Three drama lessons based on Michael Morpurgo's beautiful book about a wombat who loses his mother. He comes across several animals as he looks for his mother, and they are all very quick to tell him how good they are at something. However, when a fire starts is it one of these clever animals that saves the day - or wombat? The drama lessons require the children to work individually and in groups. They also use basic drama strategies.

This is a short humorous play initially written for use with my drama club. I then went on to use it in the Year 6 leavers' assembly. It has seven characters, as well as a chorus that can be as large or as small as you like. The costumes are simply hats, and the list of props is very short and simple. It appeals to both boys and girls as it contains very obvious humour, as well as over the top characters.

ENVIRONMENT WHOLE CLASS ASSEMBLY Included in this pack: A short play An original poem (PPT slides and a written version) I’m An Eco-Warrior, Get Me Into There! This is a play for a class of 30 children and is about four environmental issues: forests, rivers, ice caps and oceans. Each issue is represented in a game show by an Eco-Warrior. Each issue has a rap to perform and a group of Fact Finders. The Fact Finders each have a short paragraph of facts to say. Every child has the chance to speak, either with scripted dialogue or through the rap. There are scripted dialogue lines for 22 children and the other children are involved in the raps. You could also add more presenters and share the dialogue out between them. I have included the script as a word document so changes can be made to accommodate more or less speaking parts. Fact Finders can be added to by sharing the dialogue out more, or cut down by giving each Fact Finder more to say. Rappers can also be added to or cut down. One rapper from each environmental issue also has a single line of dialogue. As well as the whole play I have included the Fact Finder scripts and raps separately for ease of chopping them up, so you don’t have to give everyone the full script. Once Upon a Time There Was a Planet… is a 12 stanza non-rhyming poem about the affects we’re having on the environment. It’s presented as a 13 slide power point presentation, with powerful images. There is a written version included too. The poem is ideal for individual, paired, group or whole class work and would make an excellent addition to your class assembly. The first half illustrates how wonderful our planet is and the second half illustrates the devastating affect humans are having on the planet.

This unit is ideal for poetry work as well as P.S.H.E. The unit is supported by a 25 slide PPT presentation, as well as resource sheets and five original poems. The Red Hot Feeling - anger (a four stanza rhyming poem) I Fear... - fear (a seven stanza non-rhyming poem covering various things a child is scared of eg not being picked, falling out with friends, walking home alone etc) Please Someone Try to Change It - loneliness (a four stanza non-rhyming poem covering a child with no friends and not understanding why) Draining Hope Away - sadness (a one stanza non-rhyming poem using similes) A Cosy Feeling of Warmth - happiness (a four stanza rhyming poem covering various things that make children happy) There is a list of general activities to use with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for each individual poem.

A pack of five original poems using Christmas as their stimulus, for K.S.1 and K.S.2. There are general activities which can be used with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for some of them. The poems are supported with a 43 slide power point presentation. I Looked Outside - a rhyming poem about a snowfall in the night No Crown of Jewels - a rhyming poem about the birth of Jesus, and the truth about Christmas rather than the glitz It's Christmas! - a rhyming poem using a different Christmas element for each stanza, for example; the tree, Santa and a present. This poem also follows an obvious pattern What? - a rhyming poem comparing the baby Jesus to the latest toy that children desperately want at Christmas Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer (verse and chorus) poem, again with an obvious pattern.

This is an original story poem telling the tale of ‘Jonah and the Whale’. It has 11 eight line, rhyming stanzas. This pack includes a 12 slide PPT presentation of the poem, as well as a written version. It is ideal for telling the children this familiar story; doing do succinctly and with humour. It could also be used as the basis for a whole class assembly.

This pack contains 11 drama lessons based on four popular fairy tales. It is accompanied by 16 resources and a 13 slide PPT presentation. There are full descriptions of the drama strategies used. 1) The Three Billy Goats Gruff - two lessons based on script work. The strategies used are freeze frames, and performing a script as well as creating their own. There is also a short script for the whole story, which could be used for an assembly. 2) Jack & the Beanstalk - three lessons. The strategies used are: corporate brain, conscience alley, freeze frames, improvisation, movement to music, mime and T.I.R. 3) Dick Whittington - three lessons. A short version of the story is included. The strategies used are: hot seating, improvisation, freeze frames, mime, scripts and picture whoosh! 4) Little Red Riding Hood - three lessons. A full, new version of the story is included. The strategies used are: sculpture, improvisation, conscience alley, hot seating, thought circle, freeze frames and moving pictures

This is a play suitable for an end of year production or Year 6 leavers' assembly. It lasts about 30 minutes. It is set in the modern day which makes the story more accessible to the children. It is amusing and appeals to both boys and girls. There are 24 speaking parts (including 11 narrators which could be condensed into less) and non-speaking parts for the football fans, the rock group, the storm sequence and the underwater sequence. Music suggestions are made for the various sequences and these can be kept very basic or choreographed as full dances. Costume is left up to you as it is set in modern day.

This unit uses three traditional stories from Spain, Poland and Norway. Copies of the three stories are included. SPAIN: Half-a-Chick - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers body language, tone of voice, conversations, characters' thoughts & feelings and the giving & receiving of feedback. The drama strategies used are: listening circle, improvisation and conscience alley. POLAND: The Dragon of Krakow - This story has two accompanying drama lessons and covers creating a setting, role work and whole class performance. The drama strategies used are: sculpture, process drama, T.I.R., moving pictures and scene carousel. NORWAY: The Boy Who Went to the North Wind - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers the use of effects to illustrate key points in a scene. The drama strategy used is scripts If you want to learn more about drama strategies take a look at my pack of 23 strategies for £5 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/drama-strategies-primary-23-strategies-for-the-non-specialist-to-develop-speaking-and-listening-11602421

This pack is simply two poems with no lessons attached. Robbie Likes to Choose - a story about a little boy who won't listen to his parents when they try to tell him to eat healthily Grubble and Squeak - two cute characters try to get the children to live their lives like them; one lives a healthy life, the other one lives unhealthily Included: - a PDF of the two poems - a PPT presentation of the two poems plus illustrations

This is a pack of 23 drama strategies. Each strategy is fully explained and has examples for every relevant stage of the primary age range - I am a primary school teacher. However, these strategies are just as suitable in secondary schools, and they can ALL be used in a secondary setting. The strategy remains the same, it's just the topic or text that has to be changed for the older age groups. The strategies have been selected for the non-specialist to use, and focus on the development of speaking & listening. The pack is ideal for EAL children. There are two types of strategy: 1) Speaking is the end goal 2) The actual drama process relies on speaking & listening for its success Where required, resources are provided to accompany the strategies. There are several short script excerpts included.

This pack is based on two Greek myths, and each myth has three lessons. Various drama strategies are used as well as individual, paired, group and whole class work. The drama strategies are all explained, and there are also tips for using the pack. Resource sheets and PPT slides are included where necessary. Both myths come with an original version of the story. King Midas and the Golden Touch: Lesson 1: creating a conversation; improvising, planning and rehearsing an ‘off-stage’ scene Uses - improvisation and dialogue Lesson 2: considering what a character should do and what he thinks; creating a conversation Uses - thought tapping and hot seating Lesson 3: improvising a group scene; considering what a character should do and what he thinks; creating an ending for the story Uses - hot seating, improvisation and conscience alley Theseus and the Minotaur: Lesson 1: using body language and tone of voice; considering what a character thinks; thinking, speaking and reacting in role Uses - freeze frames, thought tapping, conscience alley and T.I.R. Lesson 2: considering a character’s feelings; being in role for a whole class drama; deciding on what will happen next Uses - hot seating, sculpture, freeze frame and T.I.R. Lesson 3: choreographing movements; improvising a paired scene, considering a character’s feelings; predicting a character’s actions Uses - movement, improvisation, hot seating and flash backwards & flash forwards

This is a unit of seven drama lessons for Year 1 based on four popular picture books. The lessons are accompanied by resource sheets and PPT slides. Book 1: Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School by David Melling - two lessons using mime, voices and acting out. The lessons incorporate individual, paired and group work Book 2: Hugless Douglas and the Big Sleep by David Melling - two lessons using mime, voices and thinking about a character's feelings. The lessons incorporate individual, paired, group and whole class work Book 3: Oliver's Vegetables by Vivian French - two lessons using movement, mime and performance. The lessons incorporate individual, paired and group work Book 4: Smile, Crocodile, Smile by An Vrombaut - one lesson using mime and thinking about a character's feelings. The lesson incorporates individual and group work.

This is a pack of six original poems - spanning both key stages - using autumn as the stimulus. Autumn - a rhyming poem about the transition from autumn to winter Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem about autumn Friend or Foe? - a rhyming poem about Halloween which can be written in three different ways Crackle! Spit! - a rhyming poem with a pattern, about Bonfire Night. There are two accompanying dance lessons for K.S.1 with this poem Bonfire Night - a non-rhyming poem which can be written in a straightforward way, or as calligrams We Dare You To! - a rhyming poem about the dangers of playing with fireworks, and also the issue of wanting to fit in. This has an accompanying Y5/6 drama lesson The pack includes general activities to do with the poems, as well as specific activities for the individual poems. There is a 40 slide PPT presentation to support the activities.

This is a 12 stanza, non-rhyming poem about the affects humans are having on the environment. The first half is about the wonderful things on the planet, and the second half is about what’s happening to them now. It is presented as a 13 slide PPT presentation, with each verse having a powerful image as the background. There is also a written version of the poem. This poem would be ideal for individual, paired, group or whole class poetry, as well as perfect to support work on the environment.

This is a pack of five drama lessons based on Anthony Browne's popular book 'The Tunnel' A full description of each drama strategy used in the lessons is included, as are general notes for using the pack. Lesson 1: How characters are different, how they feel and creating a conversation between the two main characters. Uses - freeze frame, hot seating and sculpture Lesson 2: Solving conflict and acting out a script. Uses - freeze frame, sculpture, scripts and silent participation Lesson 3: A character's thoughts, what a character should do and creating a whole class piece to music. Uses - conscience alley, hot seating and performance Lesson 4: Creating an atmospheric scene, creating a scene from off-stage and creating a performance for the rest of the class. Uses - atmosphere and acting out Lesson 5: Using freeze frames to present ideas and key parts of the story, a character's thoughts & feelings and creating conversations to show how characters have changed. Uses - freeze frame, moving pictures and thought tapping

This is a pack of five poems about transport, for E.Y.F.S. and K.S.1. The poems are all simple and rhyming. A suggested activity for each poem is included. THE WATER LAPS…: a four stanza rhyming poem describing being on a ship. BICYCLE, BICYCLE: a seven stanza rhyming poem with a repetitive pattern. Each stanza describes a different part of the bike e.g. wheels, handlebar etc. HERE COMES THE TRAIN!: an eight stanza rhyming poem describing the journey of a train. It uses onomatopoeia and has a repetitive pattern. Great for adding actions to in P.E. STRANGE SILVER BIRD: a poem describing a rocket, written as one long stanza. It could also be broken up into six short stanzas. Each line is very short to keep the poem moving along. THE CAR: a calligram poem using the shape of the car. ACTIVITIES THE CAR: There is a template for each mode of transport to be used for calligram poems. There is also the same template but with details added to be used as colouring sheets, if so desired. The poems BICYCLE, BICYCLE and HERE COMES THE TRAIN! have writing frames for the children to have a go at creating their own stanzas, or full poems. These can then be put together to make a whole class poem or done individually, in pairs or in groups. STRANGE SILVER BIRD: I have included the poem cut up into stanzas so the children can have a go at putting it back together. I have also included it split into pairs of lines, so the children can put it back together using the rhymes. THE WATER LAPS…: Read this to the children, or show it on the PPT and ask them to draw what’s being described. Is it a calm picture? Is there a storm? What’s in the picture besides the ship? Is the ship big or small? What shape are the windows? Are the dancing horses actually horses? I have also included some reading comprehension questions to go with this poem.

'Emilio lives with his mother, in a village on a Caribbean island. He is a very naughty boy and causes lots of problems. When he’s naughty he makes sparks fly. His mother gets very angry with him, and when she is angry the air rumbles loudly. The villagers are scared of them both. The Village Leader decides that the villagers have had enough, and he sends them both far away. It takes three attempts before Emilio and his mother are sent far enough away, so they can’t scare the villagers anymore…' This short play (for a whole class assembly) is based on a traditional Caribbean tale and would link very well to a topic on the weather. There are speaking parts for every child in a class of 30. However, you can change this by simply giving fewer children more to say, and have some children with non-speaking parts. For example, there are seven Ibis birds all saying one line each; this could easily be changed to less birds speaking. I have left the play as a word document so changes can be made. Characters: 4 narrators Emilio (This could be changed to Alesha if you want it to be a girl instead of a boy) Mother (This could be changed to father if you want it to be played by a boy) Village Leader (This would traditionally be a man but could easily be played by a girl) 4 rabbits 4 hens 4 sheep 4 villagers 7 Ibis birds Line count (the number of times the character speaks in the play, not the number of sentences spoken. There is a lot of repetition e.g. the villagers say the same thing every time they come on): Village Leader – 16 Emilio – 7 (including singing his song accompanied by the class) Mother – 7 (mainly singing her song accompanied by the class) Narrator 1 - 2 Narrator 2 – 2 Narrator 3 – 2 Narrator 4 – 2 Villagers (1-4) - 3 Rabbits (1-4) – 2 Hens (1-4) – 2 Sheep (1-4) – 2 Ibis birds (1-7) - 1

This is a set of eight original poems all about ME! The poems are all simple and rhyming. They follow a quatrain pattern, vary in length and have a similar rhythm. They are great for using with actions. Each poem has a worksheet with a writing idea - this can then be turned into the children's own poems. There is a PPT presentation of the poems included. Magic Me! - this is about the five senses with a stanza for each sense I Like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically like I Don't like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically don't like. It is in the same style as I Like... How Do I Feel? - this looks at emotions, with a new stanza for each one I'm Really Rather Complex - this is six stanzas long and looks at what makes us unique, both in how we look and how we behave Friends - a simple three stanza poem What Can I Do? - this looks at some of the different things that parts of the body can do, with a new stanza for each body part Will I Have Some Post Today? - this is six stanzas long and looks at a child waiting for the post, imagining what might be delivered

This is a pack of eight original poems to use with various science topics for K.S.2. Included are general activity suggestions for all of the poems, and specific activities for the individual poems. The poems are supported by a 37 slide PPT presentation. 1) Colours Say...: a non-rhyming poem with a pattern. Each stanza is about a different colour 2) FIZZLE! CRACKLE!: a rhyming poem about electricity. This would be ideal for a rap 3) FIRE! FIRE!: a non-rhyming two stanza poem which describes fire, using two different viewpoints 4) Machine: a rhyming poem about the sounds and movements of a machine. This would make an excellent performance poem, and could also be used for a dance lesson 5) MAGIC ME!: a simple rhyming poem about the five senses. Ideal for an U.K.S.2 class to prepare as a performance for K.S.1 children 6) How Does an Animal Move?: a non-rhyming poem with each stanza looking at the movement of a different animal 7) Sounds Around...: a rhyming poem about the sounds of everyday objects, without actually naming the objects. 8) A Mass of Puzzling Questions: a non-rhyming poem about space