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com
Topic: Unit Two Lesson 4
Story Elements
Mr. O.D Emblau

Class/Date:
Fourth lesson in a sequence of ten
Signal for Attention:
During Instructions:
If you can hear me clap Twice
During Activties: Flicker of the lights

Lesson Objectives:
Apply the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, climax and plot in planned
and unplanned scenes.
Demonstrate the ability to focus on, and achieve, the objective of a scene.
Maintain Character
Alternative Instruction:
Activities will generally be introduced orally, however, each is available in hard copy.
Star Wars is used as the example for instrution. This can be changed for the whole class or can be used
to accomidate indvidulized learning plans, ELL students, and for CRT.
Culturally Responsive Teaching:
This lesson can build around individual cultural backgrounds with regard to story telling. This can be
facilitated by having students share unique stories from their communities.
Materials/Equipment/Resources: Hard copy of plan & handouts attached.
Time:
Introduction & Anticipatory Set/The Hook:
__ - __
What if I told you there was a formula to movies like STAR WAR!! And Lord of the
Rings!!
(_5_min)
Check In Circle/ Attendance

1) Quickly Run Word at a time story (Annex A)

Share the Purpose of the Lesson:
Today we will be learning a frame of an improv scene. After today, students should be
able to craft any improv scene to completion. Plot points or basic narrative structure is
like a life raft for an Improvsor! Anyone can get lost in a scene and great scenes can go
bad fast when the actor on stage doesn't know where to go next.
Instruction/Activities: (point form; begin with a verb - for e.g., ask/discuss ; include
enough detail so that someone else would be able to teach this)
Freytag pytamid:
-Give Handout (Freytag Pyramid)
-Discuss Handout Using Star Wars (Star Wars can be switched out for any well crafted
story)
Exposition:
1) Galaxy far far away... My names Luke I like to shoot stuff and I wanna go to
the imperial academy.
2) Inciting incident: R2D2: Only Hope.
3) Rising Action: Han Solo & Death Star related problems.
4) Complication: OB1 Gets super murdered.

__ - __
(_10__min
)

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5) Climax: Death Star Explodes.
6) Reversal: Darth Vader Flees.
7) Resolution: Friends reunited.
8) Denouement: Medals and a huge party.
Story Spine:
- Facilitate Story Spine (Annex B)
1) Organize students into groups of 4 or 8
2) Explain Story Spine ( Annex B)
3) Observe as students create 3 stories using Story Spine
4) Share students favorite of three
5) Inform students they will have 30 seconds of prep time
6) Assess each group as they improvise their story

25 mins

Type Writer: *
*This is optional content. To be used to allow additional oppertuity to pratice Story Spine
Skills if required. It can also be used along side the 5 Element Game to occupy other
studnets and remove any kind of audince if studnets are not ready for preformative
assessment from and infront of classmates
1) Fasilatate Type Writer (Annex C)
2) Ask Can anyone tell me what the Climax/ _______ of that scenes
3) Evaluate That was a great scene! You missed one part of the spine can you tell
me what that was?

20 mins
Closure:
Today we covered the bones of narrative structure used for storytelling.These are by no
means hard and fast rules! They are meant to be used as a tool. Moving forward we will
be building on these basic stories. Next class, we will be getting into the use of Stillness
and the power of silence.
Student Evaluation/Checking for
Other Notes/Reminders:
Understanding by active means:
5 Element Game (Annex D)
This lesson can be adapted to include tech by having
students create a web blog where they answer the
Journal Questions:
daily journal questions and send MR.E the URL
Whats your favoret movie?
Break it down to its spine!
Use the Handout. Simple is best!

Journals can also be done in the form of a Video

jouranl. This is to accomadate for students with
writing problems

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ANNEX A- Word at a Time Story. http://oemblau422drama10.weebly.com/word-at-a-time-story.html

Activity: Word at a Time

Story

Intended for use with

Unit Two lesson 4

This is an exercise to train group narrative.

Rules:
All players sit in a circle. We are going to tell a story one
word at a time. Each player provides one word of a
sentence. End of a sentence can be indicates by a player
saying `period`, although that is not necessary.
This activity can be scaffold to introduce the concepts of
story structure.
"Lets try to make sure our story has a beginning , middle,
& an ending"

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Annex B- Story Spine http://oemblau422drama10.weebly.com/story-spine.html

Intended for use with Unit 2

Activity: Story Spine

Story Spine
Description
This is an idea/tool about the spine of any story. The whole point of the tool is to provide a model for a wellconstructed story with a beginning that establishes a routine, an event that breaks the routine, a middle that
shows the consequences of having broken the routine, a climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion,
and the resolution. It goes like:

Once upon a time...

Every day...

But, one day...

Because of that...

Because of that...

Because of that... n

Until, finally...

And, ever since then...

And, here's how the lines correlate to the different sections of a well-constructed story:
The Beginning that establishes the routine: Once upon a time... Every day...
The Event that breaks the routine: But, one day...
The Middle that shows the consequences of having broken the routine: Because of that...
Because of that...
Because of that...
The Climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion: Until, finally...
The Resolution And, ever since then...
This little structure teaches performers to advance a story by changing things. There are hundreds of
variations known to this, one of which we`ll present here as well:

The balance: Once upon a time ... and every day ...

The un-balance: But then one day ...

The quest for a resolution: ... and because of that ... and so ... until finally ....

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The new balance: ... and ever since that day ....

Taken From :http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/Story_Spine.html

Annex C- Type Writer

Intended for use with Unit Two lesson 4

Activity:Type Writer

Rules:
1. Divide the group into two groups that will take turns
performing vs. being the audience.
2. One of the players is the Narrator. He has an
imaginary typewriter and starts the scene by reading
aloud as he/she types. As soon as the Narrator has given
a few elements, the players take over and start playing
the scene. At any point, the Narrator can take over again,
perhaps switch to another location, introduce new
character, provide tilts or flashbacks. Variations When a
scene goes bad, the Narrator can mime ripping a couple
of pages of his story apart, and restart the scene (or the
story).
3. Switch the performer and audience groups roles and
repeat.

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Retrieved from:http://www.improv-games.com/typewriter/

Annex D- 5 Element Game

Activity: 5 Element Game

Intended for use with Unit Two

lesson 4
The Five Element game trains and creates natural impulses for story telling.
Rules:
The players get in groups of 3. Two players create a one minute scene while the
third player calls out the elements of the Basic Scene Structure as they are
created. One player starts by exploring the physical environment of an activity.
The observer calls out Setting. The second player enters as a complimentary
character, thus creating a relationship. Once this relationship is created the
watching player calls out Characters. The scene partners then find a problem or
obstacle to overcome. They raise the stakes, motivating a solution. Finally, the
players find a solution (preferably one that arises from the environment or the
characters.) At each step the watching player calls out what element of the Basic
Scene Structure is created.
Objectives:
To create the instinct to tell stories within the Basic Scene Structure by focusing
solely on advancing between elements.
Comments:
Because of the one minute time limit, this exercise often results more in the
narration of action rather than true physicalization. Although this is normally a bad
thing, the value lies in the ability to reduce the amount of gags and gossip
encountered in the creation of the scene. Raising the Stakes is normally the first
element to be forgotten in the heat of the moment. It is therefore one of the
elements you must be the most stringent about. You should also be looking for an

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organic solution. An organic solution comes from within the world of the scene;
Deus Ex Machina is the improvisors easy way out.
Adaptations:
Five Element Freeze: The Five Element game done with freeze called at the end
of every scene and a new player taking a position of one of the frozen players.
The player then justifys the position into a new environment/activity.
Gibberish 5 Elements: The Five Element game done while only speaking
gibberish.
Silent 5 Element: The Five Element game done in silence (no sound effects.)
Retrived from: http://improv.ca/5-element-game/#sthash.oFrxdZHg.dpuf