Description
This lesson is based on an episode of the TV show Project Runway. In this lesson, the students are randomly assigned a film genre, and they will then create the idea for a film in that genre and the costume and make-up designs for two characters from their film.
Materials
Resources:
- Colored pencils
- Blank figure drawings and face diagrams (I use the worksheets that are in the Drama Projects Teacher Resource Binder, which I did not include here because of copyright infringement.)
Full Lesson Plan
Name: Alicia Henning Subject: Introduction to Drama
Unit Title: Technical Theatre Class length: 90 minutes Lesson Length: 2 days
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Project Runway
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Context: This lesson falls on about the 7th day of our technical theatre unit. By this point in the school year, the students have studied plot structure and have written their own short plays, so they are familiar with that section of the worksheet. If your students have not studied that, then you might find it necessary to teach plot structure before you begin this lesson. However, I find that most students have a good understanding of this already from their English classes. In the lesson before this one, my students read the “Costumes” chapter of the Drama Projects textbook, but a basic understanding of costumes from any textbook or lecture would work just as well to give students a basic understanding of costume design.
The inspiration for this project came from watching an episode of Project Runway in which the contestants had to design costumes for a variety of film genres. I have included the genre description cards that I made for my students. The kids had a great time with this project, and I was very pleased with their results.
Objectives:
Students will:
- Connect theatrical plot structure to the elements of design (costume and makeup).
Resources:
- Colored pencils
- Blank figure drawings and face diagrams (I use the worksheets that are in the Drama Projects Teacher Resource Binder, which I did not include here because of copyright infringement.)
Procedures:
Day 1
Bellringer - How important are the clothes you wear to you? What is your favorite or coolest outfit or item of clothing that you have worn in your entire life? Why?
Activity 1- Brief discussion of the bellringer and costumes in film and on stage. I make references to productions that my students have seen at our school and to popular films.
Activity 2- Work on project
1. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4. I do this with my class popsicle sticks that have all of the students names on them.
2. Ask one representative from the group to come draw a genre card for their group and pick up a worksheet packet. Packet includes – two blank make-up design sheets, two blank figure drawings, and a project worksheet.
3. Students will spend the rest of the class period working on the project.
Day 2
Present projects. I had the students vote for a class winner. They were not allowed to vote for their own project, and I gave extra credit to the winning group.
