Mask Project

Lesson One:

Resources: Sugar paper and marker pens.

Aims and Objectives:To introduce Mime
To create awareness of potential comic effect of mimeand how it can
communicate meaning
To examine how movement, body languageand gesturecan
communicate meaning.
To introduce the notion of anthropomorphism

1.

Class discussion - What is Mime?

2.

Warm up - Animal game.

3.

Ask for three volunteer (A,B and C). A and B leave the room. The class choose a large
and unusual object which C will mimewashing Eg. an Elephant. C must choose what to
wash it with Eg. a bucket and cloth, a hosepipe and scrubbing brush a mop etc.

4.

C acts out mime for the rest of class. Remind them that they must be clear in their actions
so that they can communicateclearly to the audience. For example if they are washing
the object with a cloth, it must be clear that they are washing something and not waving.
They must pay attention to detail, what is the shape, size and texture of what they are
washing?

5.

A is brought back into the room and must carefully watch C’s mime. A has to carefully
recreate C’s mime.

6.

B is brought back into the room and must carefully watch A’s mime and carefully recreate
A’s mime.

7.

Ask B if s/he knows what s/he is doing in the mime. Discuss the differences between the
mimes. Ask the class what the teacher could have said to A and B to make the work easier
for them.

8.

Tell the class, “If you are miming something, it is important that you are clear about
what you are doing and that you make this clear to the audience. If you do not, you
will not communicate your meaning clearly.”

9.

Teacher demonstrates a comic mime clearly communicating meaning to the audience. The
class should be able to easily identify what you are doing and the meaning created.

10.

Tell the class, “You will all be making animal masks. And using these in lessons. How
can you create meaning for your audience with your face covered and without
speaking? You will use mime to create the characterbehind the mask.

11.

Divide the class into two groups on sugar paper, brainstormas many animals as they
can think of.

12.

Teacher in role mimes an animal. Class have to guess what animal it is. Ask class,

“Howcould you tell what animal I was? Why wasn’t I on all fours? I was giving the
animal human characteristics. This is called anthropomorphism.” Can the class
think of any other examples. Eg. Walt Disney, Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry etc.

Homework

Decide on an animal that you would like to make a mask of. Bring in a picture of this animal.
Decide on one word which you think describes its main characteristic.

Mask Project

Lesson Two and Three:

Resources: A4 paper, coloured pens, paper plates, scissors and elastic.

Aims and objectives: To design and produce an animal mask.

1.

Each student holds up the picture of their chosen animal. They say why they chose this
animal and what word they have decided describes its main characteristic.

2.

Students are told that they have two lessons in which to design and produce their own
animal mask. They have to decide whether to design a fullmask or a halfmask.

3.

Full masks cannot speak.

4.

Halfmasks can speak.

5.

Refer to previous mimelesson reminding students of the scope for learning about mime
and the potential for comic results if they decide to create a fullmask.

6.

Students should keep the design simple. Teacher demonstrates sample masks on the flip
chart, one full, one half.

Sample Masks.

Students are notto cut paper plates. The masks are shaped and the eye
holes and holes for elastic are made by the teacher.

Homework:

Students come up with a word which describes the way that the character of the mask may move