Ed Pack (2007) - The Arts Page One

The Children's Theatre Ed Pack (2007)

The Arts - Page One

Some ideas for Teachers

Getting to know you’s:

Body shield:

5 members of the class move to the centre of the circle. 4 of the members must try to completely conceal the fifth person, using nothing but their bodies. The other students stand around the group and try and see pieces of the 5^th clothes, shoes, skin etc.

Extension: Try varying the number of people responsible for covering the centre person

Warmups for Mind & Body:

Name Volley:

Divide the class into two groups, We are going play a mimed game of volley ball, in which every player, as they pass a ball, shouts the name of another player who then needs to catch and pass the ball.

The aim is for the players to “see” the ball at all times.

Extension: This activity can be changed to incorporate any sport in mimed form. Turning this game into a slow motion format also works well.

Shotgun:

Players stand in a circle and clap and point to the person to the right of them. This should be done in rapid fire motion and the idea is for the sound to emulate gunfire.

Extension: Students can change the direction of the shootout at any point but it will be necessary for the teacher to make certain that all students are getting a turn. There can be an overwhelming urge to try and confuse the other players, but it must be suggested that more can be learned from trying to make the firing flow quickly than fail on a frequent basis.

Slow Motion Samurai:

Aim: this warm up will get the blood flowing and help everyone work together.

Students need to mill around the room comfortable and on the teacher’s prompt direct everyone to begin moving in slow motion. Once a stable rate of speed is reached the players are all to become Samurai with poisonous blades built into their forearms. The object is to wipe out all the other Samurai in the room. If anyone is touched by the forearm of another player they must die a poisoned death in a very vocal, slow motion. It is important that the players keep their speed continuous.

The point of this warm up is not to win but to have fun.

TIP: If players are moving too fast and massacring everyone else simply tell them to slow down even more. This game helps people to work together, focus and to extend movements

Energy 1-10:

Everyone is in a big circle, squatting down. Everyone counts from 1 – 10 together, slowly standing up and increasing body movement and general energy level.

As a guide 1 should be down low and hardly audible and 10 is as loud as possible, everyone standing completely upright and moving voraciously.

NOTE: Its important for all of the students to watch each other and ensure that they are all at the same energy level.

TIP: Start working this exercise with building up energy from 1 – 5 and gradually extend the range so that it is successful over 10 counts.

Clap, snap, stamp:

All players are in pairs facing each other. The class counts 1, 2, 3. Each player taking one number at a time, this is repeated until it flows well.

Once students have achieved this, we replace “1” with a snap of the fingers and keep saying the 2 & 3

Once this is achieved replace the “2” as well with a hand clap

Once this is achieved we replace the “3” as well, with a stamp of the right foot.

Work to playing this at high speed.

Further Information/Ideas/Themes

· Stranger Danger

· Manners