Lesson Title/Topic: The Parts of the Stage

Concept: Learning the parts of the stage and stage directions

Standards/Rationale: TEKS Theatre 7.1.B

Learning Target: The learner will be able Assessment: Completed Parts of the Stage
to identify the parts of the stage by creating Grid
a grid and filling out six of the eleven parts
correctly.

Materials: Tic Tac Toe boards and checker board pieces, Masking tape (one roll for yourself
and rolls for the student groups), Colored dots with parts of the stage on them (one set for you
and set for the students), White copy paper, Pens, Markers

Lesson Cycle: (Direct instruction)

The teacher will: The student will:

Focus/Mental Set:
Before start of class set up Tic Tac Toe
boards for each pair of students.
Have students play as many games of Tic Play Tic Tac Toe. They will try to
Tac Toe as they can in two minutes. Tell complete as many games as possible to win
them whatever pair completes the most an advantage in the activity later.
games of Tic Tac Toe will give their group
an advantage in the day’s activity.
While they are playing create a grid
(should look like the Tic Tac Toe boards)
on the floor out of masking tape.
Ask the students what the grid reminds
them of. (Hopefully Tic Tac Toe) Then ask Answer with what they are reminded of by
them other things grids can be used for. the grid.
These are some ideas:
• Math functions
• Maps
• Help make decisions
• Design staging
• Plotting places

Teacher Input:
Tell them that the grid on the floor will be
used to help learn the parts of the stage.
Move around in the boxes and relay what Watch and start to memorize what each
each box is supposed to represent. box is supposed to represent.
 As you get to each box put down a colored Learn the stage directions.
circle with the correct stage direction in the
box. The stage directions are:
• Down Left ( DL )
• Down Center ( DC )
• Down Right ( DR )
• Left ( L )
• Center ( C )
• Right ( R )
• Up Left ( UL )
• Up Center ( UC )
• Up Right ( UR)
Explain that when a character moves away Infer the answer is down stage and answer
from the audience they are moving upstage. the teacher.
Ask them if they can tell you what it might
be called if a character moves toward the
audience. (Upstage)
Also, explain that when a character crosses Infer the answer is toward the actor right
left they move to their left and not the facing the audience and answer the teacher.
audience left.
Ask them if they can tell if they can tell
you which way an actor should move if
they cross right. Calling out the appropriate stage direction
Review with the whole class by moving to based on where the teacher is in the box as
a box and having the whole class call out a class. When directed go to correct boxes
which box you are in. Also allow the
direct other students/teacher to the correct
students to direct teacher and other students boxes.
to places in the box. Mix it up so they have
to go to multiple boxes. Make sure to not
go in order but mix it up. (So go to DC to L
to UR or some other variation).

Guided Practice:
Pick up the dots from the grid.
Group the students into groups of 4 or 5, Get into their assigned groups.
making sure that the winners from the Tic
Tac Toe game are in the same group.
Instruct the students to listen to the Listen and read the instructions.
directions, also put the instructions on the
smartboard for them to look at during the
activity.
Directions for Activity: Activity:
1. Your group must make a grid on the 1. The group will make a grid on the
floor. The winners from the Tic Tac floor. The group with the winners from the
Toe game get to use the grid created Tic Tac Toe game will use the grid created
by the teacher. by the teacher.
 2. Your group must move their
“characters” on the stage grid. Each
group must have the teacher check
their grid before they can move on
to the next character. They will use
their dots to show the movement of
each character.
3. They need to pick up their dots after
they correctly complete a
character’s stage movement and
repeat step 2 for all characters
(3characters).
4. Once they have completed the
movements for each character, each
person in the group will direct one
person in their group to three
different places on the stage grid.
5. The group that finishes first will be
given two pencils for each group
member.
6. Every group that finishes after the
first will be given one pencil for
each group member.
When all groups have finished instruct the
students to take up all the masking tape and
throw it away and put their colored dots
back together. Take the dots back from the
students and have them return to their seats
Independent Practice:
Hand each student a blank sheet of copy
paper and give each table different coloring
supplies.
Instruct the students to draw and design
their own stage grid. Their grids must
contain:
• A nine-box grid
• Audience location
• Each Stage Direction
• Arrow to Upstage
• Arrow to Downstage
• Arrow to show a cross to the right
• Arrow to show a cross to the left
Allow students to work with their table
partners to create their grids.
2. The groups will move their
“characters” on the stage grid. Each group
will have the teacher check their grid
before they can move on to the next
character. They will use their dots to show
the movement of each character.
3. They will to pick up their dots after
they correctly complete a character’s stage
movement and repeat step 2 for all
characters (3characters).
4. Once they have completed the
movements for each character, each person
in the group will direct one person in their
group to three different places on the stage
grid.
5. The group that finishes first will be
given two pencils for each group member.
6. Every group that finishes after the first
will be given one pencil for each group
member.
Pick up the masking tape and dispose of it.
Put all their colored dots back together and
hand them in. Return to their seats.
Take a blank sheet of paper from the
teacher and select some coloring supplies.
Draw and Design their own stage grid.
They will make sure each grid contains:
· A nine-box grid
· Audience location
· Each Stage Direction
· Arrow to Upstage
· Arrow to Downstage
· Arrow to show a cross to the right
· Arrow to show a cross to the left
They can work and discuss with their table
mates to create their grids.
 Walk around between the tables to check
the grids and lay out talking chips for each
table.
Closure:
Talking Chips:
Instruct the students to have one of their
table mates read talking chip one, then at
the direction of the teacher chips 2-4, and
discuss:
Talking chip 1:
• What are some of the different parts
of the stage?
Talking chip 2:
• Discuss the difference between
moving upstage and downstage
Talking chip 3:
• Do we move to the left or right
based on ourselves or based on the
audience?
Talking chip 4:
• Why could knowing parts of the
stage help us as actors or directors?
Talking Chips:
Each table mate, at the direction of the
teacher, will pick up and read a talking chip
to their table mates. They will discuss:
Talking chip 1:
· What are some of the different parts of
the stage?
Talking chip 2:
· Discuss the difference between moving
upstage and downstage
Talking chip 3:
· Do we move to the left or right based
on ourselves or based on the audience?
Talking chip 4:
· Why could knowing parts of the stage
help us as actors or directors?
Each table will respond to the teacher and
the student who read the talking chip to the
group will provide the group’s response to
the chip.

Options: N/A
Enrichment: N/A Reteach: N/A

Modifications/Correctives:
N/A N/A

References: