Lesson Plan

Day: M T W T F
11 +12_____

Date: 18/02/2015 Time: __Session Five_______ Year:

Learning Area: Drama ATAR and General Topic: Practical script

analysis
Curriculum content description:
Year 11 General
- Voice techniques
- Voice and movement techniques using appropriate exaggeration for
dramatic storytelling
- Rehearsal and group work processes in devised and scripted drama
- The elements of drama
- Techniques in dramatic storytelling to engage the audience through
dramatic tension
- Conventions in script layout
- Performance areas to define space and time for an audience
Year 11 ATAR
- Voice techniques
- Voice and movement techniques using appropriate exaggeration for
dramatic storytelling
- Rehearsal and group work processes in devised and scripted drama
- The elements of drama
- Techniques in dramatic storytelling to engage the audience through
dramatic tension
- Conventions in script layout
- Performance areas to define space and time for an audience
Students prior knowledge and experience:
- Aware of role terms eg. Director, actor, dramaturge
- Aware of a basic script format and conventions
- Aware of basic theatrical and audience conventions
- Still learning basic theatre edict
- Still learning to trust their peers within the lesson
Learning purpose:
Students are able to work within a group rehearsal process to analyze,
rehearse and perform a script extract including elements of drama such as
role, character and relationships, voice, movement, space and time,
language and texts, symbol and metaphor, mood and atmosphere and
dramatic tension

Learning objectives:
On completion of this lesson,
students will be able to:
- Analyze a script in a
performance context
- Demonstrate an understanding
of character relationships,
dramatic tension within a
performance
Preparation and Resources:
- Class set of scripts extracts

Evaluation:
- Students will be able to
perform a short script extract
demonstrating character
relationships, considered use of
space

Catering for diversity

- One student has a hearing difficulty so ensuring that the student is
seated close to me whilst I speak.
- Use power point for the students to follow along if they cannot hear me

Timin
g:
10
minut
es

10
minut
es

10
minut
es

20
Minut
es

Learning Experiences:
1. Introduction:
- Introduce the idea of character creation. Ask students what
makes them them? How does it manifest in personality traits?
Eg Im a runner so my legs are constantly moving or I like to
read so I dont talk very often. Offer some aspects of myself
for analyze eg I come from a large family what might this
suggest about how I walk, interact with others, talk?
- Link this back to Stanislavski theory
Ask students what body part do they lead with when they walk?
Have you ever noticed how really proud people walk? How do sad
people walk? Have you ever heard of the expression put your best
foot forward. Discuss the idea of leading body parts and what this
can say about character. Alternative opening exercise ask students
to stand in neutral stance. Once in NS ask students to walk about
the space without interacting with one another. Ask students to
freeze and choose a body part eg stomach, knee, top of the head to
walk with. Ask students what type of character they think might
lead with that particular body part.
2.

3.
10
minut
es
4.
5
minut
es

5.

6.
7.

Sequence of learning experiences:

Students to create a character. Students must demonstrate
age and gender of character eg a little girl toddler or an old
man. Once students have established stance and gesture of
the character encourage students to walk around the room as
the character. Once students are comfortable walking around
the room request that they interact
Relationship improvisation game- Park bench choose three
students and give them all characters specify age, occupation
and possibly also temperament eg an old enthusiastic dentist.
Ask students to focus on power relationships. Specify which
character has the upper hand teacher to change at intervals
Ask students to retrieve the script extract from the previous
lesson and go into the groups in which they were working
Give the students twenty minutes to rehearse the script.
Emphasizing that they must establish setting, character
relations and theatrical style. Float between groups to answer
questions and to ensure groups on task. Encourage students
to make the decisions quickly and to spend more time
physically rehearsing. After ten minutes remind students they
have only ten minutes left
Ask students to be seated. Reinstate audience edict eg
clapping for the performers, no catcalling
Once rehearsal time is up have each piece performed.
Between each piece question students (both performers and
audience) about the perceived setting, character relations
and theatrical style and contrast with the intended setting,

character relations and theatrical style. Note: possibly give

out descriptions of theatrical styles and nominate one to each
group e.g. epic style or realist
Lesson conclusion:
8. Discuss with students what they found difficult about the
rehearsal process? What went really well? Was it easy to
decide on setting, character relations and theatrical style? If
not why?
9. Emphasize that there are many ways in which to rehearse a
scene and we have just explored only one. It is the most
common way to rehearse a script
10.
Question students what they felt they have learnt from
the exercise. What would they do differently about the
rehearsal process?

Lesson Evaluation:
Unfortunately I did not manage to get through the entire of the content of
the lesson. This was due to running behind schedule with the previous
lesson. I had to make a decision to sacrifice both lessons by cutting the
previous lesson short to work on the next lesson or focus on the first lesson. I
chose to focus on the content of the first lesson more in-depth. This meant
that I was unable to do proper character work with the students, but I was
able to focus on the different roles within a play. Im not entirely sure if not
being able to finish all the content within the lesson is an issue in this case. I
understand that overall a teacher needs to be aware of deadlines in terms of
assessments and ensuring students have had enough time to acquire
knowledge for those assessments. In the context of a drama lesson in which
the learning does not have to be linear, completing content within a lesson is
not as important as it would be in a history class. I am more relieved to know
that there was enough to do within the lessons. This does not mean that my
lesson planning is not flawed by the fact that I was not able to complete the

content. For example if as a teacher I continually was not able to complete

content my students would not perform as well. Finding the balance between
having enough to work on, ensuring content is covered and that lessons are
not stuffed with everything is a skill I will have to develop as I continue my
studies.