Hopewell Crest School

Drama/Public Speaking
Curriculum
Grades Six-Seven-Eight

WRITTEN BY

Mrs. Heidi Reed

Dr. Terry C. Van Zoeren, Superintendent of Schools
Mrs. Meghan Price, Curriculum Coordinator
Mrs. Sharon Archer, School Business Administrator

Hopewell Township Board of Education

Mr. Ken Freitag, President Mr. Edward Kennedy

Mr. Harry Gates Mrs. Melanie Halter-Husted
Mrs. Kristi Schoppe Mr. Mike Gaimari
Mr. Jay Table Mr. David Metelow
Mr. James Homan

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION August 2009

 PURPOSE OF GUIDE
The purpose of this Curriculum Guide is to provide parents, staff, and community members with information that
describes Fine and Performing Arts instruction in our district for middle school children

This guide explains what is taught and why, and proposes effective instructional practices. It also suggests materials
to be used and methods of assessing student learning. References to the Core Curriculum Content Standards as
described in the New Jersey Curriculum Framework are made throughout this document.

This document is intended to be a resource for teachers of all grade levels, providing practical guidance in
implementing New Jersey’s Fine and Performing Arts Standards.

We Believe…
 Every child has the right to an education.
 Every child should respect himself and others.
 Every child can attain lifelong physical, social, academic and emotional skills.
 Every child has the right to learn in a safe environment.
 Results can be achieved with a partnership of parents, teachers, and a supportive community.
 Students must be prepared for life in an increasingly technological future.
 Children should be guided to their fullest potential to become productive citizens.
It is the mission of the Hopewell Crest School to ensure that all children have the right to learn in a safe
environment, where they will work to their fullest potential to become productive citizens in a technological
world. In doing so, they will attain life-long physical, social, academic and emotional skills through the
partnership of parents, staff and a supportive community.

Program Modifications For Special Needs Children

The Hopewell Township Board of Education recognizes that children possess varied learning abilities, rates, and
capacities. Users of this curriculum should understand that the following program modifications are acceptable to
make the Fine and performing Arts program compatible with the broad continuum of students learning styles and
abilities. Modfications may include, but are not limited to…

 Elimination of inappropriate content or topics

 Modification of any assessment, including tests, homework, and projects
 Providing oral assessment
 Providing alternate reading material
 Enlisting the use of readers, note-takers, or other peer learning strategies.

In the case of classified children or those eligible for educational accommodations consistent with section 504 of the
Americans With Disabilities Act, the goals and activities contained in the child’s IEP or 504 Plan should be used to
determine responsibility for the attainment of subject matter content.
 New Jersey Core Content Curiculum Standards:
Visual and Performing Arts

Grades 6-7-8

STANDARD 1.2 (Creation and Performance) All students will utilize those skills, media, methods,
and technologies appropriate to each art form in the creation, performance, and presentation of
dance, music, theater, and visual art.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 6, students
will:
A. Dance
1. Perform planned and improvised sequences demonstrating aspects of time, space/shape, and energy
accurately transferring a rhythmic pattern from the auditory to the kinesthetic.
2. Choreograph and perform dances that communicate meaning on a variety of themes, demonstrating the
ability to work in small groups in the choreographic process.
3. Develop dance technique that uses strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination appropriate to age and
physical development.
4. Accurately identify and demonstrate basic sequences of movement from at least two different styles or
traditions, demonstrating awareness of movement principles in dance (e.g., alignment, balance, initiation of
movement, directing of focus).
5. Investigate arts-related careers.
B. Music
1. Read music from progressively complex notation, including mixed meters, compound meters, and the grand
staff.
2. Sing independently and in groups, both melodic and harmonizing parts, adjusting to the range and timbre of
the developing voice.
3. Perform simple melodies and rhythmic accompaniments in expanded binary, ternary, and rondo form
independently and in groups.
4. Improvise simple harmonic accompaniment, melodic embellishments, and simple melodies.
5. Demonstrate how the elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release, and
balance in composition.
6. Investigate arts-related careers.
C. Theater
1. Discuss and demonstrate the connection between body, movement, and voice in theatrical expression.
2. Create characterizations in context through manipulation of vocal and physical qualities and circumstances.
3. Collaboratively plan and execute group scenes stemming from improvisational scenes.
4. Analyze classroom dramatizations from different perspectives (e.g., playwright, actor, director, designer) and
suggest alternatives for creating and interpreting roles, arranging environments, and developing situations.
5. Differentiate among vocal rate, pitch, and volume as they affect articulation, meaning, and character.
6. Investigate arts-related careers.
D. Visual Art
1. Individually or collaboratively create two and three-dimensional works of art employing the elements and
principles of art.
2. Distinguish drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, textiles, and computer imaging by physical
properties.
3. Recognize and use various media and materials to create different works of art.
4. Employ appropriate vocabulary for such categories as realistic, abstract, nonobjective, and conceptual.
5. Investigate arts-related careers.
STANDARD 1.3 (Elements and Principles) All students will demonstrate an understanding of the
elements and principles of dance, music, theater, and visual art.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 6, students
will:
A. Dance
1. Analyze both formal and expressive aspects of time, shape, space, and energy in various dance works.
2. Analyze the principles of choreography applied in a master dance work.
3. Differentiate among the various artistic and non-artistic contributions involved in dance production.
4. Analyze the interrelationship between dance movement and the movements of everyday life, and effectively
demonstrate the difference between pantomiming and abstracting a gesture.
5. Interpret compositional use of dance elements for expressive purposes.
B. Music
1. Analyze musical elements in response to aural prompts and printed scores representing diverse genres and
cultures and notational systems.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic
progressions.
C. Theater
1. Examine the range of roles and characterizations possible in theatrical production and performance.
2. Examine the relationship between physicality and character development.
3. Identify various tactics employed by actors to create believable, motivated action.
D. Visual Art
1. Describe the emotional significance conveyed in the application of the elements.
2. Describe a work of art that clearly illustrates a principle of design.

STANDARD 1.2 (Creation and Performance) All students will utilize those skills, media, methods,
and technologies appropriate to each art form in the creation, performance, and presentation of
dance, music, theater, and visual art.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students
will:
A. Dance
1. Demonstrate a broad range of dynamics and movement qualities by manipulating aspects of time, space,
and energy.
2. Choreograph and perform dance works based on social themes, using elements and production values that
serve the selected theme.
3. Develop and perform movement sequences and dance phrases that demonstrate rhythmic acuity, and
employ such choreographic structures as AB, ABA, canon, call and response, or the use of narratives.
4. Design a dance work that incorporates at least two other art forms to enhance the central idea.
AND/OR
B. Music
1. Perform compositions containing progressively complex notation and use standard notation to record musical
ideas.
2. Perform independently and in groups a repertoire of diverse genres and cultures with appropriate expressive
qualities.
3. Improvise original melodies and/or rhythms over given chordal progressions or rhythmic accompaniments in
a consistent style, meter, and tonality.
 4. Identify careers and lifelong opportunities for making music.
AND/OR
C. Theater
1. Analyze descriptions, dialogue, and actions to discover, articulate, and create and portray character
behaviors and justify character motivation.
2. Participate in theatrical presentations individually and in ensemble, interacting as invented characters across
a spectrum of social/historical contexts.
3. Create action within the context of a given situation using acting skills such as sensory recall, concentration,
breath control, vocal projection, body alignment, and control of isolated body parts that suggest artistic
choices, dramatic action within the context of a given situation, using acting skills that generate a sense of
truth, focus, character, personal or emotional ownership, ensemble relationship, physical control, and vocal
clarity.
4. Describe and analyze the components of theatrical design and production.
AND/OR
D. Visual Art
1. Incorporate various art elements and principles in the creation of works of art.
2. Explore various media, technologies and processes in the production of two and three dimensional art.
3. Identify form, function, craftsmanship, and originality when creating a work of art.
4. Identify careers and lifelong opportunities for making art.

STANDARD 1.3 (Elements and Principles) All students will demonstrate an understanding of the
elements and principles of dance, music, theater, and visual art.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students
will:
A. Dance
1. Describe the principles of contrast and transition, the process of reordering and chance, and the structures of
AB, ABA, canon, call and response, and narrative.
2. Observe and explain how different accompaniment such as sound, music, or spoken text can affect the
meaning of a dance.
AND/OR
B. Music
1. Analyze the application of the elements of music in a diversity of musical works.
2. Examine how aspects of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions are organized
and manipulated to establish unity and variety in musical compositions.
3. Describe various roles that musicians perform and identify representative individuals and their achievements
that have functioned in each role.
AND/OR
C. Theater
1. Investigate the structural characteristic of plays.
2. Assess character motivations within the construct of scripted plays.
3. Explain the interdependent relationship between the performance, technical design, and management
functions of production.
4. Analyze scenes with regard to, thematic and artistic intent, situation, character, and motivation.
AND/OR
D. Visual Art
1. Define the elements of art and principles of design that are evident in everyday life.
2. Apply the principles of design to interpret various masterworks of art.
3. Compare and contrast works of art in various media that utilize the same arts elements and principles of
design.
 Public Speaking/Drama Activities

Part I—Public Speaking

I. Classic Children’s Poetry

A. Choose a poem written by an important children’s author. Conduct a class discussion
of the author
B. Memorize selected poem
C. Present orally to class

II. “How-To” Speech-Presentation

A. Choose a talent or skill to share with the class
1. As you were taught how to do something, you in turn will do the same by
sharing the talent or skill with a large group of people.

B. Choose something you would like to share with others

1. Craft project
2. Type of repair
3. Favorite recipe
4. Other

C. Decide on a logical way to arrange speech

1. Use Tell-Tell-Tell Method—(Start, by telling audience what you are going to tell
them; Next, Tell them; Then; (Wrap-up) Tell them what you told them
2. You may use props and visual aids
D. Present Speech

E. Possible Finale—Have someone in the class repeat task just presented

III. Q & A (Question & Answer)

A. Prepare a 3-5 minute speech about a subject you know something about, something
of enjoyment—i.e. hobby, favorite activity, etc.
B. Give the talk
C. After the talk—Audience questions presenter

IV. Meet Our Guest

A. Speech to introduce a person going to speak, sing or receive an award
B. Students will pair off with one another
1. Interview each other for 5 minutes
2. Prepare a 2-3 minute talk describing partner to group
C. Give speech and introduce each other to the whole class

Part II—Drama

Theatre 6-8: Standard 1.1

All students will acquire knowledge and skills that increase aesthetic awareness in dance, music,
theatre, and visual arts.

I. Analyzing the Aesthetic Elements

Activity:
A. Orally or in writing, the students analyze the aspects of a play. They
describe the following elements and evaluate their level of importance
 to the success of the play:
1. theme/plot; characters; structure/form; movement/pace; conflict/
resolution; and, interpretation.
B. Students do a Siskel and Ebert review of the play or write a review for
the “arts and entertainment” section of a newspaper.
D. Create a “telephone” monologue telling a friend about the play.
E. Students write a synopsis of several reviews in which they state their
agreement/disagreement with the issues.

Thinking Skills:
Analyze, compare/contrast, evaluate, summarize

Standard 1.2
All students will refine perceptual, physical, and technical skills through creating dance, music,
theatre, and/or visual arts.

II. Create a Character

Activity:
A. Students select an object from a collection of natural objects (e.g., a smell old onion,
a sharply pointed stone, Queen Anne’s Lace, a rose, a seashell, etc.).
1. They prepare a list of adjectives describing their object’s qualities.
2. Imagine that these adjectives described a person.
3. What would their personality be like? What would be their age and gender?
How would they dress, walk, and talk? What do they do?
B. Imagine their character was telling them about a significant event in their life.
a. Students write down the conversation of what the character might tell them.
b. May include emotional reflections.
C. Students become their character and have a dialogue with another student using
voice characterization.
1. Students tell each other their significant event stories (taking a minute each).
2. The partners provide positive criticism to each other.

D. Each student then performs his/her significant story as a monologue before the entire
class.
1. Afterward, the class assesses how the monologue relates to the written piece.

Standard 1.3
All students will utilize arts elements and arts media to produce artistic products and
performances.

III. Clap It!

Activity:
A. Students memorize and use CLAP IT! Brainstorming students select an act from a
play for which they will design a stage set using the C-L-A-P method.
1. Collect information
2. Look at your Limitations
3. Consider your Audience
4. Develop a Plan
B. Students collect information about what items must be on stage (i.e., items
mentioned in the text or discovered through researching the historical period).
C. Brainstorm what their limitations are: size of space, time deadline, budget,
materials, etc.
D. Determine what they want the audience to know about the play through the set
design.
E. Singly or in small groups, students plan a set design fro the chosen act.
Thinking Skills:
Comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation

Standard 1.6
All students will develop design skills for planning the form and function of space, structures,
objects, sound, and events.

IV. Radio Station

Activity:
A. Students work in small groups to create a 30 minute radio program on tape.
1. They combine music selections, public service announcements, and
commercials with the connecting narrative.
2. They consider air time (time of day) and target audience.
3. After familiarizing themselves with this activity, students create a workspace in the
school conducive to successful achievement.
B. At this stage of their development, students need to emulate work skills and
habits that will be necessary in the workplace.

Thinking Skills:
Apply, synthesize, create.

V. Role Playing
A. Teacher prepares index cards with a variety of physical actions, characters, objects,
settings, etc.
A. One or several students are chosen to stand before the class
B. Selected students are shown one card.
C. Students “act out” or role play what is described on card.
D. Class solves or guesses what student is role playing.

VI. Theatre Games

A. Teacher selects game or activity
1. Teacher gives instructions
2. Gives examples
B. Students participate

VII. Drama Presentation

A. Choose scene(s) or short 1 Act Drama(s)—Students may help select.
B. Assign student parts
C. Prepare scene or act
1. Analyze script, plot, setting, characters, structure, effect, style, practical
matters, and action vs. business
D. Students collect necessary or make simple props and costumes
E. Students rehearse—with teacher supervision and coaching
F. Present to class or other groups
 Instructional Materials

The following instructional materials are in use to support instruction in the Drama/Public Speaking program for 6th-7th-
8th grade children:

 The Complete Book of Speech Communication (student text)

 Winning Monologues
 101 Monologues for Middle School Actors
 Bravo! Can of Squirms, Acting Games, Theatre Games for Young Performers, (theatre games)
 Speech Craft
 Young Women’s Monologues
 Audition Monologues for Student Actors
 The Art of Storytelling
 Everything About Theater
 Stage Combat: Fisticuffs, Swordplay, etc.
 All Year Long: Funny Children’s Theatre
 Ten Minute Comedy Plays for Middle School
 Ten Minute Drama Plays for Middle School
 Short Scenes and Monologues for Middle School
 100 Great Monologues for Student Actors
 The Ultimate Monologue Book for Middle School Students
 The Theatre machine—Vol. 1
 The Drama teachers Companion—cd rom
 Vocal Warm-ups: On The Way