Group Playwriting “Captain” Josh Batenhorst and Christa Woodlief

Why use drama in the classroom? Addresses a variety of learning styles Easily integrates with other subjects

Why write a play? It “sticks” with your students! – Repetition through rehearsal = Practicing and committing the material to memory – Drama catches kids! – Sense of community and teamwork – Cool way to assess your students! – It’s really fun!!!!

So, how do we get started? Follow the Group Playwriting Process Trust the Muse!

Step 1: “Yes” Session Start with the standards or topics that the play “must” cover. Let students give their ideas and record all ideas. Put them on the board. NO IDEAS ARE ELIMINATED AT THIS POINT Keep it positive. All things are possible. Time frame – 45 minutes – 1 ½ hours

Step 2: Find the plot Given some time to reflect, go back to all those ideas. Is there a way to weave many of them together? Stay positive – keep looking, keep questioning. Key phrases: “How does this idea accomplish our goals?“ “Do we have consensus?” Time Frame – 50 minutes.

Step 3: Characters/Casting List all the characters in the play. Play does not have to be written to begin casting. Why? Many ways to cast a play: – Self –casting. “Where do you see yourself?” – Teacher-casting. – 3 choice casting. – Auditions.

Scripting Time to put pen to paper! Who is going to script depends on what you want to teach. – Integrating with Language Arts? – Can they actually work in groups? – Sometimes contributing the ideas up and to this point is enough. – Make sure the final draft accomplishes your goals.

Producing a Play Set a date! Design/Build set, props, etc. Rehearsals Read-Thru Blocking Off book date! Something to aim for. Dress Rehearsal Performance!

The 8 th Grade Chemistry Play -Used to review our “Introduction to Chemistry” unit -Students choose well-known story and re-develop plot -We move through the Group Playwriting Process and cast roles -We have a school performance (sharing our knowledge with others) and an evening performance -We finish our unit by taking a quiz on what we learned from our play

How can I use this to assess my students? Choose the best time to utilize playwriting – To review a unit – To prepare for EOGs – To re-teach material that wasn’t mastered through traditional teaching Student-led writing shows you what they know while reinforcing concepts! Post-performance quiz provides a final assessment.

Let’s do it.