Grade 2: Improv Game Teaches Acting Skills
Second grade thespians learned improvisation skills with a game called “No, You Can’t Take Me!” Teams of three portrayed household objects like a washing machine, microwave, blanket or coffee table while drama teacher Julie Lachance took on the role as the person in charge of cleaning the room and removing unnecessary objects. When the characters protested, their actions and clues helped the rest of the class, the audience, guess which room the objects “live” in.
Second grade thespians learned improvisation skills with a game called “No, You Can’t Take Me!” Teams of three portrayed household objects like a washing machine, microwave, blanket or coffee table while drama teacher Julie Lachance took on the role as the person in charge of cleaning the room and removing unnecessary objects. When the characters protested, their actions and clues helped the rest of the class, the audience, guess which room the objects “live” in.
The game was a tool that allowed student actors to take risks and be bold on stage as they collaborated within teams and used critical thinking to improvise their responses to being taken from the room (“No, you can’t take me! You won’t be able to cook your food.”). Part of the fun for students, Ms. Lachance says, was using funny character voices for the objects they portrayed. “We have begun doing vocal work as part of our student-led warm up, and this exercise helps them practice projection and clear diction.” Bravo!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
