Amino Acids for Building Blocks of Proteins Essays

Amino Acids for Building Blocks of Proteins Essays Amino Acids for Building Blocks of Proteins Essay Amino Acids for Building Blocks of Proteins Essay Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They band together in chains to form the stuff from which your life is born. Think of amino acids as Legos for your life. Its a two-step process: Amino acids get together and form peptides or polypeptides. It is from these groupings that proteins are made. And theres not just one kind of amino acid. A total of 20 different kinds of amino acids form proteins. The kinds of amino acids determine the shape of the proteins formed. Commonly recognized amino acids include glutamine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine. Three of those - phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine - are essential amino acids for humans; the others are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, and threonine. The essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body; instead, they must be ingested through food. One of the best-known essential amino acids is tryptophan, which performs several critical functions for people. Tryptophan helps induce normal sleep; helps reduce anxiety, depression, and artery spasm risk; and helps produce a stronger immune system. Tryptophan is perhaps most well-known for its role in producing serotonin, which is what gets all the press at Thanksgiving time for putting you to sleep after the big holiday feast. Amino acids make up 75% of the human body. They are essential to nearly every bodily function. Every chemical reaction that takes place in your body depends on amino acids and the proteins that they build. The essential amino acids must be ingested every day. Failure to get enough of even one of the 10 essential amino acids can result in protein degradation. The human body simply does not store amino acids for later use, as it does with fats and starches. You can find amino acids many places in nature. In fact, more than 300 have been found in the natural world, from such diverse sources as microorganisms and meteorites.

Animal Farm Essay Example for Free (#9)

Animal Farm Essay Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory written in 1943. It was also made into a TV film version in 1999 directed by John Stephenson, produced by Greg Smith and Robert Halmi and distributed by Hallmark Films. Animal Farm is a deceitfully simple story about a group of farm animals who are tired of living in a dystopia caused by humans. They rebel and create their own way of life, only to find themselves back in a dystopia caused by animals. The film follows the plot line of the novel closely but changes some major details. While the film and the novel Animal Farm are basically one in the same and have similar plot lines, the film had less detail, while the novel was thoroughly detailed. The differences between the film and the novel were points of view, exposition and major plots. Orwell tells the story of Animal Farm through a third person, omniscient point of view. The narrator is never involved in the action of the story, but knows everything. This point of view allows readers to see into the minds of the characters and understand their motivations. The film is told by a narrator, a character in the novel, Jessie. It explains the film in a way that she sees everything occurring. It also stops most of the dialogue between the animals and they don’t really talk like they do in the novel. Another difference between the novel and film is the exposition, which gives background information on the plot. In the novel, some of the events that occur in Animal Farm’s exposition play important roles later on in the novel. In the novels exposition, Orwell describes many of the animals that are important to the novel. In the films exposition, very little time is spent on developing the characters of the important animals. Also, the song Beasts of England is not sung in the exposition, unlike the novel, this song plays a very pivotal role later on in the novel. In the film, they don’t know the characters very well and the animals don’t really sing it, they hum it. This takes away from the mood of the song. The movie is merely an adaptation of the novel into film, so almost all the events that take place in the novel will take place in the film. Another difference between the novel and film is the major plot differences. The novel and film follow the same plot line but there are some major differences. In the novel, Old Major died about 3 days after his speech from natural causes. While in the film, Mr. Jones shoots Old Major minutes after his speech, while they’re reciting the Beasts of England song. In the novel, all of the animals could speak while in the film it was arrated by Jessie which cut the dialogue of most of the animals. The end of the film and novel differ greatly. In the novel, the animals are sadly dominated by Napolean. But in the film they somehow overthrow his power and finally bond together for another attempt at a utopia. The film covered major ideas but missed some details, characters, and small stuff that made the novel so interesting. It’s quite apparent that there are many significant differences between Animal Farm the novel and the film. There are a number of differences between the use of point of view, the exposition, and the major plots. Animal Farm is a simple story about a group of farm animals who overthrew their human dictators and their animal counterpart who dictated them also. The novel was very detailed and had many characters which made it very interesting. While the film had less details, and characters which made it a little dull, and boring. These are my comparisons of the film and novel called Animal Farm. Animal Farm. (2017, Feb 02). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

GROUP ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GROUP ANALYSIS - Essay Example I loved my group and I think they were very supportive and helpful with me. Of the lessons on developing listening skills, I honestly believe that the talking stick that was provided was very helpful. It enhanced my listening skills to focus primarily on the speaker. At this university, I worked with two groups prior to this group; but I would say that my listening skills were most exemplified with this group. I have acknowledged all the group members’ opinions and I was therefore able to appreciate what I learned from them. Later on, we threw the stick in the middle and we started communicating with each other without its need. We realized that we learned to respect and listen attentively to each other without using the talking stick. With regards to discovering the controversial topic of the second Council session, when I first saw this topic, my initial reaction was that this topic would not be very beneficial for me. I really did not like the topic. I was and I am still co mpletely against the legalization of gay marriages. Through the group’s discussion, new and innovative ideas emerged. The discussion did not persuade me to change my opinion; but some logical arguments were presented about the issue. For example, Coyle Rebecca said to me that the USA is a free land and everybody is given the opportunity and the freedom to do speak and act according to one’s will. Regarding the group presentation and the group meetings during which we prepared the presentation, honestly, it was difficult for me to inter-relate with the group. Only later did I collaborate and actively participate in group activities. I was the opinion specialist. Even in the presentation, I suggested ideas for the group presentation. If I had a chance of doing a project of the same requirements again, I will try my best to contribute more effectively in the group. I realized that only through a collaborative and participative environment, would the group achieve its defi ned goals. We acknowledge that a crucial part of group development is leadership. In our experience, we did not formally assign a group leader. We understood each other; but we agreed to designate Coyle Rebecca as a leader to collect our papers and register a study room for us. But in general, there was no specific leader that directed the group to do something or organize the discussion. In retrospect, I believe we could have done better in preparing for the presentation. If my group focused on how the presentation can be managed, we could have done much better that what we did. Through a consensus, we arranged our meetings very well and agreed that every member was responsible for addressing one question. We appropriately prepared for the presentation by timing ourselves to determine the amount of time needed to respond to the questions. During the presentation, the time was shorter than the 30 minutes minimum stipulated time. Afterwards, I said to them that we should have added m ore ideas for a more effective presentation. One of the students said that at least we are not failing and the remark annoyed me. I hope the professor would discern the individual’s efforts within the group, in addition to grading us as a group. I would say that we were so cohesive and it contributed to facilitation of achieving group goals. We exchange jokes and phone numbers. We encouraged open

Economics for Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics for Business - Coursework Example To find it, divide the total revenue (TR) by the quantity of production (Q). Average Revenue (AR) divided by per unit cost of output AR= TR/Q (Q) (TR) (AR) 0 0 0 1 27 27 2 53 26.5 3 78 26 4 102 25.5 5 125 25 6 147 24.5 7 168 24 8 188 23.5 9 207 23 10 225 22.5 Marginal revenue is the additional revenue that results from increasing from increasing output by one unit. This means the additional revenue per additional unit of output. This is the difference between total revenue per every additional unit of output. The marginal revenue is abbreviated using (Z) (Q) (TR) (Z) 0 0 0 1 27 27 2 53 26 3 78 25 4 102 24 5 125 23 6 147 22 7 168 21 8 188 20 9 207 19 10 225 18 b) Graph of average cost and marginal cost verse units per out put Red – Marginal cost Blue – average cost Graph of average revenue and marginal revenue verse units per out put Red – Marginal cost Blue – average cost C) Profit is obtained by subtracting the total revenue from the total costs at the ma ximum is at five units per put 625- 250 = 375 d)The economic profit for the company is positive, then the firms decision are optimal. That is, its price and output yield a profit larger than any alternatives prices that output. The type of market that this firm is operating on is oligopoly (BBC Economy tracke, 2010). Oligopoly prices are expected to be more stable that those in a monopolistically competitive market. This is evident in the graph that results in long run oligopoly market equilibrium of a Price/output solution that is identical to that of a competitive market. 2) a) Economic factors that led to the most recent recession of 2008/2009 include Main causes if recession Credit crunch in U.K – the U.K mortgage lending caused very serious problems for the Northern Rock. It had a high percentage of risky loans. When the subprime crisis hit, the Northern Rock could no longer raise enough funds for the usual capital market. It had to borrow emergency funds from the Bank o f England. As a result of the credit crunch, the U.K saw a change in the mortgage market. The mortgage started to become expensive. Falling of house prices in the U.K - since getting mortgages became difficult, the demand for houses started to fall. This was also related credit crunch. Cost push inflation restricting income and reducing disposable income. The fall in confidence of the financial sector that caused lower confidence amongst real economy. Supply side shock – in this case higher oil prices would increase cost of production and the effect would lead to a short run aggregate supply to shift to the left. Demand slide shock: the factors include higher interest rates which lead to a reduction in investment and borrowing. The fall of real wages, the reduction of consumer confidence, a period of deflation as falling of prices often encourage the delay of spending. b) Comparison to the other two recession The 1979- 1981 recession was caused by the following economic facto rs: High strength of the pound (British currency) and this made the price of exports became more expensive thereby having a reduced AD (Aggregate Demand). This recession particularly affected the British manufacturing (Bank of England, 2012). The high interest rate was another factor. The

Biological Basis Of Behavior Essay -- Science Biology Biological Essay

Biological Basis Of Behavior Primary Behaviors of Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is defined as a "devastating psychotic disorder that may involve characteristic disturbances in thinking (delusions), perception (hallucinations), speech, emotions, and behavior (Durand and Barlow 443). This disorder affects nearly 2.5 million people. The symptoms of schizophrenia are usually divided into two categories, positive and negative. The positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or thinking, grossly disorganized behavior, and catatonic behaviors, which means that you suffer from motor immobility (schizophrenia.com). Delusions are defined as a strong disorder of thought and false beliefs of reality. There are five categories of delusions. The first is persecutory in which a person believes they are being attacked, harassed or conspired against. For example, a person with persecutory delusions may think that the government is spying on them. The second category is grandiose delusions, which are defined as an exaggerated sense of importance, power, and identity. For example, a person may feel that they receive special powers from God which gives them the ability to control things. The third category is being controlled. This category of delusions involves thoughts and feelings imposed from the outside. This is sometimes referred to as "thought insertion." A person with this type of delusion may feel that they are being controlled by the devil or by a curse. The fourth category is somatic delusions. These are defined as having false beliefs about bodily functions such as having AIDS or being pregnant for three years. The last category is j... ... ended up in the psychiatric ward. He got on medicine but still felt like a "deer in the headlights." He had a hard time keeping up with school and then his medicine failed and he was hospitalized again. After the second hospitalization his life turned around. He ended up finishing school with a degree in Economics. He was also able to hold down several jobs. He has tried every atypical antipsychotic medicine and they seem to be working. People can overcome schizophrenia if they choose to and can succeed in their own way and beat the odds. References Barlow, David H. and Durand, V. Mark. Essentials of Abnormal Psychology. Thomson-Wadsworth, 2003. Clozaril (clozapine). www.nami.org. 2/23/2005 Dr. Jim Dupree's class notes for Abnormal Psychology Success Stories from People with Schizophrenia. www.schizophrenia.com. 2/23/2005.

Step Away from Them

An Analysis of Frank O’hara’s â€Å"A Step Away From Them† At the turn of the 20th century, the movement of modern art began to distinguish itself by moving away from traditional and classical forms. Artists like Pablo Picasso were deconstructing their formal techniques by abstracting forms of conceptual art. We began to question and criticize: â€Å"Is that art? † By mid-20th century, the schools of the modern movement already began to echo into literature, dance, and music. Abstract Expressionist literature emphasizes spontaneity of motions and their fleetingness. Once a detail is mentioned, it disappears but resurfaces in the subconscious in the form of a daydream. Frank O’Hara’s â€Å"A Step Away From Them† adapts his unique style of free verse with arbitrary line breaks and enjambment. There is a relay of split-second action followed by spontaneous thought. Overall, the poem ventures into synapses of the mind in an urban space. O’Hara is the observer, self-satisfied, and content. In the first line, there is a felt quality of impulsive action. â€Å"So I go† gives a sense of urgency that we experience the moment our lunch hour hits. The meter of each word can be equal stressed. The I is a soft vowel, therefore, there is emphasize is on so and go. O’Hara combines two senses of visual and sound with â€Å"hum-colored. † Both senses capture dynamic movements like when someone takes a still photo of a moving object. The image of a cab smears across the photo. There is a distinction of the way space moves. Hum-colored can resonate sound that an engine makes. When we walk out the door into the city, the pace is already set. By line 3, the mind quickly wanders to the next visual moment. â€Å"Down the sidewalk† tells our awareness to focus on lunch hour of laborers. We are walking and capturing still photos. â€Å"Dirty glistening torsos† signifies the way construction workers eat shirtless. Another interpretation can perceive oil rubbed on their shirt hence the term, blue collar workers. At this moment, O’Hara draws an unconscious connection with the â€Å"yellow† colored helmets from the previous visual of hum-colored cabs. Yellow was missed due to the motion and sound. The color resurfaces from our short-term memory. He interjects nonchalant irony and inner wit with â€Å"I guess†. Despite stuffing themselves, they must protect themselves from falling objects. We have a sense of O’Hara’s humor and his eye for function. As your visual context moves upward to falling bricks, O’Hara draws the attention of the movement around ground floor, â€Å"heels† and â€Å"grates†. He does not add a space between lines. He follows each line with heavy enjambment. â€Å"Then onto the avenue† has a progression of walking around the corner to the next street. There is a new scene, new spatter of paint. He refers to a movie scene in pop culture by stating: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Then onto the avenue where skirts are flipping above heels and blow up over grates. (lines 9-11) In 1955, Marilyn Monroe filmed The Seven Year Itch in New York City. The scene of her skirt being blown up had caused a spectacle making Marilyn a movie sex icon. Motion of upward movement is describe with gestures like â€Å"flipping above†, â€Å"up over†, and â€Å"stir up. † The city is hot. According to O’Hara, â€Å"cabs stir up the air† (line 12). In the city, there is always a cab in sight. How they motion around the city block without air conditioning. There is no escape from the heated engine but O’Hara is indifferent and aloof by the motion around him because â€Å"[he looks] at bargains in wristwatches† (line 13-14). He is still to himself, an observer. In line 14, â€Å"sawdust† draws back to previous space, down the street of laborers construction site. He allows the reader’s thoughts to dilate at each new scene. At the end of each moment of space, he draws inward almost as if he constricts his pupils to see an off detail. â€Å"There/ are cats playing in sawdust. † (line 13-14) It is as if he has seen them playing from the corner of his eye. He ends line 14 with a period and finally begins a new sentence on line 15. The poem opens up â€Å"On to Time Square,† O’Hara bring our attention to the skyline. †¦and higher/ the waterfalls pours lightly† (lines 16-17). There is a use of abstract imagery in comparing the sky to waterfalls. When scanning the space in between the building, it narrows down further as if we look further down Broadway. The blue image may look like water pouring out. The poem takes place in the summer heat. Waterfalls have a feelin g of cool air and openness but nature is contrasted by the â€Å"†¦ sign / blows smoke over head† (lines 15-16). To blow smoke is an idiom that describes someone telling falsehood or lie. Advertising in Time Square is saturated with hype of consumerism and billboard marketing. The same interaction of hype is exchanged by the people of Time Square, the poem follows: . †¦A Negro stands in a doorway with a toothpick, languorously agitating A blonde chorus girl clicks: he smiles and rubs his chin†¦. (lines 17-21) In the previous space, onto the Avenue, O’Hara makes a reference to Marilyn Monroe. She is idolized again in Time Square as the â€Å"blonde chorus girl†, a character she plays in most of her movies. An African-American male easily talks as if he is hounding around lazily. In an urban space, interracial lines are not separated or set by bounds. â€Å"Clicks† can describe how someone talks with gum in their mouth. The click can be an interpreted as the tapping sound of high heels walking by. â€Å"Everything/ suddenly honks† (line 21-22). Our attention is drawn to pause again to gridlock on Broadway. We may think it is the blonde who causes everyone to honk. O’Hara reverts back to time and day, â€Å"†¦. 12:40 / of a Thursday† (lines 22-23). We are reminded that the hour is coming to a close. O’Hara is consumed by time, like the bargain wristwatch on the avenue. To him, with whatever is going on, time marks the next. The poem changes momentum when O’Hara sits down to eat. He quickly writes in a style like Edwin Denby, a critic and poet of modern dance. Comparing â€Å"neon in the daylight is a / great pleasure† with â€Å"light bulb† we associate neon with bright color and light bulbs being plain white. Time Square is synonymous for its light and color at night. This is the place O’Hara has lunch. He finds the daylight enjoyable and adds texture by juxtaposing words that provide a mixture of different culture and art. He sets more periods and commons like he is itemizing a list. He spells out names as though he is thinking about them in association of. There is less action or verbs and more inward thinking. He has an American â€Å"cheeseburger† and â€Å"chocolate malt† in an Italian Actress’s restaurant, JULIET’S CORNER. I think about when people migrated to United States and how they take on the American tradition. Comparing â€Å"Juliet† with â€Å"Giuletta Masina†, it is typical to change name spelling to English form. Giuletta Masina’s husband, â€Å"Federico Fellini† writes and directs movie. His signature style is bizarre, foreign, and surreal. O’Hara writes in Italian â€Å"e bell’ attrice† which translates to beautiful actress. I imagine when O’Hara watched foreign movies they had English subtitle. So far, names mentioned are all artists who have an influence in the arts. O’Hara is an elitist. It is who he knows that allows him to separates himself from mainstream. He watches foreign films, speaks Italian, and wonders about the function of clothing. He loves all forms of art. Still, the humble, ubiquitous cab captures his eye, O’Hara states: A lady in foxes on such a day puts her poodle in a cab. (lines30-32) In line 31, â€Å"on such a day† reminds us about the heat. There is a surreal moment about a lady wearing fur carrying a dog while he drinks a cold drink. She is out of place by wearing something out of season. He does not linger in the thought. He moves on to the avenue, on an upbeat, pointing out that it is the Puerto Ricans that â€Å"makes it beautiful and warm. † The poem makes another iconic turn. He mentions the deaths of three friends, a writer, a musician, and a painter. O’Hara poses a question: â€Å"But is the / earth as full of life was full, of them? † (lines 33-34) Lang Bunny, John Latouche, Jackson Pollack were able to capture life through their art. When they passed away was the world done with them? Puerto Ricans, in the avenue, were carrying on. Everything around still was beating and alive. It was through life moved on, O’Hara writes: And one has eaten and one walks, past the magazines with nudes and the posters for BULLFIGHT and the Manhattan Storage Warehouse, which they'll soon tear down. I used to think they had the Armory Show there. (lines 40-46) It makes me think about how the modern art movement started. The impressionist painting of Manet’s Le Dejeuner Dur L'herbe had shocked the art world because clothed men were painted having a Luncheon with a nude woman. Goya’s realist painting of Bullfighting spoke about humanity. He was the first to paint blood during the Spanish Revolution. However, where mass production of magazine and poster were sold, people ate and walk pass, the world was full of life. The world keeps moving. It feels like an end of an era when the poem mentioned â€Å"Manhattan Storage Warehouse† was being torn down. The â€Å"Armory Show† is also known as the International Exhibition of Modern Art which was formed in New York. O’Hara thought that exhibition was here. There is a feeling that the exhibition is held somewhere else. O’Hara ends on a brighter note. He is self-satified. Before he heads back to work, he has papaya juice. â€Å"My heart is in my / pocket, it is Poems by Pierre Reverdy. †(lines 49-50) The heart symbolizes love and affection. To have it in your pocket means that it is carried close to him. Pierre Reverdy is a critic, writer, poet of Cubism, Pablo Picasso. O’Hara love for the art will always be with him. Imitation of â€Å"Step Away From Them† I’m waking up from my first nap of day, the phone rings underneath a noise of pigeons. The angular sun peeks through lace curtains while dust particles slowly attempt to move. After the 10th ring, I’m wondering if it was important mostly likely, not. I’m out the door; down the three flights of winding stairs, let the kid from Apartment K through the security gate. K collects bright colored cans around the neighborhood. I refused to make eye contact. Someone is still buzzing him in, speaking inaudible sounds through a muffled rattling speaker. A van drives by. How many rings does it take? On Mission Street, the 14 runs every 5 minutes. Stores are tagged but stocked with novelty items of Golden Gates, painted ladies, and cable cars. Whoever wears these shirts, might as well, give up their wallets. A bootleg VHS copy of Natural Born Killers is being sold by a street vendor. Tiny feet hurry up the second floor. The Haitian drums resonated across the wooden floors, bouncing off high ceiling. It’s a Wednesday; another day same as the others. We are warming up for the next class. It’s was only a year ago that they decided to robbed Muddy’s. Ran, Rich, and Joker were in jail now. I’m swinging my arm trying to break the chain. Were they ever free? Was it the squeak in their voice that gave it away? Swinging and stomping. I am raising my machete to cut through sugar cane fields. My heart is in-sync with the drums.

Theater and Improv Games for the Classroom and Beyond

Improv games are a great way to loosen up during drama practice or to break the ice at a party. Improvisational acting teaches you to think quickly and to read other people as you perform. Youll also sharpen your wit as you learn how to react to your audience. Best of all, you dont need any special props or equipment, just your imagination and the courage to step outside yourself.   Captains Coming Improv games like this one are terrific warmups that promote  teamwork and good humor. In this game, which is similar to Simon Says, one person plays the role of a ships captain. The rest of the group are sailors who must quickly follow the captains orders or be dismissed from the game. Orders can be simple or elaborate: Captains coming: Sailors line up in a row and salute the captain.Starboard: Everyone runs to the right side of the stage or room.Port:  Everyone runs to the left side of the stage or room.Man overboard: Sailors team up and pose as though theyre searching for the lost man.Mermaid: Stand on one foot, wave one hand, and say, Hi, sailor!Seasick: Run to port or starboard and pretend to be ill.  Swab the deck: Sailors pretend to mop and clean the floor.Walk the plank: Sailors stand single-file, their right arms extended and hands resting on the shoulder of the person in front. The great thing about Captains Coming is that theres no limit to the orders a captain can give. For added challenges, think of poses that require two or more people or divide the sailors into two groups and have them compete against one another. Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo! is another effective game for learning how to take cues and focus movement. It works best with groups that have room to move around. As with Captains Coming, this game requires a leader to call the cues and a group to follow whatever command the leader dreams up. As an added challenge, the group must repeat the action word six times in a whisper as they perform. After the sixth time, everyone calls out freeze! and holds still. Leader:  Yoo-hoo!  Group:  Yoo-hoo who?Leader:  You who  jump with ropes.Group:  Ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, freeze! The leader then cues the next movement and the process repeats itself. If a person loses composure or breaks the freeze before the leader calls Yoo-Hoo again, that person is out. The last person remaining is the winner. Location, Location, Location The Location game can be done with as few or as many people as you like. Use it as a way to exercise your imagination as a solo performer and for learning how to act with others. Begin by having one or more actors develop a scene in a place that anyone can relate to, such as a bus stop, the mall, or Disneyland—without mentioning the name of the location. Have other players try to guess the place. Then move on to less familiar situations. Here are some to get you started: An atticA Ferris wheelA karaoke barAn orchestra pitUndergroundA high school yearbook clubA zeppelin The true challenge of this game is to think past clichà ©s and to avoid using language that gives away the action being performed. This improv exercise can also be played like charades, where teams must guess the activity. More Improv Games Once youve tried simple theater games, your troupe will be ready for more challenges. Here are a few more improv exercises: Tongue twisters:  It doesnt do students any good to be creatively warmed up if the audience has no idea what they are saying. Enunciation exercises  like tongue twisters provide a fun way to alleviate the dreaded mumbling, mush-mouth syndrome.Guess whos coming to dinner: This team exercise gives everyone a role to play. One person plays host, and the others are dinner guests. The only catch? The host doesnt know he or she is having company!The Harold: Developed  by theater director/teacher Del Close, this long-form improvisational activity allows more time to develop believable characters and organic storylines. Students riff off a suggested word, phrase, or idea through a mix of exercises. One improv piece can last from 10 to 45 minutes or more.Be an animal:  One of the best ways to develop out-of-the-box thinking is to have actors imagine themselves not just as other people but as an animal or even as an inanimate object. These drama activities offer proven ways to help participants get to know one another in a friendly, low-key fashion. They can also be used regularly as warm-ups  for your actors before you have them delve into more difficult improvisation exercises. Break a leg!