National 4 & 5 Drama

National 4 and National 5 pupils work alongside each other in the drama lessons for the majority of the course.

Movement, mime & dance-drama

In this introduction unit pupils are given the opportunity to get to know their new classmates for the two year course. Pupils will work as a team to create and short piece of movement/dance to music and then a longer piece of dance-drama based on a traditional folk story set to Scottish traditional music.

Directing unit

This unit gives pupils the opportunity to work in small groups and direct a short scripted scene. The Script will be chosen by the class teacher. This prepares the pupils for the drama skills unit when they must all take responsibility for directing some of the play.

Drama Skills unit (NAB)

In this unit pupils develop, script and present an original piece of drama from a choice of stimuli. Pupils are encouraged to co-operate and work as a team as they will be continually assessed by the class teacher. The unit culminates in a final performance to an audience and a written evaluation (also part of the assessment.) Pupils will also keep an ongoing logbook of rehearsals.

Theatre Production skills (NAB)

Pupils will learn about the roles of all of the members of a theatre production team. This unit allows pupils to choose a theatre production role and to work as a whole class to put on two short productions. These productions will be short extracts from a play chosen by the class teacher. The roles pupils can choose are: Actor, Director, Props master, Set-designer, Make-up artist, costume designer, lighting designer, sound engineer.

Pupils must keep a folio containing ideas, notes and designs for their chosen area of theatre production.

Production (NAB)

In this final unit pupils will work towards a production that will also be performed for their practical exam in front of the SQA examiner.

Intermediate 1 Production (Acting option)

Pupils are given a choice of 3 stimuli. They must choose one and work as a group to develop a piece of drama that they must write the script for, rehearse and prepare for the final practical exam. Pupils will need to work very hard and commit to rehearsals after school and at lunchtimes as well as learning lines and practicing at home.

National 5 Production (Acting option)

Pupils who are choosing to act in the final practical exam will be cast in an extract taken from a published play. For example: ‘The Steamie,’ ‘Blood Brothers’, ‘Passing Places’. The production at Intermediate 2 usually lasts between 25-35 minutes. Pupils will need to work very hard and commit to rehearsals after school and at lunchtimes as well as learning lines and practicing at home.

National 5 Technical Option

If pupils choose not to act for the final production unit and exam then they may choose a technical role. E.g. Costume design, props, set-design. This will involve a great deal of research and planning. Pupils will create a folio of work including all sketches and designs and will work closely with the actors and teacher/director to ensure that their artistic interpretation matches with the theme and genre of the production. Technical candidates must also attend all rehearsals after school and at lunchtimes.

Homework – National 4& 5 Drama

Pupils can expect homework on a weekly basis in Intermediate 1 & 2 drama. This may include the following: Writing up a log book, script writing and re-drafting, writing an evaluation, folio work, learning lines, exam revision, sketching/drawing designs and writing a theatre review/evaluation.

Final Written Exam – National 4 & 5

The written exam makes up the other 50% of the final mark. In intermediate 1 pupils must answer questions based on the stimulus they used to create the piece of drama for the practical exam. For the Intermediate 2 paper pupils must answer questions based on an extract of a play they have studied in class.

Final Practical Exam – National 4 & 5

The practical exam mark is worth 50% at both Intermediate 1 and 2 levels.