Lesson Plan Title : Greek Theatre and Masks

Overview and Purpose: Students learn the significance of mask in Greek Theater

Goals:

1. Students will understand how to create a mask.

2. Students will grasp how to use the masks.

3. Students will learn how the masks were important in Greek theater.

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to build usable masks.

2. Students will be able to use different masks to act out scenarios.

3. Students will be able to discuss how masks were used in Greek theater.

Resources:

plastic full face masks

newspaper

plastic wrap

liquid starch or flour, glue, and water

cinnamon paint

Methods

Introduction:

1. Movement Game: Garden Statues

2. Introduction to Greek Theater (Linguistic)

3. Greek theaters were very large, and while they were built to amplify sound it wasn't always easy to see the actors. In order for the audience members to be able to tell what emotion the actors had they used exaggerated masks.

Engagement:

1. When or where have you seen masks used?

2. Have you ever seen a mask used in a production, how and why?

3. We are going to be building and using our own masks.

Class Practice:

1. Build the masks

2. Use the masks

A. In groups of 2-3 give the students a scenario to act out. (Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence & interpersonal intelligence)

B. Students may struggle at first because they rely heavily on their faces, but this teaches them to use their whole body for acting.

C. Discuss what is most and least clear about the scenarios, and what is most and leas compelling.

D. have the performers repeat their scenarios after criticizing them. The audience discusses what has changed and how it has improved. Scenarios

A tourist is given conflicting directions to his destination by two locals. (The audience should be able to tell which local is right, and which one the tourist believes.)

A teacher trying to teach a lesson to a well-behaved but hopelessly confused student. (For closure, you can have the student finally "get it.")

Two, three, or more people arrive one at a time in a crowded movie theater., in which there are only two (or three or whatever) seats empty.

One person makes a mess almost faster than the other can clean it up.

Several strangers (or, alternatively, not strangers) watch a sporting event, not all rooting for the same team. (The class should be able to tell who the "opposing" fans are, and which team is winning.) � Several people pass an accident on the street, with various reactions. (Or a beautiful garden, or an unusual store, or anything out of the ordinary.)

A loud argument. (The audience should be able to tell who is winning at any moment, and who finally wins.)

3. Have the students create their own scenarios with partners and act them out for the class. (Interpersonal intelligence)

4. Have the students write a 1-page reflection on the importance of masks and body language. (intrapersonal intelligence)

Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)

Multiple Intelligence Instruction

1. Be sure to not only reference pictures, but also step-by-step pictures of mask construction. (Spatial)

2. While the students are building masks play classical music in the background. It helps the student be more creative and productive. (Musical intelligence)

3. Allow the students to perform scene outdoors if they so choose. (Naturalist intelligence)

Learning Checkup:

1. Performance grading rubric based on scenarios created with partners.

2. Visual art rubric for masks.

3. 1 page reflection counts as a completion grade in participation.

Wrap Up:

1. Other types of theater. masks are used in.

2. How bodily language is important.