Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
S
by George Belliveau
Do you want to put on a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream but feel like you don’t have the resources?
Are you a teacher looking to incorporate drama into your literacy program? —JOHN
VAILLANT, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF
THE GOLDEN SPRUCE AND THE TIGER
GE ORG E BE L L I V E AU
Stepping into Drama offers a step-by-step guide into one of the Bard’s most
beloved and accessible plays. This book will allow teachers—even those with
minimal dramatic experience—to explore the universal themes and humour
of Shakespeare through a series of fun and inspiring activities that build
towards an actual performance. As the parent of a child who has participated
in many of the activities presented in this book, along with the play itself,
I can’t recommend it highly enough.
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream in
the Elementary
Classroom
This script may be used in conjunction with George
Belliveau’s Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s
Dream in the Elementary Classroom (ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0).
Belliveau’s book includes a series of detailed drama lessons
to support a literacy program, a narrative version of the
play, this adapted script, and age-appropriate production
and rehearsal strategies to stage the play.
d creative writing can be found in various arts-
ISBN 978-1-926966-74-8
ISBN
978-1-926966-74-8
ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0
heatre education journals, along with chapters in
s. He is the co-author (with Lynn Fels) of Exploring
Performative Inquiry, Role Drama, and Learning (2008).
ly leads drama workshops on integrating drama
ISBN
978-1-926966-70-0
781926 966700
9
www.pacificedpress.ca
Pacific Educational Press
University of British Columbia
411—2389 Health Sciences Mall
PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESSVancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
9 7 8 1 9 2 6 cedpress.ca
966748
www.pacifi
Pacific Educational Press
t the University of British Columbia, Canada. His
urriculum for learners of all ages.
T
T
ADAPTED SCRIPT
BY
GEORGE BELLIVEAU
This book is part of a 5-pack and is not sold separately.
Visit www.pacificedpress.ca for more information and to order copies.
ELLIVEAU is a professor of theatre/drama
A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM
S
ATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL ANDERSON,
VERSITY OF SYDNEY
This adapted script of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s
Dream has been classroom-tested with young children
and runs approximately 30 minutes. It keeps the rich and
playful language of the original dialogue intact. Especially
designed for elementary students, it features large type and
simple stage directions.
George Belliveau
modern tragedies of education is the high numbers of students who
espeare is boring or irrelevant. This book shows that Shakespeare and
A Midsummer Night’s Dream can make for immersive and exciting
y giving teachers strategies to make young learners’ initial connection
speare enticing, active, and creative, it encourages students to develop
ove of drama.
S
JUDITH ACKROYD, REGENT’S UNIVERSITY LONDON
STEPPING
into DRAMA
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Adapted Script
—PROFESSOR
Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
This book is a Shakespearean learning feast! Belliveau provides lavish helpings
of advice for imaginative classroom drama activities, dollops of resources
to ensure you have everything you could possibly need, and ladles of ways
to “pique the curiosity” and “ignite the imagination.” Beautifully written,
this book also offers a fully formed plan for putting on a short production
of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with young learners, moving from dramatic
exploration to performance.
GEORGE
BELLIVEAU
PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESS
Magic happens in the classroom when young children
explore and experience Shakespeare’s drama!
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Stepping into Drama includes a series of detailed drama lessons
to support a literacy program.
Stepping into Drama helps you to introduce
children to the rich literature and complex
This book is a Shakespearean learning feast! Belliveau provides lavish helpings
of advice for imaginative classroom drama activities, dollops of resources
to ensure you have everything you could possibly need, and ladles of ways
to “pique the curiosity” and “ignite the imagination.” Beautifully written,
this book also offers a fully formed plan for putting on a short production
of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with young learners, moving from dramatic
exploration to performance.
ideas of Shakespeare's plays.
—PROFESSOR
JUDITH ACKROYD, REGENT’S UNIVERSITY LONDON
Each lesson offers children opportunities
One of the modern tragedies of education is the high numbers of students who
think Shakespeare is boring or irrelevant. This book shows that Shakespeare and
especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream can make for immersive and exciting
learning. By giving teachers strategies to make young learners’ initial connection
with Shakespeare enticing, active, and creative, it encourages students to develop
a lifelong love of drama.
to explore words, characters, and issues by
listening, speaking, reading, writing, drawing,
Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
Through a series of detailed drama lessons,
GEORGE
BELLIVEAU
STEPPING
into DRAMA
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream in
the Elementary
Classroom
—ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR MICHAEL ANDERSON,
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Scroll through to see how!
Stepping into Drama offers a step-by-step guide into one of the Bard’s most
beloved and accessible plays. This book will allow teachers—even those with
minimal dramatic experience—to explore the universal themes and humour
of Shakespeare through a series of fun and inspiring activities that build
towards an actual performance. As the parent of a child who has participated
in many of the activities presented in this book, along with the play itself,
I can’t recommend it highly enough.
—JOHN
VAILLANT, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF
THE GOLDEN SPRUCE AND THE TIGER
GE ORGE BE L LIVEAU
and physically expressing themselves.
GEORGE BELLIVEAU is a professor of theatre/drama
education at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His
scholarly and creative writing can be found in various arts-
ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0
based and theatre education journals, along with chapters in
edited books. He is the co-author (with Lynn Fels) of Exploring
Curriculum: Performative Inquiry, Role Drama, and Learning (2008).
He frequently leads drama workshops on integrating drama
across the curriculum for learners of all ages.
ISBN
978-1-926966-70-0
781926 966700
9
www.pacificedpress.ca
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESS
WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Role dramas help students to imagine and explore characters in an
unscripted manner.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Creating dream character masks and puppets helps students gain a better
understanding of the characters and their roles.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Students are encouraged to reflect in a journal to process activities such as
“hot seating” or role dramas.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Students draw characters’ names in creative ways to immerse themselves in
the rich literature of the play.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Students display new vocabulary on “word walls” to help them learn and
understand the language of the play.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Stepping into Drama takes you from the page to the stage.
From the Page to the Stage section provides
The schedule below offers suggestions for considering production elements for
your class sharing of the play. It elaborates on the schedules introduced in Part I. It
runs concurrently with the rehearsal schedule found later in this part, on page 115.
In other words, the anticipated time on production and rehearsal combined is a total
of six weeks, not twelve.
strategies and support for preparing,
Sample Production Schedule: Six Weeks
If you choose to put on a performance, the
rehearsing and producing the play.
week
TueSDAy
weDneSDAy
1
monDAy
Cast students
in roles
Hand out
copies of script
2
Decide on
space and
Determine
dates for
setting for play
production
Decide theme
Create props,
of play
costumes, and
set lists
Brainstorm
Bring in props
music, sound,
image, and
for rehearsal
3
4
ThurSDAy
frIDAy
lighting ideas
5
6
Bring in
Create
Create and
Finalize music,
costumes and
set pieces
invitation list
distribute
program and
poster
sound, image,
and lighting
Dress rehearsal Dress rehearsal Production
(no audience)
(invite another
(invite other
class)
classes)
Production
(invite friends
and family)
note: the production considerations that appear on the calendar in boldface are discussed in
detail below.
Casting
Casting is typically done once the students are familiar with the story and they have
engaged with the characters and the language. At this point they are more ready to
take the script and understand where their character fits into the play as a whole.
Asking students which role they would like to play is a helpful exercise. For
instance, you can ask each student to list on a piece of paper three roles they would
like to play. However, it should be made clear to students that asking to play a particular role does not assure being cast in that role. Challenging your students with
certain parts is a great way for them to aim higher in their learning, but you must
also be careful not to overwhelm students.
The casting of roles should be done in a manner that offers opportunities for
Sample production schedules help you plan your
lessons.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] 108 T
stepping into drama
WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Age-appropriate production and rehearsal strategies make it easy to mount
the play in a school production.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping
into
Drama
What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite
OBERON
S
A Midsummer
And laid the love-juice
on some Night’s
true-love’Dream
s sight: in the Elementary Classroom
by George
About the wood, Helena look thou find,
bring her Belliveau
here.
I’ll charm his eyes against she do appear.
Stepping into Drama includes a 30-minute adapted script that
has been classroom-tested with young children.
PUCK
OBERON
DEMETRIUS’
packs
of five, anoints
so students
can haveeyes
their own
Flower of this purple dye; hit with Cupid’s archery,
copies.
Sink in apple of his eye. Wakest when she be by.
PUCK returns
Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand;
And the youth, mistook by me.
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
This script may be used in conjunction with George
Belliveau’s Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s
Dream in the Elementary Classroom (ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0).
Belliveau’s book includes a series of detailed drama lessons
to support a literacy program, a narrative version of the
play, this adapted script, and age-appropriate production
and rehearsal strategies to stage the play.
George Belliveau
This adapted script of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s
Dream has been classroom-tested with young children
and runs approximately 30 minutes. It keeps the rich and
playful language of the original dialogue intact. Especially
designed for elementary students, it features large type and
simple stage directions.
This book is part of a 5-pack and is not sold separately.
Visit www.pacificedpress.ca for more information and to order copies.
The adapted script keeps the rich and playful language of the
OBERON
original dialogue intact.
9 7 8 1 9 2 6 cedpress.ca
966748
www.pacifi
Stand aside: the noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake.
LYSANDER enters with HELENA
Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] Pacific Educational Press
Pacific Educational Press
University of British Columbia
411—2389 Health Sciences Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
ISBN 978-1-926966-74-8
ISBN
978-1-926966-74-8
A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM
T
T
ADAPTED SCRIPT
BY
GEORGE BELLIVEAU
S
Additional copies of the script are available in
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Adapted Script
S
I go, I go; look how I go. (Exits)
PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESS
WWw.pacificedpress.ca
Stepping into Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
by George Belliveau
Available to order now from Pacific Educational Press!
UNIVERSITY LONDON
nd
n
op
G E O RG E B E L L I V E AU
o one of the Bard’s most
eachers—even those with
ersal themes and humour
g activities that build
child who has participated
ng with the play itself,
R OF
ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0
ISBN
978-1-926966-70-0
781926 966700
9
www.pacificedpress.ca
GEORGE
BELLIVEAU
STEPPING
into DRAMA
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream in
the Elementary
Classroom
S
George Belliveau
sed in conjunction with George
into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s
tary Classroom (ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0).
ludes a series of detailed drama lessons
y program, a narrative version of the
cript, and age-appropriate production
egies to stage the play.
PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESS
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Adapted Script
of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s
sroom-tested with young children
ately 30 minutes. It keeps the rich and
the original dialogue intact. Especially
tary students, it features large type and
ons.
ck and is not sold separately.
ca for more information and to order copies.
ISBN 978-1-926966-74-8
ISBN
978-1-926966-74-8
9 7 8 1 9 2 6 cedpress.ca
966748
www.pacifi
Pacific Educational Press
Press
Columbia
iences Mall
1Z3
Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in
the Elementary Classroom
ISBN 978-1-926966-70-0
$29.95
A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM
T
T
ADAPTED SCRIPT
BY
GEORGE BELLIVEAU
S
Stepping into Drama: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Elementary Classroom
eau provides lavish helpings
s, dollops of resources
need, and ladles of ways
.” Beautifully written,
on a short production
rs, moving from dramatic
PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL PRESS
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Adapted Script
ISBN 978-1-926966-71-7
Available in class sets of 5 for $25.00
View sample pages or watch a
video of how one elementary
school introduced Shakespeare
into their classrooms.
View sample pages HERE
Watch a video HERE
Order online at www.pacificedpress.ca/drama or call 1-855-827-2232.
Pacific Educational Press • Toll Free: 1-855-827-2232 • Email: [email protected] WWw.pacificedpress.ca