Today I am featuring a teacher-created website with plenty of ideas for incorporating drama in the classroom. Matt Buchanan’s childdrama.com is full of ideas for K-12 classrooms. You will find suggestions for general education classroom teachers (e.g., check out his ideas for using drama to teach about water molecules, countries of the world, and life on the Oregon Trail) and for those in the theater department too (including original plays).
Using drama is such an ideal way to differentiate instruction. Every learner can participate and you can include a unique role or responsibility for each learner if needed. Some students can write or improve upon scripts, some might direct, others can create scenery. Role play, improv, skits, and plays can not only help students learn content but can give them opportunities to polish reading, communication, and social skills. For instance, if you have a student with a disability who needs to learn a new communication system, give this child a role and let her deliver her lines using a communication device, a switch, or sign language.
About Paula Kluth
