Lesson Title Play Building and Blocking Stage: 4 Year: 7 Lesson duration: 60 minutes Class/Group:

Rationale Syllabus Outcomes Syllabus Content

Participating in this lesson will
allow students to grasp the
importance and value of language
within dramatic performance.
Moreover, students will learn about
blocking and ways to plan for and
present characterisation and plot.
Resources
Open space for performance, paper
to write a rough script.
Learning
Time Guide
Intentions
Students understand
the need to focus
during dramatic
Intro:
improvisation.
10 minutes
EN4-5C. Thinks • Compose texts using alternative, creative and imaginative ways of expressing ideas, recognising,
valuing and celebrating originality and inventiveness
imaginatively, creatively,
 Use interaction skills for identified purposes, using voice and language conventions to suit different
interpretively and situations, selecting vocabulary, modulating voice and using elements such as music, images and
critically about sound for specific effects (acely1804, acely1808)
 Combine visual and digital elements to create layers of meaning for serious, playful and humorous
information, ideas and purposes
arguments to respond to • Experiment with particular language features drawn from different types of texts, including
combinations of language and visual choices to create new texts (acelt1768, acelt1805)
and compose texts • Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the
effectiveness of students' own texts (acely1810)
• Analyse how point of view is generated in visual texts by means of choices, for example gaze, angle
and social distance (acela1764)
Risk Assessment Prior Knowledge
Low risk. Familiarity with improvisation and dramatic performance.
Teaching Class
Content/Learning Experience Assessment Techniques
Strategies Organisation
(Engagement) N/A
To refresh student learning, the class will have a short discussion of the
previous lesson. This is necessary as a large portion of the class was
absent in the previous lesson. Continuity of
Whole class
Students who were absent from the previous lesson will be grouped lessons
with students who were not for the Body of the lesson. This will create
a supportive environment for the previously absent students and allow
students to lead their peers as they have experience with play building
and script making.
 Students develop (Exploration/Transformation/Presentation) Informal formative
the ability to To develop students’ understanding of characterisation, students will The teacher may assess
present individually pick three very different characters/personas in their mind. for student
Students must then act for at least 5 seconds as each character/persona
characterisation. comprehension of the
responding to increasingly complex scenarios, such as:
concept of presenting
 Losing the Grand Finale of their chosen team sport Warm-up Individual and
Warm up:  Breaking the world record for 100m sprint character without always
game pairs
5 minutes  Listening to their favourite song being the focus of the
 Being scolded by their boss
scene.
 Restaurant waiter brings them the wrong food three times in a row
 Giving up on a project (e.g. writing a novel, or building a shed)
 Seeing their best friend succeed
This will demonstrate to students that they can further characterisation
in parts that they are not the focal character.
This should be implemented into the following activity.
Students combine As an extension of the previous lesson, students will be split into Formative
verbal control as groups in which they must develop a script and perform a scene while The teacher may assess
only using a single word. Students do this under a 15 minute time
well as physical students’ growing ability
constraint. This will require students to use blocking and timing when
acting in order to planning their scene in order to effectively convey character and plot. to create short plays
present an engaging Students will be reminded about the importance of characterisation, which incorporate:
movement, physicality, and voice. Additionally, students must write Play building
Body: 15 scene. characterisation, plot,
their script/stage directions on a piece of paper to ensure that proper Groups
minutes + planning has taken place. The script should include the delivery of the miming, vocal control,
Students continue chosen word. Retraction of
20 minutes Whole class space, movement, and
to refine their key element
 Soldiers at Gallipoli (War) focus.
creative abilities.  Husband and wife announce to their parent(s) that she is pregnant
(Life)
 Apprentice repeatedly making mistakes on the job and gets fired
Students use (Work)
intonation and  Newton discovering and trying to explain his new theories
(Science)
 Witchdoctors organise to and summon someone (Voodoo)
 gesture to  Backstage before Trump’s deciding presidential election (Trump)
communicate  At NASA when the first astronauts leave and return (Space)

meaning and The scenes will then be presented to and enjoyed by the whole class.
The audience will practice active listening and provide supportive
emotion.
feedback for the performance.
If there is time after the scenes, the class may be introduced to the
element of conflict. This will help them to create play with deeper
plots, which will therefore support longer and more engaging plays.
Students reflect on (Celebration of completed learning) N/A
their learning The class will sit and quietly reflect on the lesson. Students will find a
throughout the comfortable position to sit in for the following 5 minutes. The teacher
Conclusion: will guide student reflection on: Meditation /
lesson. Individual
5 minutes  What was funny about the scenes? reflection
 What was creative about the scenes?
 Who displayed quick thinking, and by doing what?
 How can you apply this lesson to other lessons or classes?
 Reflect on thoughts of your own choice
Transition to next lesson
Students will become increasingly confident with dramatic performance and improvisation.