Creativity and Improv
Ideas on the Floor
Groups select one random object from the bag and must make a 5 to 20 second video sketch illustrating a term they are given. They are given 10 minutes to create the video outside of the classroom. Bonus: tell students not to say the name of the concept in the video and make the videos be a fun quiz-like activity at the start of the next class.
Circle Improv
This activity illustrates the idea of asking for, giving, and using offers. A group of players does a scene in the middle of a circle and point to sections of the audience at different times to get a number of offers (e.g., ideas for the scene) Then, they put those together on the fly. It is an advanced version of "yes, and . . . " in which you are provided lots of options for the players to use. It models how actual creative teams should work.
Slow Improv
This uses the concept of "yes, and . . . " to build a scene slowly where each line is said slowly and beings with "yes, and . . . " This forces the students to get both parts of "yes, and . . ." which is acknowledging the other player and building something off them, not simply adding to the scene. It is done very slowly so it is very easy. Another fun thing to do is begin with bad examples of "yes, and . . . " where players are told to completely ignore each other. It is funny, an even easier way to start the experience, and also shows how easy it can be to fail to "yes, and . . . " and how much that can sting the feelings of another person in your group.