Abstract
This project is an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in Education. This project follows Pathway III: Developing a Curriculum, Program, or Performance Related to Arts Education or Arts in Education. The author sought to provide a theoretical understanding of the need for theatre education in high schools as well as a concrete example of a quality introduction to theatre class that could be used by a teacher with no prior background in theatre. The project begins with an overview of theories and practices of arts education with a focus on the history and benefits of theatre education. Experts in the field of arts education including John Dewey, Howard Gardner, Elliot Eisner, Dorothy Heathcote, and Richard Courtney are referenced. The author found that theatre was historically used as a supplement to English and history lessons and became its own subject in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. The author also found that theatre is a valuable tool in advancing the social and analytical skills of high school students; it develops creative thinking and a greater acceptance of new ideas or values. In addition to theory, this author has constructed a year’s curriculum for an introduction to theatre course designed for a high school teacher with limited background in theatre. This curriculum includes unit outlines, lecture notes, suggestions for assignments, and detailed descriptions of theatre games and exercises with advice on how to teach the skills progressively. The curriculum is followed by additional resources, including the National and California State Standards for Visual and Performing Arts.