Radio Drama Unit Description and Resources

Bring reader's theater to life by creating radio dramas with your students. This unit can be modified for manydifferent grade levels and subjects. Students will study percussion instruments and Foley art to create soundeffects and to set the mood for the skit. Students will also use drama skills to enhance their expression andfluency skills.Timeframe: 4-6 weeks

Drama ● Work in mini lessons on drama techniques that will enhance expression and acting skills.● Review and practice fluency strategies (ties very closely with drama)● Introduce reader’s theater skits. Start with one that the whole class reads. The Legend of

Lightning Larry is a good one to start with because there are many roles. From there,break the class into 2 or 3 groups and have them practice and perform them for the class.Eventually, break the groups down even further so there are 4-5 students in each group.

Music ● Introduce percussion instruments doing drum circles. Doing this on several days allowsstudents to experience many different types of instruments, how to play them, and thevariety of noises they make. Use this time to reflect on the importance of listening to eachother, following along, and concentrating for a sustained amount of time.

● Explain Foley Art. Watch videos of professionals making movies. Brainstorm differentways to make sound effects.

Scripts ● Students can create their own original scripts, or rewrite/adapt a story to script format.This works well with children’s stories or picture books. Older grades may be able to havemore flexibility on writing their own. Note that having students write their own will makethis unit much longer

● Provide scripts for them.○ Aaron Shephard has many scripts that are free!

http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE.html● Could incorporate units of study (theme, folk tales, global studies, etc)

Standards ● ELA○ Reading Literature○ Speaking and Listening○ Language○ Writing (if students are creating their own scripts)

● Social Studies (if adapted to include content)

● Career and Life Skills○ Productivity & Accountability○ Social & Cross Cultural○ Initiative & Self Direction

Reflection ● Record performances and have the students watch it back and reflect. Many times theythink they are projecting enough or using good fluency when they actually are not.

Welcome to Lights Out!A Radio Drama Presentation

Goal: Read with purpose and understanding,fluency and accurate expressions

FLUENCYKNOW these vocabulary words

1. RATE (aka Slowing the Pace)- -pausingfor punctuation

2. PITCH/PROJECTION-- voice rises andfalls smoothly to show meaning. Speakingloudly enough so that every word is heard

3. ENUNCIATE/ARTICULATION--wordsspoken slowly and clearly. Focusing onconsonants

4. EXPRESSION (aka Colorization)--reflectscharacter personality, traits, and feelings.Words sound like what they describe

COMPREHENSIONUNDERSTAND the Text

1. What is the main idea?(got the message)

2. What are the central ideas?(got the picture)

3. What is the theme?(Saw the point)

Radio Drama Samples: What do you notice? Sounds? Characters?Lightning Larry The Shadow

Performing Tools

ImaginationEnvision the setting/characters/plot

Body MovementsModify face/posture/poses/gestures

VoiceVary tone/pitch/create effects

Basic Performing Skills

CooperationWork as a teamConcentration

Focus intently on taking turns and remaining incharacter

What are these performers doing?

Watch clips of these movies and notice...What do these performers do tohelp you understand the story?

INSIDE OUT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YiqKqgd_jU

DESPICABLE ME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fANUadXj09Y

Read smoothly with pauses? Include expressions? Change their voices? Movements?Discuss/describe some of the techniques you see the performers doing to practice their lines:

Building Blocks for Building CharactersImagination Body Movement PracticeShow Me

Step 1: Name a character type and thenuse only your body to showthat character (no voices).Remain in character until nextcharacter is presented

Characters:A cool teenager An Army sergeantA cranky old lady A scolding teacherAn enthusiastic fan A supermodelA lottery winner A shy child

Concentration/Cooperation Practice:Shake & Freeze

Step 1: Find your personal spaceStep 2: When I say “action”, shake your

bodyWhen I say “freeze”, focusyour eyes on the Point ofConcentration

Step 3: Stay focused on that spot. Try notto get distracted

Step 4: When I say “curtain” you mayrelax

Imagination Voice PracticeSaying these twisters by overusinglips/teeth/tongue

*Mary munched my M&M’s (alliteration)*A black bug bit a big black bear(alliteration)*Double bubble gum, bubbles double*Better butter Brad’s bread (alliteration)*Penny’s pretty pink piggy bank*Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit

Concentration/Cooperation Practice 2:Mirrors

Step 1: Find your personal spaceStep 2: The Point of Concentration is the

partner’s eyesStep 3: Without breaking concentration,

mirror the partner’smovements

Note and NoticeListening--While listening to the recording of “The Shadow”, write down 3-4 strategies you notice the actorsdoing well in order to perform the radio drama successfully.

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Sharing out--Use one of the following sentence starters to share one of your ideas.“I noticed that….”

“One thing that really went well was….”

“It helped when they….”

Using Instruments to Enhance a Story

Transitions:Find several areas of your script where the audience should be signaled that it is a “new scene”. Use the same

instrument/rhythm/tune each time to create consistency for the audience.

-New location

-Different time

-New characters

Mood:How can you help the audience “hear” the mood of your story?

--Think of DYNAMICS--

Soft so the audience can hear the characters

Different levels of intensity

-Think of TONE--Should match the story--happy/sad, suspense/calm, etc

Correct pitch to match character appropriately

Foley:What parts of your script would benefit from a specific sound effect?

Readers should also pause here so the audience can let it sink in a little.

-Door knocking

-Feet walking/marching

-Animal sound

-Weather noises

--Think of TIMBRE-- how can you use the instruments to make unique sounds

Adding some of these elements might slow your story down, THAT’S OK!

Everyone should mark their script where these sounds will happen.

Most importantly, BE CREATIVE!!You are trying to create a picture in the mind of your audience members.

Radio Drama Reflection:Use complete sentences in your reflection

1.) Listen to the recording of your group’s radio drama.

2.) Thinking about your part specifically, rate yourself on how you did in the following areas:

Projection Articulation Colorization Pace

Rate 1-4

Explain

3.) What went well?

4.) What would you change if you were to do this project again? (at least 2-3 sentences)

5.) Teamwork--How did the group work together? Provide a rating (out of 4) for each member, give anexplanation for each score, including yourself.

Audience Critique Sheet<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Please listen carefully and courteously to the Readers Theater performance today. As you listen, attendto the following items and "grade" those items with a +, √, or - on the lines to the right side of thispaper. Also listen to each character part and decide which is your favorite.

+ √ or -

1. Clarity of voice ("Articulation"--ALL words were clear and easy to understand)

2. Voice projection ("Loudness" was enough to be heard at the back of the room)

3. Voice inflection (Voices "rose and fell" as in real life)

4. Believability of character (Uses “colorization” in multiple places)

5. Timing (parts were read smoothly without unscripted pauses. Pace was easy to follow)

6. Instruments were used effectively to create believable sound effects.

What was your favorite character/part and why?

Other positive feedback: