This booklet will help you understand how to make progress in

Drama. Use it to consider what you are doing well and ways of

improving your work.

Working above

expectation

Are

you

?

Working below

expectation

Making good

progress

What do I need to do to make progress in

drama?

You need to show that you can

Work co-operatively in a group to explore and develop ideas.

Respond creatively to a stimulus by creating characters and devising your own drama.

Perform conveying ideas successfully. Evaluate and interpret your own and others work

showing understanding of how the characters are created and the drama is shaped.

Remember you are responsible for the

quality of the groups work, if you co-operate

and contribute the work is more likely to be

effective.

What is a stimulus??

A Newspaper article

Etc.

Anything that gives us an idea for the drama. Using the stimulus will help us develop a meaningful piece of drama.

In this project you will learn how to;

* Explore and respond to a stimulus.

* Create characters which show an

understanding of the theme.

* Use dramatic devices in your drama.

* Stage a scene effectively.

Stimuli used for this project :

Poems, Images, a Script.

Evaluating the Drama

As an actor, are you conveying the ideas clearly ?

1 I took on a role in drama using some movement and

gesture.

2 3 I conveyed who I am (character) in the drama.

I helped show what the drama is about.

4 5

I spoke loudly and clearly, with some expression in my

voice.

I used some movements and gesture well to

communicate the characters feelings.

I used appropriate language for the character, helping

the audience understand who I am.

6 7

I staged the drama effectively, mostly facing the front.

I used props and/or costumes effectively to help the

audience understand the character.

I performed with focus and commitment, clearly

communicating the theme of the drama.

The character/role I played is important to the plot.

8 The character I played was detailed and original.

Feedback 1

Examples.

Your movement was effective in showing your ‘bad’

character.

Your Character was very clear.

Your facial expressions communicated that the character was

upset.

Examples.

You faced the audience.

Your performance was more focussed and committed.

The tone of your voice sounded more convincing.

W W

W

E B

I

Use the feedback to improve your work. This could be from

your teacher or another student.

As an actor…

What tone of voice will you use?

What movement or gesture will you add so the audience can see how you are feeling?

Discuss with your partner

How did we use these dramatic devices to convey meaning to the audience?

Freeze Frame Thought Tracking

Mime Narration

Direct Address Slow Motion

Do you understand what they all mean? Look at the definitions on the display board or on page (…) of this booklet.

In this project we will learn how to: 1. Play a role in a scripted scene. 2. Create atmosphere on stage. 3. Use dramatic devices within a scene. 4. Engage the audience.

Stimuli used for this project :

Scene I, Act IV from Macbeth. Scene from a film.

Ernies script.

By William Shakespeare By Alan Ayckbourn

Dramatic Devices

Choral speaking

Slow motion

Symbolism

Dramatic Pause

Multi-Role

Narration/Direct address

Flashback

Freeze frame

2

3

45

6

7

8

Vo

ice

So

meti

mes

so

un

ds

like

the

char

acte

r

Sou

nd

s ap

pro

pri

ate

to

the

char

acte

r, u

sin

g so

me

exp

ress

ion

.

The

voic

e en

gage

s th

e au

die

nce

, usi

ng

vari

ed

exp

ress

ion

.

The

voic

e en

gage

s th

e au

die

nce

an

d a

dd

s m

uch

atm

osp

her

e..

Mo

vem

en

t an

d

gest

ure

Som

e u

sed

to

co

mm

un

icat

e th

e ch

arac

ter

and

wh

at is

h

app

enin

g

Cle

arly

use

d t

o c

reat

e im

ages

fo

r th

e au

die

nce

e.

g. w

hat

is g

oin

g in

th

e p

ot?

Stro

ng

use

of

mo

vem

ent

and

ges

ture

to

ad

d

imp

act

to t

he

dra

ma

and

cre

ate

a sc

ary

atm

osp

her

e

Det

aile

d m

ove

men

t an

d

gest

ure

, ad

din

g m

uch

im

pac

t.

Faci

al

exp

ress

ion

Som

etim

es lo

oks

like

th

e ch

arac

ter,

so

me

chan

ges

in e

xpre

ssio

n.

Loo

ks a

pp

rop

riat

e to

th

e ch

arac

ter

thro

ugh

ou

t.

Use

d im

agin

ative

ly t

o

com

mu

nic

ate

a s

cary

ch

arac

ter.

Usi

ng

vari

ed e

xpre

ssio

ns

to c

om

mu

nic

ate

a ve

ry

scar

y ch

arac

ter.

Entr

ance

/in

tro

du

ctio

n o

f ch

arac

ter

Beg

ins

the

dra

ma

in r

ole

co

mm

un

icati

ng

wh

o t

he

char

acte

r is

Cre

ates

an

ap

pro

pri

ate

beg

inn

ing

intr

od

uci

ng

the

char

acte

r eff

ecti

vely

.

Cre

ated

a s

cary

at

mo

sph

ere

for

the

aud

ien

ce.

Cre

ates

an

ori

gin

al

beg

inn

ing

wh

ich

en

gage

s th

e au

die

nce

an

d p

rovo

kes

a re

acti

on

.

Enga

gem

en

t w

ith

th

e

aud

ien

ce

Ab

le t

o p

erfo

rm t

o t

he

aud

ien

ce

Has

so

me

app

rop

riat

e en

gage

men

t w

ith

th

e

aud

ien

ce

Enga

ges

wit

h t

he

aud

ien

ce w

ith

co

nfi

den

ce.

Enga

ges

wit

h t

he

aud

ien

ce p

rovo

kin

g a

reac

tio

n.

Pe

rfo

rmin

g a

scri

pt—

acti

ng

Wh

at y

ou

are

do

ing

wel

l an

d w

hat

do

yo

u n

eed

to

imp

rove

?

1 -

:

I can

do

so

me

of

23

Learn your lines for your assessment.

The script is on Show my homework.

Optional extra—bring a piece of costume or a prop to

enhance your character and help communicate a spooky

atmosphere.

Discuss with your partner

How will you convey to the audience your change in

character?

What techniques/devices did you use so the audience

understands the change from reality to Ernie’s

‘illucinations’?

In this project we will learn how to: 1) Communicate era (when the play is set). 2) Use research in your

drama. 3) Convey to the audience

where the drama is set? 4) Use Rehearsal

techniques to explore ideas for the characters and scenes.

5) Use dramatic devices to convey meaning effectively.

Stimuli used for this project : Extracts from the films—’Hope and Glory’ and ‘Carries War’, photographs, sound effects, props.

Evaluating the Drama

Can you identify how era is being communicated ?

Can you explain what was used effectively to communicate era?

Can you suggest ways to improve using basic drama vocabulary?

Costume Props Symbols Movement and

gesture

Set Dialogue

Sound effects

(SfX)

Music

Example : The Evacuee was having nightmares

about her/his father fighting in the war.

Example : If they had mentioned things like

‘bombings’, Hitler, Air Raid Shelter, we would

understand that the drama is set in WW2.

What dramatic devices did they use to convey meaning effectively?

Bring a prop to use in the drama. It needs to be

something an evacuee would have taken with

them on the train.

Think about how your character can use this in

the drama to help communicate era (the time

period it is set in).

Feedback 1

Examples.

Your props were used clearly to help us understand what is

happening to the evacuee?

Examples.

You made reference to WW2 in your drama so we knew it

was set then.

W W

W

E B

I

Use the feedback to improve your work. This could be from

your teacher or another student.

Knowledge Organiser By the end of Year 7 I need to know how to:

Play a character/role effectively on stage.

Create my own drama in response to a stimulus.

Evaluate my own and other work, identifying how meaning is

being conveyed and considering some improvements.

Perform and stage a script for an audience.

I need to understand these dramatic terms and understand how they

are used to convey meaning.

Dramatic Devices

Freeze Frame - A vivid motionless scene or image

Thought Tracking - A group makes a still image and individuals speak their

thoughts and feelings out loud. It can also involve members of the class speak-

ing one characters thoughts aloud for them.

Mime - A storyline is acted out through movement and gesture without the

character speaking.

Direct Address - An actor speaking directly to the audience.

Narration - A narrator tells a story or gives an account of something.

Slow motion - Sometimes scenes showing events such as fights or races are

shown in slow motion for greater visual effect.

Choral Speaking - Recitation of poetry or prose by a chorus.

Symbols - Dramas are produced to a great extent through the use of sym-

bols—or representations—standing in for real things.

Dramatic Pause - During the dialogue a short silence is created—this can

help build up the tension.

Multi-Role - Actors commonly perform more than one character in a drama.

Performance skills needed to convey the character/idea clearly.

* Vocals

* Movement and gesture

* Stage positioning

* entrance and exits

* engagement with the audience

* commitment and focus

Basic structure for devising

Exposition - Introduction of idea/character

Design Elements

Costume

Props

Set

Symbols - Dramas are produced to a great extent through the use of

symbols—or representations—standing in for real things.

Sound Effects

Lighting