MCCCD Program Description

Creative Drama

Course: THP211

First Term: 1995 Fall

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Theory and practice of creative drama, including improvisation, storytelling, puppetry, and script and program development in drama, and their application to elementary and secondary school levels

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Identify activities for use in ensemble development, and record ensemble games that develop trust and cooperation for a variety of age groups. (I) 2. Develop improvisations from a variety of sources, using sensory awareness and recording techniques. (II) 3. Prepare and act in an improvisation, creating a believable fictional character. (III) 4. Define and demonstrate the role of a group leader in preparing, presenting, and evaluating narrative pantomimes. (IV) 5. Compose lesson plans that incorporate group ensemble games designed for a specific age group. (V) 6. Identify sources of stories, record the stories in a journal, and demonstrate storytelling techniques. (VI) 7. Create puppets from various sources and materials, and demonstrate basic puppetry manipulation skills in storytelling. (VII) 8. Create puppet improvisations from various sources, record the improvisations in a journal, and incorporate characterization and dramatic plot into the improvisations. (VIII) 9. Compose, present, and evaluate lesson plans that incorporate storytelling and puppetry for various age and skill levels. (IX) 10. Define the elements of dramatic structure, and apply the structural elements to non-dramatic sources of performance. (X) 11. Define and demonstrate the role of a group leader by applying group dynamic techniques, questioning strategies, and side-coaching techniques. (XI) 12. Identify sources of human and integrated drama, and explain techniques that can be used to teach subjects across the curriculum. (XII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Ensemble Development for Improvisation A. Activities: verbal and nonverbal 1. Group games 2. Pantomime B. Techniques for presenting ensemble games 1. Recording games in a journal 2. Evaluating age-appropriateness of games II. Improvisation Development A. Use of senses B. Recording reactions to environment using sensory awareness C. Improvisations from various sources 1. Inner resources 2. Stories 3. Poems 4. Properties 5. Music III. Presentation of Improvisation A. Preparation 1. Development of improvisation 2. Development of characters B. Presentation 1. Pantomime 2. Voice and movement 3. Identifiable dramatic plot IV. Development of Group Leader for Improvisation A. Selection of narrative pantomimes for specific age groups B. Practice of narration C. Group dynamic techniques D. Presentation 1. Pantomime 2. Movement 3. Teacher-directed side-coaching E. Evaluation V. Lesson Plan Development for Improvisation A. Preparation 1. Selection of age-appropriate ensemble games and improvisations 2. Creation of lesson plan B. Presentation 1. Dialogue 2. Characterization 3. Movement 4. Identifiable dramatic plot C. Evaluation VI. Storytelling Techniques A. Sources of stories 1. Literature 2. Current events 3. Visual arts 4. Music 5. Personal experiences B. Recording of stories in journals C. Methods 1. Verbal 2. Nonverbal 3. Group dynamics VII. Puppetry Techniques A. Creating puppets from various sources 1. Found objects 2. Socks 3. Styrofoam B. Preparing puppets 1. Selecting story or subject matter 2. Basic puppetry manipulation skills C. Presenting puppets 1. Manipulation 2. Voice D. Evaluation 1. Age appropriateness 2. Appropriateness of puppet to subject matter 3. Manipulation 4. Voice VIII. Puppet Development A. Sources 1. Stories 2. Poems 3. Plays B. Preparing improvisations 1. Selecting story or subject matter 2. Development of the puppet 3. Memorization 4. Improvisation C. Recording the improvisation in a journal D. Presentation 1. Voice 2. Action 3. Manipulation IX. Lesson Plan Development for Puppetry A. Preparation 1. Selection of improvisation, story, topic, and puppets 2. Age appropriateness 3. Language skills and social skills B. Presentation 1. Dialogue 2. Manipulation 3. Voice 4. Action C. Evaluation 1. Age appropriateness 2. Appropriateness of skills 3. Unity of puppets X. Dramatic Structure A. Terminology B. Analysis C. Creating improvisations from various literary sources 1. Poems 2. Stories 3. Plays D. Preparing improvisations 1. Selection 2. Characterization 3. Dramatic plot E. Presentation 1. Action 2. Dialogue 3. Identifiable dramatic plot XI. Development of Group Leader for Drama A. Group dynamic techniques B. Heathcote questioning strategy C. Side-coaching techniques XII. Development of Human and Integrated Drama A. Sources 1. Newspapers 2. Life experiences 3. Imagination 4. Plays 5. Curriculum subject matter B. Appropriateness for age and skill levels C. Selection of creative drama activities XIII. Development of Lesson Plans for Creative Drama A. Preparation 1. Selection of topics, themes, subject matter 2. Appropriateness for age and skill levels B. Presentation 1. Dialogue 2. Dramatic plot 3. Action 4. Characterization C. Evaluation 1. Appropriateness for age and skill levels 2. Unity

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 12/13/1994

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.