Lesson Title: Site-Specific Subject: ADA3M

Unit Title: Devising Theatre Time Required: 3 weeks

Teacher Kara Nagel Grade: 11

Learning Goals
By the end of this lesson,
I will be able to design and develop an original drama work using a location.
I will be able to support different audience participation within my work that is within or out of my control.
I will implement and execute a variety of acting approaches during rehearsal.
I will identify and follow safe and ethical practices during my rehearsal and final performance.
Success Criteria
Students have…
- designed and developed an original drama work using a source (location).
- supported audience participation and followed safe/ethical practices during the rehearsal process and final
performance.
- used a variety of acting approaches during rehearsal.
- written or recorded an artistic statement.
Accommodations
I will…
- provide extra time if needed
- provide detailed feedback to each group throughout the process (verbally and written)
- allow some groups to work in the hallway/other areas of the room (with option to work on loud scenes in the
classroom)
- artist statement can be on video or written
Background Knowledge Required
Students have…
- worked in pairs to complete scene studies
- wrote and performed their own monologues using Humans of New York book
- done written reflections on pieces they have seen (at Second City and in class)
- done Twitter verbatim theatre in small groups
- just finished improv unit
Curriculum Expectations
A1.2 select and use appropriate drama forms to present a variety of adapted or original drama works
A3.1 use a variety of techniques to increase interaction with or participation by the audience
A3.2 use a range of techniques and acting approaches during rehearsal
C3.1 identify and follow safe and ethical practices in all drama activities
Materials
- projector - pictures on drive of site-specific theatre
- access to props/costumes room

Instruction
Duration Activity/Task
Minds On

Class 1 –Site-Specific Theatre Introduction

 1. Explain that they will be creating a site-specific work of theatre. Talk about how over
5 mins the next three weeks we are going to be working on site-specific theatre. Talk about how
usually we use a black stage to put a set together, but our set will be created by the
environment.

2. Show two pictures on projector and prompt students: Let’s figure out what’s going on in
these pictures. Where do you think this is? What do you think their relationship is? What
other clues do we see? Which picture comes first? What is the conflict in the picture?

5 mins

Action

5 mins 3. Show pictures of different environments. Plays would be different depending on the
environment.
Talk about what kind of plays could happen there.

4. Tell students to close their eyes or look down.

5 mins I want you to think of somewhere you feel safe or somewhere you feel unsafe in this school.
Picture it in your head. What does it smell like, feel like, look like…? Why do you feel safe
or unsafe here? What story could you tell based on this location?

5. Take them to locations they can use for their performances in the school. Brainstorm with
students about what could happen in different spaces and do some improv in different
20 mins
 environments (for example: in the staircase there could be a performance about bullying,
social status, a breakup, a parent dragging their kid to school, etc.)
Just a reminder that classes will be in session, so you need to stay close by and be quiet.
Pretend that we’re in a very quiet library. We need to listen to what we hear in the space.

6. Give students time to practice and assign them a location in small groups (3-4 students).
35 mins Students will practice and put a 30-60+ second scenes together to present next class.

Class 2 – Practice and present mini scenes

15 mins 1. Continue workshopping a 30-60+ second scene in small groups

2. Students go watch the 30-60+ second scenes to give feedback. Teacher will facilitate the
55 mins conversation. (Mention: levels, blocking, audience participation, volume) (assessment for
learning)

3. On a piece of paper, students will write

5 mins
I want to work with ________________ or ____________________ or
____________________
I don’t want to work with __________________

Class 3 – Assign groups & go over rubric/assignment

1. I will tell them their groups and go over the feedback form/assignment with them. They
20 mins will sign up for a location that they want to do. (Mention: risk-taking, trying new things,
adapting to the audience while rehearsing)

55 mins 2. Students will start rehearsing once they know where they are going and have an idea for a
theme and/or conflict.

Class 4 – Rehearsal & script writing

20 mins 1. Fortunately, unfortunately warm-up as a circle

55 mins 2. Rehearsal

Class 5 – Rehearsal & script writing

15 mins 1. 1-minute script activity (students write A, B, A, B, etc. on a sheet of paper and the first
line is Hey do you see that and they have to fill in the dialogue timed at a minute) We will
share some as a class and talk about writing a script for the performance.

60 mins 2. Rehearsal & script writing

Class 6 – Rehearsal & character development

1. Walk around the room activity with emotions like happy, sad, focus on your feet, walk
20 mins like your character, etc. (mention embracing the space around them and establishing their
character within the performance)

55 mins 2. Rehearsal
 Class 7 – Rehearsal & character development

1. Introductions and applause activity (students mime a door to the stage, enter, then
20 mins introduce themselves as their character and share three things about themselves, then
students give them applause)

15 mins 2. Students fill out a questionnaire sheet as their character (name, interests, hobbies,
occupation, age, address, hair colour, etc.) Students can draw or write their answers.
(assessment for learning)

40 mins 3. Rehearsal and continuing to work on their script.

Class 8 – Rehearsal & audience becomes performer

1. Walk around the room in role.

20 mins • Students walk around the room as themselves
• Some students get cue cards that say a character on them, some get no cards and
walk around as themselves
• Some get cue cards again and some get no cards. They are encouraged to introduce
themselves to each other.
• Some get cue cards and some get no cards, they are encouraged to react like their
character would react to things around them.
(Mention: how audience members will react to what you’re saying… some may not even
know the show is going on. How are you going to react if someone says something in your
scene or tries to intervene?)

55 mins 2. Rehearsal and finalizing their script.

Class 9 – Rough performances

10 mins 1. Zip, zap, zop

2. Check-in with their performances. Do you need help? Thumbs up = we need help.
5 mins Thumbs sideways = we are okay, but could use some help. Thumbs down = we are okay for
now. (assessment as learning)

2. Groups will be matched with one other group. A will give B feedback and then B will
45 mins give A feedback, so they will take turns showing each other. Groups will give the other
constructive written and/or verbal feedback.

3. Groups will take their feedback from their peers and the teacher to change/adapt their
20 mins performances.

Class 10 – Apply feedback & rehearse

1. Pass the clap (Mention: importance of using feedback, accepting what is offered to you
15 mins during a performance)

60 mins 2. Rehearse and edit scripts.

 Class 11 – Artist statement and rehearsal

40 mins 1. Teach how to write an artist’s statement. Write one together.

https://www.gyst-ink.com/artist-statement-guidelines/

Tips
Write it as a group. Imagine someone is walking by your space and sees there is a
performance, what would you want them to know before or after watching your work?

Intro to your work (1 – 2 sentences)

Basic ideas (2 – 3 sentences)
Why you created the work
Conclusion (1-2 sentences)

Show The Fountain clip https://youtu.be/cwiPzI-OQUA?t=99 1:39 – 2:38 (write an artist

statement together in Think, Pair, Share format). (assessment for learning)

35 mins 2. Writing artist statement / rehearsal.

Class 12 – Rehearsal & finish artist statement

5 mins 1. Tell groups to bring costumes tomorrow for dress rehearsal/final performances.
Reminder to finish artist’s statement.
70 mins
2. Rehearsal. Finish artist statement.

Lesson 13 – Dress Rehearsal/Performances

75 mins 1. It’s dress rehearsal day! Grab your costumes and go practice. I won’t take any of your
time. (2-3 presentations)

Lesson 14 –Performances & debrief questions)

55 mins
1. Performances (assessment of learning: using feedback form)
Conclusion

2. Debrief questions as a circle:

20 mins What did you notice that worked well? What did you notice that didn’t really work? What
would you change next time? How did the sites impact the performances?

Next Steps
Students will be doing their final examination using all the skills learned throughout the semester. They can
choose to do site-specific, children’s, or verbatim theatre which we have done units on.
Resources

“Artist Statement Guidelines.” Getting Your Sh*t Together, www.gyst-ink.com/artist-statement-guidelines/.

Koplowitz, Stephan. “Liquid Landscapes.” YouTube, DartingtonTV, 26 June 2009, youtu.be/cwiPzI-

OQUA?t=99.

Lundy, Kathleen Gould., and Larry Swartz. Creating Caring Classrooms: How to Encourage Students to
Communicate, Create, and Be Compassionate of Others. Pembroke Publishers, 2011.

Lundy, Kathleen Gould. Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World. Pembroke Publishers, 2008.

Lundy, Kathleen Gould. What Do I Do about the Kid Who-- ?: Practical Ways to Turn Teaching into Learning.
Pembroke Publishers, 2006.

Neelands, Jonothan. Structuring Drama Work: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama.
Cambridge University Press, 1990.

Person, M. Introduction; Models and Approaches from Site-Specific Performance, pp 7-46. Palgrave
Macmillan, 2010.

Swartz, Larry. Dramathemes. 4th ed., Pembroke Publishers, 2014.

“Teach Special Education.” Ontario Teachers' Federation, www.teachspeced.ca/.

Reflection Paragraph

I’ve wanted to plan a site-specific unit since I learned about it at the University of Waterloo with Dr.
Andy Houston. I focus on student choice and voice in my classes. This project allows students to tell a story of
a space in the school that they are familiar with. I did a three-day workshop with my grade 11s on site-specific
theatre and it just wasn’t enough time because they responded very well to the project. All of my students –
even the ones who couldn’t read or write – were able to create a performance. I chose warm-ups and
assignments throughout this unit that allow every student to be successful. For example, their artist statement
can be done written or verbally and their character questionnaire can be written or drawn. They will also have
time to work on their own artist statement in small groups with teacher and peer support. I always try to plan my
units with all students in mind, so instead of providing modifications, I’m able to have every student
participating in the same activities. I also provide my accommodations for all students like extra time and
options on how to submit material (written, drawn, point-form, etc.). Every student will be successful in this
unit because they will be getting feedback throughout the process (from their peers and teacher) and have lots of
in-class opportunities to develop their characters and rehearse. My learning goals were developed from the
grade 11 curriculum. I used my learning goals to create the feedback form. I use feedback forms instead of a
rubric because I find students actually read them and it gives me a place to write comments while giving next
steps. Students aren’t given a final number mark overall for the project and would need to figure it out on their
own if they are curious while reading their feedback. I would document their marks of course, but I want the
students to focus on the feedback rather than the mark. I look forward to teaching this lesson when I have my
own drama classroom and trying to integrate it into my Core French classroom.