First Journal of Semester 2!

 Everyone:  What should I know about you?  Have you had any experience doing drama before?  Do you have stage fright?  Do you have any way of dealing with it?  Have you any experience in performing?  Explain.  If I already know you, tell me something interesting about yourself.  What are your pronouns?

Senior Drama:  Write three ideas that you have for our interactive Valentine's Day show.  (You can steal Ms. Kosar's ideas, if you like.) Don't just say "a wedding".  Try to explain how it would work.  (A paragraph will do.)

Make a valentine (it should be fictional -- like not for a "real" person).  It can have a joke or a play on words or it can have a poem that you've written yourself.  It should look like you've made an effort.  It can be decorated with sparkles or a lacy doily or a picture of a flower or an animal.  It could be romantic, if you like.

It should be at least as big as your hand.  It is due on February 12.

Drama 9:  Write a joke as a short scene.  

Here's an example:

Dr. Numero:  Why did the math book have to see the psychiatrist?

Suzy:  I don't know, Dr. Numero.  Why did the math book have to see the psychiatrist?

Dr. Numero:  Because it had so many problems!

Journal for January 9, 2026

 Everyone:  Did you make a New Year's resolution?  If you did, what was it?  How will you know if you've succeeded?   If not, is there anything you wish you were doing differently?  (or are you perfect?)

Drama 8:  Which Aesop's Fables lesson should you learn?  Explain why.

Who would you like to work with in the last project?  (It's fine if you are willing to work with anyone -- just say so.)

Senior Drama:  Choose a song you know well.  (like "Row, Row, Row your Boat")  Write alternate lyrics for it that deal with a current event.  (here's a bad example -- go, go, take your boat up to Greenland/daringly,daringly, daringly, daringly --  Yankees take a stand!)

Journal for December 12

 Drama 8:  

How do you think the world was created?  Could you make a play out of it?  Explain your answer.  What character are you playing in "The Creation of the World"?  How does it fit into the story?  What would your character look like?  You can draw it or describe it.

Senior Drama:

Write a commercial (1 minute) that you could film that would encourage people to donate to the food bank.  You can use music, visual images, dialogue, symbols, whatever you think would inspire people to give.  Think of techniques that people use to convince people to act in certain ways or convince people to buy something.

Journal topics for December 5

 D and A Block classes:  We are going to get to see Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 in our own theatre on December 16 (D Block) and December 17 (A Block).  You will report to the theatre at the beginning of lunch and be in your seat at 1 p.m. AT THE LATEST!  Please bring $5 for your ticket, if you can.

Senior Drama:

Write a script about how your film project is unfolding.  Give me some insight into your group and how it is functioning.

Example:

Set: Theatre

Esther hands out paper to everyone.

Esther:  Okay, I've written a script.  I'm the lead, Diaphony,  She's a performance artist--

Earnest:  (interrupting) You're always the lead.  I wrote a script, too.  It's a musical-- (He pulls out some scripts from his bag)

Esther:  A musical?  How stupid, Earnest.  I can't even sing.

Earnest:  Well, Catherine can, so she's the lead.  It's about--

(Esther rips papers out of his hand) I only get two lines?  What the heck?

Morris:  It's only ten minutes.  How many lines do you think you should get?  Hey, I get to play my trumpet!

Esther:  (throwing the papers down) I'm not interested.  (She walks out.)

The other three look at each other.

Catherine:  She'll come back.

Earnest:  I hope not.  I hate her always bossing me.

Morris:  Let's read Earnest's script out loud.  If Esther comes back, we could read her script, too.

ETC.

Drama 8:

How did your fairy tale performance go?  Say two things that went well and two things that could have been improved (be specific).

Draw a simple face that shows

a) sadness

b) happiness

c) anger

d) fear

Journals for November 21

 Drama 8:  Angela lives in a blue house with her mom and her dad and her little dog, Percy.  Terry lives next door in a green house.  Terry's family doesn't like Percy, because he comes over to their yard and does his "business".  Terry's family hired Clifton to build a fence around their property to keep Percy out.  Percy dug a hole under the fence and got in Terry's yard anyway and not only did he do his business, but he dug up all Terry's mom's prize-winning roses.  Terry's mom was very upset and she even cried because she loved her roses.

The next day, Terry's dad came home with a very large dog.  The family put the large dog in the yard,  When Percy dug under the fence, the large dog was waiting for him and barked viciously and snapped at Percy.  Percy ran home and never dug under the fence again.

Answer these questions about the story:

1) Who is the main character ("the protagonist")?  Why do you think so?

2) What is the conflict?  What are two examples of rising action? 

3) What is the climax of the story?

4) What is the denouement?

5) If you were going to be in a play based on this story, who would you want to play?  Why? Write one of the lines you would say.

Senior Drama:

Do you follow the news?  (You should -- you will soon be an adult, if you are not one already, and should care about what happens in the world.). Throughout the history of the theatre, artists have commented on issues that are important to them through their work.  Think of Shakespeare and "The Taming of the Shrew" or "Julius Caesar", Beethovan and the Eroica symphony or Fidelio, or Picasso and Guernica.  What is an important issue facing us today?  Humour can help explore serious matters and can bring people together with a lighter touch than something very serious.  This is what the artists of commedia del'arte did.  Write a paragraph about how you could address a serious issue through comedy.  (Think of "Saturday Night Live", "The Daily Show" or a stand-up comedian you like.)        

2nd post for Grade 8's; Film Fest post for Senior Drama

 Drama 8:

On a scale of 1 - 5, with 5 being great and 1 being not at all great, how would you rate yourself at working in a group?  Explain why you rate yourself that way.  What skills can you bring to group work?  How can you improve?  (We all have skills and we can all improve.) Would you say you are a good leader?  Explain.  Write about a time you worked in a group and what you learned from it.

Senior Drama:

Briefly explain what job you are doing in the "rainbow" films.  In three sentences, what is the plot?  How do you intend to include the components?

1st Journal for Grade 8's; Remembrance Day for Senior Drama

 Drama 8:

What should Ms. Kosar know about you?  Have you ever done Drama before?  Explain what you've done, if anything.  Have you ever had to perform in front of an audience?  (sports, music, dance, public speaking, etc.) Explain what.  How did it go?  Do you have stage fright?  Do you know how to deal with it?  What are your pronouns?

Senior Drama:

Does war serve a purpose?  Explain your answer.  (Really think about it -- this is a question that has consumed thinkers and philosophers since the beginning of history.  "Yes" and "just because" is not enough of an answer.)

What is the purpose of Remembrance Day?  Do you do anything to observe the day?  Why do we have a ceremony at school in addition to the community ceremonies?