Arts in Education Strategies
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Warm Ups:
Non-Stop Talking
ACTIVITY: HELLO GAME
Bouncing continuously on the balls of their feet, students talk non-stop to each other, moving around the room shaking as many hands as possible and saying grumbling, complaining, unpleasant things. On a pre-arranged signal, they continue to bounce, but they say "hello" and all sorts of nice things. On a final signal, they stop. This activity raises and directs energy, allows students to express their feelings in a non-threatening manner, and prepares them for the next directed activity.
ACTIVITY: NON-STOP TALKING
The class is given a topic, e.g., “peanut butter,” and, on a signal, they all have to talk about it simultaneously—non-stop. It doesn't matter if they speak utter nonsense, as long as they keep words coming out.
Going Further in Depth:
Different Subject Non-Stop. Each student non-stop talks on a different subject, everyone talking at once.
Non-Stop Argument. Pairs have non-stop talking arguments, e.g., one person thinks dogs are great, one doesn't. Both talk simultaneously to each other, non-stop. At first, all pairs go at once. Later, they may try as individual pairs. At a signal, they switch points-of-view and keep talking.
NOTE: At this point, it is not important that students make an attempt to listen to each other, only that they talk non-stop.
Non-Stop Chorus. Each member is assigned his or her own topic. The teacher conducts, directing chorus members to become louder or softer, cutting some voices out and bringing others in, rising to a crescendo and then bringing them to total silence.
Individual Non-Stop. Individuals non-stop talk by themselves on topics assigned by either the teacher or the class.
NOTE: After non-stop talking, students will be unable to justify "not knowing what to say" during improvisation.