Improv Squad: Cool Acting Games for Kids

I am an arts educator who prides myself on providing a safe, supportive space for students to engage in a hands on learning environment. I use a facilitation learning approach to my classroom where students take more control of their learning process. 

I serve as a guide to help students arrive to their own conclusions on discussion topics. Every student learns at their own pace with constant encouraging and constructive feedback that allows them to work on areas in which they can improve. The following topics will be covered in this course: 

Performance skills-

Students will be able to:
• Use their body and voice expressively in theater improvisations exercises, scene work and performance. 
• Move and act opportunity on a stage set
• Create appropriate physical gestures and facial expressions that serve a character 
• Use nonverbal communication to support and enhance their performance 
• Use the body in a variety of ways to express clear, detailed choices of character, emotion and intention 

Characterization: 
• Use physical and vocal skills to create a variety of character improvisation, scene and performance. 
• Apply specific character needs, object, intention, obstacles, actions, emotions and relationship in the creation of roles.

Aim: this course aims to help students improv their communicative skills to through the use of role- play and improvisation.

Goals:
1) Critical Thinking- Students will learn how to think critically in order to successfully participate in dramatic impromptu improvisation. 
a. students will be able to:
i. acquire thinking skills 
ii. interpret input and understand inferences in improvisation

2) Performances - Students will learn time perform 
i. Students will be able to perform in front of an audience in a complex culminating task 
ii. Students will be able to manipulate body movements and facial expressions to convey appropriate emotion and meaning and dramatization 

3) Communicative - Students will develop communicative skills
a. Students will be able to formulate, express and defend individual ideas and opinions when working on dramatic production.
b. Speak and perform on a given topic for an extended period of time 

Teaching Method: PowerPoint presentations, activities and class discussions 

Topics: 
The main topics discussed will be improvisation, communication and performance. 

Learners will engage in improv activities and games that allows them to work creatively in teams and as individuals. 

Learners do not need any prior knowledge to take this course.

Below is the following weekly breakdown:

Week 1: Introduction to Improv Pt. 1 - students will apply their understanding of the basics of improvisation by identifying improvisation skill and defining guidelines.

Week 2: Introduction to Improv Pt. 2 - students will continue to further develop their improvisations skills through improv and communicative activities 

Week 3: Students will interpret and apply the 8 guidelines of improv by creating a 2 minute skit and game that demonstrates the guidelines given.

Week 4: Students will apply their knowledge of improvisation in a performance setting by performing a scene with obstacles.

Week 5: Students will apply their understanding of showing and improv by participating and active audience.

Week 6: Performances - Students will demonstrate their understanding of the rules of improv by participating in a final improv performance.

I have been trained by Williams-Felder Actors Studio in NYC with celebrity acting coach Meisner Mel Williams. I have appeared on short films featured in NY Short Film and Denton Black Film Festival.