This lesson plan follows on from the lesson ‘Drama Lesson: Elements of Drama, Character Building and Freeze Frames’. In this lesson plan students will continue to learn about the elements of drama (role, character and relationships; voice and movement; space and time; and language, ideas, dramatic meaning, mood and atmosphere, and symbol) through drama games, soundscapes, role play and role creation.

Year 3 and Year 4:

• Explore ideas and narrative structures through roles and situations and use empathy in their own improvisations and devised drama (ACADRM031)
• Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships and create dramatic action with a sense of time and place (ACADRM032)
• Shape and perform dramatic action using narrative structures and tension in devised and scripted drama, including exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drama (ACADRM033)
• Identify intended purposes and meaning of drama, starting with Australian drama, including drama of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, using the elements of drama to make comparisons (ACADRR034)

Elements of Drama: Go over the elements of drama with students.

What are you doing?: Students sit in a circle. One student starts in the middle of the circle and completes an action. The student next to them in the circle jumps up and asks ‘what are you doing?’ The student in the middle of the circle says an action that has nothing to do with what they are actually doing and the other student has to take on that action. The student who was in the middle sits down. And so on until everyone has had a go.

Soundscape: Remind students of the freeze frames they created – Show them photographs. Briefly discuss the conditions, experiences and emotions of the soldiers (use resources). Explain that they will be using their voices and body percussion to create the mood of being at war and that each student is only allowed to make one sound with their voice or body percussion.

Brainstorm the sounds that may have been heard in Gallipoli with whole class, e.g. gun fire, explosions, soldier being shot/calling for help, etc.

In groups of 5-6 students create and practice a soundscape to present to the class.

Once all students have presented each group will do their soundscape at the same time to create one big soundscape.

Role Play: Students find a partner and choose who will be partner A and partner B. Students talk to each other as if they are two mates fighting in the trenches of Gallipoli.

Role Creation: Students pretend they are a soldier serving at Gallipoli and write a letter home to a loved one.

Reflection Circle: What did you enjoy most about drama today? How has what you have learnt today helped you to understand the conditions, experiences and emotions of the soldiers who fought in Gallipoli?

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their ability to:

• Identify and discuss drama ideas.
• Demonstrate the elements of drama.
• Respond to drama and the elements of drama through reflection, discussion and evaluation.

Anecdotal notes and photographs will be used as evidence of student achievement.

Resources:

• Photos of students freeze frames from previous lesson.
• Images of soldiers in trenches ANZAC Images of Men in Trenches (DOC)
• Investigating Gallipoli: A Resource for Primary Schools Page 74-77 (What I have referenced to as Gallipoli Living Conditions Cards)http://www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/commemorations/education/Documents/InvestigatingGallipoli_Introduction.pdf

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