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Pantomime

Sixth graders learn pantomime — telling a story with only the body, no words or real props — building the physical-acting skills of showing objects, weight, space, and feelings so an audience can “see” what isn’t there.

Grade 6Movement45 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…

  • ✓Explain pantomime.
  • ✓Show objects with your body.
  • ✓Be clear and consistent.
  • ✓Mime a scene.
Essential Question

Great mime artists can make you “see” a wall, a heavy box, or a strong wind — all without a single word or prop. How does pantomime work?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Pantomime Explorer

Project this and tap each idea. Have students learn how to tell a story through pantomime.

🎭 Explore pantomime — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

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

1

Warm-Up — See the Invisible

5 min

Mime artists make you “see” things that aren’t there — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Mime an object.
  • Ask what they saw.
  • Warm up bodies.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Guess.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Explore Pantomime

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Pantomime Explorer.
  • Note showing objects.
  • Note being clear.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Reflect.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

14 min

Students rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Mime holding objects.
  • Show weight and size.
  • Add feelings.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Mime it.
  • Show it.
  • Feel it.
4

Perform — Perform

10 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform a mime.
  • Have others guess it.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Let them guess.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain pantomime.
  • Give a tip.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain it.
  • Give one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Theatre).

NCAS
TH:Pr5.1.6

Use the body in pantomime.

NCAS
TH:Cr1.1.6

Imagine and mime actions.

NCAS
TH:Pr4.1.6

Make clear physical choices.

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.6

Interpret physical storytelling.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Mime action cards.
  • Sentence frame: “I can mime ___.”
  • Model a mime.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with a simple object.
  • Mime one action.
  • Be big and clear.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Mime a whole scene.
  • Add invisible walls.
  • Mime an emotion story.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎭A pretend stage
  • 💻The Pantomime Explorer
  • 📦Mime prompt cards
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

pantomimeacting with only the bodymimeanother word for pantomimegesturea body movementobjectan imaginary thing you showweighthow heavy something seemsspacethe area you work inconsistentkeeping things the sameexpressionshowing feelings
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 is pantomime?
Acting out a story using only your body — no words or real props.
QUESTION 2
How do you show a heavy object in pantomime?
Show its weight and size with your body and face.
QUESTION 3
Why must you keep imaginary objects in the same spot?
So the scene stays believable — don’t walk through your own pretend door!

Reflect: mime it.

Have students pantomime a simple action (like opening a jar) for a family member to guess. A printable pantomime 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.

🃏 PantomimeFlip
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.

📝 PantomimeQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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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.

🖨️ PantomimePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: consistent, expression, gesture, mime, object, pantomime, space, weight
  1. showing feelings
  2. acting with only the body
  3. how heavy something seems
  4. an imaginary thing you show
  5. a body movement
  6. the area you work in
  7. keeping things the same
  8. another word for pantomime

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is pantomime?
  2. How do you show a heavy object in pantomime?
  3. Why must you keep imaginary objects in the same spot?
Answer key — Part A: 1) expression · 2) pantomime · 3) weight · 4) object · 5) gesture · 6) space · 7) consistent · 8) mime
Part B: 1) Acting out a story using only your body — no words or real props. 2) Show its weight and size with your body and face. 3) So the scene stays believable — don’t walk through your own pretend door!