Karen L. Brown

A.     Lesson Title: Park Bench

B.     Type of Lesson: Warm-up / Social Skills Development

C.     Target Group: Grades 6 - 12, Class Size: 10 - 25

D.     Approximate Length: 15 - 25 minutes

E.      Materials Needed: A bench or a few chairs pushed together to serve as a bench.

F.      Objectives:

-Competency Goal #2--The learner will act by interacting in improvisations and assuming roles.

-Objectives--2.01 Develop and manifest an awareness of the self as a thinking, creative, performing whole.  2.04 Employ creative action and thinking skills.  2.07 Develop a perception of self through observations of self and others.  2.11 Understand and participate in physical warm-ups to develop focus and creativity.

G.     Procedure: The teacher asks one student to volunteer.  The student has a seat on the "park bench."  The teacher then tells the rest of the students that each one of them will have 30 seconds to make this person laugh.  If one of the students is successful in their attempts, they take the seat on the park bench, the student they made laugh joins the audience, and the cycle continues throughout the students in the classroom.  Let everybody have a try.  The student on the park bench should try every strategy he/she has to not laugh.

*Rule: The students cannot touch the person to make them laugh.  It should be done through physical behaviors.

*Note: The 30 second time period allotted can be shortened or lengthened depending on class size, time available for warm-up, etc.

H.     Evaluation: The students will discuss what they liked and disliked about the warm-up, and they will also discuss what they learned about themselves and others around them.  Also, the teacher will evaluate the students individually with points using the following system:

1) Following the rules / directions                            1          2          3          4

2) Cooperation                                                                   1          2          3          4

3) Contributions                                                                  1          2          3          4

4) Focus                                                                             1          2          3          4

5) Being a Good Audience Member                                    1          2          3          4

The teacher will circle the number that best describes the student's participation.

                  *Point values: 1 = 14 points--Needs Improvement

                                          2 = 16 points--Fair

                                          3 = 18 points--Good

                                          4 = 20 points--Excellent

                                          The possible number of points = 100 points