Center Stage: Projects in Theatre Arts, 2nd edition (Middle School 1)

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining the TEKS, ELPS, and concepts taught in the course.

The scope and sequence in the front matter of the Teacher Resource outlines the TEKS and concepts taught in the course, along with pacing suggestions. “Part I: Creative Drama Processes” lists 21 TEKS and identifies concepts such as ensemble, safety, pantomime, voice as an instrument, and theatrical reality. The pacing information for this part suggests completing chapters 1–20 during weeks 1–12.

The “Lesson by Lesson TEKS Correlation” in the Teacher Resource includes chapter-level TEKS alignment. For example, chapter 4 lists TEKS 1C, 2A, and 5B with associated page numbers for educator reference.

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include suggested pacing to support effective implementation for various instructional schedules (e.g., rotational schedules) and various instructional calendars (e.g., varying number of instructional days).

The materials provide a scope and sequence with pacing guidance in the “Implementation Guide” of the Teacher Resource. This document provides pacing at the part (unit) level and indicates the number of weeks required to complete each part. This guide suggests that “Part III: The World of Theatre” should occupy weeks 25–36, and the workshop included at the conclusion of the part can be adjusted for time purposes.

The materials provide general pacing information in the “Implementation Guide” of the Teacher Resource. Each chapter is listed with a description of the knowledge and skills it contains. The guide also indicates the number of 45–50-minute class periods required for the content. Part introductions, workshops, and exams are also included, providing educators with a comprehensive overview of the course.

The materials also provide alternate pacing guides in the “Implementation Guide” of the Teacher Resource. In addition to the traditional daily schedule, the guide details modifications for A/B block scheduling, rotational scheduling, and shortened calendars. The guide also includes definitions of these schedules to help educators choose appropriate pacing for the course.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include an explanation for the rationale of unit order as well as how concepts to be learned connect throughout the course.

In the Teacher Resource, “How Concepts Connect Across Parts” lists specific concepts and explains how they develop across the parts of the course. For example, “Voice and Movement” is addressed in part I through physical and vocal games to establish safety and expressiveness. In part II, monologues, storytelling, and digital recordings develop the concept further, and in part III, students apply voice and movement choices to more complex scenes and blocking.

The “Unit Rationale” in the “Implementation Guide” explains the organization of the parts (units) and why they are organized in this order. The materials explain that part I includes foundational skills, safety information, and improvisation to prepare students for later content. Part II shifts students from improvisation to scripts, production processes, and text-based performances, using skills from part I and extending them into auditions, rehearsals, and performances. Part III culminates the course with authentic application of skills learned in previous parts.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.

The “Part/Unit Internalization Protocol” in the Teacher Resource defines the process educators can utilize before presenting each part to students. The materials suggest that educators clarify outcomes, map concept flow across the lessons, decide assessment moments, plan skill spiraling, and anticipate student readiness. Each section of the protocol provides specific steps and guidance for completion. For example, when deciding assessment moments, educators identify one diagnostic check at or near the beginning of the part, one or two “hinge” tasks in the middle, and one culminating task at the end. The additional guidance for this section suggests that educators use the “Evaluate and Reflect” rubrics.

The materials also provide a “Lesson Internalization Protocol” in the Teacher Resource with specific sections for educators to complete to support successful delivery and student learning in each chapter (lesson). The sections for lesson internalization include naming the lesson’s core concept or skill, unpacking the student experience, identifying the “must have” student work, planning checks for understanding, connecting to previous and future lessons, and providing differentiation opportunities. For example, the connection to previous and future lessons is addressed in the protocol by encouraging educators to identify prior lessons that the current lesson builds on and generate ideas for reminding students of this prior knowledge. Educators also identify where students will encounter the concept or skill in future lessons, providing a framework for presenting the current content.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support teachers with implementing the materials as designed.

The “Implementation Guidance for Leaders and Teachers” in the “Implementation Guide” of the Teacher Resource provides stakeholders with clarification of outcomes, a mapping of the concepts across lessons, assessment guidance, planning information for spiraling concepts, and guidance for anticipating student readiness. Instructional leaders reference specific professional learning community (PLC) notes that include what educators should observe in class, artifacts that can be evaluated in PLC meetings, and reflection opportunities.

Instructional leaders can also reference “Center Stage Key Look-Fors in Implementation,” located in the “Implementation Guide” of the Teacher Resource. During all parts of the course, the materials list specific student and educator actions observable during classroom visits, such as educators gradually shifting responsibility to students, peer-to-peer accountability, and rehearsal and performance etiquette.

Evaluation for 1.2a
Materials include comprehensive unit overviews that provide the background content knowledge and academic and discipline-specific vocabulary necessary to effectively teach the concepts in the unit.

In the Teacher Resource, the materials provide teaching suggestions for each part and chapter. The “Curtain Raiser” activities at the beginning of each part serve as comprehensive unit overviews. The “Curtain Raiser” activity guidance for part I lists suggested supplies, guidelines and examples, differentiation support, and exemplar answers to key questions.

The “Curtain Raiser” activity in the Student Edition provides students with keywords and questions for the part and a preview of the upcoming concepts. In part I, students are encouraged to consider the questions “What is the difference between existing and living?” and “What are the rules for performing in acting games?” The activity also provides keywords such as creative, focal point, and evaluate for students to utilize.

Evaluation for 1.2b
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English for each unit with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The “Implementation Guide” in the Teacher Resource includes family letters in English and Spanish that explain the concepts and activities students encounter in the course. The family letters also provide suggestions for supporting student learning outside the classroom. For example, the family letter for part I suggests that family members ask their students to use pantomime to show everyday tasks, such as brushing their teeth or packing a bag.

Family letters are provided for each part (unit) of the materials, with specific information and suggestions tailored to support the content the student is currently learning. The suggestions given to families in the part I letter focus on informal theatre applications, while the suggestions for part II encourage families to interact with their students during rehearsal and performance.

Evaluation for 1.3a
Materials include comprehensive, structured, detailed lesson plans that include objectives, questions, tasks, materials, and instructional assessments required to meet the content and language standards of the lesson (aligned with the TEKS and the ELPS).

The materials include detailed lesson plans that include objectives, questions, extra tasks, materials, and assessments that are aligned with the TEKS. These lesson plans are provided in the Teacher Resource on the “Inside Front Cover,” and educators can access the lesson plans through download.

The given lesson plans reference support provided in the Teacher Resource in the “Teaching Suggestions” that includes questions and tasks aligned to the lesson objectives. The guidance provides materials, preview and warm-up activities, main activities, differentiation suggestions, and exemplar answers to tasks for each lesson.

Evaluation for 1.3b
Materials include a lesson overview listing the teacher and student materials necessary to effectively deliver the lesson (e.g., equipment, supplies, technology) and the suggested timing for each lesson component.

The materials list for each lesson is provided in the “Teaching Suggestions” in the Teacher Resource, referenced as “Suggested Supplies.” For example, the materials required for chapter 4, “Touching Warm-up,” include various objects with unique textures. Specific examples of such items are also provided.

While course-level pacing is present and the materials do provide pacing for individual lessons, timing for individual lesson components is not present in the materials.

Evaluation for 1.3c
Materials include guidance on the effective use of lesson materials for extended practice (e.g., homework, extension, enrichment).

In the Teacher Resource, the “General Suggestions for the Drama Teacher” offer lesson-specific extended practice opportunities. For example, this document suggests that educators “Use the additional activities at the end of each Part for extra class assignments or for special work or team activities.” In addition, the materials include lesson-specific extended suggested practice.

The “Teaching Suggestions” provided in the Teacher Resource specify guidance for homework or enrichment opportunities for students. The materials suggest using student self-evaluation forms as prework for performances to ensure preparation and using the key questions in each chapter to extend learning.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include a variety of instructional assessments at the unit and lesson level (including diagnostic, formative, and summative) that vary in types of tasks and questions, including skills demonstration.

“Assessment Types and Cadence,” located in the “Introduction” materials of the Teacher Resource, provides formative and summative assessments that vary in types of tasks and questions, including skills demonstration. The information and materials listed offer educators guidance for utilization of each assessment.

Diagnostic assessments and posttests are available for each part of the curriculum, provided in the front matter of the Teacher Resource. For example, the diagnostic/posttest provided for part I of the curriculum offers choices of performance tasks or written assessments, with scoring rubrics for each. Remediation activities based on student performance on the diagnostic and posttests reinforce student learning.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments included.

In the “Assessments” section, located in the “Introduction” materials, the materials define the types of instructional assessments and explain their intended purposes. Performance-based assessments and written assessments are included, with guidance on how and when educators will administer each. For example, the materials state that diagnostic assessments obtain a baseline measurement of student knowledge of theatre.

The materials include written reflections and evaluations in each chapter to assess student understanding of content. In chapter 1, an activity sheet is provided for students to reflect on the content and expand on concepts from the lesson.

Evaluation for 2.1c
Materials include teacher guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

The “Assessment Types and Cadence” section in the “Introduction” of the Teacher Resource provides guidance for assessments, including a short description of the assessments and suggestions for administration. For example, chapter activity rubrics are defined as a way for educators and students to evaluate the skills and understandings of the lesson. The materials also suggest how to use the results of the activity. Educators should record results on students’ Progress Monitor and utilize the given remediation activities.

Diagnostic/posttests are available for each lesson in the Teacher Resource, along with educator guidance for these assessments. In “Part III: The World of Theatre” diagnostic test, the materials include an answer key with exemplar answers, notes for scoring, and focus for essay responses.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are aligned to the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, or lesson.

The “Implementation Guide” provides a description of each part of the lesson, including the evaluation and the TEKS utilized in the lesson. Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are aligned to the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, and lesson.

The “Part/Unit Internalization Protocol” in the “Implementation Guide” includes tasks and assessments to accurately assess student learning. Educators identify one diagnostic check at the beginning of the part, one or two “hinge” tasks in the middle of the part, and one culminating task at the end of the part.

Evaluation for 2.1e
Instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity.

Located in the front matter of the Teacher Resource, the “Diagnostic Tests” section includes TEKS alignment and multiple tasks of varying levels of complexity and types. The rubric for the diagnostic task for part I addresses clear setting, clear emotion, and focus and safety, with TEKS 1B, 2F, 1A, 2E, 2A, and 5A assigned appropriately. The materials also provide educators with scoring guidance and prompts.

Assessments include a variety of question types: short-answer, true/false, and essay, and these are located in the menu of the online Teacher Resource. “Part I: Creative Drama Process” exam includes 16 short-answer questions, two fill-in-the-blank questions, five true/false questions, and one essay question.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

In the front matter of the Teacher Resource, the materials include rubrics and scoring guides for the diagnostic tests. A fixed numerical range for each type of test is provided, which provides educators with guidance to keep scores consistent. Specific guidance for assigning scores based on student performance is clear, and a short written assessment is included to further assess student learning.

Located in the downloadable resource Progress Monitor, the materials include a monitoring section for rubric scores, descriptors, and strand sheets that include activities at different levels for responsive teaching. This resource can be used to differentiate future instruction or provide remediation to struggling learners.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

In the Teacher Resource, in the “Lesson Internalization Protocol” section, the materials include guidance and differentiation strategies for lessons. Number six in the “Lesson Internalization Protocol” is labeled “differentiation.” One example includes the use of sentence stems.

Located in the Differentiation Library, a downloaded resource in the Teacher Resource, the materials provide various tools for differentiation, which allow educators to respond to student trends in performance through Striving/SDI for students who need strategic support, including those with IEPs/disabilities; EB for emergent bilingual students; and Advanced for students ready for deeper challenges.

Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The materials offer a document titled “My Actor’s Toolbox” that allows students to track their own progress during the course. For example, students list skills or techniques learned in class, reflect on the purpose of the skill, and rate themselves on their progress. The skills and techniques are customizable, and the students can enter bonus checkpoints for additional reflection.

Peer evaluations are included in the “Teaching Suggestions” for each part. Multiple activities and tasks have associated peer evaluations that allow students to rate each other. For example, the peer evaluation for chapter 19 allows students to evaluate each other on communication, concentration, and emotion.

For each chapter, the materials offer “Teacher Evaluations” for student performances that include a rubric with specific criteria to rate students using the STAGE scale: “ST” for “Solid Try,” “A” for “Average,” “G” for “Good,” and “E” for “Excellent.” For example, the rubric included in the chapter 21 “Teacher Evaluation” provides educators with opportunities to give feedback to student actors on developing their role into a distinct personality, listening and responding in character, projecting emotions effectively, and maintaining focus on their scene partner.

Evaluation for 3.1a
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and/or paired (scaffolded) lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency on content and skills in the course TEKS.

The Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, provides educators with targeted differentiation strategies for each chapter and workshop and includes suggestions for struggling, emergent bilingual, and advanced students. For example, the guidance for chapter 3 suggests that educators break the activity into a checklist of steps to support struggling learners. Educators can also preteach signals to students to help manage performances.

In the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource, the materials outline steps educators can take to adapt instruction while maintaining high expectations for students. Some of this guidance includes offering simplified versions of complex scripts, highlighting and preteaching key vocabulary, chunking complex scenes, and building in extra rehearsal time to provide students with supports for mastery. The resource recommends “echo acting” as a supportive format, in which students mirror actions and repeat phrases.

Evaluation for 3.1b
Materials include pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text (e.g., figurative language, idioms, academic and discipline-specific language).

The materials offer the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource with guidance for educators in teaching discipline-specific vocabulary. This resource provides tips for educators to introduce vocabulary for chapters, including displaying the word while practicing correct pronunciation, using a word wall as an instructional tool, and encouraging students to keep a personal dictionary in written or digital format. The Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource also suggests using vocabulary flashcards and activities such as “Draw, Act, Define, Read” to both introduce and review vocabulary.

Each chapter in the Student Edition outlines keywords and questions for students to consider. For example, the vocabulary for chapter 21 includes terms such as cast, blocking, and downstage. As students encounter these terms in the text, they notice that they are bolded and defined in context. Select vocabulary words are also accompanied by graphics and illustrations to reinforce student learning.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in content and skills in the course TEKS.

The Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, provides educators with targeted differentiation strategies for each chapter and workshop and includes suggestions for struggling, emergent bilingual, and advanced students. This resource provides extension activities for students who are ready for a deeper challenge. The chapter 12 suggestions for advanced learners include writing a detailed character study of a character based solely on action and researching methods for character physicality.

The Teacher Resource includes additional recommendations for extension activities in the “Challenge” section at the end of each chapter’s “Teaching Suggestions.” One such challenge in chapter 8 requires students to complete a scene in a specific musical genre, such as opera, rock, country, or jazz.

Evaluation for 3.1d
Materials include teacher guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

The Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, provides educators with targeted differentiation strategies for each chapter and workshop and includes suggestions for students requiring specially designed instruction. The materials provide recommendations for adapting and modifying activities and assignments to support students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 plans. The suggestions for chapter 24 include providing clear, visual job descriptions for crew positions with step-by-step checklists for student reference and creating quiet, organized backstage spaces for students who need sensory breaks.

Each chapter in the “Teaching Suggestions” section of the Teacher Resource includes a “Differentiation” section with subheadings, including “Strategic Support.” Additional recommendations in this section provide educators with multiple opportunities for differentiation. The “Strategic Support” recommendation for chapter 18 suggests placing students in multilevel pairs, with advanced students modeling the activity for their peers.

Evaluation for 3.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the teacher in modeling and explaining the concept(s) to be learned.

In the Teacher Resource, the “Teaching Suggestions” for each chapter provide educators with explicit prompts to support student engagement and mastery of the content. The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 5 include educator prompts such as “ask students to think about a special memory” and instructions to clarify details to keep students focused. Suggestions for select lessons provide specific questions and sentence stems to support the introduction or completion of activities. In chapter 11, the “Teaching Suggestions” include questions such as “What personal experience did the actor likely draw on to establish an objective?” to introduce the activity.

In addition to explicit prompting, the “Teaching Suggestions” provide educators with guidance on explaining the content in each lesson. The suggestions for chapter 32 include an ordered list for educators to complete the warm-up activity. The materials offer five steps for educators to follow: introducing the material, selecting and breaking it down into manageable pieces, creating a pattern, practicing with patterns, and reflecting on student connections.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Materials include teacher guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

The materials include educator guidance and recommendations for a variety of lesson delivery approaches. For example, the “Teaching Suggestions” in the Teacher Resource for chapter 33 include graphic organizers, small-group activities, and whole-class instruction. The inclusion of movement-based and written activities addresses students’ diverse learning needs.

The Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, provides educators with guidance for multiple instructional strategies for lesson delivery. In the suggestions for chapter 10, this resource recommends providing a simplified floor plan to students and presenting the information visually. Another strategy the resource provides for teaching students about stage directions is to move them through the floor plan, introducing movement as a strategy for lesson delivery. The materials also suggest watching professional productions and analyzing their use of stage directions through video clips.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials support multiple types of practice (e.g., guided, independent, collaborative) and include guidance for teachers and recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

The materials provide multiple ways for students to practice, including written and performance-based activities and assessments. In the Student Edition, the materials present movement-based exercises and written reflections in select lessons. For example, in chapter 14, students physically improvise a brief scene with an acting partner using only their legs and feet. After the improvisation is complete, students evaluate and reflect on the activity with their partner by completing a written performance rubric.

The “Teaching Suggestions” in the Teacher Resource provide educators with a variety of structures for activities and practice. The suggestions for chapter 2 require students to respond to questions on a handout individually, then compare their responses with classmates, building on the concept of collaboration. In chapter 13, students work in multileveled pairs to complete the door-knocking activity, assigning roles for action and response to utilize each student’s strengths.

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include teacher guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic and discipline-specific language.

The Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, provides educators with guidance for accommodations for emergent bilingual students. This resource includes specific, targeted suggestions for linguistic support for each chapter. One recommendation for chapter 17 for emergent bilingual students is to teach the lesson vocabulary (in this case, discomfort words like itchy, sore, and numb) with pictures and demonstrations, and to encourage students to practice describing the sensations. The materials also suggest that educators provide sentence stems and storytelling frames to assist students in written and verbal expression, such as “I was ____ when suddenly ____” and “I tried to ____ but my ____ was ____.”

The Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource defines multiple language acquisition levels and provides descriptors to help educators identify the hallmarks of each level. For example, beginning students can read simple sentences and can understand the meaning of a few high-frequency English words. Intermediate students can read and comprehend text when provided with background information and can understand everyday oral language. The materials note that focusing on content and language objectives, explicitly teaching content vocabulary, using cooperative learning, and using graphic organizers and visual representations are all strategies that educators can adapt for all language acquisition levels in the text. Educators communicate and display the objectives, limit the number of new vocabulary words, provide visuals for each, use the provided reproducible graphic organizers, and create effective groups.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support teachers in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

The materials include implementation guidance for educators to support their emergent bilingual students. The Teacher Resource includes a subsection in the “Suggestions for Differentiated Instruction” that specifically addresses support for the ELPS. This section notes that each unit supports the Texas ELPS by including authentic tasks that require students to listen, speak, read, and write. The “Teaching Suggestions” in the Teacher Resource reinforce this statement. In the “Teaching Suggestions” section of the Teacher Resource for chapter 2, students listen to other students describe items and speak by describing the items themselves. Students read the key questions and rubrics in the activity, write evaluations of other students, and reflect on their own feedback.

The materials refer educators to the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource for detailed, specific suggestions for teaching vocabulary, adapting assessments, and using graphic organizers. The vocabulary recommendations in this resource offer educators several avenues, such as having students look up words in their primary language and identify any cognates, providing students with visual supports like videos, photographs, or pantomime for words, and displaying vocabulary words while speaking with correct pronunciation. The suggestions the materials offer for adapting assessments are providing leveled study guides, administering assessments in small groups, and allowing students to dictate their answers. The Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource also offers multiple reproducible graphic organizers for student use, including the Frayer Model, a word web, main idea and supporting goals, a story map, and a compare-and-contrast Venn diagram.

Evaluation for 3.3c
Materials include embedded guidance for teachers to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic and discipline-specific vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

The materials provide opportunities for students to develop vocabulary, increase comprehension, build background knowledge, and make cross-linguistic connections orally. The recommendations in the Differentiation Library, accessible via a link in the Teacher Resource, offer students opportunities to communicate verbally with educators and peers using academic language. For instance, the suggestions for emergent bilingual students in chapter 3 recommend that educators teach the daily active vocabulary words, such as brush teeth and tie shoes, using picture sequences, while students describe the order of the actions. Suggestions in the Differentiation Library also encourage student comprehension by providing description frames to verbalize actions, such as “First, they ____” and “Finally, they ____.” The recommendations in this resource also build background for students by suggesting that educators explain concepts with scenario examples for students to practice aloud with different objectives, as in chapter 18. The Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource offers opportunities for students to make cross-linguistic connections orally. While teaching vocabulary, students look up vocabulary words in their primary language and identify similar pronunciations to their English counterparts.

The materials also offer opportunities for students to develop vocabulary, increase comprehension, build background knowledge, and make cross-linguistic connections in written form. The Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource suggests that when teaching vocabulary, educators encourage students to keep a personal dictionary of academic words they learn throughout the course. This resource also suggests the use of reflection journals to help students develop comprehension and metacognitive awareness, noting that emergent bilingual students can write in their primary language before progressing to written expression in English. To build background knowledge, the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource recommends using graphic organizers. The Frayer Model provides students with the opportunity to write definitions of vocabulary and concepts in their own words and to indicate characteristics, examples, and nonexamples in written form. The Teacher Resource provides support for emergent bilingual students to make cross-linguistic connections by offering opportunities to use their primary language in select performances and to compare similarities between those performances and English performances verbally. The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 25 encourage students to perform a play in English and another language, noting similarities and differences.

Evaluation for 3.3d
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction in discipline-specific artistic literacy in alignment with the course TEKS.

The “Middle School Theatre I, II, and III Lesson by Lesson TEKS Correlation,” available within the Teacher Resource, provides educators with guidance for planning and delivering TEKS-aligned instruction. For example, the materials indicate that the TEKS addressed in chapter 22 are 1F, 2A–C, 2E, 3C, and 5B, with corresponding page numbers for each. The “Implementation Guide for Leaders and Teachers” in the Teacher Resource also maps course TEKS for each part, identifying priority standards for educator focus. In part I, “Production,” the TEKS are 3A, 3B, and 3C, and the materials note that educators should prioritize 3A, which addresses collaborative creation with simple props, costumes, and visuals.

Lesson plans, available for download in the Teacher Resource, provide educators with guidance on implementing TEKS-aligned instruction and connecting new learning to previously taught concepts. This resource includes course-level TEKS correlations and instructional guidance that helps educators build artistic skills through engagement, creation, and communication in theatre. For example, the lesson plan for chapter 15 addresses TEKS 1B, 2B, 2C, and 5B, and its objectives include using hand movements to create authentic character traits. In addition, the Teacher Resource includes diagnostic assessments that identify the TEKS addressed in the lesson, and the remediation activities provide educators with targeted strategies and support for students who require additional instruction or practice. The “Middle School Theatre I” diagnostic for “Part I: Creative Drama Processes” outlines performance tasks with scoring rubrics and a written portion consisting of short-answer questions. Each of these tasks has assigned TEKS correlations and clear scoring guides, with associated activities based on the assessment outcome.

Evaluation for 4.1b
Materials explicitly connect new discipline-specific artistic literacy to prior learning across lessons and units within the course and across courses as applicable.

The “Drama Across the Curriculum” section of the Teacher Resource provides guidance for connecting new learning to concepts and skills from other content areas. This resource includes “Specific Curriculum Area Connections” that help educators make meaningful connections between theatre and disciplines such as mathematics, science, and social studies. Additionally, the Student Edition includes opportunities for students to apply previously learned skills to new theatrical concepts. For example, in chapter 10, “Connecting the Dots,” students draw upon their prior improvisation skills as they learn stage layout and floor plans. The materials guide students in applying their understanding of movement and environment to new scenarios, helping them build upon existing knowledge while developing more advanced theatre skills.

The “Map Concept Flow Across Lessons” in the Teacher Resource provides guidance for how each lesson builds on prior knowledge. This resource includes a “Builds On” column that identifies what students have already learned and how it connects to new instruction, helping educators understand learning progression across the unit. In the Student Edition, workshop sections also support this progression by prompting students to connect prior and new learning. For example, in the workshop for part I, students reflect on how their improvisation skills grow over time and apply previous learning to new performance tasks, including the “Final Curtain” activity, in which students create, perform, respond, and connect learning from earlier parts of the unit.

Evaluation for 4.1c
Materials consistently provide opportunities for students to develop and use discipline-specific artistic literacy vocabulary.

The Student Edition provides students with rubrics for evaluating themselves and their peers on performance tasks. In chapter 23, the rubric guides students to use theatre terms related to character choices like using gestures and “movement to reflect character” and “picked up cues” when analyzing and assessing performances, requiring consistent use of discipline-specific vocabulary during peer and self-evaluation activities.

The materials include “Activity Sheets” in the Teacher Resource for each part that provide students with opportunities to develop vocabulary for theatre terms in multiple contexts. These vocabulary supports are used in activities across chapters, where students apply discipline-specific vocabulary independently, in peer evaluations, and when describing creative choices. For example, the “Activity Sheet” for chapter 7 encourages students to deliver a sales pitch for a fictional product and evaluate their peers’ pitches. The included rubric encourages students to use vocabulary such as expressive voice and spontaneous physical movement while describing performances. These repeated opportunities for students to actively use vocabulary in performance and reflection tasks support consistent development and application of theatre literacy.

Evaluation for 4.1d
Materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of discipline-specific artistic literacy in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include “Diagnostic Tests” and corresponding “Remediation Activities” in part I of the Teacher Resource. In the “Remediation Activities” section of the diagnostic test for part I, students engage in tasks that support both vocabulary development and conceptual understanding through multiple formats, including multiple-choice responses and performance-based demonstrations, such as drawing sketches and providing verbal descriptions. These activities allow students to demonstrate their understanding of theatre concepts in a variety of ways while reinforcing alignment with course-level TEKS expectations.

In chapter 4 of the Teacher Resource, this sensory recall lesson includes activities that require students to demonstrate understanding of discipline-specific artistic literacy aligned to the TEKS. In this lesson, students complete multiple activities and an assessment that require them to analyze and respond to performance experiences using theatre-specific concepts such as concentration, focus, and memory. The materials also provide sentence stems and instructional supports to guide student responses, ensuring they can accurately apply artistic vocabulary and demonstrate understanding through both written and performance-based tasks.

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction in discipline-specific artistic skills at developmentally appropriate levels and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials provide tables in the Teacher Resource called “Implementation Guidance for Leaders and Teachers” that include TEKS, concept flow across lessons, spiraling skills, and student readiness for parts I through III. These materials provide educators with explicit guidance for direct instruction by outlining what students should be able to do at each stage of learning and how instruction should shift among educator-guided, collaborative, and independent work. For “Part II: The Play’s the Thing,” the materials list all TEKS addressed in the part and further highlight essential TEKS as “4A (theatre as a reflection of life), 5A (audience etiquette), and 5B (simple responses).” The concept flow for part II provides the core concepts for each chapter, the concepts each chapter builds upon, and the future lessons the current lesson prepares for. Each chapter of the Teacher Resource also includes detailed “Teaching Suggestions” for warm-ups, activities, differentiation, and key questions, supporting educators in delivering instruction aligned to the TEKS and appropriate for varying student developmental levels. The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 12 include detailed educator guidance, such as reminding students that “developing strong, believable characters means avoiding stereotypes” and encouraging students to “stand back, recognize the artistic choices they made, and articulate them.”

Lesson plans, accessible for download in the Teacher Resource, include explicit guidance for direct instruction aligned with the TEKS. Each lesson outlines instructional objectives and educator directions for delivering theatre content at developmentally appropriate levels. The lesson plans guide educators on how to preteach vocabulary and direct them to additional supports in the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource and Differentiation Library in the Teacher Resource. The guidance provided in the lesson plan for chapter 3 includes objectives like “Differentiate between seeing and observing to develop skills in detail recognition and memory.” The materials refer educators to the Texas Emergent Bilingual Resource for reproducibles to support vocabulary acquisition and to the Teacher Resource for activity suggestions and assessment support. The materials also include guidance for assessing student understanding and tracking progress using the Progress Monitor, accessible for download in the Teacher Resource, ensuring that instruction is aligned with TEKS and supports student learning throughout the course.

Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials explicitly connect new discipline-specific artistic skills to prior learning across lessons and units within the course and across courses as applicable.

In the Student Edition, each part includes a workshop that requires students to connect their learning across lessons. For example, the part II workshop revisits an activity from a lesson within the part, in this case, chapter 21, and provides students with a different context. This workshop also requires students to develop scenes from previous lessons and further develop parts by adding sound effects to enhance the performance. The “Implementation Guidance for Teachers and Leaders” in the Teacher Resource provides a “Map Concept Flow Across Lessons” that presents the core concept for each lesson, the previous concepts it builds upon, and the future concepts it prepares for. For example, the materials list chapter 23 core concepts as “blocking, taking direction, and ensemble responsibility.” The concept flow indicates that these core concepts build upon “chapter 21 vocabulary and chapter 22 audition experience” and prepare students for “Performance!” and “Workshop” scenes.

The Student Edition also includes a “Final Curtain” activity for parts II and III that connects concepts across previous lessons and provides students with opportunities to utilize multiple artistic skills. The “Final Curtain” activity for part II is to collaboratively develop original productions, including deciding on a theme, a genre, a script, the inclusion of props and sound effects, rehearsal, and performance. Students evaluate and reflect on their own and their peers’ performances, and the materials encourage them to identify how their own experiences and identities shape the creative process.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop discipline-specific artistic skills through performing, exhibiting, or presenting artistic works at developmentally appropriate levels and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include a workshop at the end of each part of the Student Edition and the Teacher Resource that provides opportunities for students to develop discipline-specific artistic skills through structured performance activities. In this section, students engage in “Additional Activities” that require them to rehearse and demonstrate performance techniques aligned to the TEKS, applying skills learned earlier in the unit in a developmentally appropriate performance context. The workshop for part I recalls an activity from a previous chapter and creates new context and parameters to develop artistic skills. Students also complete character development exercises and critique other performances while analyzing artistic choices.

The “Final Curtain” section in both the Student Edition and Teacher Resource provides opportunities for students to present an artistic work through a culminating performance. In this section, students apply discipline-specific artistic skills by performing scripted work for an intended audience, demonstrating mastery of skills developed throughout the unit, aligned with the TEKS, at developmentally appropriate levels. Students are encouraged to set goals for each cast member, rehearse with possible complications in mind, document the experience in a weekly progress log, and track notes, feedback, and changes. After the culminating performance, students record reflections on elements that were positive and on those they can improve. In their final reflection, students identify their skills and connect them to other subjects and their daily lives.

Evaluation for 4.2d
Materials provide opportunities for students to refine discipline-specific artistic skills through activities and tasks that progressively increase in rigor and complexity over lessons and units within the course.

Located in the part I workshop of the Student Edition, the materials provide opportunities for students to refine discipline-specific artistic skills through activities such as “Build Your Case,” “Common Ground,” “Who I Am,” and “Recording Response.” These tasks require students to revisit skills introduced in earlier chapters and to increase the complexity of their performance work by applying those skills in new, more challenging scenarios. For example, in the “Common Ground” activity in the part I workshop, students build on prior improvisation experiences by progressing from simple performance tasks to more complex role-play situations, demonstrating increasing rigor across lessons within the unit.

Located in the “Lesson Internalization Protocol” in the Teacher Resource, the materials provide opportunities for students to refine discipline-specific artistic skills through structured scaffolding that increases rigor over time. In the “Connect Backwards and Forwards” section, the materials guide educators to lead students through repeated practice of theatre skills across lessons, gradually increasing complexity as students revisit and extend prior learning. Prompts such as “What prior lesson does this build on and how will I remind students of that?” and “Where will students use this again in this part or the next?” support students in refining their performance abilities through ongoing practice and application within increasingly complex course tasks aligned to the TEKS.

Evaluation for 4.2e
Materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate mastery of discipline-specific artistic skills through performing, exhibiting, or presenting artistic works at developmentally appropriate levels and in alignment with the course TEKS.

Located in the Teacher Resource in the “Diagnostic Tests” section, the materials include performance tasks that require students to demonstrate mastery of discipline-specific artistic skills aligned to the TEKS. In part II, “The Play’s the Thing,” students respond to a performance prompt and are assessed using a rubric that measures skills such as character relationships, story structure, and voice and body safety. This task requires students to demonstrate mastery through applied performance and educator-evaluated criteria aligned to the middle school theatre TEKS.

In chapter 3 of the Student Edition, the materials include an activity that requires students to demonstrate mastery of discipline-specific artistic skills aligned to the TEKS through applied performance. In this task, students engage in spatial recognition exercises connected to movement by applying skills like navigating stage space intentionally: for example, choosing to open a door instead of walking through it. This activity requires students to demonstrate understanding of performance concepts through enacted theatrical choices at a developmentally appropriate level.

Evaluation for 4.3a
Materials provide opportunities for students to explore a variety of discipline-specific art forms (e.g., variety of media, variety of performance genres and styles).

The materials include opportunities for students to explore a variety of discipline-specific art forms in the Student Edition through the introduction of “Reader’s Theater” in chapter 28. In this chapter, students engage with “Reader’s Theater” scripts and activities that require them to identify, describe, and apply the distinguishing traits of this performance genre. Students also extend their exploration of different styles in “Workshop” sections at the end of each part and in the “Final Curtain,” where they apply genre-specific characteristics and historical context from previously studied scenes, supporting their understanding of multiple theatrical forms.

The materials include opportunities for students to explore a variety of discipline-specific art forms in chapter 29 of the Student Edition titled “The World of Theater.” In this chapter, students engage in the “Time Machine” activity, in which they compare and contrast different theatrical productions, including Shakespearean and other global theater traditions. Students also analyze images and examples from the origins of Greek theater, Noh theater, African masks, and acting for film, allowing them to experience and compare multiple performance styles and cultural forms within a single lesson.

Evaluation for 4.3b
Materials provide opportunities for students to create, adapt, or extend discipline-specific artistic works for performance, exhibition, or presentation (in line with appropriate fair use and copyright).

The materials include opportunities for students to create, adapt, and extend discipline-specific artistic works in chapter 26 of the Student Edition. In this section, the materials guide students to adapt fairy tales or other children’s literature into performance-based “Readers Theatre” scripts for presentation. This activity requires students to transform existing texts into original dramatic works for performance while following appropriate copyright and fair use considerations, including guidance on using public-domain materials.

The materials include opportunities for students to create, adapt, and extend discipline-specific artistic works in part II workshop of the Student Edition through the “Period Piece” activity. In this task, students adapt a provided script by placing it in a new genre or time period and then perform the revised work for an audience. Students apply their prior knowledge of plot structure and conflict while transforming the original material into a new performance, with educator guidance that supports the use of copyright-free or public-domain texts in alignment with fair use.

Evaluation for 4.3c
Materials include guidance for teachers on promoting student agency in making or selecting discipline-specific artistic works for study, performance, exhibition, or presentation.

The materials include guidance for educators in “Part II: Workshop” within the Teacher Resource, specifically the “Staged Reading Activity,” which provides guiding questions to facilitate student discussion and collaboration in selecting and developing performance work. In this activity, educators support students in making decisions about how to interpret and present a selected piece while maintaining student voice and choice in the creative process. This structure promotes student agency by allowing students to help determine how the work is studied and performed.

The materials include guidance for educators in the Teacher Resource, specifically in the “Implementation Protocol,” which supports student agency by helping educators facilitate student choice in selecting and evaluating discipline-specific artistic works. In this protocol, the materials guide educators in using structured questions and collaborative activities that allow students to determine criteria, make observations, and create responses, such as writing a review of a one-act play. This guidance supports educators in promoting student ownership of learning while maintaining alignment with the TEKS.

Evaluation for 5.1a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction in interpreting, evaluating, and responding to discipline-specific artistic works of other artists at the level of depth and complexity required by the course TEKS.

The “Critic’s Corner” activity in chapter 30 of the Teacher Resource provides educators with explicit instruction in interpreting, evaluating, and responding to artistic works. In this activity, educators guide students to write a review of a performance they have viewed and use structured questions to analyze an actor’s or director’s artistic choices. The materials also provide sample responses and prompts to support educator modeling of interpretation and evaluation at the depth and complexity required by the TEKS.

The materials include guidance for educators in chapter 29 of the Teacher Resource to provide explicit instruction in interpreting, evaluating, and responding to artistic works through film and television analysis. In this section, educators guide students in examining how camera angles and production choices influence meaning and audience understanding. Students then apply this guidance by evaluating and responding to selected scenes, explaining how specific technical and artistic decisions shape the interpretation of the work in alignment with TEKS expectations.

Evaluation for 5.1b
Materials emphasize the use of discipline-specific vocabulary in interpreting, evaluating, and responding to artistic works.

The materials include “Respond, Evaluate, and Reflect” sections in the Student Edition, including chapter 21, where students use discipline-specific theatre vocabulary to interpret, evaluate, and respond to artistic works. In these activities, students complete peer evaluations of performances such as the “Open Scene,” using rubrics that require correct use of theatre terms. The Teacher Resource also includes handouts that guide students in describing blocking using theatre vocabulary, supporting the use of discipline-specific language in analysis and evaluation.

In the “Curtain Riser” activity for part I in the Student Edition, the materials emphasize the use of discipline-specific vocabulary as students interpret, evaluate, and respond to artistic works. In this introductory activity, students are guided to observe performances, use a rubric with theatre terms to evaluate what they see, and respond using sentence stems for written and oral reflection. Students then apply these skills independently by evaluating and responding to peer performances, reinforcing consistent use of theatre vocabulary in interpretation, evaluation, and response tasks.

Evaluation for 5.1c
Materials provide opportunities for students to practice interpreting, evaluating, and responding to discipline-specific artistic works of other artists through activities and tasks that progressively increase in rigor and complexity over lessons and units within the course.

The materials include “Respond” sections in each chapter of the Student Edition, including chapter 25, where students interpret, evaluate, and respond to peer performances using structured questions and rubrics. In this activity, students evaluate technical elements, analyze cultural context, and respond to how audience perception is affected. Students then extend their thinking in a compare-and-contrast essay that requires them to analyze the differences between “Readers Theatre” and “Formal Theatre,” demonstrating increased rigor and complexity over time.

The materials include activity sheets in the Student Edition where students interpret, evaluate, and respond to artistic works through a “Readers Theatre” activity. In this task, students compare “Readers Theatre” with previously studied forms, such as improvisation and formal theatre, and then use discipline-specific vocabulary to explain similarities and differences. Students progress from recalling prior learning to more complex evaluation of how each theatre form functions, demonstrating increased rigor across lessons and units.

Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction in giving and receiving feedback on discipline-specific artistic works to self and other students.

The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 1 in the Teacher Resource provide guidance on giving and receiving feedback. The materials address the “Evaluate and Reflect” sections included for each activity, which outline suggestions to support students by emphasizing evidence, connecting theatre evaluation to arguments in language arts classes, and collaborating with peers to develop evaluation criteria. Educators and students have access to reproducible evaluation forms and rubrics to build students’ capacity to give and receive feedback.

The “Teaching Suggestions” for the “Curtain Raiser” activity in part I of the Teacher Resource include an “Evaluation and Response Reproducible” that outlines evaluation and response protocols. The materials encourage students to make quick notes during performances, noting what they see, hear, how words are spoken, and how people move, followed by turning their notes into clear sentences. Students use sentence stems to verbalize their observations in classroom discussions and apply these skills to their own performances.

Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to give feedback on discipline-specific artistic works created by other students.

In chapter 30 of the Teacher Resource, the materials provide opportunities for students to give feedback on discipline-specific artistic works created by other students by directing educators to assign peer evaluation partners and to use a peer evaluation form. Students evaluate their classmates using criteria such as character, collaboration, voice, believability, stage presence, audience engagement, and use of heightened language. The materials include the STAGE rating system, which stands for “Solid Try,” “Average,” “Good,” and “Excellent,” with a comments section for written feedback. The Teacher Resource also includes chapter-specific rubrics that align with the skills and content of each activity, providing structured opportunities for students to evaluate and respond to their peers’ artistic work.

The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 2 in the Teacher Resource include a peer evaluation rubric for the “Time Machine” project that provides opportunities for students to give feedback on discipline-specific artistic works created by other students. In this activity, student groups act out the mechanics of a time machine, and their classmates use the rubric to evaluate the performance. The rubric provides structured criteria for students to assess their peers’ artistic work and record feedback.

Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on their discipline-specific artistic works from teachers and other students.

The “Curtain Raiser” activity in part I of the Student Edition prepares students for educator “side coaching” throughout their performance, providing feedback and guidance, and setting the tone for the class’s collaborative culture. The materials explain the spontaneous nature of side coaching and its intention to support students in developing and communicating their skills. Each chapter in the Student Edition also includes an “Evaluate and Reflect” section, where students develop and refine their critical evaluation skills, both giving and receiving feedback. In chapter 15, the “Evaluate and Reflect” section includes a rubric for students to complete in pairs for the “Got to Hand It to You” activity. Students share feedback with their partners and reflect on their performances.

The Teacher Resource includes educator evaluation forms in each part’s reproducible section to provide students with feedback on scene work. For example, the evaluation form for chapter 22 outlines the criteria for evaluating the student’s performance using the STAGE rating system, along with a dedicated section for written comments.

Evaluation for 5.2d
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide feedback to students to refine their discipline-specific artistic works.

The Teacher Resource provides guidance for educators to provide feedback that supports students in refining their discipline-specific artistic works in the “General Suggestions for the Drama Teacher” section. The materials instruct educators to “guide, but do not dictate,” “give your students the freedom to be self-expressive,” and “strive for group endeavor and cohesiveness.” This section also includes suggestions for using key questions as formative assessments that help educators provide constructive feedback without discouraging student learning.

The Teacher Resource also provides rubrics for each chapter, enabling educators to give feedback that helps students refine their work. The rubric in chapter 24 provides concrete skills for educators to evaluate and a comment section to clarify strengths and areas for growth, including covering technical elements, showing practicality and imagination, and using technical elements to develop setting and mood. Students use the evaluations to reflect on how to use the given feedback to refine their work.

Evaluation for 5.2e
Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in self-reflection or self-evaluation to refine their discipline-specific artistic works.

The “Final Curtain” activity in part II of the Student Edition provides opportunities for students to engage in self-reflection and self-evaluation. Students reflect on their own rehearsals from an audience member’s perspective, apply evaluation criteria from previous chapters, and develop a personal evaluation tool to assess and improve their performance. The materials also direct students to compare their personal evaluation form with those of their classmates before using it to evaluate their own presentations.

The materials include a self-evaluation rubric in chapter 34 of the Student Edition that provides opportunities for students to refine their discipline-specific artistic works. Students evaluate their own technical theatre designs by reviewing design requirements, checking mathematical accuracy, and reflecting on how feedback was incorporated into the design. The materials also direct students to assess how their work impacted the audience and use that reflection to improve their final presentation.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on cross-curricular connections within and across the fine arts disciplines and between fine arts and core academic subjects (e.g., literacy, math, social studies, science) as applicable.

The “Curtain Raiser” activity in part III of the Teacher Resource includes guidance for educators to provide explicit instruction on cross-curricular connections within the fine arts and across core academic subjects. The materials ask students to “find elements and ideas shared by different art forms and academic subjects” and explain how artists draw from historical experiences. The Teacher Resource also provides specific lessons that highlight cross-curricular connections in the text in the “Drama Across the Curriculum” section. The materials outline connections between specific lessons and other content areas, noting language arts, math, social studies, and science topics, as well as the lessons where educators can find them.

The guidance for the part III workshop in the Teacher Resource includes additional activities to help educators connect theatre to other fine arts disciplines and core academic subjects. In the “Art in Economy” activity, students research how the arts impact their community and write about their findings, connecting theatre with literacy and social studies. In the part II workshop, the “Period Piece” activity suggests that educators guide students in selecting a historical time period that they are already studying in their history or social studies class. The guidance for the “Soundscape” activity guides the educator to use AV editing techniques (“layering”) to maximize the potential of their performance, incorporating skills from audio/visual and CTE courses.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials provide opportunities for students to explore cross-curricular connections within and across the various fine art disciplines and between fine arts and core academic subjects (e.g., literacy, math, social studies, science) as applicable.

The materials provide opportunities for students to explore cross-curricular connections in the “Curtain Raiser” activity in part III of the Student Edition. In the “Key Words and Questions” section, the materials ask students to “find elements and ideas shared by different art forms and academic subjects.” The text explains how artists draw from historical experiences and how theatre connects to mathematics, science, literacy, and other academic subjects. In the “Effortful Learning” section, students practice counting steps, timing, and blocking scenes while applying problem-solving and mental math skills.

Chapter 32 in the Student Edition includes a section titled “Effortful Learning” that specifically explores connections between theatre and mathematics. The materials draw parallels in problem-solving skills, teamwork, practice, and investigation to identify math skills that can support theatre and vice versa. This section lists blocking scenes, timing entrances, and using mental math with counts and patterns as examples of skills that are transferable between theatre and mathematics.

Evaluation for 6.2a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on relevant discipline-specific historical and cultural context in alignment with the course TEKS.

The “Teaching Suggestions” for chapter 24 in the Teacher Resource provide guidance for educators to deliver explicit instruction on historical and cultural context. The materials suggest that students investigate “the time period and place of the scene to understand the importance better,” “imagine the characters’ given circumstances,” and “explore the many perspectives” through script analysis to create engaging, culturally relevant performances.

In the Teacher Resource, the “Unit Rationale” for part III provides guidance for educators to deliver explicit instruction on discipline-specific historical and cultural context. The materials explain that “The World of Theatre” expands learning beyond performance by exploring how theatre functions as “an artform, industry, and community practice.” The “Context and Pathways” section further identifies “Performers and Audience,” “The Value of Theatre,” and “Theatre Resources” as opportunities for students to examine theatre’s role in history, culture, and careers.

Evaluation for 6.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to explore a variety of discipline-specific artistic works and traditions (e.g., variety of historical and contemporary artistic works, artistic traditions from diverse cultures).

In chapter 27 of the Student Edition, the “Oral Interpretation” activity provides opportunities for students to explore discipline-specific artistic works and traditions. Students perform an oral interpretation of a poem and use prose and poetry selections from literature to develop the skills and techniques associated with the theatrical tradition of oral interpretation. The variety of literary works exposes students to different styles of performance and interpretation.

The “Time Machine” activity in chapter 29 of the Student Edition provides opportunities for students to explore a variety of discipline-specific artistic works and traditions by studying different versions of Romeo and Juliet. Students research story elements and compare how the visual design and performance style differ between productions. The materials then challenge students to compare Shakespeare’s original intention for the play with more modern interpretations of the performance, allowing them to explore traditions from other cultures as they relate to the style of performance.

Evaluation for 6.2c
Materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of relevant discipline-specific historical and cultural context in alignment with the course TEKS.

In the part III workshop of the Student Edition, activities require students to demonstrate their understanding of discipline-specific historical and cultural contexts. In this workshop, students watch videos about the use of masks in theatre from different cultures and compare and contrast how masks are used across traditions. Students then describe how masks could be used in their own culture, demonstrating an understanding of how cultural influences shape theatrical practices.

In chapter 24 of the Student Edition, students analyze a script, investigate its historical and cultural significance, and plan a production meeting to determine which technical elements best support the story, thereby demonstrating their understanding of historical and cultural context. The materials direct students to make design choices appropriate to the play’s historical period and cultural setting.