How to use this book, The Teacher’s Guide

PART TWO. THEME

Finding theme, Specific themes, Found poem, Television, Popular Songs,Theme of your performance piece

PART 3. MECHANICS

            3A. EMPHASIS – Simple sentences, Emphasis for emotion, First Lines, Scenes,

Recording emphasis for your performance piece, Power Words, Power Word Poems

            3B PHRASING

                A: Breathing – Difficult Breathing

                B: Meaning – Pauses for Meaning, Line Ends, Showing Pauses in your performance piece

                C: Suspense – The “Earned Pause”

                D:Transitions – Transitions, Inner Dialogue

                Conclusion

            3C. VOLUME 

A. Breathing – Relax the Shoulders, Breathing, Breath Control

                B. Proper Tone Relaxing the Throat, Test Yourself, Head Tone

                C. Proper Enunciation and Projection. – Enunciation (Tongue twisters ),Enunciation Practice,

Put Volume in Your Performance Piece

            3D TEMPO

                A. Slowing Down – Slowing Down, Slow Cueing

                B. Speeding Up – Picking Up Cues Quickly, Put Tempo in Your Performance Piece

            3E..PITCH = Robot, The Whining Kid, One-Word Telephone Call, Metering, Twins, Siamese Twins

                            Put Pitch in Your Performance Piece

            3F. GESTURE

                    Theory: Gesture and Emotion – Power Words Continued, Visualizing, Power Words Extended,

Maxi-movements, Mini-movements, Put Gesture in Your Performance Piece

PART 4. STRUCTURE 

Topping, Undercutting, Visualized Topping, One-word Telephone Call

                        Repeats, Putting Builds in Your Performance Piece

PART 5. SAMPLE POEMS

            “To Be or Not To Be” – Author Unknown

            “Retreat” by Gordon Long

PART 6. CHOICE OF POEM

                Beware of, Try to find, Types of Poetry, Shared performance, Audience Reaction

PART 7. PERFORMANCE TIPS

            A. Helping another performer

             B. General Problems – Rhythmic Chanting, or Singsong, Giggling,Volume,Tone quality, Shyness

            C. General Techniques – Getting into character, Visualizing, Variety, Structure, Practice, Concentration, Attitude, The Ending

             Analysis Notation

PART 8 . THE FINAL SHOWCASE

            Place, Audience, Setting, Costume, Props, Narrator or M. C., Structure, Blocking – positions on stage, Upstaging, Cheating Out,

            Backstage Traditions, Afterwards

OTHER SECTIONS IN THE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Management

Storytelling

Read-Aloud Poetry

Memorized Poetry

Impromptu Speeches

Curriculum Areas Covered

Rating Scales and Marking