Lesson Plan for Drama Class - Case Study Example

Lesson рlаn fоr drаmа сlаss A Case Study Submitted By: NAME: INSTITUTION: COURSE: INSTRUCTOR: DATE: © 2014 INTRODUCTION In the present case study, six lesson plans have been prepared to teach theatrical techniques of tableaux, mime, transformation, soundscape, slow motion and characterisation (Banyai, 2005) respectively. The lesson plans are followed by a scope and sequence outlines for Year 9 and Year 10 drama class, including a practical group activity which relates to the said theatrical techniques and playbuilding. The case study concludes by presenting a wrap-up of the whole assignment task. PART 1: The Lesson Plans Lesson Plan One Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Tableaux Period: 1 Time: 9:00 – 10:00 A.M Day: Monday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to disseminate information in the story by use of Tableaux. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The learners give themselves roles to depict the characters in the story. Pictures of robbers attacking Cassim, tracing Ali Baba and heaps of the secret treasure are displayed in class. Learners keep on rearranging the pictures to tell the tale. Learners maintain their assigned positions in the classroom. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher makes a follow up of the previous lesson to link up with the current one. Then introduces the lesson by asking learners to narrate what they know about “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. Learners volunteer to give short accounts of what they know. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in agreeing on the best way to arrange the pictures for best effect. Learners take part fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners. In groups of four, learners arrange the pictures depicting the flow of the story from the start to the end. Learners work in turns for all to participate (Maley & Duff, 2005). Learners work in groups to foster teamwork and collaboration. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Learners practice arranging the pictures in a methodical way to present the story as it is told. Each group member explains to other members how the arrangement was achieved. Plenary session in the classroom. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners are asked to volunteer telling how they were able to arrange the pictures and interpreted them. Learners also shared the best way of arranging the pictures. Learners work together in improving each others’ Tableaux. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, tell a similar story using Tableaux. Learners tell their tales in turns. Teaching Resources/equipment: A set of Pictures and Photographs Lesson Plan Two Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Transformation. Period: 2 Time: 10:00 – 11:00 A.M Day: Tuesday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to transit smoothly from one scene of the play to next using the theatrical technique of Transformation. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners move round the classroom trying out different caricatures of their bodies. Several learners may freeze in time to usher in another scene. Learners remain frozen in space for another different scene Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher makes a follow up of the previous lesson to link up with the current one. Then introduces the lesson by asking learners to mention some of the scenes named in the tale. Learners name the various scenes mentioned in the tale. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in harmonising the scenes mentioned by their colleagues with the help of the class teacher. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners. In groups of four, learners share out the tactics of scene transition. One group practices snap transformations, the other try cross-fade transformations and the third attempt transformations using appropriate sounds (Clausen, 2004). Learners to work in groups to foster teamwork and collaboration in achieving the task objectives. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Learners swap roles within the groups (intra-group) and then later without the groups (inter-group). This task is repeated several times for each learner to participate. Learners take up their regular positions in class. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners are asked to share their experiences while performing the various roles in their groups. Was it difficult to transform the scenes? How did they like their respective roles in the task? Learners reflect on their challenges in carrying out the tasks. Follow-up (5 minutes) Find out if there are any other forms of transformations. Learners brainstorm. Teaching Resources/equipment: Body Postures Lesson Plan Three Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Mime Period: 4 Time: 12:40 – 1:40 P.M Day: Friday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to clearly ‘Mime’ a character from the tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners make gestures and movements with their bodies to imitate the ‘weighing scales’, a poor woodcutter, a greedy Cassim, a clever slave girl, or even a dangerous ‘thief’. Learners use body gestures and movements Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher introduces the lesson by asking learners to name various characters from the tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. Learners volunteer the required information. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in harmonising the suggested list of characters. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher shows pictures and images an artist’s impression of the characters named in the tale. In groups of six, learners are required to ‘mime’ the demonstrated ‘personality’ of each character in the story. The learners should swap their roles amongst themselves. Learners work in groups to foster teamwork. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Learners perform the task by practicing ‘miming’ each of the character in the tale. They swap their roles several times until perfection is achieved. Group work is then stopped (Crawford et al, 2003). Learners take up their positions in class. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share in ‘miming’ the characters in the tale. Teacher asks learners if it was difficult to do their tasks and whether it was interesting doing it. Learners offer their responses. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, practice the miming technique by: using body parts; pulling faces; a opening window or door; and producing sounds. Learners do the requested task in their logbooks. Teaching Resources/equipment: Pictures and Images of the characters Lesson Plan Four Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Soundscape and/or sound effects. Period: 5 Time: 2:25 – 3:25 P.M Day: Wednesday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to create a soundscape of a particular environment. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners practice making sounds of an ‘axe cutting wood’; ‘gold coins’ being weighed; people in a market place; or boiling oil. Learners go round the class in a circle making their sounds. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher makes a link with the previous lesson and then asks the learners to mention the various ‘environments’ presented in the tale. Learners volunteer information. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in analysing the various ‘environments’ suggested by their colleagues. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners. In their groups of four, learners are to create sounds that depict the various environments mentioned and agreed upon in class. They work in turns for full participation. Learners work in groups to foster teamwork and collaboration in achieving the task objectives. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Each learner takes up a specific sound to practice e.g. woodcutter working in the forest, gold coins being weighed, thieves arguing, merchants heckling, greedy Cassim ‘salivating’ at the sight of gold. Learners combine their individual sounds to create a perfect environment (Banyai, 2005). Plenary session back in the classroom. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share their most exciting moments with their colleagues. Learners keep on practicing. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, swap your roles in creating the sounds. Use your logbooks Learners create sounds several times. Teaching Resources/equipment: Learners themselves Lesson Plan Five Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Slow motion Period: 3 Time: 11:40 – 12:40 P.M Day: Thursday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to control the pace of the play, by either building it up into a run or slowing it down to a halt. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners practice moving around the class. They start by taking the first step together, walk briskly, and then break into a run; start slowing down to a halt. Learners move round the class in a circle. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher links up the previous lesson and asks the learners to identify instances in the tale where slow motion is applicable. Learners volunteer information. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in analysing the various instances of slow motion in the tale. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners. In their groups, they role-play the greedy Cassim walking to the treasure cave, the thieves tracing Ali Baba’s house to kill him, all at high tempo. Learners start slowing down their pace to depict the thieves failing to kill Ali Baba until they come to a halt after the chief thief is killed in the dagger dance (Wimmer, 2005). Learners work in groups to foster teamwork. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Each learner practices the motions of controlling the pace of the play until everything is perfected. They achieve this doing the same task repeatedly. Learners get seated in the classroom. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share other instances where the pace of the play needs to be controlled. Learners keep on practicing. Follow-up (5 minutes) Teacher asks learners questions e.g. what is the impact of controlling the pace of the play? Learners work together to answer the question. Teaching Resources/equipment: Learners Lesson Plan Six Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Characterisation Period: 3 Time: 11:40 – 12:40 P.M Day: Friday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to develop a role into a character (Harmer, 2004). Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners practice role-playing the various characters in the tale. Learners role-play the characters. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher introduces the lesson by asking the learners about the roles in the tale. Learners volunteer information. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in mentioning these roles as they appear in the tale. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners who are asked to develop roles of Cassim; Ali Baba; chief thief; Morgiana the slave girl e.t.c into characters. They perform this task in turns. Learners work in groups to foster teamwork and collaboration in achieving the task objectives. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Each learner takes up a specific role to play and later swap with their colleagues. Learners resume their seats in class. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share their most exciting moments with their colleagues. Learners keep on practicing. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, swap your roles in developing the characters. Learners swap their roles occasionally. Teaching Resources/equipment: Role playing PART 2: Scope and Sequence Plan for Year 9 and Year 10 Drama Stage 5 – YEAR 9 – Drama 100 Hour program (1 Year) TERM TITLE OF UNIT 1 Introduction to Drama Creating and Performing Drama 2 The Performer’s Tools: Body and Voice Warm-ups Mime: Creating Illusion Through Use of the Body 3 The Performer’s Tools: Body and Voice (Cont’d) Body Language: Expression, Gesture and Interpretation Voice in Performance Performance Task: The Lake 4 Improvisation: Spontaneous Performance An Overview of Improvisation The Skills of Improvisation Character Types and Status in Improvisation Source: Jones & Lock (2011) Stage 5 – YEAR 10 – Drama 100 Hour Program (1 Year) Source: Jones & Lock (2011) PART 3: Practical Group Activity relating to theatrical techniques & playbuilding In groups of four, build a play based on the folktale of “Ali Baba and the forty thieves” (Benedetti, 2006).). In your playbuilding, try to incorporate all the theatrical techniques of Tableaux; Transformation; Mime; Soundscape; Slow Motion; and Characterisation as we have seen throughout our course. Please use your Logbooks to record anything relevant as you build your play. CONCLUSION Throughout the course of this case study, it has been demonstrated that the theatrical techniques of Tableaux; Transformation; Mime; Soundscape; Slow Motion; and Characterisation are very fundamental in the process of playbuilding. Both learners and teachers need to embrace these techniques for effective learning in a Drama class. REFERENCES Banyai, G. (2005). ‘Lesson 30 – Creating an Environment’, in Drama Class: lesson plans for Years 7 to 10, South Yarra, Vic.: Macmillan, p. 177. Benedetti, R. (2006). The Actor in You. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson Education. Clausen, M. (2004). Centre Stage. 2nd Edition. Heinemann Crawford, J. L., Hurst, C., Lugering, M & Wimmer, C. (2003). Acting in Person and in Style in Australia. McGraw – Hill Harmer, W (2004) What is the matter with Mary Jane? Currency Press Jones, R & Lock, G. (2011) Functional grammar in the ESL classroom: noticing, exploring and practising. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan Maley, A., & Duff, A. (2005). Drama Techniques: A Resource Book of Communication Activities for Language Teachers. Cambridge: CUP Wimmer, C. (2005). ‘Drama Practices, Foundations and Elements’, in JEDA: Journal of Education in the Dramatic Arts, Volume 11, Number 1, pp1-14. APPENDIX: A Folk Tale on “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” Ali Baba is a character from the folk tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. This story is included in many versions of the One Thousand and One Nights, to which it was added by Antoine Galland in the 18th century. It is one of the most familiar of the “Arabian Nights” tales, and has been widely retold and performed in many media, especially for children, where the more violent aspects of the story are often suppressed. In the story, Ali Baba is a poor woodcutter who discovers the secret of a thieves’ den, entered with the phrase “Open Sesame”. The thieves learn this, and try to kill Ali Baba. But Ali Baba’s faithful slave-girl foils their plots; Ali Baba gives his son to her in marriage and keeps the secret of the treasure. The Story Ali Baba and his elder brother Cassim are the sons of a merchant. After the death of their father, the greedy Cassim marries a wealthy woman and becomes well-to-do, building on their father’s business. Ali Baba marries a poor woman and settles into the trade of a woodcutter. One day, Ali Baba is at work collecting and cutting firewood in the forest, and he happens to overhear a group of forty thieves visiting their treasure store. The treasure is in a cave, the mouth of which is sealed by magic. It opens on the words “open sesame”, and seals itself on the words “close sesame”. When the thieves are gone, Ali Baba enters the cave himself, and discreetly takes a single bag of gold coins home. Ali Baba and his wife borrow his sister-in-law’s scales to weigh their new wealth. Unbeknownst to them, Cassim’s wife puts a blob of wax in the scales to find out what Ali Baba is using them for, as she is curious to know what kind of grain her impoverished brother-in-law needs to measure. To her shock, she finds a gold coin sticking to the scales and tells her husband. Under pressure from his brother, Ali Baba is forced to reveal the secret of the cave. Cassim goes to the cave, taking a donkey with him to take as much treasure as possible. He enters the cave with the magic words, but in his greed and excitement over the treasure, he forgets the words to get out again. The thieves find him there and kill him. When his brother does not come back, Ali Baba goes to the cave to look for him and finds the body quartered and with each piece displayed just inside the entrance of the cave as a warning to anyone else who might try to enter. Ali Baba brings the body home, where he entrusts Morgiana, a clever slave-girl in Cassim’s household, with the task of making others believe that Cassim has died a natural death. First, Morgiana purchases medicines from an apothecary, telling him that Cassim is gravely ill. Then, she finds an old tailor known as Baba Mustafa whom she pays, blindfolds, and leads to Cassim’s house. There, overnight, the tailor stitches the pieces of Cassim’s body back together, so that no one will be suspicious. Ali Baba and his family are able to give Cassim a proper burial without anyone asking awkward questions. The thieves, finding the body gone, realize that yet another person must know their secret, and set out to track him down. One of the thieves goes down to the town and comes across Baba Mustafa, who mentions that he has just sewn a dead man's body back together. Realizing that the dead man must have been the thieves’ victim, the thief asks Baba Mustafa to lead the way to the house where the deed was performed. The tailor is blindfolded again, and in this state he is able to retrace his steps and find the house. The thief marks the door with a symbol, for the other thieves to come back that night and kill everyone in the house. However, the thief has been seen by Morgiana, and she, loyal to her master, foils his plan by marking all the houses in the neighborhood with a similar marking. When the forty thieves return that night, they cannot identify the correct house and their leader, in a furious rage, kills the unsuccessful thief. The next day, another thief revisits Baba Mustafa and tries again, only this time, a chunk is chipped out of the stone step at Ali Baba’s front door. Again Morgiana foils the plan by making similar chips in all the other doorsteps, and the second thief is killed for his failure as well. At last, the leader of the thieves goes and looks for him himself. This time, he memorizes every detail he can of the exterior of Ali Baba’s house. The chief of the thieves pretends to be an oil merchant in need of Ali Baba’s hospitality, bringing with him mules loaded with thirty-eight oil jars, one filled with oil, the other thirty-seven hiding the other remaining thieves. Once Ali Baba is asleep, the thieves plan to kill him. Again, Morgiana discovers and foils the plan, killing the thirty-seven thieves in their oil jars by pouring boiling oil on them. When their leader comes to rouse his men, he discovers that they are all dead, and escapes. The next morning Morgiana tells Ali Baba about the thieves in the jars; they bury them, and Ali Baba shows his gratitude by giving Morgiana her freedom. To exact revenge, after some time the chief of thieves establishes himself as a merchant, befriends Ali Baba’s son (who is now in charge of the late Cassim’s business), and is invited to dinner at Ali Baba’s house. However the thief is recognized by Morgiana, who performs a dance with a dagger for the diners and plunges it into his heart when he is off his guard. Ali Baba is at first angry with Morgiana, but when he finds out the thief wanted to kill him, he is extremely grateful and rewards Morgiana by marrying her to his son. Ali Baba is then left as the only one knowing the secret of the treasure in the cave and how to access it. Gallery A depiction of the Forty Thieves The Forty Thieves attack Cassim. A member of the Forty Thieves tries to discover the location of the house of Ali Baba. A member of the Forty Thieves marks the door of Ali Baba Morgiana pays Baba Mustafa the Cobbler. Morgiana pours boiling hot oil into the sacks containing the infamous Forty Thieves. Ali Baba presents treasures from the magical cave of Sesame to Morgiana. Source: Accessed from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Baba Read More

Learners work in groups to foster teamwork. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Learners perform the task by practicing ‘miming’ each of the character in the tale. They swap their roles several times until perfection is achieved. Group work is then stopped (Crawford et al, 2003). Learners take up their positions in class. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share in ‘miming’ the characters in the tale. Teacher asks learners if it was difficult to do their tasks and whether it was interesting doing it.

Learners offer their responses. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, practice the miming technique by: using body parts; pulling faces; a opening window or door; and producing sounds. Learners do the requested task in their logbooks. Teaching Resources/equipment: Pictures and Images of the characters Lesson Plan Four Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Soundscape and/or sound effects. Period: 5 Time: 2:25 – 3:25 P.

M Day: Wednesday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to create a soundscape of a particular environment. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners practice making sounds of an ‘axe cutting wood’; ‘gold coins’ being weighed; people in a market place; or boiling oil.

Learners go round the class in a circle making their sounds. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher makes a link with the previous lesson and then asks the learners to mention the various ‘environments’ presented in the tale. Learners volunteer information. Discussion (5 minutes) The whole class is involved in analysing the various ‘environments’ suggested by their colleagues. Learners participate fully in the discussion Skill Teaching (10 minutes) Teacher explains what needs to be done by the learners.

In their groups of four, learners are to create sounds that depict the various environments mentioned and agreed upon in class. They work in turns for full participation. Learners work in groups to foster teamwork and collaboration in achieving the task objectives. Skill Practice (15 minutes) Each learner takes up a specific sound to practice e.g. woodcutter working in the forest, gold coins being weighed, thieves arguing, merchants heckling, greedy Cassim ‘salivating’ at the sight of gold.

Learners combine their individual sounds to create a perfect environment (Banyai, 2005). Plenary session back in the classroom. Reflection (5 minutes) Learners share their most exciting moments with their colleagues. Learners keep on practicing. Follow-up (5 minutes) In your groups, swap your roles in creating the sounds. Use your logbooks Learners create sounds several times. Teaching Resources/equipment: Learners themselves Lesson Plan Five Topic: Lesson plan Year level: 9 Lesson Title: Theatrical Technique of Slow motion Period: 3 Time: 11:40 – 12:40 P.

M Day: Thursday Lesson Duration: 50 minutes Number of students: 12 Lesson Purpose Description By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to control the pace of the play, by either building it up into a run or slowing it down to a halt. Session Structure Lesson Phase Classroom Management and Organization Warm-up (5 minutes) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Learners practice moving around the class. They start by taking the first step together, walk briskly, and then break into a run; start slowing down to a halt.

Learners move round the class in a circle. Introduction (5 minutes) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Class teacher links up the previous lesson and asks the learners to identify instances in the tale where slow motion is applicable.

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