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Acting

Intro to Acting

Building Skills, Confidence, and Stage Presence

Contributing Educator: Brian Cooper

This Introduction to Acting unit emphasizes games and physical activities, partnered with group discussion, to teach core concepts and build a strong, flexible, trusting ensemble. For those of us who have worked in school for many years, we know the traditional classroom model – teacher-centered, desk-bound, and content-heavy – often doesn’t reflect how students learn best. Keeping kids active, engaged, and curious is culturally responsive teaching. Dramallama believes learning should be an active, joyful, community experience.

This unit includes ten core topics that form the foundation of an Introduction to Theater course. The term topic is used intentionally, as something bigger than an individual lesson, to acknowledge that theatre educators bring a wealth of experience, creativity, and teacher superhero powers to their work.

Version 5 of the Teacher Guide (November 2026) turns those ten topics into 18 day-by-day lessons in five phases: Ensemble & Instrument, Character, Relationships & Subtext, Scene Study, and Perform & Reflect. Every day has a run of show for a regular period or a 90-minute block, a step-by-step walkthrough, differentiation, a check for understanding and every printable.

Lesson Plans Included: 18
Materials: Printable Resources and Activities are included to help guide your work and support student learning.
Grade Levels: Grades 6–12

Lesson Plan Topics

  1. Creating Ensemble & Agreements - Get to know the space and each other, and build the ensemble’s agreements [TH:Cr3.1.I.a, TH:Re7.1.I.a]
  2. Body Awareness & Stage Directions - The body as an instrument, and the stage areas [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Pr5.1.I.a]
  3. Voice & Vocal Expression - The voice as an instrument [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Pr5.1.I.a]
  4. Improvisation: Imagination in Action - Games for creative thinking, listening and quick thinking [TH:Cr1.1.I.a, TH:Cn10.1.I.a]
  5. Character Creation: Recipe & Alter Ego - Build a character from the inside out and invent an alter ego [TH:Cr3.1.I.b, TH:Cn10.1.I.a]
  6. Character Vocabulary & the Awards Speech - Six character terms and a written acceptance speech [TH:Pr4.1.I.b, TH:Cn10.1.I.a]
  7. The Awards Acceptance Speeches - Every student presents: the first graded checkpoint [TH:Pr5.1.I.a, TH:Pr6.1.I.a, TH:Cn10.1.I.a]
  8. Relationships: History Together - How a shared history shapes a scene [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Re8.1.I.a]
  9. Status Ladder Swagger - Reading and playing status through body and voice [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Re8.1.I.a]
  10. Subtext & the Script as a Mystery - Close reading for the story under the lines [TH:Cr1.1.I.a, TH:Cr3.1.I.a]
  11. The Script Work Checklist - Objectives, obstacles, tactics and beats for a partner scene [TH:Cr1.1.I.a, TH:Cr3.1.I.a]
  12. Scene Study: Blocking - Staging the scene for a class performance [TH:Pr4.1.I.a]
  13. Rehearsal Routines & Healthy Habits - Five student-led stations on performance routines and healthy habits [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Pr5.1.I.a]
  14. Scene Study Share Out - Share scenes and give helpful, truthful feedback [TH:Cr1.1.I.a, TH:Cr3.1.I.a, TH:Re7.1.I.a]
  15. The Rehearsal Strategy Guide - Self-discipline, routines and rehearsal habits [TH:Pr4.1.I.a, TH:Pr5.1.I.a]
  16. Performance: Group A - Scene performances and the role of the audience [TH:Pr6.1.I.a, TH:Re7.1.I.a]
  17. Performance: Group B - The second show day, with the same rubric [TH:Pr6.1.I.a, TH:Re7.1.I.a]
  18. Appreciations & Course Reflection - Celebrate the ensemble and reflect on growth [TH:Pr6.1.I.a, TH:Re7.1.I.a]

Why Teachers Love it

Dramallama Unit Design & easy to follow lesson plans

Fun activities for the students

Printable Resources to guide learning

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