The following sections are books to share with children about Black History  and Martin Luther King, Jr. These can be suggested reading as a group, individually or in a children's book club. Books are suggested reading for children ages 4 through 12+.

PRE-SCHOOL to Age 12...Teens are page bottom

• A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Picture Book Biography)
by David A. Adler ( For Ages 4-8)

• A Picture Book of Rosa Parks (Picture Book Biography)
by David A. Adler, Robert Casilla (Ages 4-8)

• Amazing Grace
by Mary Hoffman

• Black is Brown is Tan
by Arnold Adoff

• If a Bus Could Talk - The Story of Rosa Parks
by Faith Ringgold (Illustrator)

• Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Doreen Rappaport

• My Dream of Martin Luther King
by Faith Ringgold (Illustrator)

• No Mirrors in My Nana's House
by Ysaye M. Barnwell

• Shades Of Black
by Sandra L. Pinkney

• The Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles, George Ford (Illustrator)

• What is Martin Luther King Day?
by Margaret Friskey

• Harriet Tubman and Black History Month-by Polly Carter (age 5-8)

• I Have a Dream- by Martin Luther King, Jr. & Kathleen A. Wilson (age 4-8)

• Portraits of African American Hereos by Tonya Bolden (age 7-9)

• Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling (age 8-12)

• If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King Jr. by Ellen Levin (age 7-10)

• A Lesson for Martin Luther King, Jr. by Denise Lewis Patrick (age 5-7)

• Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr. by Jean Marzollo (age 5-8)

• A Voice of her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatly, Slave Poet by: Kathryn Lasky (age 8-12)

• If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold (age 5-9)

• George Washington Carver: The Peanut Wizard by Laura Driscoll (age 5-8)

• Freedom Summer by Debbie Wiles (age 5-8)

• Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles (age 5-9)

• Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins (age 12+)

• Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Eleanora E. Tate (age 9-12)

______________________________________

ADDITIONAL BOOK LIST FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Celebrate Black History Month with these inspirational children's books.

Books for Younger Readers:

• Nappy Hair, by Carolivia Herron
Recommended Ages: 4-8
The gospel rhythm of this lovely children's book is matched only by the bold, color-saturated illustrations of little nappy-haired Brenda.

• Cassie's Colorful Day, by Faith Ringgold
Recommended Ages: 0-4
Join Cassie on a colorful day with her dad. Young children will follow Cassie as she dresses up in her yellow-and-red polka dot dress, purple shoes, and green pocketbook, then heads to the ice cream parlor for her favorite treat--a pink strawberry sundae!

• Counting to Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold
Recommended Ages: 0-4
Your kids will count from 1 to 10 all the good things that Cassie and her family take to the rooftop for their mouth-watering picnic.

• Something Beautiful, by Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Recommended Ages: 5-8
This is the inspiring story of a young girl's search for beauty in her violence-torn neighborhood. The illustrations and story are both beautiful and realistic.

• Ten, Nine, Eight
By Bang, Molly
Illustrator Bang, Molly
"This beguiling picture book, with a palette of eye-filling colors, appears to arise from the love binding a father and his little big' girl who turn bedtime into playtime with a rhyming game."--Publishers Weekly. "A loving book, perfect for sharing with the youngest lapsitters."
 

• The Champ
By Bolden, Tonya
Illustrator Christie, R. Gregory
Illustrator Gregory Christie, R. Gregory

Muhammad Ali is one of the world's best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden's careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie's incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.

• March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
By Farris, Christine King
Illustrator Ladd, London

From the sister of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., comes this moving account of August 28, 1963--the day King delivered his stirring I Have a Dream speech in Washington, D.C. Farris recalls that remarkable day, and offers a personal, stirring glimpse of the man who inspired a nation.

• Willie and the All-Stars
By Cooper, Floyd
Illustrator Cooper, Floyd

Growing up in 1942 Chicago, Willie dreams of playing in the Major Leagues, but the color barrier in pro baseball is years away from being broken. After Willie hears stories about players he's never heard of, he learns about the Negro League. Soon, Willie sees firsthand how determination can change everything.

• Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission
By Curtis, Christopher Paul
Wendy Lamb Books

Steven and his best friend Russell are back! When Russell's dog, Rodney Rodent, jumps into a mural to chase a demonic-looking gnome and disappears, the Flint Future Detectives are on the case. With the secret password (Bow-wow-wow yippee yo yippee yay!) Steven, Richelle, and Russell enter the mural too, only to find the mysterious Mr. Chickee on the other side. To find a way out, the detectives must complete a mission--finding Rodney Rodent. And that means they're in some wild adventure!

• Elijah of Buxton
By Curtis, Christopher Paul
2007-09 - Scholastic Press
2008 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
2008 Michigan Notable Book
2008 Scott O'Dell Award Winner...It's 1860, and 11-year-old Elijah is a first-generation freeborn child. His Canadian town of Buxton serves as a haven for runaway slaves. When the towns corrupt preacher steals money from a citizen who's been saving to buy his family's freedom, Elijah sets off for America in pursuit.

 • Satch & Me
By Gutman, Dan
2006-02 - Amistad Press
To see if Satchel Paige really was the fastest pitcher in the history of baseball, Stosh and his coach, Flip, travel back to 1942 to watch Satch pitch in the Negro League World Series. Stunning black-and-white photos of the league's superstars are included.

  • Flower Girl Butterflies
By Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald
Illustrator Kromer, ChristianeSarah is a flower girl in her aunt's wedding. She's excited, nervous, and happy all at once--feelings her mother says are only butterflies. But will they go away before the wedding day? Full color.

 • Yo, Jo!
By Isadora, Rachel
2007-04 - Harcourt Children's Books.....With a fresh, new style, Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Isadora fashions an exuberant intergenerational celebration of language, neighborhoods, and family.

• Wind Flyers
By Johnson, Angela
Illustrator Long, Loren
2007-01 - Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.....Three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Johnson and "New York Times" bestselling illustrator Long present this bittersweet story about a young boy inspired by his great-great uncle, who was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, an elite squadron of black pilots during World War II.

 • Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti
By McDermott, Gerald
Adapted by McDermott, Gerald

 In this traditional tale from West Africa, Anansi, the Spider, sets out on a long journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his six sons should he reward? The color, splendid design montage, and the authentic African language rhythms forge a new direction in picture books for children. Caldecott Honor Book. Lewis Carroll Shelf Award.

 • Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters
By McKissack, Patricia C.
Illustrator Carrilho, Andre
2006-08 - Schwartz & Wade Books.....Newbery Honor author McKissack's tall tales of humor and exaggeration are told on a front porch to friends and family. Whether side-splittingly funny or spine-chillingly spooky, most of these tales are seeped in early 20th century African-American history.

• Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt
By McKissack, Patricia C.
Illustrator Cabrera, Cozbi A.
2008-10 - Random House Books for Young Readers..... For a hundred years, generations of women from Gee's Bend have quilted together. One day, Baby Girl is called to sit at the quilting frame. Piece by piece, she puts her quilt together--telling not just her story, but the story of her ancestors' struggle for freedom.

• Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
By Levine, Ellen
Illustrator Nelson, Kadir
2007-01 - Scholastic Press

In this powerful story, Levine weaves together the extraordinary events in the life of Henry "Box" Brown, who as a young boy hid in a wooden crate in one of the most amazing escapes using the Underground Railroad.

 • We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
By Nelson, Kadir
Illustrator Nelson, Kadir
2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
2009 Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner

In this tour de force for baseball lovers of all ages, noted artist Kadir Nelson presents the story of the Negro Baseball League--from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. Features dozens of breathtaking full-page and double-page paintings.

• Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope
By Grimes, Nikki
Illustrator Collier, Bryan
2008-08 - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2009 NAACP Outstanding Literary Work- Children's.....Raised in Jakarta and Hawaii, Barack Obama has become a force for social change, first as an Illinois Senator and now as candidate for President of the United States. This first-ever picture book about Obama follows his life.

 • Coretta Scott
By Shange, Ntozake
Illustrator Nelson, Kadir
2009-01 - Amistad PressThis extraordinary union of poetic text by Shange and monumental artwork by Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

• Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Illustrator Pinkney, Brian
2008-10 - Amistad Press..... The acclaimed husband-and-wife team focuses on the human elements of the Montgomery bus boycott following the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks: the struggle to keep walking as the seasons changed, the crowded city streets, and the gathering numbers of the determined boycotters.

 • Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America
By Robinson, Sharon
2004-02 - Scholastic Press.....Sharon Robinson shares memories of her famous father in this warm loving biography of the man who broke the color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete, a devoted family man and a dedicated civil rights activist.

 • Dizzy
By Winter, Jonah
2006-09 - Arthur A. Levine Books
A CCBC Book of the Week Selection.....This is the story of Dizzy Gillespie, a real cool cat who must have been born with a horn in his hands, judging from the way he played the trumpet. He is a boy who breaks all the rules, and finds his own personal heaven along the way.

 Books for Older Readers:

• Kidnapped Prince; The Life of Olaudah Equiano, by Olaudah Equiano
Recommended Ages: 10-13
This is a gripping tale of a young African boy's odyssey of betrayal, cruelty, and courage.

• Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, by Paul Curtis
Recommended Ages: 10 and up
The Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan are taking a trip like no other. They're heading south to Birmingham, Alabama, toward one of the worst moments in American history.

• Night John, by Gary Paulsen
Recommended Ages: 12 and up
After he escaped to freedom in the north, Nightjohn returns to slavery to teach other enslaved people how to read. And 12-year-old Sarny is willing to risk mutilation and death for precious knowledge.

• Dark Thirty; Southern Tales of the Supernatural, by Patricia C. McKissack
Recommended Ages: 10-13
These 10 stories of the supernatural are based on historical facts but be warned: they're scary! These haunting tales are perfect for reading aloud and they also address deep issues of racism.

 Stumptown Kid
By Gorman, Carol
Author Findley, Ron J.
2005-04 - Peachtree Jr
2008-2009 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Master List --Grades 3-5
Gorman and Findley pen the moving story of an unlikely friendship between a young white boy and a black baseball player set against the dramatic backdrop of turbulent race relations in 1950s America.

____________________________________

FOR TEENS

  •The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves
By Anderson, M. T.
2008-10 - Candlewick Press (MA).....The stunning conclusion to the National Book Award winner and New York Times bestseller recounts Octavian's experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him. Ultimately, this astonishing narrative escalates to a startling, deeply satisfying climax, while reexamining our national origins in a singularly provocative light.

 •Chains
By Anderson, Laurie Halse
2008-10 - Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
BookPage Notable Title
An Indie Next Selection
2008 Scott O'Dell Award Winner
 At the start of the Revolutionary War, Isabel is sold to a cruel loyalist family, even though she has been promised freedom by her former owner. Soon faced with the choice of working for or against the British, Isabel chooses to work with anyone who can help her.

•Storm Warriors
By Carbone, Elisa
2002-11 - Yearling Books
Driven from his home by the Ku Klux Klan and still reeling from the death of his mother, Nathan moves with his father and grandfather to the desolate Pea Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to start a new life. Fortunately, life on Pea Island at the end of the 19th century is far from quiet. The other island residents include the surfmen--the African American crew of the nearby U.S. Life-Saving Station--and soon Nathan is lending an extra hand to these men as they rescue sailors from sinking ships. Working and learning alongside the courageous surfmen, Nathan begins to dream of becoming one himself. But the reality of post-Civil War racism starts to show itself as he gradually realizes the futility of his dream. And then another dream begins to take shape, one that Nathan refuses to let anyone take from him.

•November Blues
By Draper, Sharon Mills
2007-10 - Atheneum Books
This stunning sequel to the Coretta Scott King Honor Book "The Battle of Jericho" has energy, pathos, and drama, and doesn't shrink from telling kids what it's like to be 16 and pregnant.

•Bird
By Johnson, Angela
2004-09 - Dial Books
Thirteen-year-old Bird runs away in pursuit of her stepfather to convince him to return home, and soon becomes entwined in the lives of three people. This eloquent story by the three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner shows how one individual's warmth and kindness can heal so many hurts.

•Pitch Black: Don't Be Skerd
By Landowne, Youme
Illustrator Horton, Anthony
Illustrator Landowne, Youme
2008-09 - Cinco Puntos Press
Anthony Horton is a homeless artist living underneath the New York City subway system. He draws what no one else sees. With art and words from both of Landowne and Horton, they map out Hortons world--a tough one from many perspectives--in this nonfiction work. Young adult.

•Jubilee Journey
By Meyer, Carolyn
2007-01 - Harcourt Paperbacks

In the sequel to "White Lilacs," 13-year-old Emily Rose travels from Connecticut to Texas to celebrate Juneteenth with her 87-year-old great-grandmother Rose Lee. It's a journey of self-discovery in more ways than one: biracial Emily Rose knows more about her father's French-Canadian family than her mother's African-American heritage, and is puzzling over her sense of identity.

•Handbook for Boys
By Myers, Walter Dean
Illustrator Bandsuch, Matthew
2003-04 - Amistad Press.....In the groundbreaking tradition of his award-winning "Monster" and "Bad Boy: a Memoir, " the Michael L. Printz Award winner fashions a complex, layered novel about the rules for success.

 •Sunrise Over Fallujah
By Myers, Walter Dean
2008-05 - Scholastic Press
A two-time Newbery Honor-winning author looks at a contemporary war with the same power and searing insight he brought to the Vietnam War of his classic, Fallen Angels.

•A Wreath for Emmett Till
By Nelson, Marilyn
Illustrator Lardy, Philippe
2005-04 - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Newbery Honor-winning poet Nelson offers an evocative tribute to a 14-year-old boy whose lynching in 1955 helps spark the civil rights movement.

 •The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being the True and Fictional Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West
By Paulsen, Gary
2006-08 - Wendy Lamb Books

Born into slavery, Bass Reeves became the most successful US Marshal of the Wild West.Many "heroic lawmen" of the Wild West, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a true hero: Bass Reeves.
He was the most successful Federal Marshal in the US in his day. True to the mythical code of the West, he never drew his gun first. He brought hundreds of fugitives to justice, was shot at countless times, and never hit.
Bass Reeves was a black man, born into slavery. And though the laws of his country enslaved him and his mother, when he became a free man he served the law, with such courage and honor that he became a legend.

 •Hip-Hop High School
By Sitomer, Alan Lawrence
2007-04 - Jump at the Sun.....Theresa Anderson is every kind of smart: too smart-mouthed for her own good, street smart enough to deal with a neighborhood that gets more dangerous every day, and more book smart than anyone knows. But with the example of her super-achieving older brother towering above her, Theresa hasn't even been trying. How can a girl compete against the family favorite, especially when he's a certified local hero?

With her parents and her teachers always on her case, and her best friend pregnant and dropped out of school, Theresa turns to hip-hop for comfort. Her favorite singers seem to understand her when no one else does. Everything changes when a new man comes into Theresa??'s life: Devon, whose tough-guy reputation conceals a blazing ambition for academic success. Devon helps Theresa face up to her own talent and ambition, and together they set off on a three-year quest to beat the SAT and get into top colleges. But then Devon gets shot in a street fight, leaving Theresa with two piles of unfinished college applications, her own and Devsand time running out.

 •Dangerous Skies
By Staples, Suzanne Fisher
1998-04 - HarperCollins..... From the author of the Newbery Honor book "Shabanu" comes a powerfully moving story of friendship in the face of racism and betrayal in the name of loyalty. Bound by surname but not by skin color, Buck and Tunes Smith have a friendship that is as dependable as the tides of the Chesapeake. Then a horrible discovery turns their world upside-down, changing their lives forever.

•Ella Fitzgerald
By Stone, Tanya Lee
2009-02 - Puffin Books.....Had it not been for a last-minute decision at an amateur night contest in 1934, the world might have never known Ella Fitzgerald. Her career spanned almost sixty years, and she began singing at a time when female musicians werenat taken seriously and many venues were segregated. But one thing was undeniable, Ella Fitzgerald could sing.

 •Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
By Sturm, James
Illustrator Tommaso, Rich
2007-12 - Jump at the Sun.....Baseball Hall of Famer Leroy Satchel Paige was arguably the hardest thrower, most entertaining storyteller, and greatest gate attraction in the Negro League. Now the Center for Cartoon Studies presents this compelling narrative that follows Paige from game to game as he travels throughout the segregated South.

  •Becoming Billie Holiday
By Weatherford, Carole Boston
Illustrator Cooper, Floyd
2008-10 - Wordsong.....On April 7, 1915, a girl named Eleanora Fagan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The world, however, would know her as Billie Holiday, possibly the greatest jazz singer of all time. Weatherford examines the singer's young life, her fight for survival, and the dream she pursued with a passion.

 •No Laughter Here
By Williams-Garcia, Rita
2004-01 - Amistad Press.....Even though they were born in different countries, Akilah and Victoria are true best friends. But Victoria has been acting strange ever since she returned from her summer in Nigeria, where she had a special coming-of-age ceremony. Why does proud Victoria, named for a queen, slouch at her desk and answer the teacher's questions in a whisper? And why won't she laugh with Akilah anymore?

Akilah's name means "intelligent," and she is determined to find out what's wrong, no matter how much detective work she has to do. But when she learns the terrible secret Victoria is hiding, she suddenly has even more questions. The only problem is, they might not be the kind that have answers. In this groundbreaking novel, Coretta Scott King
Honor winner Rita Williams-Garcia uses her vividly realistic voice to explore an often taboo practice that affects millions of girls around the world every year. Readers will identify with headstrong, outspoken Akilah, whose struggle to understand what's happened to Victoria reveals a painful truth in an honest and accessible way.

 •From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun
By Woodson, Jacqueline
1995-05 - Scholastic
 Melanin Sun and Mama have always been the whole family, with a special closeness that no one has ever been able to come between. Now all that has changed. Suddenly, Mama is shutting doors that were always kept open--and Melanin Sun begins to realize she's been keeping secrets from him for a long, long time.  

_______________________

The Multi-Cultural/Diversity Category contains six sections. .

Menu for Diversity and Multi-Cultural Category

• Diversity Theme Introduction & Menu
• Entire Diversity & Multi Cultural Category (Excluding MLK)
• Diversity Using Arts & Crafts
• Diversity Through Foods and Other Activities
• Diversity through Language and Literacy
• Diversity with Games and School/Program Implemented Ideas
• List of Multi-Cultural Themed Books Listed by Age
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

________________________________________ 

READ THIS BEFORE YOU START DRAMA ACTIVITIES

Develop and build a sense of safety and trust when introducing Drama activities into your program. The following games and exercises are ideal in establishing that trust between the players; they also will sharpen concentration and get everybody in a good mood!

IMPORTANT! It is advised to use these exercises-as well a pair and group improv--early in your drama club to rely on each other.

These games and exercises are useful in any drama and theater education environment--- as well as any environment in which group dynamics is important! You may discover that youth may want to repeat some of these games and exercises more than once during their dramatic experience!!!

_____________________________

PANTOMIME GAMES

MIRROR EXERCISE
Everyone should remember the old "I Love Lucy" series; a favorite of most  is the episode when Lucy meets Harpo Marx. In one scene, Lucy has dressed exactly like Harpo; as the latter crosses a room, Lucy crosses it the same way. Harpo looks at his "reflection" and proceeds to “mirror” these crazy movements with arms, hands, legs, etc. Lucy matches him, move for move. A very funny scene - and exceptionally well done. This is exactly the same premise for "The Mirror Exercise".

• There are two players. "A" is the follower (mirror) and "B" starts all the action. "A" reflects all B's movements and facial expressions.
• Simple activities for "B" to initiate are washing his/her face, getting dressed, brushing teeth - etc.
  This exercise promotes inventiveness, clowning, and timing - the children should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement. When "B" is finsihed, it is "A's" turn.
  

___________________

PASSING THE FACE
Apart from a drama activity, this can also be used by actors just prior to a performance, in the green room. It enables the participants to overcome their fears, and become more relaxed and at ease with themselves.

• The whole group should stand in a circle, holding hands.
• One person in the circle begins by turning to the person on his/her right and making a face – it could be an emotional face or a funny face.
• The next person then makes another face and passes it to the person next to him/her, and so on.
• The expressions should not be copied, but variations of a theme to be explored-- such as each one thinking of a different emotional or funny face.

_____________________

FOLLOW THE LEADER

• All players except one are in a circle; one player in the middle. The middle player closes his/her eyes -- and the rest of the group quietly chooses a leader.
• The middle player opens their eyes and tries to guess the leader by actions.
• The entire group follows the leader, in everything he/she does.
• As soon as the middle player discovers who the leader is --the game is over.
• Participants should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement  This only works if movements are clear, not too fast, and if the group `follows the leader` as fast and as precisely as possible.

________________ 

HUMAN PROPS

• Ask one player to start doing an activity that somehow broadly defines a location. Example: When someone starts typing she/he might be in a home or office.
• The other players then become the other objects in the environment.
• If the first player recognizes the objects, he/she can start using the props built by other players in the environment.
• Tell players to go for the obvious: in just about any room you could be a plant, a door or a table.
• Extension: When done, ask the first player to name any `object` built in the environment. You can use this as a handle for a performance. When a player is asked to sit down, and there are no chairs on the scene, another player can become the chair for the first player to sit on.
• Other examples are ticking clocks in haunted houses, cabinets and closets. Ideas are endless.

___________

Divide the group into 2 groups and have them mime a Tug-o-war fight.  See that the “mimed rope” does not stretch or shrink and Remember Chivalry---somebody wins and one group graciously looses. 

• Variation: Do 2 per 2. Played in pairs. One player holds his/her hand open with fingers upward--about 2-3 inches from their partner’s face. The leader then starts moving their hand about slowly, while the partner attempts to keep their face at exactly the same distance from the hand. Without touching, it should seem as if the hand is pulling or pushing the face about. Switch sides and partners after a minute or two. Variation: Use both hands.

____________

THE PASSING GAME
The leader suggests an IMAGINARY object to be passed around in a circle. This object to passed around can be a pea, a huge balloon, or a sack of potatoes...etc.
The object is passed around from person to person and the idea is to try to keep it from falling and to indicate its size and weight by the action. (No talking)

_______________

BODY TALK GAME

With bodies and expression (no words) have children take turns acting out the below commands. One at a time, each takes a piece of paper from a container. As youth pantomime it, the group or Team guesses the action. 

Hooray!
 
I'm sorry.
 
I didn't do it!
 
Shame on you.
 
I didn't mean to do it.
 
What did you say? 

I don't know.
 
Come here, quick! 

Good job!
 
Oh No! and so on- 

__________________

Return to top of page 

  INDIVIDUAL, PAIR AND GROUP PANTOMIME SUGGESTIONS -

Group instructions are below this list

  • Try to open a window to a fire escape.

 • Attempt to open a stuck door.

 • Opening a birthday present that they've always wanted.

 • Eating a bowl full of something really disgusting.

 • A monkey eating a banana.

 • Become a swan swimming gracefully on a still peaceful lake--next become a frog jumping in a pond.

 • Imitate the actions involved in everyday activities: mowing the lawn, making a bed, moving the trash can, sweeping the floor, digging the garden, etc.

 • Buying shoes, hats, food or a car.

 • Putting on a pair of shoes: ballerina-fireman, then acting out the character.

 • Making a telephone call.

 • Watching TV.

 • Felling trees.

 • Spending a day at the beach. Contrast a hot day with a cold or wet day.

 • Spring cleaning.

 • Going camping and setting up a camp (put up a tent, chop wood, build fire, etc.) This is a good group pantomime!

 • Shipwreck.

 • Family car ride (flat tire, something left at home).

 • Trip to the zoo.

 • Going out into the snow.

 • Having a picnic (maybe cows (or bees) arrive unexpectedly).

 • Walking in the country (rainstorm).

 • Going on a train journey (lose ticket).

 • Flying a kite (tangled in a tree or lost).   

 • A misunderstanding or quarrel.

 • Interviewing a famous person.

 • A deep sea diver meets trouble.

 • Having a nightmare.

 • Turning into robots.

 • Share the Work! Pairs of children working at something-with an imaginary object between them. (Spreading a sheet; pulling taffy, etc.)

 • Become an elephant in a circus. Show how enormous and heavy you are by walking around. Now climb onto your stool and raise you trunk.

__________________

Return to top of page

 GROUP PANTOMIME INSTRUCTIONS

• The actors (youth) work in groups of 4 - 6 and are instructed to pantomime a single general activity.
  • Examples: Playing different sports at school, performing with an orchestra, circus acts, hospital work, etc.
• To communicate the idea of a GENERAL activity, each actor must pantomime a SPECIFIC one. 
  • For example: "Office work".
    One actor mimes being a typist, another delivers the mail, another is a "boss" at a desk (perhaps on the phone), a client visits the office to see the boss, etc.
• Make sure the actors understand they cannot SPEAK - only work with their bodies, facial expressions, etc.
• Actors should brainstorm details and ideas before-hand.
• The audience then guesses what is being portrayed.

__________________

 MIMING TIPS!

 1. As a teaching tool--Can you show a Video or DVD of Pantomime greats such as Red Skelton, Vaudeville Stars, or Mr. Bean? (The 2007 movie- Mr. Bean’s Holiday) 

2. When working with “pretend objects” give it “space.” Even the smallest objects have space.

3. Believable actions: have one student come forward and demonstrate brushing teeth. Most likely, the student will brush their cheek or down their throat. Show that for it to be believable, it must be pantomimed the way they really do it. Youth need to practice and observe themselves and the way they do things. Tell them to be conscious of all their actions.

4. Tell group that when we do a pantomime you need to face the audience. To show an example, set up a kitchen with chairs or blocks. Demonstrate that some things are in front and some in back. Demonstrate how easy it is to turn your back on the audience. Now rearrange the kitchen so your face can be seen by the audience no matter what appliance or counter you are working at.

5. Start out simple: Perform a pantomime of doing a household chore (making a cake or doing dishes, etc.) Give it 1 or 2 minutes and no story. Starting out with the familiar is good.

Return to top of page

______________________________

Drama Menu Links

1.)  The Different Types of Drama click here

2.)  Pantomine, Tips and Games

3.)  Improv Games and Exercises

4.) A Variety of Drama Games/Activities

 _____________________________________

The first thing to teach the participating group is the word Chivalry.
In improve - Chivalry means not clinging to your own ideas, your own status, or your own personality as a character. Chivalry is daring to give up control. Players should allow themselves to be changed by other players. They should be happy to change; change in improv is a good thing!

______________

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
One player is in the middle, the others sit aside. Any person can give the middle player a task, which she performs, and then she asks `What happens next`? Any player may suggest what needs to happen next, but the idea is for the group to construct a coherent story. The player in the middle should only and strictly be doing what they’re told; it is up to the players at the side to construct the story. This game is also known as And Then.

___________________

YES! LET'S ______!
This is an excellent warm-up, and great introduction to Accepting .
Pick a group activity, such as throwing a party or organizing a picnic. One player starts, saying,” Let’s ______" filling in what he/she wants to do. Then he/she actually starts doing what he/she said she wanted to do. A second player jumps in, saying "Let’s________." (It’s doing something else-- to advance the group activity) Both players say "Yes, let’s do that" and start doing whatever was suggested. The third player jumps in and suggests what to do--- and again all the players loudly agree to do it, and actually do it. Continue till everyone has suggested something.

________________

ENERGY 1-10
Everyone is positioned in a big circle, squatting down. All participants count 1 to 10. This is done in unison -- moving up slowly with increasing energy level. 1 is barely audible, 10 is as loud as possible—with everyone standing straight, hands reaching up. It’s important to watch each other, to ensure all are at the same energy level. Also make sure that the increase in energy is very gradual.

___________________

ALIEN, COW AND TIGER
(To prevent confusion-write directions for characters on a whiteboard)
Everyone is in a circle. There are 3 things a player can be:

   • An Alien: hold you index fingers up next to your head, as little antenna’s and say `Bleeb bleeb`, bending inwards into the circle.

   • A Cow: bend forward, hold your right hand on your tummy and go `Moooo`

   • A Tiger: push your right hand forward, imitating a claw and roar.

On your signal, each player decides to become one of the three. The idea is for everyone to become the same, which obviously won’t be the case, the first time. Re-do this until everyone is in sync.

_____________

POPCORN
Everyone finds themselves a spot, and squats down. The facilitator talks the group through the exercise.

• “Everyone is a piece of corn, the floor is a big pan, and we’re going to make popcorn. --- We slowly start heating the pan”… As the pan gets hotter, the corn starts to `pop`.  A player `pops` by jumping up, clapping hands above their head, and saying `pop`. Make sure the `popping` starts gradually, `popping` is a group thing, and in the end, `popping` should stop.
• Variation: Forget to take the pan off the fireplace, and have the popcorn start burning.

________________

ONE WORD AT A TIME STORY
This is an exercise to train group narrative. All players sit in a circle. A story is told one word at a time. Each player provides one word of a sentence. The end of a sentence can be indicated by a player saying `period` although that is not necessary.

This is more difficult than it sounds, especially with newbies. If you’re working with novice players have them try a familiar story-such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. Summarize the story before they get started, to make sure they’re all on the same story. Don’t be surprised if gagsters manage to smuggle atomic bombs and crashing aircraft into the story. If so, ask the group if they can see/understand the reasons why their story isn’t as it could be. If the group is large- divide it into 2 or more story circles.

_______________

RUMORS
Form a circle with improv participants. One person starts by saying "Did you hear about _____?" and then points to someone else in the group. That player immediately replies with the answer to the fill in blank “Did you hear about______? After which everyone gasps or giggles. The person left of the second person restarts. The blanks can be anything: something as simple as soup, or something as convoluted as the white bear that ate a Russian kid for lunch in Novosibirsk last Thursday.

________________

ACCEPTING CIRCLE

• Put everyone in a big circle. One player starts by making a little gesture, perhaps with a little sound.
• His or her neighbor then tries and does exactly the same. This continues around the circle. Although we expect the gesture/sound not to change, it will!
• Watch for movements that suddenly change left/right arm or leg. This is not supposed to happen, but it will. Once happened, it should be accepted by the next player.
• Also watch/listen for little moans or sighs that players might make before or after their turn - these should also be taken over by the next player.

_______________

EMOTIONAL MIRROR
Players are in pairs, facing each other. One starts talking in gibberish, with a specific emotion (angry, happy, in love, your choice). The other instantly copies the emotion of the first player, and speaks in his own gibberish. There is no need to try and copy the other player’s gibberish; both players keep talking---no pausing allowed. After about 10 seconds, the second player changes emotion, and the first one immediately follows.

________________

PEOPLE PICTURE
Range: 9+ (Number of Participants: 2-20)
Materials: Pictures of people, as many as participants See Notes
Participants will use pictures as inspiration in creating characters, and interact with others as their characters. They will try to determine which picture the other participants used for their inspiration after interacting with them.
How to Play:

• Participants spread themselves out in the room, so that each person has enough space to think without distractions.
• The leader passes out a picture to each participant, explaining, "DO NOT let anyone else, even me, see your picture. You have three minutes to look at the person in your picture and become that person. Decide what kind of personality he or she has, how old the person is, what kind of life they lead, etc. Use the picture to help you decide - are there details about the person's clothes, their surroundings, and their face which give you ideas? Try to create a "story" for this person, as well as a voice, mannerisms, attitude.
• All of your characters will attend a party at the end of the three minutes." The participants should not talk to one another before the three minutes are up.
• At the end of the three minutes, the participants hand in their pictures. As soon as they hand in the picture, they transform into their character. The leader should explain that they need to talk to the other characters, as if they are at a party. The participants should attempt to talk to everyone else, and try to remember things about the other characters.
• The party lasts five to ten minutes, depending on the number of participants.
• At the end of this time, the leader asks everyone to discard their characters and become themselves.

The leader then shows the participants the pictures that were used, and asks the group to identify whose character matches with the picture. Don't tell the participants that this will happen ahead of time. The temptation of "fooling" everyone is too great to resist for some people, and these people will purposefully make their character unlike their picture if they know there will be guessing. The group should discuss their reactions to their pictures and to others' as well as how everyone developed their character.

Notes:
The pictures can be cut out of magazines, and then pasted onto oak tag or poster board for stability. Try to get a good assortment of pictures of people -all ages, races, levels of attractiveness; don't put any famous faces in the selection. The more interesting the setting and the appearance of the person, the more there is for the participants to use for inspiration. Remember, there are no wrong answers - but the participants should be able to answer "why" questions about the character and picture.

______________

CROSS THE CIRCLE
Everyone is numbered around the circle as 1, 2, OR 3. The leader call a number such as 2. All number 2's must cross the circle in one role of leader's choice as:
   •A ballerina
   •A panther
   •A moonwalker
   •Someone who’s stuck in the mud……..
   •A fashion model……
  •Whatever your imagination comes up with!
After all the number 2's cross cross the circle-a different number is called; they are told to cross the circle in the manner the lead directs.

CROSS DIFFERENTLY
Name a child to cross the circle to an empty chair in any way they like…walk…crawl…hop….twirl…whatever. They call someone else who must cross in a different way.

________________

ANIMAL SCENES
Players find a partner; partners separate and run around. The leader calls out a phrase and the players must find their partner and depict the scene. The last pair to depict the scene is out.
Examples:
   •Frog on a log: One student gets down on all fours (log) and the frog sits gently on their back.
   •Bird on a perch: One student gets down on one knee (perch) and the bird sits on the perch.
   •Lion in a den: One person stands with their feet a part (den) and the lion lies down on the floor.

_____________________________

EIGHT RULES WHEN DOING IMPROV

  • Don’t negate or deny the other player-follow where they're going 

  • Don’t ask questions

  • Make choices based on actions

  • Do make assumptions

  • Do give and take

  • Listen, watch and concentrate

  • Work to the top of your intelligence

______________________________

Return to top of page