The Golden Ball - Drama Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 5^th or 6^th grade

Objectives:

1. The children will identify the elements of costumes, props, movement, speaking style, plot and dialogue in the production.
2. The children will create their costumes and props.
3. The children will dramatize the story with the added elements of production and performance.
4. The children will present the production and evaluate their performance.

Connections:

The Arts and Humanities academic expectations of production, analysis of forms, appreciation, all within Goal two of KERA are experience throughout the lesson.

Core content links:

AHE 3.1.33

Identify and discuss elements of performance: movement and speaking style.

Identify and discuss elements of production: costumes and props.

Identify and discuss dramatic elements: plot and dialogue.

AHE 3.1.41

Create and perform using creative dramatics.

Context:

Children are learning the importance of keeping their word. This is part of a topical unit about ethics and moral values in character education content.

Resources/Materials:

The Golden Ball: based on a Fairy Tale by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm from the book Make and Do by World Book- Childcraft International Inc.

Costumes: Construction paper, glue and scissors to make the Princess' and the King's crowns. Paper plates, a hole puncher and elastic to make a frog mask.

Props: Styrofoam ball and golden paper to make golden ball.

A large box for the well.

Procedure:

1. Introduction:
   1. Motivation/Hook.

What would you do if a frog asked you to live with you? Do you like frogs? Would you let it eat from your plate? What if the frog asked to sleep on your pillow and left it all wet? What if you gave the frog your word that it could live with you and do all that? Have you ever been in a situation where you promised something and then regretted? Did you keep your word?

1. Introduction of elements.

After we read the story we will discuss the plot of the story. We will re read sections of conversation between the frog and the princess, and the princess and the king, and discuss the element of dialogue. Plot and dialogue are dramatic elements. We will then discuss how we can act out the story. We will discuss about the characteristic movements and tone of voice of each character. How does a frog move? The whole class would leap across the room. What would be a frog's voice like? The whole class would croak-talk. How does a princess walk? How would a spoiled princess talk? How does a king move? Is he old? Does he use a cane? How is his tone of voice? How does a prince stand and walk? We call these elements of performance movement and speaking style. To make the production we are going to add costumes. We will also need a ball, that is call a prop. Costumes and props are elements of production.

1. Method:

I will explain that this story is not written like any story. It is a script for a play and therefore it has lines for each character, and it has stage directions written in parentheses. These words are never spoken. They tell the actor what to do (i.e. begins to cry) or how to say the words (i.e. angrily). I will then describe the characters:

Princess (young and beautiful)

Frog (spotted and wet)

King (old and wise, the princess' father)

Prince (young and handsome).

The children will take turns reading the story. I will choose two children to read the first act (one for the frog and one for the princess), then another three children to read the second act (the frog, the princess, and the king), and then another three to read the third act (the princess, the king and the prince).

1. Production Script

ACT I

A scene in the forest. The princess enters, humming and playing with a golden ball.

Princess: My, how quiet the forest is. And such a beautiful day! To make everything perfect, my father the king gave me this golden ball. It's so precious. I'll treasure it forever. (sees well and stops suddenly) My, I've never seen this well before. I wonder where it came from? (looks down well) It certainly is deep. It must go down for miles. (drops ball into well accidentally) Oh, no! I've lost my ball in the well. What shall I do? Oh, what shall I do? (begins to cry)

Frog: (sticks head up from behind/inside well) Croak, croak. Princess, why are you crying? Croak, croak.

Princess: Croak, croak yourself, you horrible frog! Go away! I dropped my golden ball into the well. If I could get it back, I'd give everything I own - even my crown! (shows crown)

Frog:I can get your ball. But what would I do with such a fine crown?

Princess:(angrily) How should I know? (turns back on frog)

Frog: (taps her shoulder) Look, you're upset. I'll get your golden ball.

Princess: (turning to frog) You will?

Frog: Yes, I will - if you let me live at the castle

Princess: WHAT!

Frog: And let me eat from your golden plate.

Princess: Eat from my golden plate!

Frog: And sleep on your pillow

Princess: (turns to audience) What nonsense this frog talks! But he might be able to get my golden ball. And he'll never be able to find his way to the castle. (turns to frog) Very well. Find my golden ball and I'll do what you ask.

Frog: You shall have your golden ball! (disappears into the well)

Princess: (looking down) My goodness, it's dark down there. Where is that frog? I can't see him. I'll bet he's stolen my golden ball. (She jumps back as the frog reappears with the ball.) You found it! You found it! (She grabs the ball and runs off stage)

Frog: Princess! Princess! You promised to take me back to the castle with you. Princess! (He sighs, shakes his head, and jumps back behind the well)

ACT II

Castle dining hall. The princess and king are eating dinner.

King: Princess, ever since I gave you that golden ball you have been in a hurry to finish your dinner.

Princess: I can hardly wait to hold it again, Father. It's my favorite toy. (There is a knock at the door.) I wonder who that can be?

Frog: (from off-stage) Princess, oh, Princess, open the door! I am your true love forevermore!

Princess: (opens and closes the door quickly) Oh, no! It's the frog!

King: (touches the princess's forehead) My dear, you're pale. What's the matter?

Princess: (crying) There's a horrible frog at the door. I dropped by golden ball into a well and he got it back for me. I told him he could live at the castle. But I never thought he would be able to find his way here.

Frog: (knocks at door) Princess, oh, Princess, open the door! I am your true love forevermore!

Princess: Oh, Father, what am I to do?

King: You gave your word and you must keep it. Let the frog in.

Princess: Very well, Father. (opens door and sighs) Come in, frog.

Frog: Thank you, Princess. I'm hungry. Let me eat from your plate. (He hops to the table and begins to eat.) This is delicious. But I'm so tired. (yawns) Let me sleep on your pillow.

Princess: Must I, Father?

King: (nods his head) Yes, you gave your word.

Princess: Oh, all right. Come on frog, I'll take you upstairs (walks towards the frog, and they walk offstage)

ACT III

Castle dining hall. The princess and the king are eating dinner.

King: Daughter, you're not eating.

Princess: I'm not hungry, Father.

King: Come, come child! You've said that for three nights in a row.

Princess: And for three nights that dreadful frog has come back. Every night it's the same thing (imitates the frog's voice): "Princess, oh, Princess, open the door! I am your true love forevermore!"

King: You gave him your word.

Princess: Yes, but when he comes in, he eats from my plate. And he's so sloppy! Then I must take him upstairs and place him on my pillow. And he's so wet! UGH! Each morning, he's gone. And I'm glad!

Frog: (knocks at door) Princess, oh, Princess, open the door I am your true love forevermore!

Princess: Oh, no! He's here again!

King: Open the door.

Princess: Father, must I?

King: You gave him your word

Princess: But I hate the frog.

King: You gave him your word

Princess: (opens door and sees a handsome prince) Who - who are you?

Prince: (enters room) I am a prince. A wicked witch turned me into a frog. I had to find a beautiful princess who would let me eat from her plate and sleep on her pillow for three nights in a row. Then I could become a prince again.

Princess: I don't know what to say!

Prince: Say you'll marry me and come to live with me in my father's kingdom.

Princess: Oh, yes, I will! I will! I will! I will! (She hugs the prince)

1. Discussion

We will discuss the plot of the story by making a list of event on the board (i.e. princess loses ball, princess promises frog he can live in the palace if he recovers the ball, frog recovers ball, princess leaves without him, etc.) We will re read sections of conversation between the frog and the princess, and the princess and the king, and discuss the element of dialogue. We will then discuss how we can act out the story. We will discuss about the characteristic movements and tone of voice of each character. How does a frog move? The whole class would leap across the room. What would be a frog's voice like? The whole class would croak-talk. How does a princess walk? How would a spoiled princess talk? How does a king move? Is he old? Does he use a cane? How is his tone of voice? How does a prince stand and walk? We define these elements of performance movement and speaking style. To make the production we are going to add costumes. We will also need a ball, that is call a prop. Costumes and props are elements of production.

1. Creation

We will make crowns out of construction paper (drawing them in the border of the paper, cutting them out, and taping the corners to form crowns), frog masks out of paper plates (drawing the frog's face on the plates, cutting out holes for the eyes, making two holes and drawing the elastic to hold the mask on place), and golden balls (wrapping Styrofoam balls with golden metallic paper).

1. Staging

Cast roles: One person to act and do the movement and one person to read the lines for each character. Children will perform the play with the costumes and props, or become the audience. The teacher will videotape the performance.

1. Evaluation

The children will evaluate their performance by watching the video and bringing for homework answers for the following questions:

Which character did you like best and why? What are some of the movements you could have done for the character? Describe the speaking style of each character.

1. Teaching Learning Process:

What are the differences among the drama terms?

Movement and Acting (i.e. acting includes the portrayal of a character through movement but also through speaking styles, delivery of lines and actions.)

Speaking style and Reading lines (i.e. when you read a line you do not necessarily add a specific tone of voice, intonation, accent, or inflections, which you use when portraying the speaking style of a character while acting.)

Costume and Props (i.e. costume are worn by the actors, the props are the items they utilize during the play.)

Character's dialogue and Narration (i.e. a narration tells about the events while a dialogue is a conversation between characters.)

Story and Plot (the plot is a line of events of the story without details.)

1. Closure: Present the Production

Assessment

1. Created costumes and props

2. Performance or behavior as audience

3. The evaluation homework.

4. In class quiz over the covered terms.