for help planning your first year? Or an experienced teacher in need of refreshing new ideas for your drama classes? Teaching Drama: The Essential Handbook is a new resource with 16 ready-to-go lesson plans that will provide you with the tools you need to build your kids into incredible actors.

Go beyond drama games. With this handbook you'll get:

• A semester's worth of cumulative lessons that will turn your kids into real-deal actors
• Notes on how to introduce basic acting concepts in a way kids will instantly understand
• Suggested activities for both "younger" and "older" kids
• How to transition between activities and from lesson to lesson
• Contemporary new games like a "Facebook Character Profile"
• Reflection and journaling exercises after every lesson.

Below are just a few of the topics covered in the lessons:

• What is Theatre? Students explore how theatre is the art of telling stories through live acting.
• Creating an Ensemble. Students learn to work together, build trust, and involve every member in a performance.
• Movement & Space. Students explore how pantomime and behavior can help tell a story.
• Character Development. Students explore what makes characters unique and how to create compelling characters onstage.
• Objective & Tactics. Students will think about the "why" behind every action.
• Using Your Voice: Students will understand the importance of articulation, projection and voice variation.
• Listening/Reacting. Students will understand how listening and reacting are an important part of being an actor.
• Stage Directions and Blocking. Students will understand the "principles of blocking" and how to stage a scene without instruction.
• And much more...