Texas Textbook Adoption
Reviewed and Approved by the TX State Board of Education The ONLY State-Approved Textbook for Grades K-8! ![]() Curriculum for Creative Drama, Theatre, Literacy, and Arts Integration Ideal for K-12 Theatre, and K-5 Classroom and Music teachers |
Program Components (Digital and Print)
Drama Works! Online• The entire curriculum in digital format
• Access DW from computer, tablet, or phone
• Read, project, or print digital content
• Theatre TEKS alignments K-12
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Companion Book of Lesson Plans• 150 lesson plans, 65 indexes, and glossary
• Work offline to quickly find and lead lessons
• Save time and cost of printing from DW
• Custom plastic binding/covers/tabs/pocket
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Creativity Cards• 500 cards from DW in 10 color-coded sets
• Instant ideas and story starters for acting,
arts integration, and vocabulary development
• 3x5” size, wild cards, tabs, booklet, and box
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Vocabulary Cards• 300 cards from DW in 4 color-coded sets
• Standards-based theatre and literary terms
with definitions, examples, and bonus content
• 3x5” size, durable tabs, booklet, and box
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Adoption Information for Texas Schools and Districts
Textbook Adoption Powerpoint | Price List | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | License Agreement
The all-new Drama Works! Teaching System
Welcome to the new textbook in creative drama and theatre arts instruction for the state of Texas! Formerly known as The Drama Game File, the program features all-new content and components, with a change in delivery format from CD-ROM to online access. Drama Works! is designed to meet the new K-12 TEKS for theatre (2015) as well as teach with drama across the curriculum. It represents the cutting edge of pedagogy and technology, combining digital and print components to engage the teacher and students in hundreds of dynamic lesson plans. Adopting Drama Works! represents a substantial savings over traditional textbooks because you do not have to pay for books for every student. Pricing is per teacher and includes use by all of that teacher's students. In addition, each district-purchased license can be reassigned to a new teacher taking over for an outgoing teacher (and there is no extra charge for this transfer).
Drama Works! adoption choices for Texas schools/districts
1. Digital Only: includes Drama Works! Online for each teacher
2. Digital/Print Package: includes Drama Works! Online and the Companion Book of Lesson Plans for each teacher
3. Complete System: includes Drama Works! Online, the Companion Book of Lesson Plans, the Creativity Cards, and the Vocabulary Cards for each teacher
*All 3 choices have 1, 2, 4, or 8 year digital access options. Save more by adopting for longer up front!
Scheduling a free virtual presentation (for textbook review committee or administration)
Contact us to schedule a free virtual presentation with your textbook adoption committee or administration if considering licensing Drama Works! to multiple teachers. We connect with you from Los Angeles via Skype or Google Hangouts, then take you on a virtual tour of the curriculum, adoption packages, and PD teacher training options. We can answer questions and show you more than is publicly viewable on the website.
Ordering instructions and process
Texas schools can place orders for Drama Works! Teaching System directly in the statewide EMAT ordering system for textbooks, or send us a purchase order. School or district volume orders, textbook adoptions, and extended digital access options for Texas adoption are not available online and we do not accept credit card payments for such orders. We do accept purchase orders. We do not charge tax for orders outside of California. We do not have to be setup as a vendor for your district because Drama Works! is on the state-approved textbook list. IMA funds can be used to pay for PD services to train teachers how to use the system.
Step 1: Get an official price quote from us that includes all products, licenses, shipping, and PD teacher training services.
Step 2: Place your order in EMAT or send us a purchase order (PD services cannot be ordered in EMAT).
Step 3: We ship you print components and you choose a Login Administrator to oversee the teacher login credentials.
Step 4: We setup login credentials and send them to the Login Administrator who distributes them to each licensed teacher.
Step 5: We send you the invoice for payment due and you send us the check for payment.
Step 6: We work together to schedule any agreed upon teacher training services.
Funding sources
- Instructional Materials Allotment (IMA) funds (can be used for both curriculum and PD teacher training)
- District budgets: Fine Arts, Gifted and Talented, Technology, School Site, Classroom
- Title I and Title II funds to support underprivileged, ESL, or struggling learners through arts integration
- Grants: arts integration, differentiated learning, STEM to STEAM
(e.g., the Texas Commission on the Arts, NEA, private foundations)
Who do I contact in my district for help with funding?
Best options are a Fine Arts or VAPA director, Curriculum & Instruction, Textbooks Coordinator, or your principal.
Drama Works! Alignment to Texas Theatre TEKS
Drama Works! Teaching System was reviewed by the Texas State Board of Education as part of Proclamation 2015 for Fine Arts Textbooks. It was approved for adoption as the new theatre arts textbook in Texas school districts for grades K-12. Drama Works! is the ONLY state-approved theatre arts textbook for grades K-8. Note that the TEKS Alignment is only available in the digital component (Drama Works! Online) and not the print components (Companion Book of Lesson Plans, Creativity Cards, and Vocabulary Cards). For more details about our Texas state board review results, go to FAQ. Below are sample views of Drama Works! user-friendly TEKS alignment pages, which are located under Standards Alignments after logging into Drama Works! Online. The screenshot sample shows a basic view of the layout, and the complete alignment shows the full layout for all standards and grade levels (links and navigation anchors will not function in these samples, but do work for licensed users when logged in to Drama Works! Online).
House Bill 5 and Elementary Theatre
The passage of House Bill 5 by the Texas legislature now requires that art, music, and theatre be taught by certified teachers at the elementary level. Most districts do not employ elementary theatre teachers, or do not have enough to cover all campuses and students. However, there are other teachers that qualify to deliver the K-5 theatre TEKS. The most common solution is to equip and train elementary classroom teachers. Drama Works! was written and designed for the generalist teacher as well as the theatre specialist. We have trained thousands of elementary teachers throughout Texas and can provide the materials and training to ensure success for all teachers. Some districts have chosen to integrate the K-5 theatre TEKS into their elementary music programs. Drama Works! includes hundreds of integration ideas and activities for music instruction; it helps elementary music teachers address both music and theatre TEKS. We also have experience training groups of music teachers for arts integration. Drama Works! is the only state-approved textbook for elementary schools and it meets 100% of the K-5 theatre TEKS! Plus, you don't have to purchase books for every student, just the materials for each teacher. Our low pricing gives you the opportunity to equip and train all of your elementary teachers. With Proclamation 2015 and the IMA funds coming for fine arts, now is the time to implement quality theatre instruction for all elementary students! Contact us for a free consultation to help you design a multi-year adoption plan based on successful models we've applied in other districts.
Teacher Training Services
Take advantage of our Staff Development services to help teachers learn how to use Drama Works! Teaching System to meet the theatre TEKS and enhance learning across the curriculum. Learn directly from Mr. Jonas Basom, the author and creator of Drama Works! and award-winning teacher and consultant presenter. Free PD trainings are included with every 50 sets of Drama Works! purchased. See Price List for details. Contact us for a free consultation to help you design an effective staff development plan for teachers in your school/district.
PD Evaluations |
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Elementary Teachers
• Integrating Drama Across the Curriculum• Implementing Drama Works! • Model Demonstration Lessons |
Secondary Teachers
• Theatre Specialists (6-12)• English Teachers (grades 6-10) • Skype for Theatre Specialists (6-12) |
Texas School District Adoptions
The following school districts have adopted Drama Works! Teaching System as their theatre arts textbook beginning in 2015. Middle school and high school adoptions are for theatre teachers. Elementary school adoptions include mostly classroom teachers or music teachers to meet the theatre TEKS through arts integration, and, in some cases, elementary theatre specialists.
Abilene ISD Aldine ISD Allen ISD Alvin ISD Arlington ISD Austin ISD Beaumont ISD Big Spring ISD Borger ISD Bryan ISD Cleburne ISD College Station ISD Comal ISD Cotulla ISD Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Decatur ISD Dickinson ISD El Paso ISD Fort Worth ISD Frisco ISD Garland ISD Gordon ISD |
Greenville ISD Gregory Portland ISD Harlandale ISD Higgins ISD Houston ISD Huckabay ISD Irving ISD Jacksonville ISD Keller ISD Lamar CISD Lewisville ISD Malone ISD Marshall ISD Merkel ISD New Boston ISD New Caney ISD New Waverly ISD Northside ISD Onalaska ISD Pasadena ISD Paris ISD Port Arthur ISD |
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD Rains ISD Robinson ISD Roma ISD Rusk ISD San Antonio ISD San Marcos CISD Seagraves ISD Sealy ISD Seguin ISD Sharyland ISD Socorro ISD Terrel ISD United ISD Uvalde ISD Waxahachie ISD Webb CISD Weslaco ISD West Orange-Cove CISD White Settlement ISD |
Texas Testimonials
Administrator Letters
Walter Smith, Houston ISDGeorge Faber, Tyler ISD Martha Fair, Corpus Christi ISD Nancy Jo Humfeld, past president of TETA |
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Products
"The best curriculum I have seen in 35 years teaching high school drama! It is an amazing synthesis of a lifetime of top-quality theatre training, performing, teaching, and research. Ideal for beginning and veteran drama teachers of middle school and high school."
Ruben Van Kempen Nancy Jo Humfeld Beverly (Burnside) Johnson Pam Fletcher Hill Esther Kim Kay Strenio Kiffen Madden-Lunsford Edie Lynn Alexander |
Staff Development Trainings
"The games and techniques on this program meet the TEKS and challenge students to the highest levels of creativity, language development, and thinking. Jonas is an engaging and inspiring presenter who has helped 120 of our generalist teachers gain skill and confidence using drama across the curriculum. These wonderful materials and dynamic teacher training workshops are perfect for meeting Senate Bill 815."
Troy Tinney Tim Jones Martha Fair Susy Oh Luis Rojas Kay Bliss Jason Buchalter Michael Zito |