Unscripted learning: using improv activities across the K-8 curriculum

209 Pages·2007·0.83 MB·English

by  Carrie Lobman

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Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York,
NY 10027
Copyright © 2007 by Teachers College, Columbia University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-
copy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from
the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Information:
Lobman, Carrie.
Unscripted learning : using improv activities across the K–8 curriculum /
Carrie Lobman and Matthew Lundquist.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8077-4797-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8077-4798-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Effective teaching. 2. Improvisation (Acting) I. Lundquist, Matthew. II. Title.
LB1025.3.L62 2007
371.39’9–dc22 2006103036
978-0-8077-4797-1 (pbk : alk. paper)
978-0-8077-4798-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
Printed on acid-free paper.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
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This book is dedicated to
Dr. Lois Holzman
Methodologist, Mentor, Friend
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Contents
Foreword by R. Keith Sawyer xi Chapter 3—
Creating the Ensemble 28
Preface xv
Developing Group-Building Skills 29
Acknowledgments xvii Developing Emotionally 30
Setup of the Chapter 31
Activities on Working in Unison 32
Chapter 1—
Sound Ball 33
Improvisation and Learning:
Why Do Improv in the Classroom? 1 Zip! Zap! Zop! 34
Woosh! 35
Human Beings Are Improvisers 2
Pass the Pulse 37
What Is Improv? 3
Synchronized Clapping 38
Doing What You Don’t Know
Mirrors 39
How to Do 4
Maah 40
Vygotsky and the Zone of
Proximal Development 6 Counting, How High? 41
Learning and Improvisation 6 My Song, Our Song 42
We Are All Performers 7 Group Freeze 43
What Is an Environment? 8 Yes, Let’s 44
What Is a Group? 9 What Are You Doing? 45
Teachers as Improvisers 11 Group Sculpture 46
Make a Machine 47
Chapter 2— Still Life 48
What Is Improv? How Do You Do It? 13 Remote Control 49
Activities on Emotions 50
The Basic Principles of Improv 13
Improvising a Stage and Props 17 Shout It Out 51
Choosing the Activities 19 Gestures 52
The Audience Performance 20 Emotions/Motions 53
Who’s in Charge of Safety? 21 Pass the Face 54
Introducing the Activities 21 Emotional Journey 55
Bringing the Skills and Language Emotional Coach 56
of Improv into (the Rest of) Emotional Mélange 57
the Classroom 22 Emotional Bus 58
Assessment 23 Emotional Orchestra 59
Including Everyone in Improv 24 The Nuisance Game 60
Glossary of Improvisational Terms 25 Optimist/Pessimist 61
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viii Contents
Chapter 4— Captain Precision 100
Improvising Language and Literacy 62 Emotional Math Class 101
Language Learning 62 “I’m Sorry, Can You Explain
Performing as Readers and Writers 63 That Another Way?” 102
Reading and Writing as Ensemble Jargon 103
Activities 64 Mathematical “Yes, and” 104
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Word Problems Come to Life
Listening Relationally 66 (and Get Out of Control) 105
Creating Language 66 Improvisational Word Problem 106
Improvising Literacy All the Time 67 We Are a Square 107
“Yes, and” Collective Story and Shape Sculpting 108
other “Yes, and” Extensions 68 Human Balance 109
Once Upon a Time . . . The End 72 Expanding Cast 110
I’m Sorry, Did You Say . . . ? 73 Half the Time 111
Live Action Illustration 74 Time of Your Life 112
Fairy Tale in a Minute 75 Attributes 113
The Author Comes to Life 76 Group Juggle 114
Blah, Blah, Blah 77 Huggy Bear/Buddy Up! 115
Boppity, Bop, Bop, Bop 78 Mingle 116
Gibberish Poem 79 Pattern Dance 117
What’s the Meaning of This? 80 Upset 118
Alliteration 81 Place Value Game 119
Hyperbole 82 Odds or Evens 120
Read It Again, Sam 83 Math-a-Thon 121
Fake It 84 Math-Off 122
Construct-o-Sentence 85 Zip! Zap! Zop! (Math Version) 123
Syllable Bingo 86
Chapter 6—
Collective Spelling 87
Preposition Gymnastics 88 Improv in the Content Areas 124
This Is a What? 89 The Performance of Science
Hot Seat (Literacy Version) 90 and Social Studies 124
Giving Direction 91 Performing Ahead of Yourself 125
Silly Debate 92 Performing as Meaning-Makers 126
Information Booth 93 Improvising and Information 127
Setup of the Chapter 128
Chapter 5— General Content Area Activities 129
Improvising Mathematics 94 We Are All . . . 130
Math as Play 94 Sentence Shuffle 131
The Language of Mathematics 95 Fish Bowl 132
Creating Math Performances 96 One-Track Mind 133
Improvising Mathematical Persuasion 134
Conversations 97 Hot Seat (Content Area Version) 135
Compulsive Math Gal/Guy 99 Collective Tour Guide 136
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Contents ix
Three-Headed Expert 137 Rain or Shine 162
We Can Sell Anything 138 Slide Show 163
Social Studies Activities 139
Chapter 7—
I Love My Neighbor 140
More Advanced Scene Work 164
Occupation 141
Time Warp 142 Putting on a Show! 165
What If? (History Version) 143 What Could Possibly Go Wrong? 167
Correspondence 144 What If? (Scene Work Version) 168
Rant or Rave 145 Freeze 169
Tableau 146 Options 170
Party Game 147 Secret 171
History Bus 148 Sitting, Standing, Kneeling 172
Visitor from the Past 149 Slow-Motion Olympics 173
Talk Show 150 Invisible Kickball 174
Helping Hands 151
Index of Improv Activities Listed
Science Activities 152
by Level of Difficulty 175
Three Changes 153
Ecosystem 154 Index of Improv Activities Listed
Boundaries 155 by Appropriate Age 177
Rain Noises 156
Index of Improv Activities Listed
Heartbeat 157
by Other Relevant Subject Areas 179
I Am a Tree 158
Grab Bag 159
Resources 181
Metamorphosis 160
French Telephone 161 About the Authors 185
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