Clowning Unit – Grade 8

By Christina May
2011
The lessons are not affiliated with any mentioned resources or publishers. They were designed
for educational purposes.

Grade 8 Clowning Weekly Breakdown

Term 1 Unit 1: 9 Weeks

Week One: Clowning Introduction

 Discuss the interrelationship between Pantomime and Clowning: The Art of Silence

Students will take the following notes in their exercise book

 Brainstorm what appears in your mind when you think of clowns?

 Discuss tableau and mime
 Demonstrate a clear scenario through gestures, facial expressions, and movement.
 What is the purpose of clowning?
 Where did clowns originate from?
 Watch take notes and Discuss Cirque De Soleil: La Nouba and Charlie Chaplin Slapstick Too.
Take notes on typical scenarios, facial expressions, movement, and use of space
 Sticky chair – groups of four

Homework: Students will write down a talent or skill they have, which they could possibly
draw into their scenario – find an action and perform it in a foolish way.

Resources:

Cirque De Soleil: La Nouba (DVD)

or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsCMeIy48n4
Slapstick Too (DVD)
or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpjEyBKSfJQ
Clowning History Handout (Must be self-generated based on teacher focus/needs)
derrived from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clown#History_of_clowns
Also see http://4h.wsu.edu/em2778cd/pdf/em4882.pdf
for an excellent resource.
Week Two: Clown Types and Practical Exploration of Clowning

 Distribute Clown Type Handout and discuss different clown characters

All Movements are Bigger than life: Have students walk in the room with “Baby Elephant Walk”
playing in the background and have them move to the music, using the following prompts: Doors
(Hold Nose and Exaggerate) Pain (Stagger, Place hand on sore area, open mouth widely) Run (in the
same spot without getting anywhere) Pleasure (Clap, click heels, jump in the air) Food (Gobble it
down) Fear (Cower, cover head, hide behind someone, shake and tremble) Anticipation (Gnaw
Fingernails, clench and open hands, lean forward in suspicion) Rage (Jump up and down, hold up
fists, strike head and chest) Pride (Puff out chest, put thumbs on imaginary suspenders)

Pass the Face: The group stands in a circle. One person begins, make a "face" to the person # 2 on the right. #
2 must mirror the face back. Then person #2 makes a new face to the person on the right, and # 3 mirrors it
back ... and so on, until it reaches all around the circle to the first person. This can also be done in 2 teams who
race to pass the face around the circle first. The focus is on impulses and energy. Don't think, just DO! (5 min.)
Than add a funny sound to faces.

"Emotions": Stand facing a partner. Decide together on 5 different emotions to be played (for example:
anger, happiness, fear, surprise and sadness). Begin by one person showing an emotion, the partner is to feed
off their partner's energy and react in a similar fashion. At any point, transform the emotion into a new one. The
other person must follow suit. The emotion may move from happiness to surprise to anger to sadness to
surprise to fear .... etc. Do not speak during the exercise, but make noises, sounds and gestures with each
emotion.

Props: Working individually, students play around with the prop, exploring ways it may be used. They
should consider things such as impossible uses, weight (gravity), slipperiness or stickiness. Once they have
found the way to play with the object, ask them to find a partner and combine objects and ideas into a scene
which shows their interactions.

Scenario: With a partner, improvise a scene based on an idea which shows change in emotion, such as:
"Lost and Found"; "Coming and Going" or "Building and Destroying". Use a clown nose and costume piece to
transform. Each person, prior to the scene, privately chooses an emotion to play when the improvisation begins.
React to one another, allow the emotion to change as the scene progresses.

Magic Camera: In groups of four or five, students create five photos that show 5 clown scenarios.

Pyramid: Get a group of about nine students. The first student in the pyramid, starts a movement and next rows
follows the movement.

Bonus/Advanced Project: Create a clown character: name, costume, voice, personality.

Play the emotion grand, huge!

 play it out front to the audience, eyes make contact with the audience
 keep it simple - what does your clown want? Why can't they get it?
 incorporate a physical element
 think about involving the audience in some way
 don't try for laughs, just play your character straight, the audience will laugh
 know the character - then use it - play the situation
 the only thing you are allowed to exaggerate in comedy is emotion - worry becomes frenzied anxiety,
smugness becomes unbearable complacency, and distaste becomes anguished indignation.
 don't be in a rush, take your time with the scenario

Homework: Students will research an Auguste, Whiteface or Character clown makeup. Students can
draw a design of their choice on page 16 of http://4h.wsu.edu/em2778cd/pdf/em4882.pdf

Resources: Clown Type Handout & Make-Up Worksheet from The Stage and the School or use
“Clown Type Resource” and “Make-Up” addendum.
Week Three: Clowning Continuation: Movement & Stage Fighting

Warm Up: Body Positions and Comic Movement

Play some instrumental music to set the mood for comic movement. Students will be asked to walk
using the following prompts:
 Stiffen all their joints (Try to pick something up)
 Body parts are like gelatine
 Lost and suffering from short term memory loss, but you know you have somewhere to go!
 You have an inner ear infection, which has resulted in your lack of ability to balance.
 Body leads (head, feet, bottoms of feet, hands, knees, chest, pelvis, butt, nose, ears) What
character personalities begin to emerge!!
 Take on the characteristics of an animal (Peacock, Monkey, Elephant, Meerkat)
Activity: Stage Fighting Introduction

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us0t1Gw21Xk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTe9Dgdvf_g

Order - http://www.amazon.ca/Break-Leg-Guide-Acting-Stagecraft/dp/0761122087
 Read through instructions on page 42 (Break a leg) about ‘The Trip’ – in pairs work to
perfect! – show to class!
 Next, read through page 49 ‘Taking a slap in the face’ – again perfect in pairs
 Finally, page 54 ‘Falling’ – deciding which is appropriate for clowns.
 Watch an example “clowning” stage fight from “Cirque De Soleil Solstrom” Disc 1 Episode
“Howling Wind” and scene “Clowns”
 Teach students safety rules and fight moves.
 Make up a short routine, in pairs, demonstrating, the trip, the slap, the fall!

Homework: Students bring in 3 old tennis balls for next class.

Resources:
Instrumental Music (Anything fun and high energy)
Break A Leg Class Set (if possible)
http://www.amazon.ca/Break-Leg-Guide-Acting-Stagecraft/dp/0761122087
Cirque De Soleil Solstrom DVD (Disc 1 Episode “Howling Wind” and scene “Clowns”)
or use YouTube
or purchase at http://eboutique.cirquedusoleil.com/
Week Four: Juggling
 Make juggling balls
 Students will be taught how to juggle two juggling balls
 Students will be taught how to juggle three juggling balls
Materials:
 3 Old Tennis Balls per student (students bring in)
 Rice (to fill tennis balls)
 Balloons to cover tennis balls with (to make colourful juggling balls)
 Measuring cups (to measure rice for juggling balls)
 Funnels (to get rice into the tennis balls)
 Exacto knifes (to cut holes into the tennis ball)

Week Five: Balloon Animals

 Students will learn how to make a balloon dog

Activity 1: Create a scenario using the balloon animals. Students incorporate skills they have
learned so far (tension states, stage fighting, body leads, facial expressions,
physicalization, animal characteristics, mimicking, obstacles and their personal skills
and talents) to create a short scene involving their balloon animals.
Resources:
 Photocopy of balloon animal instructions for each student.
o http://www.balloon-animals.com/instructions/
 Pump (to blow up balloons)
 Balloons (long and skinny ones)

Week Six: Short Clowning Scenario

 Play the students a DVD example of a clowning scenario: Cirque Du Soleil Solstrom Disc 3
Wind from the past “Music Box.” This a short clown scenario.
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jtb0CdPmRw0
 If possible, watch video (Barnham) of slapstick
http://vimeo.com/categories/comedy/slapstick/videos

Students will create a scenario based on skills taught !!

 Discuss and make notes of possible “happenings” that students can add into your scenario.
(their skills/talents, balloon animals, juggling, body leads, tension states, facial expressions,
fight scene, mimicking, obstacles, props)
 Students will get into groups of four and will create a clowning scenario. They must create a
written plenary in which they will write down all the stage directions / choreography of their
pieces contain.
Resources:
Cirque Du Soleil Solstrom DVD Disc 3
Barnham DVD
Youtube
Week Seven: Clowning Rehearsal
 Students will rehearse for the first 30 minutes of class.
 For the purpose of improving their clowning scenarios, students will perform their scenes to
the class and receive constructive criticism from their peers.

Week Eight: Final Clowning Performance

 Final Performance of Clowning Scenario
 Completions of Self Assessment
Resources:
Teacher & Self Assessment Worksheet

Week Nine: Makeup Workshop

 Using the specific character - clown designs created in week two, students will apply makeup
to their partner. Teacher will take pictures for display.
Resources:
Snaazaroo Makeup (Various Colours)
Makeup Applicators (Cotton Buds and Sponges)
Completed Makeup Worksheets
Name: Clowning Scenario Assessment Criteria

Criteria 1 POOR 7
EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6
Clearly established and well – defined characterisation
 Energy Level
 Body Lead
 Physicality
 Emotion (facial expression)
 Maintained character throughout the performance

Stagecraft
 Set and props were appropriate
 Costuming was effective
 Demonstrated well - organised group preparation
 Clear, well developed storyline (beginning, middle, and end)

Movement, Gesture and Expression

 Movement was controlled

 Movement and gesture was effective
 Space was used creatively as well as functionally

Effective incorporation of Skills Taught

 Juggling
 Balloon Animals
 Props
 Stage Fighting
 Miming
 Personal Skill / Talent

Name: Clowning Scenario Assessment Criteria

Criteria 1 POOR 7
EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6
Clearly established and well – defined characterisation
 Energy Level
 Body Lead
 Physicality
 Emotion (facial expression)
 Maintained character throughout the performance

Stagecraft
 Set and props were appropriate
 Costuming was effective
 Demonstrated well - organised group preparation
 Clear, well developed storyline (beginning, middle, and end)

Movement, Gesture and Expression

 Movement was controlled
 Movement and gesture was effective
 Space was used creatively as well as functionally

Effective incorporation of Skills Taught

 Juggling
 Balloon Animals
 Props
 Stage Fighting
 Miming
 Personal Skill / Talent