Nebraska K–6 theatre standards

Identify an environment or event using body movement and sound (e.g., playground, grocery store, classroom).

Listen to a story and identify the problem.

Create, in a group, a tableau of a scene after hearing a fairytale.

Engage in creative play, using a given theme, to tell a story (e.g. sharing, safety, friendship).

Engage in creative play, using props, to tell a story.

Explore character through body movement (e.g., enact occupations, fairy tale characters).

Demonstrate expressive speech/vocal variety by sharing a personal experience.

Follow instructor's oral instructions (e.g., speak clearly, stay focused on scene).

Using classroom furniture and materials arrange a setting for a story as a group.

Identify how a character conveyed his/her feelings and emotions.

Demonstrate active listening and theatre etiquette during a presentation (e.g., eagerness, interest, appropriate response [i.e., applause, laughter, quiet]).

Recall aspects of a performance.

Distinguish between a character and a performer.

Distinguish between fantasy and reality.

Share reactions to a moment or scene in a performance (e.g., verbal or reenactment).

Describes how a performance or story represents the culture of its time. (e.g., cultural folktales).

Distinguish between real life vs. animation (e.g., Milan vs. live performance of The Lion King).

Watch a performance or cartoon and describe personal likes and dislikes.

Recognize at least two jobs in the performing arts.

Recognize authorship.

Create, in a group, an environment or event using body movement and sound (e.g., a forest, a baseball game) while working in a group.

Using dialogue and movement, retell a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end (e.g., nursery rhymes, fairy tales). Work in small groups.

Create three tableaus illustrating the beginning, middle, and end of a story and then connect them. Work in small groups.

Identify themes within theatrical works.

Write a short script incorporating narration and dialogue.

Show a character using body movement (e.g., age, personality, family role, occupation).

Demonstrate expressive reading using vocal variety (glossary) (e.g., read short passage aloud).

Demonstrate characters (glossary) through movement (e.g., enact different ages, cartoon characters).

Create characters, individually, appropriate to a specific location a location.

Present a short script with narration and dialogue (e.g. readers' theatre).

Respectfully receive polite feedback from instructor and peers.

Design and craft a scenic element for an informal presentation (e.g., risers, prop, set piece, backdrop).

Identify one's own vocal and physical choices in expressing an emotion or idea (e.g., show a sound and movement that express sadness, happiness, anger).

Demonstrate respect for self and others (etiquette) in dramatic activities.

Discuss how the audience was impacted by the conflict and characters.

Recognize character traits and actor choices (e.g., how the character shows age, occupation, temperament).

Recognize theatrical works as either dramatic or comedic genres.

Articulate an emotional response to a component of a theatrical production (e.g., character, prop, costumes, song).

Identify the cultural heritage of a particular work in theatre.

Recognize how performances reflect everyday circumstances (e.g., historical events, natural disasters, family relationships).

Watch a performance or film and explain personal likes and dislikes.

Identify how performance reflects culture and history (e.g., The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf).

Identify careers in the performing arts.

Understand the concept of intellectual property.

Use readily available props to create "the where" of a story (e.g., table, chairs, silverware indicate a restaurant).

Plan and record, in small groups, an improvisation based on "the givens" of a scene (e.g., tell or present a story using a setting, characters and a series of events incorporating introduction, climax, resolution).

Develop a linear plot structure that introduces and resolves a conflict.

Create theatrical works to illustrate a theme within theatrical works.

Write a dialogue with two to four characters.

Use movement in conjunction with extraneous sounds and short phrases to demonstrate two distinct characters (e.g., movements/sounds of a soldier as compared to movements/sounds of a mother).

Establish character (glossary) and emotion through the use of rate, articulation, enunciation, projection, inflection, and movement.

Establish character and emotion through the use of facial expression, gesture, posture, and body movement (e.g., pantomime, emoting)

Rehearse and portray, in small groups, characters within a defined "where."

Deliver a scripted monologue to a focal point.

Modify performance based on teacher/director and peer response.

Design and craft a performance space including set and audience arrangement (e.g., use classroom furniture to create a courtroom in a proscenium, thrust, or arena).

Examine one's own effectiveness in a production/scene (e.g., keep a journal of acting choices, reflect on video of own performance).

Construct, share, and use audience code of conduct including appropriate audience behavior and respect for physical space.

Identify, analyze, and discuss the impact of the stage space, casting, and technical elements.

Compare the effectiveness of a single actor's performance (i.e., physical/vocal choices) as a variety of characters (e.g., Will Smith).

Classify theatrical works as dramatic, comedic, or musical theatre genres.

Discuss the impact on the audience of "willing suspension of disbelief" in a performance.

Understand the historical relevance of various theatrical forms (e.g., Greek and Roman theatre, Medieval, Renaissance).

Compare and contrast scripted and unscripted performances (e.g., situation comedy vs. reality shows).

Dramatize a traditional ritual (e.g., funeral from Our Town, wedding from Fiddler on the Roof, fire scene from Lord of the Flies).

Analyze how performance reflects culture and history (e.g., Oliver, The Color Purple).

Investigate responsibilities for specific careers in performing arts.

Demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities surrounding intellectual property (e.g., citing sources, paying royalties, receiving permission).