Students will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of vocal warm ups and technique by learning and performing them that day.
Materials Needed
Copies of the handout Warm Up Exercises, and large area for the students to do these exercises. A CD player and the following Broadway musical songs that show styles of singing Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera-classical style, Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better from Annie Get Your Gun-classic belt and speak singing style and Good Morning Baltimore from Hairspray-pop belt style.
Students walk into the classroom and written on the white board is the message please do not use your voice at all for now. The teacher will probably need to stand in the front of the class to be sure the students see the message and follow through.
Instruction
Transition: Tell the students that it is time to break the silence and discuss how valuable the voice is. Explain to the students that in a theatre performance whether it is a musical or not, the voice is an important tool to use and needs to be exercised just as the body is exercised. Go into the vocal warm ups (see attached handout). The students will be lying down at one point so the room needs to have a large amount of open space, or take the students to another room or the stage.
DIRECTIONS, MODELING, GUIDED PRACTICE AND GROUP PRACTICE:
These will all happen throughout this teaching experience. The teacher will explain the warm up, model the warm up, let the group practice the warm up, and give guided practice where needed. This will be done for each exercise. Students will probably be giving other comments and ways to warm up that they may have learned from choir, being in musicals, and such. Please allow this pooled knowledge to be discussed and even practiced where practical. The teacher can also let students teach and demonstrate what they know in this field. Tongue twisters are also fun and some students usually have some of their favorites to share. When it comes time to do voice styles explain the different styles and play examples of them from musical shows. Encourage the students to try these different styles and perform them in class. This can be done by them singing a common song such as “America” or “Jingle Bells.” The teacher along with each student can help the student decide which style of singing best fits their abilities at this time. Those who sing classical songs need the ability to support from the diaphragm and open and relax the throat. Others may be more comfortable singing in a pop fashion style, while still others who have a hard time carrying a tune can do better at speak singing.
CLOSURE:
At this time explain to the students that they now they have their voice range, type, and style which should help them narrow down their musical songs to perform. Remind them how the voice is an extremely valuable tool in theatre and they need to always exercise it just as they do their bodies. Let the students know that next class they will have time to pick their final musical performance, and if they do not want what is available at school then they must bring in their own musical choice for their next class.
Assessment
Students will be assessed throughout the class period on their participation and effort in doing the warm ups and trying different styles of voices.
