- STEP 1: Students should sit in a circle facing the center. Choose one student to be looking for Mrs. Mumble.
- STEP 2: Explain to students that the person looking for Mrs. Mumble will go around the circle to each student and ask each of them the same question “Is Mrs. Mumble home?” The person asking this question must cover their teeth with their lips as they ask.
- STEP 3: The student being asked must maintain a serious face, without laughing or smiling. If the student is able to stay serious, they will reply “No” but if the student being asked the question smile or laughs they must respond with the word “Yes.” Now the student who laughed will be the new person looking for Mrs. Mumble.
- STEP 4: If a student makes it all the way around the entire class without anyone laughing then the teacher will choose a new student to look for Mrs. Mumble.
- STEP 5: Although no one is permitted to touch anyone else in this warmup, students should feel free to add expressive movements, gestures, and facial expressions as they look for Mrs. Mumble and try to make the students in the circle laugh.
LESSON IDEA:
Use this warm-up prior to any task or lesson requiring intensive focus and concentration. These are skills that students struggle to maintain for long periods of time. This warm up can help build their stamina.
EXTENSION:
This warm-up specifically focuses on helping train students to stay in character and to (hopefully) get out all the giggles before starting a theater lesson. You can also use a concentration circle where one person tries to distract everyone else or “break” their concentration.
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