The Arts

Warm Up Activity - Master Master Who am I?

Start in a Drama circle. Choose one participant to be Master and to be blindfolded. Tell the Master they are to listen carefully and try to identify the owner of the mysterious voice. Choose another member to say the words "Master, Master, Who am I?" in a different voice. The blindfolded Master has to guess who is speaking. Rotate master every 3 goes to allow more student involvement. For a large group (over 25) break into two smaller groups.

 

Body -  

Who are you?

Students are to stand in a drama circle. Explain that students are to act out a scenario, movement is to be exaggerated to enhance characterisation. Students on the outside of the circle can yell “Freeze” when the inside person finds an interesting position. This person must then enter the circle and ask “Who are you?” The inside person is to respond with an answer that is NOT what they were acting. The new person is to take on this freeze and accept their role. Participants/entry person follows a clockwise rotation around the circle. Students have the right to pass (are not required to enter the circle) however are given a second chance before the end of the activity.

For example:

                    Student 1: Inside circle acting as if they were an ice sculptor

                    Student 2: What are you doing?             (enters circle)

                    Student 1: I’m a chef                             (exits circle)

                    Student 2: begins acting as if they were a chef.

 

What are we doing?

Similar to "Who are you" except students act in pairs. Instead of saying "who are you" when entering the circle, you ask "What are we doing?". As the next student enters the circle, the initial person exits. It is generally a good idea to begin with the teacher and 1 student in the circle to demonstrate the rotation.

For example:   

                   Teacher: inside the circle acting as if they are riding in a bike race.

                   Student 1: also in the circle acting as though they are riding in a bike race.

                   Student 2: What are we doing?             (enters circle)

                   Teacher: We are digging in the sand    (exits circle)

                   Students 1&2 begin acting as though they are digging in the sand.

 

Character Embodiment

Students select an occupation/nationality from a set of task cards. Each student is to pair up and devise a scenario (students may choose to incorporate verbal cues) where the two characters interact. The scenario is to last approximately one minute. Within this time students are to introduce who/what they are through the use movement and voice, however students are not to explicitly say "come here dog" thus giving away one of the characters as a dog. As the teacher you are to roam the room ensuring students are on track and keeping within dramatic behaviour guidlines.

 

Conclusion

Student take a seat on the floor leaving space out the front as a stage. Ask for a volunteer pair to perform first, if no volunteers arise, randomly select a group. Prompt students to provide positive peer feedback and identify the two characters they have just met.