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Voice & Speech

Tenth graders train the actor’s voice — breath support, articulation, projection, resonance, and pace — the vocal techniques that make a performance clear, powerful, and expressive.

Grade 10Acting50 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name voice techniques.
  • ✓Explain each skill.
  • ✓Match techniques to purposes.
  • ✓Train your voice.
Essential Question

An actor’s voice is an instrument — trained for power, clarity, and expression. What are the key voice-and-speech techniques?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Voice Technique

Project this and match each voice technique to its purpose — tap a technique, then tap its purpose.

🗣️ Match each voice technique to its purposeTry it
Technique
What It Does
Now tap its purpose!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — The Voice as Instrument

5 min

An actor’s voice is an instrument — what techniques train it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say a line flat, then trained.
  • Ask what changed.
  • Warm up voices.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Notice.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Voice & Speech

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Voice Technique.
  • Match each one.
  • Try them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Try them.
  • Name.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

14 min

Students rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Practice breath support.
  • Articulate a tongue-twister.
  • Vary pace and pause.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Breathe.
  • Articulate.
  • Pace it.
4

Perform — Perform

12 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform a line with technique.
  • Project and articulate.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Project.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a technique.
  • Say what it does.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Theatre, HS Accomplished).

NCAS
TH:Pr5.1.HSII

Use voice-and-speech technique.

NCAS
TH:Pr4.1.HSII

Make vocal choices.

NCAS
TH:Pr6.1.HSII

Perform with vocal skill.

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.HSII

Analyze vocal delivery.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Technique + purpose cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ helps me ___.”
  • Model each technique.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with projection and articulation.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Practice one skill.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Do a full vocal warm-up.
  • Apply to a monologue.
  • Explain vocal health.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎭A performance space
  • 💻Match the Voice Technique
  • 📜Tongue-twisters
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

breath supportpowering the voice from the diaphragmarticulationclear consonantsprojectionfilling the spaceresonancea rich, carrying tonepacethe speed of speechpausemeaningful silencedictionclear speechdiaphragmthe breathing muscle
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does breath support do?
Powers your voice from the diaphragm for control.
QUESTION 2
What is articulation?
Crisp consonants that make words clear.
QUESTION 3
What does pace and pause add?
Meaning and drama, by varying speed and silence.

Reflect: train your instrument.

Have students say a line with strong projection and clear articulation. A printable voice sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Voice & SpeechFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Voice & SpeechQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Voice & SpeechPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: articulation, breath support, diaphragm, diction, pace, pause, projection, resonance
  1. the breathing muscle
  2. the speed of speech
  3. clear speech
  4. a rich, carrying tone
  5. powering the voice from the diaphragm
  6. filling the space
  7. meaningful silence
  8. clear consonants

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does breath support do?
  2. What is articulation?
  3. What does pace and pause add?
Answer key — Part A: 1) diaphragm · 2) pace · 3) diction · 4) resonance · 5) breath support · 6) projection · 7) pause · 8) articulation
Part B: 1) Powers your voice from the diaphragm for control. 2) Crisp consonants that make words clear. 3) Meaning and drama, by varying speed and silence.