The Arts · Grade 1 · Characters and Creative Play · Term 4

Becoming Someone Else: Characterization

Using voice, costume pieces, and gestures to portray characters from stories or imagination.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• TH:Pr5.1.1a

About This Topic

Becoming Someone Else is the heart of Grade 1 Drama. In the Ontario curriculum, students use their imagination to step into the shoes of different characters, whether from a favorite story, a historical event, or their own minds. They explore how to use their voice (tone, volume, speed), body (posture, gestures), and simple costume pieces to signal to an audience who they are. This topic is about more than just 'pretending'; it is about understanding perspective and motivation.

Through character work, students develop confidence and public speaking skills. They learn to make intentional choices, like walking slowly to show they are an old turtle or using a high, squeaky voice for a nervous mouse. This exploration of 'otherness' fosters empathy and social awareness. This topic comes alive when students can interact with each other in character, responding to unexpected situations as their 'new' selves.

Key Questions

1. What does an actor do to make us believe they are really that character?
2. How would a giant talk? How would a tiny fairy talk?
3. Why did you choose to move that way for your character?

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate the use of vocal variety (pitch, volume, pace) to portray distinct character traits.
• Identify specific physical actions and gestures that communicate a character's personality and emotions.
• Create a short scene using voice, gesture, and simple props to embody a character from a familiar story.
• Analyze how different characters in a story might respond to the same situation based on their unique traits.

Before You Start

Exploring Emotions Through Movement

Why: Students need to be able to connect physical actions to feelings before they can use movement to portray a character's personality.

Using Our Voices

Why: Students should have experience experimenting with different sounds and volumes before focusing on vocal variety for characterization.

Key Vocabulary

Character	A person, animal, or imaginary creature in a story or play. We use our bodies and voices to show who they are.
Gesture	A movement of the hands, head, or body to express an idea or meaning. We use gestures to show how our character feels or what they are doing.
Posture	The way you hold your body when you are standing or sitting. A character's posture can show if they are strong, shy, or tired.
Voice	The sounds we make when we speak. We can change our voice's pitch, volume, and speed to make our character sound different.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

You need a full costume to be a character.

What to Teach Instead

Students often think they can't 'be' the character without the right clothes. Use hands-on modeling to show how a simple change in posture or a single prop (like a stick) can be more powerful than a store-bought costume.

Common Misconception

Acting is just being silly.

What to Teach Instead

Children may default to exaggerated, random movements. Peer discussion about 'character clues' helps them focus on making specific, purposeful choices that help the audience understand the story.

Active Learning Ideas

Role Play: The Magic Hat

Place a basket of different hats (a crown, a hard hat, a sun hat) in the center. A student puts one on and must walk and talk like the person who would wear it, while the class guesses the character.

25 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: Character Voices

Give pairs a simple sentence like 'Where is my lunch?' They must take turns saying it as a 'grumpy giant' and then as a 'tiny fairy,' discussing how the meaning of the sentence changes.

15 min·Pairs

Simulation Game: Character Cafe

Students are assigned a character (e.g., a baker, a firefighter, a squirrel). They move around the room and 'meet' other characters, staying in character as they ask each other one question about their day.

30 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Actors in a theatre production use voice, gesture, and costume to convince an audience they are a specific character, like portraying a king or a talking animal.
• Children's librarians often use different voices and movements when reading stories aloud to bring characters like 'The Gruffalo' or 'Curious George' to life for young listeners.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Ask students to stand and show, without speaking, how a character who is very happy would walk. Then, ask them to show how a character who is very tired would walk. Observe if students use distinct body language for each.

Discussion Prompt

After students have acted out a character, ask: 'Tell us one choice you made with your voice or body to show us who you were.' Listen for specific details about pitch, volume, pace, or movement.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a picture of a character (e.g., a brave knight, a shy mouse). Ask them to draw one gesture that character might make and write one word describing their voice (e.g., loud, soft, squeaky).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I help a child who is 'stuck' and won't act?

Use 'side-coaching.' Instead of asking them to 'act,' give them a specific physical task, like 'Can you walk like you're walking through deep mud?' Once they are moving, the character usually follows naturally.

What are the best drama games for Grade 1?

Games like 'Mirror,' 'Freeze Frame,' and 'Hot Seating' are excellent. They provide a structured way for students to experiment with character without the pressure of a full performance.

How can active learning help students understand becoming someone else?

Active learning through role-play allows students to 'test drive' different identities in a safe environment. By interacting with peers while in character, they must think on their feet and respond authentically to others. This social negotiation is where the real learning happens, as they realize that a character is defined not just by how they look, but by how they treat others and react to the world.

How can I use Canadian stories for character work?

Use characters from Canadian picture books or legends. Discussing the motivations of characters like a clever raven or a brave pioneer helps students connect their dramatic play to the diverse narratives of Canada.