I have been a drama and dance teacher for 25 years and have been Head of Drama at two schools. I am a GCSE Drama examiner, run musical theatre clubs, direct community productions and work as a practitioner at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall's open-air theatre under the stars. MY resources range from exam to KS3 schemes of work and stand alone lessons and offer drama and movement, various styles and scope for response, development, devising and evaluation.
I have been a drama and dance teacher for 25 years and have been Head of Drama at two schools. I am a GCSE Drama examiner, run musical theatre clubs, direct community productions and work as a practitioner at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall's open-air theatre under the stars. MY resources range from exam to KS3 schemes of work and stand alone lessons and offer drama and movement, various styles and scope for response, development, devising and evaluation.
This resources includes a short script involving the main events and characters of this well-loved story.
I have also included ideas for sound effects and music and a synopsis for those who are not familiar with the story or for playing Whoosh as an introduction to the plot.
It is suitable for age 7 and up and can accommodate many roles which can be expanded with more Lost Boys (children) and pirates as necessary.
This resource includes a script, cast list, ideas for props, sound and music and a synopsis of the story for those unfamiliar with the plot or for playing Whoosh to introduce the events and characters.
Suitable for all ages and a large cast, the script also suggest opportunities for movement/dance.
This unit of work introduces students to the concepts of prequel and sequel to devise their own drama based on fairy-tales.
The powerpoint explains the concepts and gives them the opportunity to explore and experiment with plot, location, character and era.
A planning sheet is included and some brief synopses of fairy-tales if inspiration is needed!
This scheme uses urban legends as a starting point for devising.
It includes several lesson exploring the key features of urban legends in a powerpoint. Several urban legends are included and a sheet of key features for students to check they are including the right things.
Style/form
Characterisation
Narration
Role play
Music
Sound effects
This complete scheme of work explores Berkoff’s ‘Agamemnon’ through a variety of practical tasks. Berkoff’s style is used to introduce students to this practitioner and how he has modernised the ancient Greek story. Design aspects are encouraged too to support the practical exploration. An intense, physical scheme of work. Please also see my scheme of work on Berkoff’s .Metamorphosis’.
Skills included over eight 100 minute session are:
Vocal awareness
Physicalisation
Language
Characterisation
Interpretation
Non-verbal communication
Visual, aural and spatial aspects
Context
This bundle includes 6 handouts for your students to help them understand the differences in dramatic styles and the key features that they consist of. Included are:
Absurdism
Agit-prop
Brecht
Comedy
Commedia Dell Arte
Style sheet (short definitions of various styles)
Theatre of Cruelty (Artaud)
This resource includes a short script featuring most of the well-loved characters of this tale. I have added Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee too.
A cast list is included and a synopsis of the story for those unfamiliar with the plot or for playing Whoosh as an introduction and a list of suggestions for music and sound.
Suitable for all ages with scope for a large cast.
This scheme of work uses mime, movement, props, costume, space and comedy as well as music.
In section 1, the students will act as mannequins being ‘arranged and dressed’ by one or two students as window dressers. This takes great concentration and stillness and controlled facial expression.
The window dresser(s) in contrast should be larger than life characters that are very flamboyant and precise in their work. Shop muzak can be used to help timing and comedic effect.
The second section after the dresser is happy with their display involves a change in music and the mannequins gradually come to life. This challenges the students’ movement skills, timing and reactions.
A guide is given for the content of each section but the students may have their own ideas for the type of shop display and what happens in the end.
Great scope for exploring the use of props, costume, movement and space. Extension of creating dialogue between the mannequins and/or window dressers.
This lesson (or two lessons depending on length) introduces students to the names of parts of the stage. It also include practical activities to reinforce where the parts of the stage are, explains stage right and stage left and explores the use of the split stage.
Beautiful story from Bali, very different to traditional fairytales.
A clear narrative to enable students to dramatise the story in their own way. Lots of interesting characters and scope for physical theatre. Options for multi-roling, narration, characterisation, exploring use of music and sound effects and costume. This powerpoint leads the students through the process of turning page to stage with connected warm-up to introduce the story. The story is included and a script adapted from the original story as printable documents and a detailed scheme of work. Can be taught over 3/4 75 minutes lessons but could be adapted/condensed depending on the length of your lessons. Several worksheets are also included for extension work in various areas that could be used for homework or classroom lessons.
This full scheme of work offers opportunities for the students to explore the text in a variety of ways. Tasks incorporate plot, themes, context, character through practical exploration and ideas for recording their findings as a diary. Although written a long time ago, the themes of the horror of war and PTSS are relevant today.
Skills included over several sessions are:
Vocal awareness
Physicalisation
Language
Characterisation
Interpretation
Non-verbal communication
Visual, aural and spatial aspects
Context
This scheme of work explores Olwen Wymark’s ‘Find Me’ in numerous ways. The tasks explore use of voice and movement, off text work, characterisation, plot and context.
A bundle of Drama activities to set students you are unable to physically see to teach. Various tasks including characterisation, preparing monologues for performance, set and costume design, script writing, response to music and art.
Suitable for ages 11 to 18 as can be adapted according to suit set texts and particular styles being studied. Useful as preparation for performance and written exams and group work when back in class.
This scheme of work will introduce your students to the basic principles of using masks in theatre. The unit uses Trestle masks but can be adapted to suit. The range of warm-ups and ten tasks incorporates the key features and terms of using masks including clocking, centres of weight, facing front and passing focus. These explorations lead up to creating a masked group piece. Would also be a useful introduction to lead into Commedia D’ell Arte.
Characterisation
Body language
Gesture
Speed
Weight
Timing
Stance
Introduce your students to the fabulous story of Macbeth resulting in a whole class performance of the play in 20 minutes!
Various activities and games to introduce characters and themes are included including Whoosh! and freeze frames.
A synopsis of the story and the story broken into scenes are included to be allocated to small groups to dramatise in their own way to join together for an end class performance.
A list of connected tasks is also included for use as homeworks or if working in a classroom.
Characterisation
Movement
Dialogue
Narration
Style
10 drama warm-ups using socially distanced guidelines, These include vocal, physical, characterisation and improvisation.Suitable for age 8 to 18 as can be adapted to suit as suggested in the Teacher’s Notes.
Power Point and printable pdf file.
Please read before you buy in case not suitable for your school’s structure/policies Thank you
This complete scheme of work explores the plot, characters, themes and context of this classic comedy.
Skills included over ten 100 minute session are:
Vocal awareness
Physicalisation
Language
Characterisation
Interpretation
Non-verbal communication
Visual, aural and spatial aspects
Context
This complete unit of work explores the play and style of Poor Theatre through various practical activities. Although written a while ago the themes and contexts are very relevant today about how society treats people who are ‘different’ and how an autistic child sees the world.
Skills included over several lesson are:
Vocal awareness
Physicalisation
Language
Characterisation
Interpretation
Non-verbal communication
Visual, aural and spatial aspects
Context
This unit encourages the students to explore different characters, situation, locations and how characters react with each other.
Inspired by ‘The Breakfast Club’ , narrative and dialogue can be created when characters are thrown together as strangers. How they react, interact and speak to one another. Preconceived ideas, and qualities they can pretend to have to people who don’t know them.
Hot seating
Thought tracking
Role play
Characterisation
Back story
Journey of a character
This unit uses a shoebox filled with various items as a stimulus for devising a group piece. The students will look at the contents of the box and establish connections and create plot, characters and location. The scheme of work suggests objects to place in the box. One box can be used for a whole class or a variety of boxes can be created so each group has their own.