Walking in Stride

Type of Lesson:

            Exercise – Acting and Characterization

                        Entrances and Exits

Age Group:

            10-12^th grade

Time Period:

            90 minutes

Materials Needed:

            Some variety of music

Strands:

Objectives:

            The students will learn the variety of types of stage walk

            The students will learn multiple ways to enter and exit the stage.

            The students will adapt previously used characters to this new level of acting.

National Goals:

            #2        -           The student will act by interacting in improvisation and assuming roles.

#3        -           The student will design and produce theatre by conceptualizing and realizing artistic interpretations for informal and formal productions.

#6        -           The student will compare and integrate art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and new art forms.

Procedure:

• Class begins in notes setting.  Class Semi-circle in fold out metal  chairs around the board.  Attendance will be checked as late or due work is turned in to the front.  ID’s should be visible at waist level or higher. 
• Board work: detail different types of walking and stride.  Explain use in characterization.  Use in entrances and exits.
• Ask students to return chairs and get into a circle.  Begin warm up and stretching
• Game is a circle game.  Teacher leads be demonstrating a dynamic movement that carries him across the circle.  The movement should simple enough for the class to replicate it.  Students are asked to mimic this movement in their places.  Students are then asked to volunteer as the mover.  Students continue to mimic in place.  One person at a time.
• Ask the class to form lines.  The are going to practice group walking.  8 counts of 8 beats. Start on R foot. 

 

Turn R; Walk Forward 8 counts. 

Turn L; Walk Reverse 8 counts. 

Turn L; Walk Forward 4 counts. 

Turn L; Walk Reverse 4 counts. 

Turn R; Walk forward 4 counts. 

Turn L, Walk Reverse 4 counts.

 

• Discussion seated on floor.  Did this type of walking make you feel trapped?  Part of a group?  Did it help you focus?  Could you have said lines while doing the pattern over and over again?  Why was something as simple as walking bothersome you?
• Walking in circle.  Walk in your own unique way.
• Pick out examples of walking types.

 

Marching	slouching	W leading w/ head	W leading w/ chest	W leading w/ knees
Dragging of feet	slouching	not awake	W leading w/ chest	W leading w/ pelvis

 

• Figure out which type of walk you have.  Try to exaggerate it.  Pretend that you are someone else and they are mimicking you.
• Pick a character that you’ve played before.  Walk in the circle as this character would.  Did it alter how you walked.  Is a stride different from walking?  Does your walk differ if you have different goals?
• Discussion of entrances.

Walking

Running

Hopping/Popping in

Peeking in

Sneaking

• Discussion of Exits.

Waking

Running

Fighting

Thrown off

Sneaking

Dragged

Evaluation Method

q       Demonstrated knowledge and ability of stride    y/n

q       Attempted work as character walkig                             y/n

q       Attempted entrances                                                     y/n

q       Attempted exits                                                            y/n

q       Contributed 1 answer w/o being called on                     y/n

q       Participation:

o       Professional and Courteous to others                Y/N

o       On Task                                                           Y/N