Prescribed Learning Outcomes
It is expected that students will:
- use a variety of vocal elements and movement to communicate meaning
- demonstrate the ability to maintain focus within a drama structure
- interact in role
- differentiate between stereotypes and authentic characters when developing roles
- use drama structures to develop stories that present problems and their possible solutions
- describe the effects of design elements
To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Drama Skills in other grades click on an icon below.
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Suggested Instructional Strategies
- Have students in pairs play "Change Positions" (see Appendix F), focussing on how the different positions affect the relationships of the roles.
- Play "The Traveller" (see Appendix F), focussing on how stereotypes are portrayed and authentic characters are developed, asking questions such as:
- How do you recognize a stereotype?
- How did that movement or vocal element become a stereotype?
- How might your character actually behave?
- Invite the whole class, working in role, to set up a new community (e.g., historical settlement, space colony). Have students define laws, responsi- bilities, services, tasks to be accomplished, and possible difficulties. Use the teacher-in-role strategy to guide the dramatic work. Following the activity, ask students to record what problems arose, how they were resolved, and what might happen to the community in the future.
- Divide the class into small groups and give each group a cartoon from a newspaper. Ask the groups to examine the cartoons to determine characters, situations, and locations. Then have them use these ideas to identify stereotypes within the cartoons and develop improvisations, stories, or mimes to present to the class. During the presentations, freeze the action at intervals and invite the class to ask questions of the presenters, who respond in role.
- After reviewing the characteristics of fairy tales, legends, and myths, form groups and ask each group to prepare examples of one of these genres for presentation. Have them use appropriate props, costumes, sound, and lighting to create unified dramatic effects. Ask students to rehearse and perform their dramas and then reflect in journals on the effectiveness of their choices.
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- When students interact in role, note the extent to which they are able to:
- anticipate one another's words and actions
- signal their intentions to one another
- interpret signals from others
- challenge one another by offering options and introducing new possibilities
- When students work in role, look for evidence that they are able to:
- find new or innovative ways to deal with challenges and content
- work toward authentic portrayals of character, rather than relying on stereotypes
- deliberately change the pace to create tension or alter mood
- use rituals, symbols, and props imaginatively
- see new possibilities and implications in the dramas as they develop
- Challenge students to choose and role-play a scene from a traditional or familiar story, changing stereotypical characters into authentic characters. Prompt reflection with questions such as:
- How does the meaning change when you eliminate the stereotypes?
- What other parts of the story did you have to change?
- Which character was more interesting--the original or your new version?
- Why are stereotypes dangerous to our thinking?
- Ask students to respond to one or more of the following prompts as they reflect on the dramas they develop:
- What were two of the most important decisions you made as you planned your drama? How did they turn out? Would you make the same decisions again?
- Which design element (e.g., props, costumes, sound, lighting) had the greatest impact on your drama? How did it affect the drama?
- Which element would you change if you were asked to develop a similar drama? Explain why.
- Overall, how satisfied were you with the design elements in your drama?
Recommended Learning Resources
Print Materials
- 200+ Ideas for Drama
- Building Plays
- Center Stage
- Christmas On Stage
- The Complete Book of Speech Communication
- Creative Drama in Groupwork
- Drama Guidelines
- Dramathemes
- Elegantly Frugal Costumes
- In Role
- Story Drama
- Taking Time To Act
- Wings to Fly
Games and Manipulatives
