United States 3rd Grade Curriculum - Theater Arts

Granite School District Curriculum (2013)

This curriculum outlines a comprehensive approach to theater arts education for 3rd graders, focusing on four key units of study spread across the academic year.

Unit 1: Elements of Drama - Script (Quarter 1)

This unit introduces students to the fundamental elements of drama, with a focus on script development. Students learn to plan and pantomime interrelated characters, create dialogue for various plots, and map the plot structure of a story. Key vocabulary includes character, dialogue, setting, events, plot structure, 5 W's, and pantomime. Activities include telling stories through improvisation and process drama focused on friendships.

Unit 2: Elements of Drama - Acting (Quarter 2)

Building upon the first unit, this section delves into the acting aspect of drama. Students explore various situations through role-playing, developing mental skills like sensory recall and visualization, voice skills like expressive voice, body skills like expressive movement, and ensemble skills like caretaking. Vocabulary includes sensory recall, visualization, expressive voice, expressive movement, and caretaking. Activities involve theater games, process drama, and applying learned skills to cultural tales through choral readings, reader's theatre, and narrative mimes.

Unit 3: Elements of Drama - Acting and Design (Quarter 3)

This unit integrates acting with design elements. Students learn to use costumes and props to enhance character and transform space, and create sound effects using various sources. Key vocabulary includes costumes, props, and sound effects. Activities include exploring how costumes define characters, using props to emphasize meaning, and creating sound effects using body percussion, voices, electronic sources, and found sounds.

Unit 4: Elements of Drama - Audience (Quarter 4)

This final unit focuses on audience etiquette and behavior. Students learn and practice appropriate audience behavior for live theater or performances. Key vocabulary includes audience. Activities include attending a live performance and discussing appropriate audience behavior.

Additional Resources and Considerations

Several online resources offer supplementary materials and lesson plans for 3rd-grade theater arts:

• Teachers Pay Teachers: This platform provides a marketplace for educators to share and sell original educational resources, including free and paid drama activities, scripts, and lesson plans for 3rd grade.
• Childdrama.com: This website offers a variety of creative drama lesson plans suitable for elementary students.
• Readers' Theater Scripts: Readers' Theater scripts provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency and expression through dramatic performances. Various resources offer free and paid scripts suitable for 3rd graders.
• Drama Games and Activities: Numerous websites and educational platforms offer collections of drama games and activities designed for elementary students, which can be incorporated into lesson plans or used as warm-up exercises.

This compilation of information provides a starting point for developing a 3rd-grade theater arts curriculum. Educators can adapt and expand upon these resources to create engaging and enriching learning experiences for their students.