiple drafts, and the ability to accept constructive feedback along with the willingness to let go various aspects of previous drafts. Refining, therefore, has much to do with admitting that you are not there yet.”Students practice andexhibit dance techniques, such asfunctional alignment, coordination, balance, core support, kinesthetic awareness, clarity of movement, weight shifts, and flexibility/range of motion.The teacher facilitates the learning of new skills or sharing of new performance preparation methods, injury prevention, performance techniques such as projection and use of a stage space, so that students can achieve a greater level of professionalism in their own works.