Creative Drama Activities: Grade 2 - 3

I'M A DOLPHIN

Objective: To explore space using the imagination and the body.

Procedure: Students imagine that they are dolphins moving through the ocean habitat. Teacher provides vocal narration/instruction and employs "freeze and go" technique to maintain focus.

  • Instruct students that they are all dolphins
  • Students may only use their bodies and imaginations, no voices
  • Teacher instructs the "dolphins" to begin "swimming" through the space
  • "Dolphins" may not touch or "eat" other "dolphins"
  • Teacher gives the command "Freeze"
  • Students must freeze in whatever position they are in
  • Teacher instructs "dolphins" do perform another motion
  • Dolphins must leap in slow motion or catch a fish)
  • Encourage students to use their whole body
  • Encourage students to use levels
  • Leap "high" or "low"; Swim near the ocean floor)

Note: Build on this activity by working up to a dolphin narrative. The students act out what the teacher says, freezing upon command.

Evaluation:

  1. What was your favorite dolphin motion and why?
  2. What makes dolphins so unique and special?
  3. What ocean animal would you like to be and why?

LET'S GO FISHING

Objective: To practice using the imagination through pantomime.

Procedure: Class imagines that they are on a boat fishing. Each student must think of something that they catch on this fishing trip.

  • Students sit in a circle and quietly brainstorm their "catch"
  • Encourage students to use their imagination
  • Students can catch anything (i.e. a big fish, a small fish, an eel, a whale, even a shoe!)
  • One by one, students pantomime what they caught
  • Encourage students to really "show" what they caught
  • If time, students can go on a another "fishing trip"

Evaluation:

  1. What is pantomime?
  2. What was your favorite catch of the day and why?
  3. Do you think it is difficult/easy to be a fisherman?
  4. How do you think humans affect our ocean?

LIVING IN THE OCEAN BLUE

Objective: To use the imagination, body, and voice to dramatize ocean stories

Procedure: Students dramatize favorite stories about the ocean

  • Teacher reads story to class (see resource list below)
  • Divide students into groups of characters from story
  • Be creative and use several students to represent one character
  • Teacher narrates story
  • Students rehearse one time
  • Teacher coaches students in using their whole body for movements, etc.
  • Teacher should stress creativity and the process, not the final product
  • Students perform story

Note: Videotaping the performance is an effective technique. Students enjoy watching their performance!

Evaluation:

  1. What was the message of the story?
  2. What did the characters learn?
  3. Who was your favorite character and why?
  4. What was your favorite part of the performance?

Resources:

Octopus
Reinach, Jacquelyn. Octopus Protests. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1978.
Shaw, Evelyn. Octopus. New York: Harper and Row, 1971.

Sharks and Fish
Ipcar, Dahlov. The Biggest Fish in the Sea. New York: Viking, 1972.
Lionni, Leo. Swimmy. New York: Pantheon, 1963
McGovern, Ann. Sharks. New York: Scholastic, 1976.

Dolphins and Whales
Davidson, Margaret. Nine True Dolphin Stories. New York: Scholastic, 1974.
McGovern, Ann. Little Humpback Whale. New York: Scholastic, 1979.