Perform relaxation, breathing and resonance exercises  (Page 2/6)

Inhale silently through the nose to a mental count of 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 –

5.

Drop the jaw wide open.

Round and push the lips forward as for the sound oo .

Remember to keep the jaw open.

Blow five short firm breaths from the rounded lips to a target on the other side of the class.

Feel that the force of the outgoing breath is capable of being heard at the target area.

Repeat six times.

Repeat exercise adding a sound when you exhale.

Repeat six times.

W arm-up:

Warming up exercises will allow you to react, freed from unnecessary tensions, within a series of vigorous and enjoyable situations.

Warm-up exercise:

Arrange chairs along one wall of the class or school hall in a

jumbled shape, like an elongated maze.

Allow room for you to walk through the maze without having to

touch a chair or the wall.

Stay clear of the area beyond – do not stray.

Imagine that the chairs forming the maze are electrified as is the

area outside the maze.

Work in pairs, A and B.

A is blind, so he/she must keep his/her eyes closed or be

blindfolded.

B is dumb, and physically guides the blind A through the maze

without being electrocuted.

The pairs follow one another through the maze, ensuring that there

is enough space between them to avoid a collision.

As you come out of the maze, you must quietly sit and watch the

others work their way through.

ACTIVITY 2

TO RESPOND TO VARIOUS STIMULI IN DRAMATIC GAMES AND EXERCISES: GAMES

[LO 1.6]

After your warm-up exercises you will be ready to start the drama activities. Today we will be playing games. Yes! Drama is a lot of fun.

Exercise 1: Tactile Box

Your educator will provide a cardboard box with flaps. Inside will be as many small commonplace articles as there are members of the class.

The contents will be things like a key, a candle, a clothes peg, a pencil, etc.

There will only be one of each in the box.

The flaps of the box will be together, allowing a hand to be slipped inside, but no-one must be able to see the contents.

The box will be placed in the centre of the acting area.

One by one, you must kneel on the far side of the box facing the other learners, who check that you do not look inside while putting your hand into the box.

You must identify an article by touch.

Withdraw your hand, leaving the article in the box, and mime an action once, showing how you could use this article.

The other learners then call out what they think the article is.

If they do not guess right, the action must be repeated.

You have to remember what articles have already been mimed and avoid them, so you may have to identify a host of things before an unmimed article is found.

Exercise 2: Encounters

Your educator will compile a list of characters.

Each learner will be allocated a character.

No-one must know whom the others will characterise.

You will be divided into groups of three (not more than four).

When the groups are ready, you have to reveal your given character to the other members of your group.

Plan a short scene, inventing a situation, development, dialogue and a conclusion.

At no time during the playing of any scene may any character name the temperament or occupation of their character or any other.