Easy Ways to Incorporate Drama into the Elementary Classroom
© Drama Notebook
By Janea Dahl
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
Fred Rogers
As educators, we know that our greatest learning happens when we are having fun, so why not incorporate drama and related arts like movement, art, music, and storytelling into the traditional classroom? For many teachers, the reasons not to use drama are plenty:
· I don’t have experience teaching drama.
· My students will get too wild.
· There’s no time in the schedule.
· We don’t have the space.
· My neurodivergent students will have a hard time.
· My multi-language learners will feel left out.
We are here to share easy ways to address these concerns so that adding drama to your “bag of tricks” can be exciting and empowering for you and your students.
Why use drama in the classroom?
Drama doesn’t have to mean putting on a play. It can be a powerful tool for teaching and reaching goals in the classroom. For instance, drama might help bring another culture to life, spark a creative writing project, illuminate a scientific principle, or apply a story’s theme to issues students are facing in real life. All the while, these playful activities are strengthening creative thinking and communication skills. The goal of using drama in the classroom is not to teach acting or traditional theatre skills. It’s more about using drama as a magical tool for sparking interest and igniting curiosity around any subject. Here are some more reasons why:
· Incorporating drama into the classroom provides a playful way for children to develop their social, emotional, physical, and intellectual capacities.
· Drama experiences can provide a state of mind that is uniquely suited for high-level reasoning, insightful problem-solving, and all sorts of creative endeavors.
· We can use dramatic play as an approach to learning in other areas.
· Children who struggle in other areas can find success with drama.
· Theatrical role-playing allows children to glimpse the lives of others and to become sensitive to those different from themselves.
· Drama
· Children learn a tremendous amount from playing. Drama games are a natural extension of a child's typical play behavior. The difference, however, is that drama activities also teach children to understand rules, instructions, and acceptable modes of behavior. Drama games also help to build confidence in those who are shy or reluctant.
· Drama activities can help students build spatial awareness and physical control through movement-based storytelling with a focus on joy and calm.
Overcoming the challenges:
The value of using drama in the classroom is clear, but the challenges are also valid. Let’s identify some common barriers and offer solutions.
· I don’t have experience teaching drama.
People tend to think that theatre is about performing and putting on plays. Sure, that’s one part of it, but it’s so much more. The main goal of a drama experience in the classroom is to provide another way for students to engage with the content and with each other. As a teacher, you can help students feel good about themselves and their creativity. Knowledge is not nearly as important as intention.
· My students will get too wild.
It’s true that drama can invite “birthday party energy.” Kids can get excited, playful, and loud. As a teacher, you know how important agreements are for classroom management. Consider creating special AGREEMENTS for the times you engage in drama activities. These will differ a bit from your typical classroom agreements.
· We don’t have time in the schedule.
The funny thing about weaving drama into your school day is that it seems to amplify time. Students will often be more engaged and ready to learn when they are allowed to use their voice, body, and their imagination. Plus, there is no “one size fits all” approach. Your students will benefit whether you incorporate drama every day or every now and then.
· We don’t have the space.
Drama is more than putting on a play. In fact, there are plenty of drama activities that can happen right within a student’s self-space with no stage required. A favorite orientation for many drama games is forming a circle. (In a circle, everyone is equal.) A circle can be formed around the perimeter of the room without moving desks or chairs. Or small groups can form circles. When it comes to presenting or sharing, it doesn’t have to be done in a typical audience/performer style. Think outside the box.
· My neurodivergent students will have a hard time.
This may be true for some, but drama might be a place for others to soar. The strategies we use to help our neurodivergent students throughout the school day also apply to drama experiences. Perhaps it’s allowing wait time, scribes, a visual schedule, etc.
· My multi-language learners will feel left out.
Drama can be the perfect tool for engaging with the content and participating in the classroom community. It offers multi-sensory learning in an inclusive environment. Students can become more confident communicators through drama. Check out this helpful resource for more ways to use drama with Multi-Language Learners.
10 Easy tips for incorporating drama in your classroom:
1. Start small. Choose one simple activity to start the day or to use as a transition.
(By the way, all drama activities engage one or more of the following: Voice, Body, Imagination, Concentration, Collaboration.)
2. Repetition builds comfort and confidence. It’s okay to do the same games or activities over and over. You can even modify them as students get more comfortable. (Invention and Creativity for the win!)
3. Use ENSEMBLE-BUILDING GAMES at the beginning of the school year or any time a new student joins your class. (Ensemble is our fancy theatre word for team or community.)
4. Use drama activities as a reward for great behavior. (Drama party!)
5. Employ the FEEDBACK FRAMEWORK each time you introduce a new drama game or activity. By asking students what they observe, appreciate, and question, you will be able to assess them in new ways, engage in deeper learning, and celebrate their creativity. Discussion around each drama activity is extremely important. Quality participation doesn’t just happen; it’s a gradual process of discovery.
Observation=I noticed…
Appreciation=I liked…
Question=I wonder…
6. Create DRAMA AGREEMENTS (These might look different than agreements or rules in your general classroom.)
7. When kids make offers that are unwanted or inappropriate, try saying, “NEW CHOICE.” This typically allows them to self-correct without derailing the class. (An OFFER is anything a student communicates verbally or physically while playing drama games or activities.)
8. Change the groups around often so that students can discover the value of working in different combinations. (Research shows that more than 6 people in a group, and not all voices are heard.)
9. Introduce some basic THEATRE ETIQUETTE and discuss the role of audience behavior and why it is important. It’s also helpful to explain the use of keywords, such as action, curtain, cut, and freeze, to keep things in control. (Drama doesn’t have to be wild.)
10. When things go wrong, and they will, it’s okay to start over. Drama can be an excellent opportunity to show things don’t always go as planned and even teachers need to start over sometimes. (Try a big circus bow when you mess up; it makes everyone smile!)
3 EASY DRAMA WARM-UP GAMES (and ideas for connecting to any subject)
These drama games engage the voice, body, imagination, concentration, and collaboration. They are excellent for warm-ups, transitions, or even as a tool for learning about different subjects. They are suitable for all elementary age groups. *Use the Feedback Framework after each activity and watch the magic happen! Ask students what they noticed, what they liked, and what they wondered about the activity.
1. Shake Down Everyone starts standing (as you are able), raises one arm and begins to shake that hand up high, counting backward from 8 (8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1). Repeat with the other hand and then with each of the feet. Then start the process again, but this time starting with the number 7 and so on until you end with 1,1,1,1. End with a big Whoo!
Variations:
Math: Skip count, count up instead of down, etc.
ML: Count in a different language.
Music: Count with different vocal qualities: pitch, pace, power, pause, punch
PE: Try different movement: flick, dab, punch, kick, swipe, etc.
2. Categories (AKA 3 Things) Everyone stands in a circle (as they are able). One person begins by asking the next player for three things within a category. The goal is to quickly list three things within that category, whether they make sense or not. That person then gives the next person a new category. Example: “Martha, what are three things you’d find in your grandma’s attic?” Martha replies: “A wig, a creepy doll, my grandpa.” Martha then says to the next person, “Fred, name three types of candy?” Fred responds with “Snickers, Lollipops, Skittles.” Note: It’s okay to repeat categories or even words. This takes away some of the pressure for those who process more slowly.
Variations:
Science: 3 planets, 3 elements, 3 aquatic animals, 3 reptiles, 3 plants, etc.
Social Studies: 3 countries, 3 branches of government, 3 foods found in Asia, etc.
Language Arts: 3 characters from a book, 3 genres, 3 kinds of punctuation, etc.
Art: 3 colors, 3 art supplies, 3 artists, 3 types of clay, 3 things you could sculpt, etc.
SEL: 3 emotions, 3 ways to calm down, 3 options if you have a problem on the playground, etc.
3. Space Walk Invite the class to move throughout the space as if they were in different environments. (This can also be done in self-space or seated at their desks. The body just moves in different ways.) Encourage them to use their bodies, levels, and imaginations. Examples include Ice, Sand, Hot Sand, Mud, Snow, Water, Slime, Jello, Snakes, Insects, etc. Another option is to move AS different things instead of IN different things.
Variations:
Science: No gravity, Tornado, Underground, Canopy of a Tree, Cloud, etc.
SEL: Move with different emotions. Move through different emotions into others.
Music: Move with music or rhythm. Try staccato, legato, rest, forte’, pianissimo, etc.
Language Arts: Try moving as the characters from books or in the settings.
3 EASY TABLEAU DRAMA ACTIVITIES (and ideas for connecting to any subject)
This type of drama activity calls on students to collaborate and use their bodies to make frozen pictures that tell a story. The key elements are that they use levels, expression, and connection. (Tip: Connection doesn’t have to mean touching; it can mean shared focus.)
Start Here!
1. Silent Negotiations
Introduce the idea of TABLEAU by first asking students if they’ve ever been to a museum and what they’ve seen there. Even if they’ve never been to a museum, they can usually imagine what they’d find. Next, show images of famous paintings or sculptures. (Tip! This is a great opportunity to share images from different cultures, time periods, and perspectives.) Then, invite students to break into small groups for “SILENT NEGOTIATIONS.” They will not use their voices but will need to communicate with each other to create silent pictures or tableaus.
Say this:
First: “Make a STAR using your bodies.”
Some groups will freeze with no idea what to do. Remind them there is no “wrong or right,” and every star can be different. The key is that they all work together to make one star and do it silently. Side coach about how great they are doing and notice LEVELS. Some groups might be down on the ground. Others might be reaching up high.
Next: “Now make a tableau of New York City!”
Again, this is silent. Side coach about EXPRESSION and CONNECTION. Is there more than one Statue of Liberty? Is someone taking photos? Is there an angry cab driver? What or who are they focusing on?
Then: “Make a tableau of a baseball game!”
Praise their efforts to work silently, using LEVELS, EXPRESSION, and CONNECTION.
(Note: Do you see how they are engaging their bodies, imaginations, concentration and collaboration? All of these are drama tools! We just took away the voice for this one.)
Finally, Follow up with the FEEDBACK FRAMEWORK. What did they notice, like, and wonder about?
Variations:
Social Studies: Show pictures of famous artwork from around the world or photos of people, places, and events. Have students re-create those tableaus in small groups or as one big group. (Tip: Not everyone has to be a person or character. They can become furniture, frames, a pyramid, etc.)
Math: Assign students different shapes to make. You can even ask groups to make the same shapes but on different levels. How are they similar/different?
Science: Invite students to make tableaus of different elements, plants, animals, bodies of water, etc. (Tip: It’s okay if the tableau doesn’t actually look like the “thing.”)
Language Arts: Invite students to make tableaus of certain scenes from a story you are reading. (Tip: It can also be interesting to see how different groups interpret the same scene.)
2. Tree Game
This is a full-class tableau game that calls on players to create frozen pictures using different levels, expressions, and focus. The group starts out in a circle. One person steps into the middle and begins with a pose and a statement, for example, “I am a tree.” Player 2 jumps in and adds to the frozen picture with a pose and statement that relates to the first offer, “I am a squirrel.” Player 3 jumps in with a pose and statement, “I am a nut.” Once three players have created a tableau, Player 1 leaves the circle, taking one of the other players with them, “I am leaving, and I’m taking the squirrel.” The remaining person repeats who or what they are, and the game continues rotating through new players. (Example: “I am a nut.” “I am a cookie.” “I am a chocolate chip.”)
The great thing about this game is that everyone can play and it’s very low stakes. You can go in order around the circle, or players can jump in randomly. If there is someone who is very eager and goes in a lot, you can simply say, “You’ve had a lot of turns, will you choose another person?” (Tips: Try not to repeat the same things, but if it happens, keep moving. The goal is for 3 people to make a tableau, but it’s okay for reluctant students or those with specific needs to partner up.)
Variations:
Science: Invite students to make tableaus that fit whatever topic you are studying: space, nature, animals, geography, etc. (Example: I am the sun. I am a flower. I am photosynthesis.)
Language Arts: Make tableaus tied to any story you are reading. (Example: I am Alice. I am a Teapot. I am Wonderland.)
Math: Create mathematical equations. (Examples: I am 4. I am 2. I am 6. OR I am 4. I am 2. I am 8)
3. Jenga
This is a tableau game that everyone can play, inspired by the building blocks game, Jenga. It’s best to learn The Tree game first as a foundation. Rather than just three people creating a tableau, the whole group joins in and forms one giant picture. Everyone begins in a circle, or you can use a stage/audience setup.
1. Begin by choosing a “STARTER” and a “CLOSER.”
2. The STARTER enters the circle and declares, “I am a___” taking the shape of that thing with their body. (Examples: I am a shoe, I am lightning, I am hunger, I am America, I am friendship…)
3. Player 2 enters and builds on that theme with another suggestion somehow associated with Player 1’s offer. (Tip: The goal is to be telling the same story. If someone makes an offer that is way off, you can ask them to justify it or make a new choice.)
4. Continue adding people to the tableau until the CLOSER is the last one left. (Example: Player 1- I am a nightmare. Player 2- I am a pillow. Player 3- I am a blanket. Player 4- I am fear…)
5. Once everyone has entered, the CLOSER comes in with an offer that would set the whole thing crumbling.
6. Everyone yells JENGA!
Examples:
· I am a computer, I am a game, I am electricity, I am imagination, I am strategy, I am a controller, I am a kid… CLOSER enters with, “I am the mom saying it’s time for bed!”
· I am a present, I am a Christmas Tree, I am cookies, I am milk, I am a decoration, I am Santa….CLOSER enters and offers, “I am a child coming down the stairs and discovering Santa.” Everyone yells JENGA!
Variations:
Science: Use any scientific topic you are exploring!
Example: I am a space shuttle. I am the flames coming from the back of the space shuttle. I am an astronaut. I am the space station. I am the moon. I am darkness…. CLOSER: I am a safe landing back on Earth.
Social Studies: Use any topics you are exploring!
Example: I am a castle. I am a knight. I am a drawbridge. I am a moat. I am a horse. I am a sword. I am a shield. I am a princess. I am a queen. I am a throne….CLOSER: I am the Plague.
Math: This one is tricky, but here is one idea. (Your students will likely invent new math applications for this game if given the opportunity.) Start with simple addition and keep building. Players can only offer new numbers up to 10 so that it doesn’t grow too huge. The CLOSER then comes in with a different operation.
Example: I am 5. I am 2. I am 7. I am 2. I am 9. I am 3. I am 12. I am 5. I am 17. I am 8. I am 25…CLOSER: Divided by 5. Everyone can yell the answer instead of Jenga. “5!”
(Do you see the equations? 5+2=7, 7+2=9, 9+3=12, 12+5= 17, 17+8=25, 25÷5=5
(Pro Tip: When exploring serious topics and issues, you might be tempted to avoid things that are uncomfortable. Drama activities like this can be a safe and creative way to discuss hard things. Remind students of your drama agreements if necessary and always follow up with the Feedback Framework.)
Looking for more ways to incorporate drama across the curriculum? Check out these FUN LESSONS.
Not sure how to assess students when it comes to drama? Click here for some drama RUBRICS.