Lesson 1: Developing Our Voices In this lesson, we will explore the range and power of our voices.

1. Begin by having students stand in a circle.

2. Ask them to close their eyes and take a deep breath. Ask them to use their voices to make any sound they like. Allow students a few minutes to explore the sounds they can make with their voices.

3. Ask students to open their eyes and stand in silence as one person after another in the circle shares their sound with the rest of the group, in turn.

4. Talk to the students about the importance of being mindful of the volume of their voices. Demonstrate how changing the volume of our voices can influence the meaning of what we’re saying.

5. To reinforce this idea, have the students practice saying a common phrase such as ‘Good morning’ at different volume levels. For example, have them practice saying it in a very loud voice, a very quiet voice, and in between the two.

6. Now it’s time for some fun! Have the students practice making their voices sound like different animals. They can make a deep lion roar, a funny bird chirp or a menacing snake hiss.

7. Finally, ask them to experiment with speaking in different voices. Have them practice voicing something in an adult voice, and then an old man voice, then a baby voice. Encourage them to help each other by giving feedback and sharing their own interpretations.

Lesson 2: Voice and Emotions In this lesson we will look at how our voices can be used to express different emotions.

1. Begin by having each student pick an emotion to act out, such as joy, anger, sadness, surprise, or fear.

2. Ask them to practice using their voices to express this emotion. Ask them to think about vocal characteristics such as volume, pitch, and the rate of speed with which they speak.

3. Then, have each student take turns presenting their emotion in front of the class. Ask the rest of the students to close their eyes and listen to each performance before allowing them to open their eyes and give feedback.

4. Once each student has had a chance to present, ask the class to brainstorm situations in which that emotion might be expressed. They can think of real-life scenarios or create their own stories and scenarios.

5. Working in pairs, ask the students to rehearse scenes, ask each other questions, and take turns expressing emotions with their voices.

6. As the students practice, provide feedback and suggestions for how they can use their voices to better express what their character is feeling.

7. Finally, have each pair present their scene to the rest of the class. Encourage the rest of the students to give feedback and share what they liked or didn’t like about each performance.

These activities should help the students develop an understanding of how their voices can be used to convey different emotions and situations. As they practice and gain experience, they will be able to use their voices to better express themselves in various contexts.