This unit is inspired by Looney Tunes Cartoons. Pupils will explore common features of cartoons, such as the suspension of reality, the indestructible nature of the characters, the sticky situations they encounter and how, eventually, good always triumphs over bad. This theme is accessible. Great fun and will instantly engage the pupils. The content is action packed and demands a high level of energy, plus pupils will have the opportunity to use their imagination to create and interpret various cartoon storylines. Throughout the unit, pupils work on creating dances based on cartoons. Technical skills—The unit focuses on refining and developing technical skills in a variety of basic whole body actions. The attention to characterisation and concentration on extreme dynamic contrasts develops pupils’ expressive skills. Choreographically, pupils concentrate on creating and developing movements that relate to the themes of the cartoons, structuring a simple narrative duet and using dynamic contrast to enhance communication of the dance idea. As they work, they identify and interpret the storyline of various cartoons, explain their choice of actions in relation to the dance idea and describe what they see using descriptive and dynamic vocabulary. Includes worksheets, set dance, full lesson plans, scheme of work.

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to introduce students to the different performance devices that can be used in devised work. The scheme encourages students to explore their imagination, concentrate on creating and presenting a character, as well as exploring the use of improvisation, scenario and stereotypes, all ending with the creation of a new superhero. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities and links to character stereotypes as their stimulus, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to expand on students knowledge of Physical Theatre. The scheme encourages students to explore the use of physicality and physical theatre, combining it with music to add emotion to the action, with new explorative physical activities. Included are also are suggestions for music tracks to use alongside the physical activities. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 37 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces students to: Different forms of theatre staging Stage directions & positioning Breaking the fourth wall Monologue A short script Basic stage lighting Colour design & representation Assessment task This includes all resources, script and video links that teachers can use with the students work to build up a picture of progress and tracking whilst adapting to these difficult times, suggested for Year 7 KS3.

This scheme of work and 7 lesson plans are designed to be used with the Trestle Theatre companies basic mask set which can be bought but can be used with any set of masks. The scheme encourages students to explore their imagination, concentrate on body language and presenting a character physically, with various physical activities. Included are also a sheet which highlights the states of tension within a character and also character Archetypes. Each lesson in this 7 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities as well as a PowerPoint, to aid their students learning. Enjoy!

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to be used with ‘Forty short plays: Plays and sketches for the classroom which can be bought online but can be used with any set of short scripts, for example there are many free scripts available online also. The scheme encourages students to build upon their knowledge of creating a character by now thinking about using stage directions and taking own the perspective of the director. Included are also a sheet which highlights the role of the director and stage directions, as well as suggested scripts to use. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities, to aid their students learning. Enjoy!

This worksheet can be used as a stand alone written lesson for students studying ‘The Demon Headmaster’ or as part of our full scheme of work. Enjoy!

This worksheet is for students at home self-isolating who need to be working from home. There are a selection of 12 tasks based on different learning styles: written, oral and visual in relation to both directing and performing and 3 extension activities. Recommended for Year 9 / 8th Grade / age 13-14 Fully editable- Feel free to use it as you wish.

This worksheet was designed to give injured students or students not participating in the practical lesson something to focus on, by analysing students in the practical lesson. It looks at: Warm up Skills Dance features Evaluation

This unit takes its inspiration from the painting Guernica (1937) by Pablo Picasso. The unit makes cross-curricular links with Art and History and shows pupils how other art forms and historic events can be a powerful stimuli for dance. The unit focuses on an emotive, moral issue. The pupils analyse and interpret the painting, using both the visual imagery of the shapes and a discussion of events that inspired the artist. A key focus of this unit is the development of expressive skills. Pupils are asked to empathise with the people of Guernica and portray images, such as chaos, pain, outrage and brutality, within their own dances. The use of focus and facial expression, contracting, twisting and arching the spine and forming geometric shapes with the body, aid the powerful and vivid expression of the work. Choreographically, pupils will reflect the composition of the painting, using devices such as overlapping and changes of level to represent the work. The dance progresses from duet to small group work. As they work, pupils should make connections between their movements, body shapes and expressions and the content and meaning of the painting. Performance skills: Demonstrate clarity and expressive use of the spine when performing (eg twisting, arching and contracting positions are taken to their extreme). Demonstrate good technique when jumping, falling and rolling at speed (eg take-off and landings show control and clarity of shape in the air; flight actions have an ‘explosive’ quality, showing power and vitality; falling and rolling actions use the floor safely). Demonstrate appropriate facial expression/characterisation showing emotion (eg open mouths as if screaming, eyes wide-open as if terrified) Composition Skills: Create movements that reflect key shapes, images and emotions within the painting (eg out-stretched hands and upward focus, use of torso [twisted, arched, contracted] when creating key shapes and phrases of movement). Compose various tableaux in small groups that reflect the compositional structure of the painting (eg the use of over-lapping and contrasting levels to show the chaos and juxtaposition of body parts). Create a dance based on a given narrative (eg dance to show the bomb being dropped and the response to this). Appreciation skills: Identify and interpret what is seen in the painting, offering explanations for responses (eg describe key motifs and point to objective features of the work to support answers). Discuss the moral issues surrounding the events depicted in the painting and how this is shown in the dance (eg describe how the fleeing woman in the painting might feel). Evaluate the success of other groups in communicating the dance idea (eg success at depicting chaos, pain and outrage).

This is a full presentation with findings in to bone density in dancers, which can be used at GCSE, A-Level or Sports Science. It looks at weakening of bones and osteoporosis. The purpose of this PowerPoint was to compare the body composition and distribution of adipose tissue in two groups of female professional ballet dancers. The first group had already been identified as having low BMD and consisted of 10 dancers. The second group had been identified as having ‘normal’ BMD and were of a matching height and weight to the first group.

This presentation analysis power, culture and gender in Indian Kathak Dance and would be suitable for anyone studying dance at GCSE / A Level. It explores: Kathak - which dates back to the twelfth century and the North Indian invasion of the Moghuls. How until that point, Natya had dominated and had been a very important part of religious ritual. How it is a fusion of Arabic and Hindu and became popular as a form of entertainment. And how Bharata Natyam is a religious convention passed down from Father to Son. (Southern India) Included is also a video links.

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to introduce students to the different performance devices and explorative strategies, that can be used in devised work. The scheme encourages students to analyse character through exploratory methods, such as in role writing, hot-seating and tableau to successfully present the characters analysed in a poem. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities and links to the poem ‘Timothy Winters, by Charles Causley, as their stimulus, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 40 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces students to: Tableau Proxemics Thought Track A short story Narration Monologue Creating a scene This includes all resources and video links that teachers can use with the students work to build up a picture of progress and tracking from the start of the new school year in Year 8 KS3.

The play DNA was first staged in 2007 at the National Theatre before going on national tour for the first time. It’s a play about a group of teenagers, who could be described as a ‘gang’, who have accidentally killed one of their classmates. This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 54 page PowerPoint, which looks in detail at the play and concludes with a detailed assessment task. Students will analyse: The text to understand the characters, plot and themes of the play, Develop a range of theatrical skills which could be applied to performance and generate, develop and communicate ideas which could be used at a later date in performance or for theory work specifically through: Hierarchy Tension Dialogue Character traits Voice Rhythm Emotion Power Mime Placards Narration Off-text Improvisation Conscience corridor Cross-cutting Hot-seating Design This is invaluable if studying the text at GCSE level. Set text for Pearson Edexcel GCSE Drama.

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 25 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces students to: Short story writing Writing a script Set Design 3D Set Design Costume Monologue Teachers can use the students work to build up a picture of progress and tracking from the start of the new school year in Year 7 KS3.

Inspired by professional dance works, Petrushka, River dance and Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The unit makes cross-curricular links with music and history taking on a social and cultural theme and setting. The unit focuses developing an awareness of social/folk dance in a cultural context. Technical skills Introduction to folk dance technique using a Russian theme. Development of characterisation. Transference of their technical skills to typical Russian dance structures. Expressive skills Pupils will be asked to play contrasting roles, taking on a variety of roles depicting characters at the social setting of a fairground, as in Petrushka. Use of focus and facial expression to assist in the telling of a narrative and to support the mood of the dance. Choreographic skills pupils will reflect the structure of the dance work and the narrative. Pupils will use a variety of group sizes and relationships, with some opportunity solo, duet and trio work. Appreciation skills Pupils are provided with the opportunity to interpret and analyse the professional performance, they will discuss the social and cultural influences surrounding the event gaining a greater awareness of the influences of folk dance throughout Europe. The work will also introduce students to a basic knowledge and understanding of the development and changes in Ballet in the early 20th Century. Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes etc.

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to introduce students to the different performance devices and explorative strategies, that can be used in performing and analysing Romeo and Juliet. The scheme encourages students to analyse character through exploratory methods, such as experimentation of theme, improvisation and developing a contemporary scene based on the play. Each lesson in this 6-lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities, as well as synopsis, scenes, character cards, a shortened version of the play and character break down, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

Scripted – This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans explores, Our Day Out by Willy Russell. Students will investigate the background of the play to put it into social, geographical and historical context; they will then explore the play as a group. Once these areas have been explored students will then rehearse and perform a short duologue from the play. The scheme encourages students to explore their imagination, concentrate on creating and presenting a character, as well as exploring the use of script, scenario and contextual information. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities as well as 2 PowerPoints and links to online video resources, to aid students learning. Enjoy!