Lesson plan of Theater: Creation and Characters

Objectives (5-10 minutes)

1. Understand the concept of a character in drama: Students should be able to define and describe the role of a character within a dramatic work. They should understand that a character is a fictional person who participates in the action of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical work.

2. Explain the process of character development: Students should learn the key elements that make up a character, including appearance, personality, motivations, and relationships with other characters. They should be able to understand how these elements are used to create a believable and interesting character.

3. Practice imitation and role-playing in drama: Through hands-on activities, students will have the opportunity to explore character development through imitation and role-playing. They should be encouraged to use their imaginations and creativity to bring characters to life.

These objectives should be presented to students at the beginning of class, so that they have a clear understanding of what will be learned. The teacher should revisit these objectives at the end of class to ensure that all students have understood and met the intended goals.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Review of prior knowledge: The teacher begins the class by reviewing with students prior knowledge of drama, such as what a play is and the basic elements of a play, such as setting, costumes, and dialogue. (3-5 minutes)

2. Thought-provoking questions: The teacher should then present two thought-provoking questions that will pique students' curiosity and encourage them to think about the topic of the lesson. For example, the teacher could ask: "How do you think an actor prepares to play a character? What elements do you think are important for creating a believable character?" (3-5 minutes)

3. Contextualization: The teacher should then explain to students the importance of character development in drama, emphasizing that the way a character is created and portrayed can significantly impact how the audience perceives the play. The teacher could use examples from well-known plays or popular films to illustrate this point. (3-5 minutes)

4. Introduction to the topic: To introduce the topic in an engaging and interesting way, the teacher could share with students some fun facts about character development in drama. For example, the teacher could talk about how some famous actors have prepared for their roles, or about creative methods that some playwrights use to develop their characters. Another fun fact could be about how characters from old plays, such as Shakespeare's, continue to be reinterpreted and reinvented by actors and directors today. (3-5 minutes)

Development (25-30 minutes)

The main part of the lesson will focus on the practical application of the ideas discussed in the introduction. To facilitate student engagement, an active learning-based approach will be used, with an emphasis on group activities. The teacher can choose between two suggested activities.

1. Character Creation and Performance (15-20 minutes)

1.1. Instructions: To begin, students are divided into groups of four or five. Each group will create their own character and a short drama scene involving that character. They should consider the elements discussed earlier: appearance, personality, motivations, and relationships with other characters.

1.2. Character Creation: Students are encouraged to be creative in defining their character's attributes. The teacher can provide some guiding questions to help with this process. For example, "What would this character's clothing look like?", "What does this character like to do?", "What is this character's biggest fear?", and "How does this character relate to other characters?"

1.3. Scene Development: After defining their characters, students should work together to create a short drama scene. The goal is not to create a full script, but rather a general outline of the scene, with ideas for dialogue and character actions.

1.4. Presentation: Each group presents their scene to the class, with each student playing the character they created. After each presentation, the other students should identify the elements of character discussed earlier.

2. Impersonating Well-Known Characters (10-15 minutes)

2.1. Instructions: In this activity, students will practice the skill of impersonation. The teacher should choose a list of well-known characters (from cartoons, movies, books, etc.), and students will take turns impersonating these characters.

2.2. Impersonation Circle: Students form a circle and the teacher selects a character from a box containing the various options. The student selected to go first should try to impersonate the character, while the other students try to guess who is being impersonated.

2.3. Reflection: After several rounds of impersonation, the teacher should discuss with students what they noticed about how to portray the personality, appearance, and motivations of the characters they impersonated. This helps to reinforce the concepts discussed in the introduction about character development.

Each of these activities takes a different approach to exploring character development in drama, but both provide students with the opportunity to experience character creation in a hands-on way, which is essential for solidifying understanding. These activities are flexible and can be adapted to different contexts and age groups.

Debrief (10-15 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (5-7 minutes): Following the completion of the activities, each group will have the opportunity to share their creations and reflections with the class. It is important that each student has a chance to participate in this discussion, either by sharing about their experience creating and portraying characters or by providing feedback to their classmates. The teacher should facilitate a respectful and constructive discussion, encouraging the exchange of ideas and the valuing of diverse opinions and creations.

   1.1. Connecting to Theory: During this discussion, the teacher should ask questions that help students connect their practical experiences to the theoretical concepts discussed at the beginning of class. For example, the teacher could ask: "What elements of character did you consider when creating your character?" or "How did it feel to try to impersonate a well-known character?"

2. Checking for Understanding (3-5 minutes): After discussing students' creations and experiences, it is important to check for understanding of the learning objectives. To do this, the teacher could ask students direct questions, such as "What are the key elements that make up a character?" and "What is the importance of character development in a play?" Students' responses to these questions will allow the teacher to assess whether the concepts have been understood and if any points need to be reviewed.

3. Final Reflection (2-3 minutes): To conclude the lesson, the teacher should have students reflect on what they have learned. This reflection can be prompted by two questions:

   3.1. "What aspect of character development did you find most interesting and why?"

   3.2. "How could you use the skill of creating and portraying characters outside of the context of drama?"

This reflection helps students solidify their learning and make connections to their own experiences and interests. It also shows that the skills learned in drama class can be useful and relevant in other contexts.

The debrief stage is crucial for ensuring that the content of the lesson has been understood and will be remembered by students. It also provides an opportunity for students to share their experiences, learn from each other, and feel valued for their contributions.

Conclusion (5-10 minutes)

1. Summary and Recap (2-3 minutes): The teacher should begin the conclusion by reviewing the main points covered in the lesson. This includes the definition of character, the process of character development, and the importance of characters in a play. The teacher should emphasize how students applied these concepts in practice by creating their own characters and drama scenes.

2. Connecting Theory, Practice, and Applications (2-3 minutes): Next, the teacher should explain how the lesson connected theory to practice. It is important to highlight how the theoretical concepts discussed helped students to create more believable and interesting characters. The teacher should also emphasize how the practice of impersonation and role-playing can help students develop useful skills, such as empathy and creativity.

3. Extension Activities (1-2 minutes): The teacher could suggest some extension activities for students to explore at home, such as books, movies, or plays that exemplify character development in a particularly interesting way. The teacher could also suggest some practical exercises that students could do to continue practicing character development, such as impersonating a character from a book or movie, or creating a character based on someone they know in real life.

4. Real-World Significance (1-2 minutes): Finally, the teacher should emphasize the real-world significance of what has been learned. Character development is not only useful in the context of drama, but it can also help students to better understand the people around them and to express themselves more creatively. Additionally, the skill of impersonation and role-playing can be useful in a variety of situations, from resolving conflicts to writing a story.

The conclusion is a crucial part of the lesson, as it allows students to review what they have learned and to understand the relevance of this learning to their lives. It also provides students with resources for continuing to learn about the topic after the lesson has ended.