Week 2: 
Theater in the Classroom:  An exploration of drama techniques to incorporate into the classroom for active learning focusing on improvisation and visualization for drafting scripted dialogue.
Assignments:

• Read content for week 2 and post to the discussion group.
• Teach your students to use drama techniques to draft a scene of dialogue addressing the primary source document's salient issue.

Theater n. (also theatre) 1 building or outdoor area for dramatic performances 2 writing and production of plays 3 event, phenomenon, etc., that is engagingly dramatic

Referred to as the bastard art by some, theater is simply an inclusive art. "A primary hallmark of the world of the theater is its astonishing variety: it encompasses a vast array of performance genres and production circumstances."

Every art has certain identifiable elements.  Think for a moment about the elements of theater...the parts that make the whole experience.  Jot them down and then take a look at this link: The Elements of Theater.  Was the list you made close to the elements defined in the link?  Post to the discussion.

Theater Improvisation (from www.arts2people.org)

"What is Theater Improv? It's when participants improvise settings, characters and situations creating instant dramatic scenes. It is a fun and effective way for students of every level to improve their acting, group awareness & creativity.

Starting with basic exercises developed by Theater pioneer Viola Spolin, students can learn to free their inhibitions, play, & have fun. In Theater Improv the work is play & the play is the work! Once the actors learn to loosen up they are able to follow their impulses in creating characters and scenes. Using improv does not focus on a finished product, such as a play, but rather on the process of accessing inner emotions & past experiences to deepen the acting experience.

Actors learn to use their body and voice more freely, to use their imaginations, and to be aware of what others in the group are doing. This group awareness is one of the most important & neglected aspects of acting. It allows for ensemble work, group improvisation and authentic listening. These are the tools that equip an actor when working in performance theater. "Improvisation and story theater tap the intuitive energies of the player rather than subordinate them to the dictates of the playwright and script."  Viola Spolin

Visualization

To make acting believable to an audience the Actor himself must believe what he is acting.  A way to help an actor believe what he is acting is by visualizing the event in his mind.  Every line that the actor speaks has elements that can evoke an image.  When the actor attaches an image to his line of dialogue the words project a depth that is not visible when the line is simple recited at a certain position on stage in a certain physical manner.

An activity for your students:  In scripting your vignettes take a few minutes and relax with your eyes closed.  Think about the muscle groups in all parts of your body beginning with your feet and moving towards your head.  As you think about the particular muscle groups urge them to relax.  Once you have fully relaxed your body allow yourself to reflect on the who, what, when, where and why of your historical document.  Allow your mind to recreate the scene.  Explore the aspects of the action described in your research and create in your mind images of the action.  Notice the colors in your visualization, the sounds that you may imagine, the feel of the weather, possible smells that are present.  Once you have a vivid visualization of the action you wish to portray in your vignette and are able to bring yourself back to an active state draw or journal a description of your visualization to aid you in the development of your vignette.  Post to the discussion reflections of the activity.

By the end of this week your students should have a "sloppy copy" of their vignettes.  This is just the beginning.  The vignettes will continue to evolve.  You just want a rough idea of how the scenes should flow and what should be communicated by the characters.