Content

This “action and sound charade” drama lesson plan is a fun way to get students active and moving in the classroom. The teacher would start with a quick informational video about a variety of farm animals and the sounds they make. Then the students would be spilt into two groups.  Each group would get a list of characters to play, after each kid has chosen one character, they would have some time to practice. After the practice one group will perform and the other will guess what animals based on the acting and sounds. Then the groups will reverse roles.  To finish the activity the class would have a discussion about the activity and what they learned. This activity uses many different elements of drama including characters, settings, dialogue and theme. This drama activity would be super fun for all age levels and very easy to adapt.

Outcomes and Indicators:

CP2.3 Adopt roles and collaborate with others in
role within dramatic contexts, using community as inspiration (e.g., contexts inspired by local stories and songs, photographs of local people and places, or events from real or fictional communities).

Indicators for This Outcome

(A) (CP2.3): Demonstrate a willingness to enter into the fiction provided by the drama.

(C) (CP2.3): Collaborate with others and recognize the need to work together within dramatic contexts.

(D) (CP2.3):  Listen to and respect the contributions of others.

(E) (CP2.3):  Use imagination to explore various possibilities in dramatic contexts.

(H) (CP2.3): Use observations of own community as inspiration when working in and out of role (e.g., local rodeo event or farmers’ conversation on coffee row).

Prerequisite Learning

  • Reading skills (may still require some help)
  • Knowledge on sounds and movements of farm animals
  • Skills with communicating among peers

Lesson Preparation

Equipment/Materials

  • Smart Board (video)
  • List of Animal Names

Advanced Preparation

  • Set up video for start of class
  • Create list of animals for students to choose from
  • Print of 2 copies of animal lists

Presentation

Set: (25 min) Play the educational video for the children then follow up with short discussion and answer any questions. Then explain the charades activity and split class into two groups.

  • Ask what sounds different animals make. 
  • Ask about the different movements of each animal
  • Discuss any questions about the activity

Development: (30 min): In this time the children will practice and perform.

  • Children practice movement and animal sounds.
  • Allow other group members to help generate movement or sound ideas.
  • Groups take turns performing actors and audience/ guessers

Closure: (5 min): This is time for reflection on knowledge and activity feedback

  • Students are given opportunity to share something they learned
  • Students are encouraged to give positive performance feedback to peers 
Here is a post I created that feature this lesson and some mini lesson ideas that fit the farming topic.