Senior Students!
Updated: October
Dear Parents,
My hope is that students will be able to independently use this page to find activities and opportunities to learn on their own. I will be posting some small performance based projects on here so hopefully your child or children will be able to entertain you with their own mini talent show. I will also post some two person games that they could play with you, or possibly friends via phone or Skype, or siblings. All activities are inline with our BC Arts Education curriculum. Updates are posted at the bottom of the page.
-Ms.B
Dear Students,
Hi friends! Updates will be posted at the bottom of the page. I hope you are all taking good care and I can't wait to see you all again soon.
-Ms.B
April 6th: Theme Monologues Step One
Monologues
Step One:
Step one is all about the selection process. The first thing you want to do is choose the monologue you want to perform. Below I have posted some links to websites with free monologues that are appropriate for our project.
Things to consider when selecting your monologue:
1. Length - You will need to memorize this monologue so keep that in mind as you select your piece. If you want to start off easy choose something shorter.If you would like a challenge choose something a bit longer.
2. Funny or serious? - Drama is usually separated into comedies or tragedies although there is now quite a lot of shows that are a mix of the two. You need to decide what you would like to perform. Would you like to do a serious monologue? Or would you prefer to be funny? They are both challenging and fun to do. I try to choose monologues that I can relate to, it is often easier to perform something when it is something you have experienced.
3. Do you like it? Don't choose something you have no reaction to. Choose something that makes you laugh, or think, or cry, or have some kind of reaction to.
Your job today is to read through the monologues until you find one you like. If your family is curious about what you are doing share it with them BUT remember the whole idea behind acting is that you are pretending something is happening for the first time. If you practice your monologue in front of your family 20 times a day until you have it ready...it's not going to blow them away. Save your performance until it is ready.
If you have ANY questions please use the contact form and ask! I am more than happy to answer any emails from you. I will be posting step two on Tuesday!
Here are the links...happy hunting!
Drama Notebook - Great monologues for kids and teens written by kids and teens.
BBP 4 Free Monologues for kids - Written by playwright Douglas B Parker.
April 7th: Theme Monologues Step Two
Step Two:
Yay! You've selected your monologue! Now, you need to get ready to perform it. Follow the steps listed below to get ready to perform.
1. Print it out or copy it out. - You won't be able to make notes on your monologue without a copy to work with. Even if you have a printer to print it out I would suggest copying it out because it will help you memorize it.
2. Read it over and over again. - Your first read through is just to get a sense of what you are performing. On each progressive reading you should decide the following:
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What does your character want? - This will help you decide how you deliver this monologue. Are you convincing someone of something? Are you venting? Are you trying to buy a car? What do you want?
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Who are you speaking to - This will change how you deliver the monologue. If you are speaking to a friend you will perform differently than if you are speaking to a circus audience.
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Where things are - If you are referencing places and things decide where they are so that you can motion to them in the same places each time you perform.
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What is the mood - Are you happy? Sad? Angry? Amused? Remember whatever mood you decide on needs to vary. When someone is angry they don't stay at ONE LEVEL OF ANGRY THE WHOLE TIME. Decide if you start off really angry at the beginning and then calm down or maybe you start calm and then get angry, or maybe you start calm and get angry in the middle and then are calm by the end. That is true of all the possible emotions, rarely do people just stay at one level of feeling.
3. Mark it up. - Make notes on your script. Give yourself little reminders of what you want to do at each part of the script. If you decide to have a dramatic pause draw a little star at that moment * if you decide to emphasize a certain word, draw a line underneath of it. Make sure you make a note of what mood you want to perform in.
4. Memorize it. - This is the challenging part. I would suggest that you break the monologue down into chunks and memorize it in small parts. I often write it out over and over again to help remember it. Really, it just comes down to repetition you need to go over it and over it and over it again until you have the whole thing memorized.
Next step will be all about preparing for performance!
April 8th: Theme Monologues Step Three
Step Three:
You are almost there! Almost ready to perform! We just have a few last things to take care of before you are performance ready.
1) Costume - What are you going to wear to perform in? Take some cues from your monologue. What is your character? Are they a princess? A child? An adult? What would they wear? Where is it set? Is it at a swimming pool? In space? Is it winter? Be creative and come up with something appropriate for your character.
2) Setting - Where are you going to perform? You want to choose a nice quiet spot where you will have your audience's full attention.
3) Props - Do you need any kind of props for your performance? A prop is anything you use to perform that is not part of the set. Possible props could be a brush, a phone, etc. Make sure you have all of your props ready and set where they need to be before you start performing.
4) Volume - This is very important!! Remember when you perform to be loud enough that your audience can hear you!
5) Dress Rehearsal - This is your test to see if you are fully ready to perform. Make sure you have your costume on, your words memorized, and that you feel 100% ready to perform. Do a complete run through of your performance. Did you make mistakes? If so keep doing it over and over again until you make no mistakes. Remember: practice makes perfect!
Next step will be performance!!
April 14th: Theme Monologues Step Four
Step Four:
Yay! You are ready to perform!! So by now you should be able to recite your monologue completely without making any mistakes. If you aren't there yet please go back to step three!
1) Prepare your opening. -You should begin your monologue by greeting your audience, stating your name, and telling them what you will be performing and who wrote it.
2) Make sure you have a willing and attentive audience. - Invite your family to sit where you would like them to sit and make sure you have their full attention before you start.
3) Go for it! - Do your best! Perform and strut your stuff. Congratulations!! This is the part where all of your hard work pays off!
4) Let me know how it went! - Drop me an email and tell me what worked and what didn't, and if you want...do it all again!
April 15th: Theme Puppetry!
Puppets!
Hey Everybody! Our new unit is about looking at puppetry! Today is just about looking at some amazing examples of different types of puppets. If you are interested in seeing more check out the grades 3-4 page where there are more videos posted.
April 16th: Theme Puppetry!
Shadow Puppets!
Shadow puppets are a great deal of fun because at the simplest level all you need to make them work is a light, your hands, and a wall! Here we have varying levels of shadow puppetry followed by some how to videos. I hope you give this a try and come up with some amazing creations!
April 17: Theme Puppetry
Hand Puppets to make at home!
Remember to ask your parents before building anything!
This puppet is amazing! I can not believe she just made it in her house!
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April 21st Theme: Calm and Mindfulness
Calm and Mindfulness
April 22nd Theme: Mashups
Mashups
What is a mashup? A mashup is when you take two or more songs (or people performing in different places) and blend them together to create one awesome song. Lately because of covid-19 we are seeing a lot of different type of mashup videos because musicians can not be in the same place together at the same time. Here are some amazing examples of mashups.
Which one is your favourite?
Your Playlist
1. A song that reminds you of EJ Dunn.
2. A song that makes you want to dance!
3. A song that makes you happy.
4. A song you play when you are mad.
5. A song that you play when you are sad.
6. A new song that you like.
7. An older song, maybe something your parents play, that you like.
8. A song without words.
9. A song that reminds you of friends.
10. Your current favourite song.
Today should be fun! I am going to ask your to curate your very own playlist and send it to me. I will post any entries I get if I have your permission. I am asking for ten songs. they should be as follows:
April 28th Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre
Musical theatre is a live stage show that tells a story and incorporates music. This week we are going to look at some of the most popular musicals of the last 100 years.
The Lion King. After the success of the animated movie Disney decided to make a stage musical and it became one of the most successful musicals of all time. Instead of copying the style of the animated movie they hired an artist and director named Julie Taymor and she reimagined the art and costumes.
Hamilton, the musical is the most popular musical in the world right now. It is a hip hop musical based on the historical character Alexander Hamilton's life. The diverse and young cast are incredible! If you want to skip the tributes on the video start it playing at 2:10.
This song, Defying Gravity, is from the musical Wicked. Wicked is about the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, and how she became the Wicked Witch. This scene is when she decides to become who she is destined to be.
Matilda the musical is based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl. It is a very funny and sweet story.
April 30th Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre
Newsies is a musical about young men, often orphans earning a living selling newspapers in New York. They are not treated fairly by the rich owners so they strike to get better working conditions.
Billy Elliot is about an English boy growing up in a small town. One day he discovers that he loves to dance and starts to practice ballet. He has to fight the expectations of his family and the people around him in order to be able to do what he loves.
Shrek the musical - is a musical version of the original Shrek movie.
Rent is a musical about a group of artists living in New York city in the 1990's.
May 1st Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre
How to Succeed in Business without really trying - Is a musical about a window washer who finds a book about becoming a successful business man.
Mama Mia - Is the story of a mother and daughter who live on a Greek Island. the music is all from the 70's band ABBA.
Annie - Is a musical about an orphan named Annie who lives in an orphanage.
Frozen- Is a musical based on the Disney movie.
May 4th May the Forth Be With You
Star Wars!
This is John Williams conducting the Vienna Philharmonic.
This is a Star Wars medley played by the Piano Guys.
Now it's your turn!
Today is about focusing on ways to feel calm, safe, and peaceful. Please check out the following videos for steps on how to find your inner calm. For more activities check out the calm page.
May the 4th is the unofficial Star Wars day! One of the truly iconic things about Star Wars is the music which was composed by a famous composer named John Williams. Here for your enjoyment are some epic examples of John Williams music as originally conceived and some reimagined.
This is a Star Wars medley by Peter Holland and Lindsey Stirling.
This is a Star Wars mashup with some very familiar Star Wars faces :)
Music Making
Hi Friends! Today we are going to be looking at some great links to sites with software that lets you create your own music.
Chrome Sound Lab is a really fun site with a lot of different ways to experiment with music making.
Incredibox is an AMAZING site and app that allows you to mix music. It's a lot of fun!
May 6th Musician of the Day
Composer of the Day
Because it was just Star Wars day I thought it might be fun to look at the Composer John Williams and hear some of the other music that he has composed in his legendary career.
For a short biography click here.
To enjoy some of his iconic music see the videos below. As you listen to the music close your eyes and see what you would imagine happening. Or think about the scenes in which this music plays, what would those scenes be like without Mr. Williams' music?
Jaws
Indianna Jones
Jurassic Park
Harry Potter
Sound Design
May 7th: Sound Design
Yesterday we listened to the amazing scores written by John Williams. His music can't help but evoke a mood. The theme from Indiana Jones prepares us for an adventure, it's exciting! The theme from Jaws is scary it gives the sensation of something ominous creeping up on you. Jurassic park's theme song is awe inspiring, something amazing is about to happen and the Harry Potter theme is magical. These songs were very effective in conveying to the viewer what the overall mood of the movie was supposed to be.
Today I am going to ask you to go on a scavenger hunt to find me music that will fit the following scenes:
1. A horror movie at a scary moment.
2. A tender love scene.
3. A moment in a sports movie where the hero/heroine wins the big game/race etc.
4. A fight scene or epic battle.
Email me your answers, a list of links to the youtube videos will be fine, and the winner of the best sound design will get a prize!
nboutwell@sd70.bc.ca
Technical Sound Design
May 8th: Sound Design
Often sound designers have to use special effects to create a realistic sounds for performance. In Shakespeare's day sound designers would roll cannon balls across the floor in a room above the stage to simulate the sound of thunder. Before tv, radio sound designers had to come up with genius solutions to recreate sounds for radio plays; for instance if a door slammed the sound designer might be hitting two planks of wood together. Over time radio, television, and movie, sound designers have created a massive library of sound effects so that they don't have to recreate a sound every time they need one. The British Broadcasting Corporation or the BBC has a HUGE library of sound effects that is currently free for students and teachers to use. Take a moment to check it out and play with some of the sound effects or FX as they are commonly called. Next week we will start a sound FX challenge.
BBC Sound FX Library.
May 12th: Sound Design
Audacity
Hi Friends!
Today we are starting our sound design project! Now, participating in this project requires you to download a program called Audacity. Ask your parents before you do this. Audacity is free and does not come with built in ads or anything sketchy. You can get Audacity here. Today what I would like you to do is just play around with audacity, try recording your own voice and playing around with it. Below is a simple video that shows you how to get started. If you are not able to download this, please watch the videos to get a sense of what the program can do and we will continue to learn about sound editing when we go back to class.
Audacity
May 13th More Audacity
Hi Everyone! So hopefully yesterday you had a lot of fun playing with audacity! Today we are going to try a little project with audacity. Check out the video below and then try creating your own MONSTER sound effect. Start by recording your own monster growl, try to get a good 5-10 second growl and then start working with effects.
May 14th Miss YA!
I miss you!
Hi Friends,
When I saw this video yesterday I immediately thought of all of you. I think of you often and I hope you are all doing well. I feel so lucky to work with awesome kids like you. I am so proud of all of you.
May 15th More Audacity
Audacity Again!
May 20th A dramatic reading
Dramatic Reading!
Hi Friends! Today we are taking a break from playing with audacity. Taika Waititi, the man who directed Thor Ragnorok got together with a bunch of famous people and they have staged a reading of the classic Roald Dahl novel James and the giant Peach.
May 21st A dramatic reading
More Audacity!
Hi Everyone! So by now hopefully you are pretty confident with the basics of audacity. Importing sounds, layering them, and playing with some of the sound effects. Today we are going to play with editing music. This wonderful site, Mixkit has free music tracks that you can download and play with. Please take some time and experiment with importing a song and playing around with the effects. Try cutting the song, and fading it out. Try fading it in, try layering one of the sound effects you made over it. Have fun!
The Sound of Music
May 23 The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved musicals of all time. It tells the real life story of the von Trapp family who escaped the Nazis in Austria and performed as a family singing group. This version of the musical stars Carrie Underwood and is only available for 48 hours.
For your entertainment
May 25th Lip syncs
A little note...
June 1st
Hi Everyone! You may have noticed that I did not update the page last week. that was because I was back at school getting ready for when school reopens. I am really looking forward to seeing smiling faces when we go back. Some of you won't be there and that is ok because I will hold you in my heart until I see you again soon! I won't be updating this page quite as frequently as I have been but I will still update until June 19th at least 2-3 times a week. Best Wishes to all of you and your families! Ms.B
June 3rd
Tutting is really cool form of street dancing which involves creating geometric shapes using your hands, arms, and body. There is even finger tutting! Check it out!
Tutting
Dance!
June 5th
Here are some great instructional videos on how to do some amazing moves!
June 8th
Story time!
May 5th: Music making!
Good Morning! Today we are looking at putting more than one sound or track into audacity and seeing what we can do with those. BUT MS.B WHERE WILL WE GET SOUNDS??!! Simple, remember the BBC library of sound effects? You can download different effects from that site and put them over top of each other. Try putting a lion's roar over jungle sounds, or a motorcycle revving over the sounds of a city. You can overlap any sounds you like and as many as you like.
