Stage 3

Drama Program

Term 4, 2015

FORMS: Readers Theatre, Improvisation and Storytelling Unit

SKILLS: Making / Performing / Appreciating
DURATION: 6-7 lessons (not including stage presentations/viewing)

D Overview
This unit provides students with opportunities to explore the nature of the story, its structure and the
conventions associated with storytelling and readers theatre. The use of narrative encourages students
to adopt roles and move into the imagined reality of the fairytale. The story is brought alive by the use
of voice, gesture, facial expression, body position, pace and sound effects. Dramatic tension and mood
are manipulated throughout the story to increase the impact. The ways in which the meaning and
purpose of the story can change with cultural context is also investigated.

Outcomes and
Indicators
DRAS3.1-Develops a range of in-depth and sustained roles

takes on a range of roles challenging character stereotypes, depicting empathy, different and
contrasting attitudes and status
collaborates to convey dramatic meaning by responding abstractly to represent ideas, feelings,
objects and situations.
DRAS3.2-Interprets and conveys dramatic meaning by using the elements of drama and a range of
movement and voice skills in a variety of drama forms

responds confidently with gesture, movement and voice skills to a range of scripts and other
texts to structure the narrative or episodes and build on the action of the drama
interprets a dramatic context through the use of a combination of various drama forms
combines and manages the elements of drama, for example: tension, contrast, symbol, time,
space, focus and mood to communicate the depth of meaning of their drama work.
DRAS3.3-Devises, acts and rehearses drama for performance to an audience

devises drama in collaboration with others using scripted and unscripted material as resources
for drama performances
devises, rehearses and acts in drama using voice and movement skills to convey meaning to an
audience.
DRAS3.4-Responds critically to a range of drama works and performance styles
forms and communicates opinions about a range of drama works created by themselves and

others
evaluates drama performances in order to reflect upon and enhance their own drama work and
the work of others.

Students in Stage 3 will engage in a variety of drama experiences to:

D LEARN ABOUT
interpreting the personal, social and cultural aspects of everyday situations
through a range of drama elements (eg tension, contrast, symbol, time, space,
focus and mood)
exploring traditions associated with different forms of drama (eg improvisation,
movement, mime, storytelling, puppetry, mask, video drama and play building)
devising and acting in drama for an audience
appreciating drama by viewing others performances and acknowledging how this
can change their own drama practice

D LEARN TO
develop and sustain greater belief in a variety of roles that challenge character
stereotypes as a means of interpreting the world in which they live
manipulate artefacts, costumes, music, sound effects, lighting, scripted and
unscripted material to develop and transform the meaning created through role,
place, situation
manage the elements of drama (eg tension, contrast, symbol, time, space, focus and
mood) during the preparation of the drama, in the drama and when reflecting on
the effect of their drama work
devise and collaborate on drama works through various combinations of forms
critically appraise drama work as participants and as audience

nENGLISH
EN3-5B

Speaking and Listening

EN3-3A Reading and Viewing
Reading and Composing
EN3-7C Thinking Imaginatively, Creatively & Critically

EN3-8D

nPDHPE:
nHSIE:

EN3-1A

Expressing Themselves

EN3-9E Reflecting on Learning

Interacting, Interpersonal Relationships & Working Cooperatively

Australian Democracy / Law and Order

CONTENT & STRUCTURE

The following lesson format may be followed or simply
used as a guideline, adapt to suit your learners and to cater the needs of your
class.
Drama will be implemented, this term, alongside the Visual Arts program.

This term stage 3 students will engage in 1 x 60 minute drama lesson

each week.

Each lesson should begin with a short warm up activity before covering
the planned learning content.

The program provides ideas for some quick but interesting drama
tasks/games that may be used in spare time outside drama lessons.

Dont forget to provide time for your students/groups to practise so they are
ready for our S3 class performances in the hall.
There will be a mixed audience from different K-6 classes.

ASSESSMENT
b ASSESSING DRAMA

This unit provides many assessment opportunities, so please select a task

suitable for your class. I intend to formally assess my students during their
performances. Students will be given a self-assessment sheet at the beginning
and end of the unit to rate their performances and identify growth &
development areas. I have provided a marking criteria/matrix that you may use
to formally assess the skills covered this term (see program resources on portal)

b Using DRAMA to ASSESS OTHER KLAs

This program provides teachers with opportunities to assess other KLA areas.
I intend to use their performances to help assess different Literacy skills,
namely TnL simply by adding some extra columns to the above matrix sheet.
This program also provides opportunities to assess through observations;
especially with those social aspects we dont often witness in a classroom
setting.

DRAMA

STAGE 3

Lesson Sequence

T4, 2015

IMPLEMENTATION: Learning experiences will be adapted by the classroom teacher to suit their selected play
presentation ie whether as a whole class or in small groups

H LESSON STRUCTURE and ORGANISATION

Begin each lesson with a Warm-up game played as a class; this aims to promote creative thinkers as

well as help all children to develop and build self confidence. Provide encouragement for those who are
reluctant, shy/quiet students.
These lessons will help prepare your students to act confidently on stage, in front of an audience.

Lesson

Learning Experience

Resources

REG/EvaL

INTRODUCTION
Begin with Make Mime a Coffee, which is a class game. Page 13
Blake Ed
Play 2 or 3 rounds making objects/topics slightly
Drama Fun
harder. Use whiteboard to write objects.
See instructions for ideas and explanation.

f Introduce traditional version your story and have

students jointly discuss the story outline - How the

story begins, the most exciting parts, where the

tension develops, the climax of the story and how
the story concludes.

f Present modern or modified story version and

begin reading as a class.

Lesson

Learning Experience
WARM-UP: Play Still Life Comes to Life. Chn cont a
scene captured in a still picture card.

f PLAYING a ROLE (refer DAVE pg15)

As class, talk about what skills helped them in the

warm-up? Discuss what Theatrical skills are? To test
chns theatre skills, call out different emotions or
scenes which the chn must show without movement or
words. Highlight those using good facial expressions
and/or those also using their body and body language

f Cont READING modern or modified story as a class

Traditional
version of
story
Modified
copy of play
on IWB

Resources
Warm-up
Instructions
Copy of Task
Card 2
pg15 DAVE
instructions
Blake Ed
Drama Fun
Modified copy
of play on
IWB

REG/EvaL

Lesson

Learning Experience

Resources

f Warm-up: Begin with Same Line Different Place if

this is too hard try Whose Turn on pg12

f TIME to CHOOSE Teachers need to decide if they
are doing a whole class production or in small
groups of 5 to 6.
As a class, act out a story that has several
scenes in it. OR
As small groups: Chn choose a story they would
like to perform. Each group should have a
different story.

Lesson

Learning Experience

Page 14 or
12 Blake Ed
Drama Fun

Copy of
selection of
stories.

Resources

f Who is Who? Chn begin reading their story and

think about which part/role they want to take on?
Groups should begin to allocate roles and learn
lines.
f PROPS: Chn need to think about what props they
need. Do they need to make it? Find something for
it? Backdrops? Character props?

REG/EvaL

REG/EvaL

Class stories
Pg 43 purple
Drama Book
Copy of Task
Card 7

f Warm-Down Game: End lesson with Vox Pop this

focuses on improvisation.

Lesson

Learning Experience

Resources

f STORY rehearsals
Chn learn their character lines and rehearse acting

f PROPS continued: Chn need to think about what

REG/EvaL

Class stories
Paint, card,
costumes??

props they need. Do they need to make it? Find

something for it? Backdrops? Character props?

Lesson

Learning Experience

ASSESSMENT
6

f S3 PERFORMANCES in hall
f Student Self Assessment

Resources
Copies of Assessment sheets
Marking Rubric (Kim to give)
Teacher to fill in resources needed

REG/EvaL