Unit(s): Acting
Purpose:
To establish early orientation to character
Objectives:
Students will concentrate on each portion of their bodies, beginning with their feet and working up to the head, verbally convincing themselves that each part of their body is a specific age.
Students will experience a bit of what it is like to be something other than a teenager. Often it gives a good sense of respect for other ages of people, because the student quickly becomes aware his/her body does not function the same or as quickly at 80, as they do at 16.
Materials:
- A comfortable chair for one student to sit in or the student may lie on floor.
- The class must be totally quiet and concentrate on the student doing the exercise.
- Everyone in the class must express patience for each other.
Procedure:
- One student sits in a chair at the front of the room.
- Closing her/his eyes, and in total silence, the student begins with the toes and aloud states, "My toes are 80 years old."
- Really feel those toes and really try to see those toes at 80 years old.
Note: After taking a moment to think about how your toes might feel if they were 80 years old, go to the next body part, such as the foot, and repeat the statement. Do this for each part until you reach your skull. On completion of this exercise, without saying a word, get up and walk around the room thinking, "My whole body is 80 years old."
- If students have trouble staying focused, the instructor can do all the verbalizing, and let the student concentrate on each body part.
- After completing the entire body, have the student stand up and walk around the room as they continue to think of their body being 80.
- Ask each student what it felt like being that age? Were there aches and pains? Did you move slower or faster? What did you really need at that age? What really motivated you to get out of that chair and walk?