Prescribed Learning Outcomes
It is expected that students will:
- use images and emotions within cultural and historical contexts to develop dramatic work
- demonstrate how drama affects beliefs and attitudes
- apply audience skills appropriate to a variety of presentations
To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Context in other grades click on an icon below.
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Suggested Instructional Strategies
- Divide the class into groups. Give each group a large sheet of paper and coloured felt pens (one colour per group). Ask each group to write the name of its colour on the paper and list objects, ideas, and emotions they associate with that colour. Have the groups share their ideas with the class. After researching what these colours represent in other cultures, they then use one or more drama structures to share their findings with the class.
- During study of an illustrated story from a specific culture or historical period, read the story to the class without showing the illustrations. Divide the class into groups and ask each to develop a series of tableaux to illustrate the text, representing characters and their relationships and emotions as well as the central conflict of the story. After the groups present their tableaux, show them the original illustrations and have them analyse how images and emotions were portrayed in their tableaux and in the original artwork.
- As a class, determine a checklist of criteria to guide critical response to a drama performance (on video, on film, or live). Questions could focus on actors, costumes, and so on. For example:
- What cultural issues or beliefs were reflected in this drama?
- How did the audience respond to this performance?
- Did you like or dislike the drama? Why?
Have students record responses while viewing or immediately after the performance.
- Prior to attending a presentation, ask students to record in their journals their expectations for audience behaviour. After the presentation, have students record observations of their own behaviour and that of others.
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- When students work in groups to research and present information about what specific colours represent in various cultures, including their own, look for evidence that they are:
- respectful and interested in the diversity among cultures
- able to structure a drama to convey the information they collect
- attentive, supportive, and encouraging during other presentations
- Ask students to develop personal profiles of themselves as performers and viewers. Provide opportunities for them to work together to brainstorm questions or prompts such as:
- When I am performing in a drama, I get most involved when ---------- .
- A drama that was important to me was
---------, because ---------.
- If I could choose one drama activity to repeat, it would be ---------, because ---------.
- If I could watch one drama again, it would be
---------, because ---------.
- As a performer, I am ---------.
- As part of the audience, I am ---------.
- To check on students' understanding of how drama affects beliefs and attitudes, show a commercial or short video performance. Then pose questions such as the following:
- What is the main idea, theme, or image presented?
- Who developed this production? What was their purpose?
- What do the producers or performers want you to think, feel, or do as a result of seeing this production?
- What strategies or techniques did they use to create those responses?
- How did your response compare to the response expected by the producers or performers?
Look for evidence that students can draw conclusions about what they view and can provide specific examples and reasons in support.
Recommended Learning Resources
Print Materials
- Building Plays
- Center Stage
- Christmas On Stage
- The Complete Book of Speech Communication
- Creative Drama in Groupwork
- Drama Guidelines
- Dramathemes
- Story Drama
- Wings to Fly
Games and Manipulatives
