Wellness Guide
Contributing Educator: Brian Cooper
Acting is deeply human. The exercises and practices described in this unit can help us connect to that human experience. The more we experience the joy and richness of our day to day lives, the more fullness we can bring to the stage and the classroom. These lessons can be thought of as an “infusion-unit”, meaning that they can layer onto another acting unit. The practices described here are simple and direct – the key to their effectiveness is in the routine and repetition. The goal is not to produce an elaborately staged 2-hour musical with a large cast- it’s to create a 2-3 minute practice that becomes part of a predictable, joyful, anticipated routine you do for yourself every day.
Lesson Plans Included: 5
Materials: Lesson Slides and Google Doc Printable Resources are included to help guide your work and support student learning.
Grade Levels: Middle School, High School
Lesson Plan Topics
- Habits - Identifying your daily patterns & Habit (CASEL Competency: Responsible Decision Making)
- Gratitude - Cultivating a sense of well-being through intentional gratitude (CASEL Competency: Relationship Skills)
- Breathing - Strategies that anchor you into the present moment (CASEL Competency: Self-Management)
- The Five Senses - Developing aptitude for pure awareness with minimal labeling (CASEL Competency: Self-Awareness)
- The Master Plan - Know your intentions, stay oriented, and have a plan! (CASEL Competency: Responsible Decision Making)
