Students will demonstrate their understanding of voice as a tool for character development by creating character voices and creating a cartoon in a small group project.
Grade Level:
7-9; 85-minute class periods
Prior Experience:
Drama 1 is a prerequisite for Drama 2. All students in Drama 2 are familiar with the basic concepts of voice (pitch, tone, rate, projection, diction, etc.). In this unit, we are exploring voice more in depth as a tool for creating and developing character.
Standards:
Standard L2.T.R.2: Evaluate responses based on personal experiences when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
Standard L1.T.P.5: Use voice to communicate meaning through volume, pitch, tone, rate of speed, and vocal clarity.
Standard L1.T.R.2: Defend responses based on personal experiences when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
Standard L2.T.P.6: Use imagination to inform artistic choices.
Standard L2.T.P.3: Observe, listen, and respond in character to other actors throughout a scripted or improvised scene.
Standard L2.T.P.1: Develop the character, setting, and essential events in a story or script that make up the dramatic structure in a drama/theatre work.
Standard L2.T.R.6: Develop detailed supporting evidence and criteria to reinforce and defend artistic choices when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
Essential Questions:
How can variances volume, pitch, tone, rate, and vocal clarity create different characters?
How can creating meaning and applying principles of vocal technique in a performance promote empathy?
Can you identify and analyze another person’s use of vocal techniques and practices in their own performance?
Enduring Understandings:
Breath and body awareness are essential to proper voice support
Different vocal choices convey a variety of meanings
Feeling empathy through embodying a character’s voice
Using articulation and controlled rate of speech to speak clearly
Authentic Performance Tasks:
Performing a Short Poem (Lesson 3): For this assessment, students must exhibit the following while reading a short poem: Projection, Diction, Vocal Variety/ Expression (pitch, tone, and rate)
Creating a Character (Lesson 4): Students are going to create an animated character.
Making their Cartoons (Lesson 5 and 6): In their groups, they will brainstorm a story and create a cartoon using character voices.
Cartoon Presentations (Lesson 7): Students will evaluate other cartoons within these areas on the rubric they have been given for this project (included in Lesson 7 materials) as they will be evaluated for their own project’s grade.
Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate an awareness of body and breath in vocal support by participating in self-awareness activities and articulating their experience in a think-pair-share.
Educational Objective: Students will understand how to release tension to improve vocal quality by participating in self-knowledge and group awareness activities.
Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of vocal variety and character development by creating an original character and answering questions about that character while using their unique character voice.
Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of character, setting, and story development by putting together their cartoon project.
Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of character, setting, and story development by putting together their cartoon project.
Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of voice as a tool for character development by creating character voices and creating a cartoon in a small group project.
