Building characters and ideas
Students start the year by inventing characters and story ideas from their own lives. They try out voices, movements, and short scenes, and learn how a small idea can grow into something an audience would want to watch.
What does a student learn in
This is the year theatre moves from playing pretend to building a scene on purpose. Students invent characters and short plays, then rehearse and revise them with a director's eye. They watch each other's work and explain what choices made a moment land or fall flat. By spring, students can shape a scene from a blank page to a performance and back it up with reasons for the choices they made.
- Building characters
- Writing scenes
- Rehearsing
- Acting choices
- Watching and critiquing
- Stage performance
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Shaping a scene
Students take rough ideas and turn them into scenes with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They rehearse, get feedback from classmates, and rewrite parts that do not land the way they wanted.
- 3
Connecting plays to the world
Students read and watch plays from different times and places. They look at why a story mattered to the people who first saw it and compare it to issues students notice in their own community.
- 4
Performing for an audience
Students rehearse and present a piece for classmates or family. They work on voice, body, and timing so the meaning comes through clearly, and they learn what it feels like to share work in front of people.
- 5
Watching and judging theatre
Students watch performances and talk about what worked and what did not, using agreed-on criteria instead of just liking or disliking. They learn to back up opinions with specific moments from the show.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 6.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect something from their own life to a scene or character they're creating, using that real experience to make the work feel true.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a play or performance and ask where it came from: what was happening in the world, who made it, and why it mattered then. That context changes how they read the work.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life to a scene or character they're creating, using that real experience to make the work feel true. | TH:Cn10.6 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a play or performance and ask where it came from: what was happening in the world, who made it, and why it mattered then. That context changes how they read the work. | TH:Cn11.6 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students brainstorm characters, settings, and dramatic situations, then shape those raw ideas into the beginning of a scene or story worth staging.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take a rough idea for a scene or character and shape it into something stageable, making choices about dialogue, action, and staging until the work is ready to share.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revise a scene or script based on feedback, making deliberate choices about character, dialogue, and staging until the work is ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students brainstorm characters, settings, and dramatic situations, then shape those raw ideas into the beginning of a scene or story worth staging. | TH:Cr1.6 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take a rough idea for a scene or character and shape it into something stageable, making choices about dialogue, action, and staging until the work is ready to share. | TH:Cr2.6 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revise a scene or script based on feedback, making deliberate choices about character, dialogue, and staging until the work is ready to share. | TH:Cr3.6 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a scene or monologue to perform and explain why it fits the story, character, or message they want to bring to an audience.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve their acting, voice, and movement until a scene or performance is ready to share with an audience.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a scene or monologue with a clear purpose, making choices about voice, movement, and character so the audience understands what the piece is really about.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a scene or monologue to perform and explain why it fits the story, character, or message they want to bring to an audience. | TH:Pr4.6 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve their acting, voice, and movement until a scene or performance is ready to share with an audience. | TH:Pr5.6 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a scene or monologue with a clear purpose, making choices about voice, movement, and character so the audience understands what the piece is really about. | TH:Pr6.6 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a scene or performance and explain what they notice: how the actors move, speak, and use the stage to tell the story.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students explain what a scene or performance is trying to say and why the playwright or director made specific choices to say it.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students pick a standard to judge by (a rubric, a set of questions, a clear goal) and use it to decide what is working in a performance and what is not.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a scene or performance and explain what they notice: how the actors move, speak, and use the stage to tell the story. | TH:Re7.6 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students explain what a scene or performance is trying to say and why the playwright or director made specific choices to say it. | TH:Re8.6 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students pick a standard to judge by (a rubric, a set of questions, a clear goal) and use it to decide what is working in a performance and what is not. | TH:Re9.6 |
Common Questions
What does theatre class look like this year?
Students build short scenes, take on characters, and rehearse with classmates. They also watch performances and talk about what worked and why. Expect a mix of acting, writing, designing, and reflecting, not just putting on one big play.
My child is shy. Will they be forced to perform?
Most work happens in small groups, and there are roles offstage too, like writing scenes, designing sets, or running sound. Performing in front of classmates is part of the year, but it builds slowly from partner work to small scenes. Shy students usually settle in once they know the routine.
How can I help at home if my child has lines to learn?
Read the scene out loud together and take the other parts. Run it three or four times in short bursts rather than one long session. Ask what the character wants in the scene, since knowing the goal makes the lines stick better than pure memorising.
How should I sequence the year?
Start with ensemble games and short improvisations to build trust, then move into scene work from short scripts, and finish with a longer devised or scripted piece. Weave in responding and design tasks throughout so students are not only acting. Save the most exposed performance work for later in the year.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can build a character with specific choices about voice, body, and motivation, and rehearse a short scene with a partner. They can also talk about a performance using clear reasons, not just liked it or did not like it. Confidence on stage matters less than thoughtful choices.
What skills usually need the most reteaching?
Giving useful feedback to peers is the hardest part, since students default to vague praise or jokes. Sustaining a character past the first few lines is another sticking point. Short sentence frames for feedback and clear character goals before each run usually help.
Does my child need to memorise long monologues?
Some memorising is expected, but pieces are usually short scenes or speeches rather than long solo monologues. Working on memorising in small chunks across several days works better than one long sitting. Knowing what the character wants makes the words easier to hold onto.
How is theatre graded if there is no right answer?
Work is judged on specific things like making clear character choices, staying focused in a scene, using rehearsal time well, and giving thoughtful feedback to classmates. Taking creative risks counts more than being the loudest or funniest. A rubric is shared before each project so expectations are clear.
How will I know they are ready for next year?
Ready students can read a short script, make a few specific choices about how to play a character, and rehearse with a partner without much prompting. They can also watch a scene and point to one moment that worked and one that could change. That foundation carries directly into grade 7.