Kindergarten Drama Lesson on Expressing Feelings
Children Learn to Articulate What They Think and Feel Through Drama
Nov 1, 2009
Drama lessons, in general, teach participants how to express themselves and act out freely in an open space that allows for a full range of body motion. This lesson in particular, focuses on feelings. These ideas can also be used for any age-group.
Young Drama Students Need Encouragement to Enhance Emotional Growth
The teacher is encouraged to build confidence in children in the drama studio,and never to say “No, that’s not right”. As long as students do not interfere with others, keep their own private space around themselves, not touch or push others or interfere with another’s improvisation, there should be no negativity felt by the student from the teacher.
In drama every kind of movement is acceptable, even if the child wants to move in a way that seems outlandish or different. It is this very state of openness in a drama class that enables students to feel that they are free to express themselves.
Materials needed for a Drama Lesson on Feelings
The following props and materials are necessary for this lesson:
- Tambourine
- Excerpts of music with variations in beat, different styles
Outline of Lesson on Drama for Expression of Feelings
Warm up: Students move around to the various excerpts of music. The teacher can turn the music on and off, and then shuffle to the next piece. The students move around in the space (area in which the drama class is taking place) and freely do whatever the music makes them want to do. Young children do not necessarily have the ability to move around in time to the rhythm, so while some may jump up and down to a slow moving piece, there is no need to disqualify that choice of movement.
Stretching and Relaxing Exercise:
- Students stand opposite the teacher.
- Stretch to the ceiling. Relax.
- Stand up as tall as possible. Relax.
- Roll into a tiny ball. Now stretch out. Relax
- Turn into a robot. Hold. Relax
Moving to the Beat of the Tambourine: The teacher hits the tambourine to a specific beat. Students walk to the beat of the tambourine. The teacher alternates from quick to slow, from a double beat to a long trill.
Then, the teacher explains that students should walk to the beat of the tambourine. The teacher will shout “Stop!” and then give a word that shows a feeling, for example, “love”. The students then freeze into a picture that depicts love. The teacher hits the tambourine again, students move, the teacher says “anger” and the students freeze into a position that reflects anger.
This activity can continue for a while using a list of abstract nouns such as love, hate, fear, fright, happiness, hope, for example, and each time the students form a frozen picture with their bodies reflecting the meaning of the words.
Working in Pairs to Produce an Act: In pairs, have the students plan a little “frozen picture” of a word showing feelings. Give each pair one word only and have them work on their "vignette" and prepare it for presentation to the class. If students are really young perhaps they will not be able to work in pairs on their own in which case the first part of this lesson will suffice.
Complete a Drama Lesson with a Discussion Circle
At the end of every drama lesson, a discussion circle is important. Ask the children what they enjoyed, how they felt, what the nicest part of the lesson was, what was the most fun, what was the most difficult. This evaluation will help both teacher and children summarize the activity.
Other Related Articles for Kindergarten and Drama Ideas:
Teaching Poetry through Movement and Drama - using drama to teach poems.
Kindergarten Learning Project to Create a House - creative ideas for young children to work together creatively and cooperatively
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