Email: sarah.eggleston@schoolemail.

com Room # 202

A1: Theatre 1
Miss Eggleston
Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to teach the basics of theatre and to explore different aspects of
theatre to see what each individual likes. This course is also designed to help student
concentration and engagement with their studies. Throughout this course students will meet
district and state academic standards for theatre and gain a better appreciation for the arts.
This course will also help students better understand the world around them and help them
gain skills they can apply to other aspects of their lives.

Course Requirements

There is no required textbook or readings that won’t be provided by the teacher. For this
course students are expected to bring a spiral bound college ruled notebook with perforated
edges along with a folder that the student can put hole-punched papers in. Another option
would be to have a one-inch three ring binder with loose-leaf college ruled paper, a section for
journaling/notes, a section for handouts, and a section for scripts. This class does require the
students participate in three performances for the community throughout the school year or to
make up those points with an individual project which will be elaborated on later in this course
disclosure.

Cell Phone Policy

You are permitted to use your cell phones in my class as long as they aren’t being used during
instruction time or severely detracting from individual work time. You may use your electronic
devices if they are being used as a resource or a prop. You may also use electronic devices if the
teacher is able to see what is happening on them (to make sure you’re not simply playing
games or goofing off, but you have a purpose for using the cell phone). If you need to make or
take a quick call, it is expected of you to take it out into the hallway or completely outside of
the building as to not detract from any other classes. If cell phones are becoming an issue, then
privileges may be revoked or you may be asked to put your cell phone into charging pockets.

Grades

Grades will be available by the end of each term. If students have an issue with their grades,
they have one week after the term ends to talk to me before they are finalized for the term.
Students will also have one week before the term ends to make sure all of their work is turned
in. There will be one extra credit opportunity per term as well. The grading scale is as follows:

A 100%-93% B- 82%-80% D+ 69%-67%

A- 92%-90% C+ 79%-77% D 66%-63%

B+ 89%-87% C 76%-73% D- 62%-60%

B 86%-83% C- 72%-70% F 59% or below

40% Projects 10% Written Assignments

25% Attendance/ Participation 5% Quizzes

15% Play Reports 5% Notes/Journals

Late Work

Late work will be accepted in this class. A student has until the Friday a week after the due date
to turn in an assignment late. Although they have this time until it is no longer accepted, there
is a late work penalty; the assignment will be deducted by 10% by each day it is late. An
example would be if the class met on A-days, each A-day that the assignment is late is a 10%
deduction.

If a student is absent when the assignment was given, they have two days after the assignment
is due to make it up. Following the previous example, if the class met on A-days the student has
two A-days after the initial due date to get the assignment turned in before it is considered late
and then follows the late policy. If the student is absent, they need to write on the assignment
that they were absent the day the assignment was given. If a student is absent on the day the
assignment is due but was present when the assignment was given, the student can either
email in the assignment on that due day or get the assignment to me the day after the due date
if they are there in person, or through email is also acceptable on that day.

If the assignment is a monologue performance they need to set up a time with me outside of
class to perform for me, but if it is a scene or partner performance there will be a small point
deduction unless there are extenuating circumstances that are talked about with the teacher,
but the student and their partner(s) are expected to set up a time outside of class to perform
for me for the grade either way.

Attendance

Most of the learning and work is done in class and so it is highly important for you, the student,
to be there. A student in any given term may have two unexcused absences before their grade
starts to get docked. Each following absence after those two will result in their grade dropping
by 5%. Each term, they receive two more unexcused absences before the absence policy is
inflicted. Students are also expected to make up the work from their absences and talk to the
teacher to get what they missed. A student is also allotted 2 unexcused tardies, then after those
two each tardy is equivalent to one third of an absence. This means that if a student is tardy
three times in one term after their two unexcused tardies, their grade will be dropped by 5%.
Each term these policies renew and brings the student back to 0 unexcused absences and
tardies. On performance days, a student may not use their unexcused absences for that day.
They must have those absences excused almost immediately, the day of, or prior to the day,
otherwise it will be treated as a 5% dock to their grade.

Expected Behavior

Students are expected to follow all classroom rules. Students are also expected to work
cooperatively with their peers in any assigned group or partner projects unless previously
discussed with the teacher for any exceptions. Students should communicate with the teacher
about any issues they have with the course throughout the school year or any other student in
the class as well. Students are expected to be kind, respectful, responsible, positive, and
punctual. Students are also expected to turn in assignments on time, to be present for the in
class and community performance dates along with any rehearsals set up by group members
outside of class, to memorize lines on their own, and to respect class time and their peers’ time.
Students are expected to communicate with me if they need extra time on an assignment, have
extenuating circumstances I should be aware of, or if they need some assistance or space.

I expect of myself to get assignments and projects graded in a timely manner and to have end-
of-term grades done by the Saturday after a term ends at the latest. I also expect of myself to
respect my students and their time in and out of class. I expect myself to come to class with a
positive attitude, treat my students fairly, to follow school rules and standards, and to follow
classroom rules. If consequences or discipline needs to be enacted in the classroom, I expect
myself to act with patience and a level head. I also expect myself to care for my students and to
make sure each student succeeds in my classroom. (I will go over classroom rules in class.)

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as claiming another’s work as one’s own original work. Plagiarism also
includes not properly citing one’s sources, cutting and pasting from the original source and
trying to pass it off as one’s own, working with another student and not giving them due credit,
or using one’s own work previously used for another assignment without acknowledging it was
for another class or assignment (self-plagiarism). Any and all forms of plagiarism are prohibited
and will result in an automatic 0 for the assignment and the student will be unable to make up
the points for that assignment. They will also be reported to the office to decide any further
consequences outside of the classroom.

Course Outline

This class will cover the basics of theatre. Throughout this school year we will go over: 1)
blocking, 2) critique, 3) movement and voice, 4) script and character analysis, 5) improv, 6) plot
and playwrighting, 7) different acting techniques and theorists, 8) technical theatre basics, and
9) the rehearsal and production process. All of these units will occur in that order and
throughout all of these basics we will cover Shakespeare, contemporary theatre, and other time
periods and playwrights as well.
Throughout this course it is expected we will have three community performances: an evening
of Shakespeare, an evening of one acts and competition pieces, and a mini play put on solely by
this class at the end of the school year to commemorate their progress. Also throughout this
course it is expected of the student to write up about two play reports per semester. These
reports can be on the form itself or they can be typed up following the form’s outline. The
student can either read a play or watch a play. The viewed play can either be a recording of a
professional performance (not a movie musical like Into the Woods or Les Miserables) or
preferably seen in person, but either will be accepted. Students are encouraged to see the
school’s productions as well. There will be other assignments peppered throughout the school
year and there will be a sheet with more explanation when those each individually arrive.

Key Projects

The key projects in this class are mostly the community and in-class performances. The
community performances, which there will be three of throughout the school year, are
mandatory unless there are other arrangements made with the teacher. The students are to
arrive when their call time is (typically around 5pm or 5:30pm) in costume, hair, and make-up.
This time is to do quick speed throughs and warm-up exercises before the audience arrives.

The in-class performances are more frequent, as there are about six throughout the school year
although that number is subject to change at the discretion of the teacher. Most of these
performances will be scenes with partners, but there are opportunities to do monologues or to
work something out with the teacher if the student doesn’t want to work with a partner or in a
small group. The students also have the opportunity to participate in competitions, but that is
up to the students to decide if they would like to and will need to audition among the other
students wanting to participate in that opportunity as there are a limited amount of slots
available and we would like to put our best forward to represent the school.
Student and Parent/Guardian Agreement

Please turn this paper in to Miss Eggleston by next class period.

STUDENT: I, _______________________________, have read and understand what has been

put forth in this disclosure and agree to abide by the rules and expectations of Miss Eggleston’s
classroom.

____________________________ ________________________
Student Signature Date

PARENT/GUARDIAN: I, _______________________________, have read and understand what

has been put forth in this disclosure and agree to assist my student to succeed in Miss
Eggleston’s classroom.

___________________________ ________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date

I, Miss Eggleston, understand what is expected of me as an educator and promise to adhere to

the expectations set forth by myself, the school, school district, and state. I agree to do my best
by the student and as an educator.

Parent/Guardian Email: __________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Phone: (____) _______-____________ Cell Work Home (Circle One)

Anything I should know about the student (allergies, health concerns, personality, jokes, etc.):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

I, Miss Eggleston, prefer to be contacted through my school email, but please let me know if
that doesn’t work for you and if you or your student needs to contact me through my phone
number.