Start to build a collection of newspaper headlines which can be used as a stimulus for drama.

Choose one headline to build a lesson/series of lessons around.

Headlines:

• Tragic End
• Man Dies After Fall
• Why did the Sun turn red?
• The day the sky turned red

The one I have chosen – What do you mean there’s not a crumb left for me?

• What drama conventions will you use?

Thought Tracking

Freeze Frames/ Tableau

 

• What issues might be explored?

World Hunger

Why are some parts of the world starving?

 

• What interdisciplinary links might there be?

Children can also learn about other countries that have a lack of food.

 

• What Es&Os will be addressed?

Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through drama. EXA 0-13a / EXA 1-13a / EXA 2-13a

I can respond to the experience of drama by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comment on my own and others’ work. EXA 0-15a / EXA 1-15a / EXA 2-15a / EXA 3-15a

 

• How will you assess learning?

I will assess the learning through the thought tracking and how the children respond to this. This will determine whether or not they have understood the stimulus.

I will also assess the learning through discussion at the end of the lesson.

 

Fill a bag with objects specifically chosen to represent a variety of characters which could be used as stimuli for role-play or improvisation.

Object	Character
Wicker Hat	Holiday maker/Tourist/Uncover agent
Cap	Golfer/Rapper/Holiday maker/Thief/
Black Fedora	Gangster/Mafia/Mobster
Apron	Grandma/Baker/Housewife/Nanny
Tie	School Pupil/Business man
Hawaiian Flower Necklace	Hawaiian/Holiday maker/ Party goer
Long Blonde Wig	Goldilocks/princess/mermaid
Black Wig	Crazy Scientist/Mad professor/Mad School teacher
Mask	Mysterious man/spy
Goggles	Scuba diver/treasure hunter
Wand	Witch/Wizard
Old Camera	Newspaper reporter/ photographer/ War reporter/ Archaeologist

Choose a character from the past (it doesn’t have to be a famous person). Research that character and the time that they lived. Use the drama convention Visualisation to explore what it would be like to be that character. What would they hear? What would they see? Smell? Experience? Write a diary entry in role as your character.

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was Britain’s prime minister for most of WW2. He was famous for his refusal to give in and grand speeches, especially when things were going badly.

When did he live?

Winston Churchill was born in 1874 and loved through two world wars. He witnessed the first cars, first planes and even the first astronauts in space. He was an MP for over 60 years and died in 1965.

Childhood

Winston Churchill was born 30^th November 1874, in Blenheim Palace near Oxford. Blenheim is a great house which was built in the 1700s for John Churchill.

At the age of 7, Winston Churchill was sent away to school which he did not enjoy. He was beaten by his teacher and was deprived of food. he was moved school and he enjoyed it there as it was located by the sea. He learned to swim and ride horses there. Churchill enjoyed reading, history and learning poems by heart. He was not good at writing and was often late for his classes.

War

In the 1930s, Churchill said that Britain must get ready for a new war. Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler was a danger to peace but he was not in the government, so people took little notice of his warnings.

In 1939, Germany attacked Poland and Britain and France went to war with Germany. This is when WW2 began. Churchill was put in charge of the Navy again but the war went badly. By 1940 France was beaten and Britain faced invasion. Britain needed a new leader and in May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister.

War Leader – Britain at War

Churchill used the radio to tell the world that Britain was not beaten. His speeches helped keep up peoples spirits. He told the parliament “We shall never surrender” Churchill lead Britain through the battle of Britain and the Blitz. He walked through towns that had been damaged by bombs. Everywhere he went, he gave the ‘V for Victory’ sign.

From 1941, America was in the war and so was Russia. Britain, America and Russia were now allies. Churchill became a friend of America’s President, Roosevelt. He met with Russia’s leader, Josef Stalin. The 3 leaders were called ‘The Big Three.’

On D-Day, 6^th June 1944, the allies landed armies in France. Churchill wanted to go too but had to wait until it was safer. The war in Europe ended in May 1945 and crowds cheered for him as he stood with the King and Queen. Britain had an election and the conservative party lost as the labour party won. As Churchill was a conservative he gave up the roll of prime minister and by August 1945 WW2 was over.

Use the drama convention Visualisation to explore what it would be like to be that character. What would they hear? What would they see? Smell? Experience? Write a diary entry in role as your character.

Teacher explains to the children what it is that she wants them to visualise and asks them questions to think about to help them to visualise this in their minds.

• Imagine you are Winston Churchill walking through a town that had been damaged by bombs.

What would they hear?

I would hear people crying and screaming. The people behind me are trying to explain what has happened to this town. I can hear planes over head and they are very loud as they are flying low. I can hear buildings falling over and crashing against the ground in the distance.

What would they see?

I can see buildings that have been damaged by the bombings and a lot of people around me watching my reaction to see how I am feeling and what my next move should be. I can see people embracing one another while they look devastated at the wreckage. The sky is dark with smoke which has not disappeared from the bombing yet.

Smell?

I can smell burning and smoke. There is also a strong smell of sewage.

Experience?

I have experienced the effect of the War first hand. I feel extremely upset and sad that this has happened and need to think carefully about what my next move should be. This experience almost does not seem real.

Diary Entry

8 September 1940.

I went to visit a bomb-damaged area at the East End of London and I cannot believe what I have witnessed. I knew this war was bad, but I did not realise the damage that was really being caused to these towns and cities. I took a walk through this area and I could hear people screaming and crying, this was awful to hear and I did not know what I could do to help them through this miserable time. Nothing I could do or say to them will help them through this. As I looked to the sky, there was nothing but dark cloud, or more specifically, smoke. The smell was intoxicating, I felt I couldn’t breathe properly. As I walked around the area, I could see more damaged buildings and wreckage and I cannot help but feel shocked and distressed at the sight of this. This area was once a thriving area and now it is destroyed, looking hopeless.

I need to think about what I am going to do next. What can I say to these people to help them feel safe and secure? How can I raise their spirits again? I will do something to stop this. I will end this War.

 

Read Picture Book Drama resource and Kit Lists for 3 books. Remember to focus on the process as well as the product if using this resource.

Choose your own Picture Book and create your own Kit List for use in school. (When you have your own class, remember to involve the children in preparing their own kit list!)

Evidence: Your portfolio should contain a short description of the story you have selected, as well as the Kit List you have made.

Kit List – The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Schleffer.

This is a rhyming story involving a clever mouse who takes a stroll through the woods. Three large animals that want to eat him and an imaginary monster, a Gruffalo, who turns out to be only too real. He tells the Gruffalo that he, the mouse is the scariest animal in the wood. The Gruffalo laughs at this but agrees to follow him as the mouse demonstrates how everyone is afraid of him. The two walk through the wood, meeting the animals who had earlier threatened the mouse.  They are all frightened at and run off and each time the Gruffalo becomes more impressed with the mouse. Exploiting this, the mouse then threatens to eat the Gruffalo, who then flees.

Casting

Narrators –   2 older children who are confident readers read aloud from the book.

Alternatively, with younger or reluctant readers, you can narrate and ask them to contribute the repeated phrases and rhyming sequences.

Give narrators their own special place to stand/sit, where they can see the action.

Characters and Actions   

Character	Actions
Mouse	Walks slowly like a mouse as he walks through the woods. Is frightened every time he meets a new character but then builds confidence as he talks about the Gruffalo in order to frighten off the animals who are trying to eat him.
Fox	Walks with confidence, grinning at the mouse. Is a cunning character who speaks with a deep voice. Quivers when the mouse mentions the Gruffalo and runs away as fast as he can, with a frightened look on his face.
Owl	Spreads her/his arms and happily takes off to fly around acting area. Flies away in fear when the Gruffalo is mentioned.
Snake	1 child slithering/sliding along the floor, or 2 /3 children forming a long twisting line which moves together.
Gruffalo	Appears to be confident. Stomps his feet as he walks. Starts to get become more startled as he can see that the other animals are scared of the mouse.

 

This cast would involve 8 children in the storytelling and action.

Setting

Hiding places (from which each animal emerges as the story unfolds)

Large pieces of cardboard covered to look like trees which can cover each animal or big paper leaves or rocks which can be made by the children.

• Old sheets/curtains which can be painted by the children in an art activity
• An inexpensive roll of wallpaper (with embossed patterning) can be roller painted by the children and divided into long lengths to represent jungle leaves.

Each place should be clearly defined and provide the character with a starting point and a finishing point for them to return to after their individual action.

You will need manipulators for these leaves to move – 2 for each animal/leaf. This can be the same two children or pairs assigned to their own particular leaf.

Costume

The most effective costume is impressionistic and easy for the children to move in.

Lengths of material, cloaks, neckerchiefs or headbands can denote character and often aid the movement the children make.

The children can have their faces painted (unless allergic to face paint) in order to help the audience, understand what child is playing what character. If any child is allergic to face paint, all of the other children will not get their face painted either. Explain to the children that the most important thing to remember is how their character might act, move and what their facial expressions should be at certain parts of the drama. This will help the audience to see who they are playing.

Narrators – Ask the children what they think would be appropriate to wear as the narrators. If they are struggling to think of something, then suggest something smart, for example, their school uniform.

Characters

Character	Costume
Mouse	Fur fabric waist coat. Fur cuffs around wrists and ankles. A tail which can be made out of the same fabric which will Velcro around the waist. Stage make up.
Fox	Fur fabric waist coat. Fur cuffs around wrists and ankles. A tail which can be made out of a bushier fabric which will Velcro around the waist. Stage make up.
Owl	An owl mask or face painted. Brown tights with a long brown top. Wings made from different pieces of brown felt sewed together with arm holes.
Snake	Green cloaks, mittens, fabric leggings/boots/stage make up.
Gruffalo	Fur fabric waist coat with purple prickles sewn on the back. Fur mittens and boots made with claws on both. Stage make up for the Gruffalos teeth, eyes, tongue and wart.

 

Props

Forrest leaves can be cut out and painted by the children themselves. They can make different sizes. Larger leaves for the characters to hide behind.

Wallpaper rolls and mini – rollers to cover the wallpaper in greens, greys, and browns. This can be used for the backdrop of the drama.

Sound

With the children’s help choose the most appropriate sound/instrument to   accompany the appearance of each character. Allow time for the instrument player to present the sound as the character moves around the acting area.

Character	Sound
Mouse	tambourine tapped lightly so as to jingle the bells
Fox	Chimes to make the fox sound mysterious
Owl	Vocal Twit twoo
Snake	Marracca or ocean drum
Gruffalo	Drum