BC Education - Appendix D: K to 7 Samples

Drama Sample 3: Grade 5

Topic:

Role DramaCreating a Pioneer Community

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Exploration and Imagination

It is expected that students will:

express ideas and emotions using verbal and non-verbal communication
demonstrate the ability to reflect on a dramatic work
demonstrate individual responsibility within the group when developing dramatic work

Drama Skills

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
use drama structures to develop stories that present problems and their possible solutions

Overview

The teacher and students worked in role as pioneers creating a community. They solved problems, created rules and laws, and decided on services for their town. The teacher used a variety of drama strategies to build belief and to enable all students to participate and respond. The activity helped students to review and personalize the information they were learning in their social studies unit on Canadian history and government. Evaluation was based on the teacher's observations and students' self-assessments.

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

Students had been studying pioneer settlements in social studies. To introduce the drama activity, the teacher reminded them that pioneers from many walks of life came to the Prairies and British Columbia to create new communities, where they faced many challenges.
In groups of four or five, students created tableaux of families arriving in their new communities. Each group shared its tableau and responded to questions from the teacher such as:
- Where have you come from?
- What are your concerns now that you have arrived?
- How will you make a living here?
- How does your family feel about the move?
The teacher explained that students would be creating a pioneer community in the classroom and invited them to share their ideas about what their area or town might look like. Students created a mural showing scenes of the community.
The whole class brainstormed a list of roles and the jobs and skills people needed in their new communities. The teacher recorded their ideas on chart paper.
The teacher provided narration to move the plot forward: "Families are at their new homessome in small towns, some on the outskirts. Everyone is busy at their jobs and daily tasks."
Students then worked with their original groups to mime activities (e.g., chopping wood, ploughing, baking bread, collecting water, working in a store). After a few minutes, the teacher signalled students to "freeze." The teacher moved around the room, touching students on the shoulder and asking questions. For example:
- What has surprised you about this new community?
- What has been your biggest challenge?
- Who are the people who have helped you get settled?
- How are you helping your family?
The teacher continued the narration to move the drama forward: "Many people came to the valley in just a few years. The town began to grow. Some problems arose, and the people decided to meet one evening to discuss the situation."
Students worked in pairs to decide who they would be (referring to the chart of jobs and roles they had created earlier). The partners arrived at the meeting in role, pausing outside to tell one another about a problem they had found in the new community and to offer ideas for solving it.
The teacher, in role as a shopkeeper, welcomed the townspeople and invited them to share the problems they had encountered. For example:
- People come into my shop from the road and leave mud all over the floor.
- The building next to mine is not built very well. I'm worried that it is not safe.
- There are many children in town, walking and playing on the streets. People on horseback don't seem to pay any attention to them. Our children could be hurt.
- I need more water for my farm. How can I get it to my land?
The shopkeeper encouraged the townspeople to respond to one another and recorded the problems and suggestions on chart paper. The shopkeeper ended the meeting by asking the townspeople to go home and think about which problems they wanted to address first and how they might solve them.
Students, in role as the townspeople, wrote about the meeting in their diaries. The teacher circulated, touching various students on the shoulder to prompt them to read a phrase or sentence aloud.
The teacher led a class discussion about the activity:
- How did you feel about being in role?
- How was this activity different from when we do stories in role?
- How realistic were the problems the townspeople described?
- How similar were they to the problems you hear in the news today?
The teacher formed small groups and asked each group to work in role to record the following:
- three problems, each with a potential solution (including laws that might help prevent the problem in the future)
- one service the town could provide to its citizens, with suggestions about how to pay for it
With the whole class in role, the groups presented their suggestions at a town meeting chaired by the teacher in role as the shopkeeper, and everyone decided on the laws and services they needed to create a strong community.
To bring closure to the activity, students regrouped in the original families they had portrayed in their opening tableaux. Each group created a new tableau, showing the family now established in the community. Groups shared their tableaux and responded to questions from the teacher and other students.

Defining the Criteria

During this activity, the teacher and students focussed on the extent to which they were able to:

communicate their ideas clearly, openly, and respectfully
use voice, language, and movement to create a believable role appropriate to an established theme
speak in role consistently over an extended activity
interact in role with others to consider and solve problems
take individual responsibility for the drama
reflect on the drama, showing understanding of how events unfolded and of their own roles

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

As students worked, the teacher wrote brief notes on a class list. At the end of the activity, each student was evaluated using a rating scale. Students also used the rating scale for self-assessment and wrote short journal entries explaining how they had decided which rating best described their work. Each student received a reference copy of the rating scale, which was used frequently throughout the year to evaluate role dramas.

Role Drama

Rating	Criteria
5	All criteria are met at an outstanding level. Contributes a variety of ideas that the group is able to use. Considers and builds on others' ideas to solve problems and advance the drama. Creates and sustains believable and appropriate roles. Adds to the success and interest of the activity by offering innovative or insightful ideas and by including realistic detail. Reflections show insight into characters and events.
4	All criteria are met. Participates in all phases of the activity, contributing ideas and interacting with others. Consistently speaks in a role appropriate for the situation. Includes some detail to make the role convincing. Reflections show understanding of how events unfolded and what role various characters, including self, played.
3	Most criteria are met. Participation may be somewhat uneven or inconsistent. May contribute enthusiastically to one activity, but show minimal engagement in another. Stays in role during most of the activity. Role is appropriate, but may be stereotypical and lack development. Reflections show basic understanding of the events.
2	Criteria are partially addressed. Participates in all activities, although contribution may be minimal at times. Takes on a role and speaks in that role when prompted and supported by the teacher. Reflections may be very brief or focus on retelling events.
1	Criteria are not demonstrated. The student may avoid participating or participate inappropriately.

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Revised: July 8, 1998

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