Complete Your Degrassi Junior High Homework Assignment (Patreon)

Hey, Degrassi Kids! 

Let's do something a little different today! Earlier this month, I had the crazy opportunity to comb through boxes and boxes of old Degrassi papers. From The Kids of Degrassi Street to Degrassi High, I got to see early drafts of scripts, how they planned camera angles and even contracts for various product placements in the show!

One of the coolest things I discovered, was a document called LEVEL 3 WORKSHOPS - MARCH 1988 - HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #1. 

Because Degrassi cast real, age-appropriate teenagers with no real acting experience - Linda and her team would host acting workshops before each season. This helped the young actors develop acting skills, learn about various roles on a film set and understand how to separate themselves from their character. 

For the adults who were watching the lessons, it was a chance to see who could handle more sensitive material like: Wheels' losing his parents to a drunk driving accident, Snake's brother coming out of the closet or BLT and Michelle facing pushback for their interracial relationship. 

This week, I encourage you to try the Degrassi Acting Workshop and see how you would do! These questions are taken right from the first workshop in the 1988/89 season. 

You can either: 

A) Answer these questions from the perspective of your favourite Degrassi character (any generation)!

B) Answer how you would have when you were in high school. 

or C) Make up your own Degrassi character and use these questions as a starting point! 

Leave your responses in the comments (I'll leave my own, too) and we'll see what it was like to be a real Degrassi Kid at a Degrassi Workshop!

Here's how Neil Hope completed his worksheet for Derek 'Wheels' Wheeler after spending two seasons on the show. Notice how he answers just like Wheels would - in simple, short and sometimes misspelled sentences. 

Photo provided from The University of Toronto Archives from The Playing With Time Company/general permission from WildBrain. 

On Wednesday, November 30th anyone subscribed to The Degrassi Kid tier or higher will receive access to a bonus episode all about the original Degrassi workshops. 

I'll share the responses from the real actors who played Wheels, Joey, Lucy, Kathleen and Maya when they were just teenagers themselves. All while giving you some fuller context to how these workshops impacted the show!

Stay tuned. But, for now, let's see your Degrassi Workshops in the comments! 👇

LEVEL 3 WORKSHOPS - HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #1.
Character Name:
1. Describe your parents:
2. Describe where you live:
3. What are your general interests?
4. Describe your locker:
5. What do you think are your strengths & weaknesses?