Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Theater · Grade 5

Stage Directions

Fifth graders learn stage directions — upstage, downstage, stage left, stage right, and center stage — the shared language that lets a director tell actors exactly where to go.

Grade 5Stagecraft40 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name stage directions.
  • ✓Match directions to places.
  • ✓Move on cue.
  • ✓Use the stage well.
Essential Question

How does a director tell an actor exactly where to stand? Stage directions! What do all the stage areas mean?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Stage Direction

Project this and match each stage direction to where it is — tap a direction, then tap where it is.

🎭 Match each stage direction to its placeTry it
Direction
Where It Is
Now tap where it is!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Warm-Up — The Stage Map

5 min

How does a director tell an actor where to stand? Stage directions!

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a stage map.
  • Ask about the areas.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Stage Directions

10 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Stage Direction.
  • Match each one.
  • Walk the stage.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Walk it.
  • Name.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

11 min

Students rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Move upstage.
  • Move downstage.
  • Go center stage.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Upstage!
  • Downstage!
  • Center!
4

Perform — Perform

9 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Follow stage directions.
  • Move on cue.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Follow.
  • Cue it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a stage direction.
  • Say where it is.
  • 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).

NCAS
TH:Pr5.1.5

Use stage directions.

NCAS
TH:Pr4.1.5

Move on the stage.

NCAS
TH:Cr1.1.5

Understand stage space.

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.5

Analyze stage use.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Stage-map cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is the ___ of the stage.”
  • Use a stage map.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with upstage/downstage.
  • Walk the stage.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Block a scene with directions.
  • Add diagonals.
  • Direct a partner.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🗺️A stage map
  • 💻Match the Stage Direction
  • 👟Open stage space
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

stage directionwhere to go on stageupstagethe back of the stagedownstagethe front of the stagestage leftthe actor’s leftstage rightthe actor’s rightcenter stagethe middlecuea signal to actblockingplanned movement
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
Where is upstage?
The back of the stage, away from the audience.
QUESTION 2
Where is downstage?
The front of the stage, near the audience.
QUESTION 3
Where is center stage?
The middle of the stage.

Reflect: use the stage.

Have students walk to upstage, downstage, and center stage in a room, calling out each. A printable stage-directions 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.

🃏 Stage DirectionsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Stage DirectionsQuiz
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.

🖨️ Stage DirectionsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: blocking, center stage, cue, downstage, stage direction, stage left, stage right, upstage
  1. planned movement
  2. the back of the stage
  3. the actor’s left
  4. a signal to act
  5. the middle
  6. the front of the stage
  7. the actor’s right
  8. where to go on stage

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Where is upstage?
  2. Where is downstage?
  3. Where is center stage?
Answer key — Part A: 1) blocking · 2) upstage · 3) stage left · 4) cue · 5) center stage · 6) downstage · 7) stage right · 8) stage direction
Part B: 1) The back of the stage, away from the audience. 2) The front of the stage, near the audience. 3) The middle of the stage.