Lesson plan for year 7

Grade 7: Introduction to Drama
About the unit
Many students come to Aga Khan Senior School with little or no experience of Drama at
school or from a former school, and certainly of formal Drama lessons. Therefore, students
lack the self-discipline and appropriate attitudes necessary for successful learning in Drama.
This unit will establish firmly in students’ minds the purposes of learning Drama,
including those of team building, social skills, communication, and the exploration of issues, as
well as the development of acting skills.
This unit seeks to establish rules within the Drama studio and Drama lessons, thereby
establishing the appropriate attitudes for effective teaching and learning.
The unit also seeks to establish an interest in, and enjoyment of, Drama, whilst stilling
into students the need for discipline in Drama activities.
The unit will introduce students to basic terms and skills, such as audience awareness,
voice projection, dictions, stance, gesture. This will be achieved through simple Drama
activities, including games, simple acting activities and voice skills.
Aims of the unit
Pupils will:
1. Understand basic principles and purposes of Drama.
2.Understand the rules of the Drama studio.
Pupils should:
1. Understand basic concepts and vocabulary of Drama.
2.Begin to feel confident about performing to an audience.
3.Show understanding, through demonstration, of the skills taught.
Pupils could:
1. Understand the importance of voice and body in Drama.
2.Feel confident about performing to an audience.
3.Effectively demonstrate thorough understanding of the skills taught.
Copyright 2014: Erick Mukira-Drama teacher

Grade 7– Introduction to Drama
Lesson 1
Aims: To establish an understanding of “Drama” and its possible purposes.
To establish rules for the Drama studio.
Resources: Paper
Students’ folders
Time Activity Notes
20
Starter:
mins
· Ask students “what is Drama?” Give 1 minute to think.
· Ask all students for response – aim to get something different
from each student.
· Record responses on board.
· Sum up findings, orally.
· Circle “acting” (it’s bound to be there) and explain that one of the
main activities in Drama lessons will be to develop acting skills.
· Make new list headed “Why learn Drama?” (or similar) Record
“develop acting skills” as point 1. Ask students for others (may
need to prompt) Hopefully, communication, voice skills, team skills,
interaction etc will crop up in some guise.
· Sum up – point out that Drama isn’t just for those who fancy
themselves as the next Keanu Reeves/Hugh Jackman.
10
mins
Activity 1:
· To cement learning, students record date on A4 paper, and title
“Why Learn Drama?”
· Students record their 3 favourite reasons from list on board.
NB: Propmt sheet for weaker students.
Extension task: new title “Drama and Me” – students record previous
experiences of Drama.
10
mins
Activity 2:
· Ask students how Drama lessons might be different from other
lessons.
· Assume response includes “no tables” in some way.
· Explain that this mans that the Drama studio has to have clear
rules.
· Together, establish at least 5 rules in studio – behaviour, what’s
appropriate etc. Stress danger element!
· Write list clearly on board. Stress that list is of their rules, so
they must stick to them.
10
mins
Activity 3:
· On reverse of paper, students write “7__’s Rules in Drama
Lessons” as a title, and copy list down.
10
mins
Plenary:
· Discuss lesson to re-establish main points.

Grade 7– Introduction to Drama:
Lesson 2
Aims: To understand terms: Performance area, audience, and actor
To practice speaking in front of the class
To work effectively in a group
Resources: Invisible scene cards
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· Re-visit main points from last lesson – go over rules, purposes of
learning Drama etc.
· Ask if anyone can guess what the one thing more people are afraid
of than anything else is. Reveal that, time and time again, it comes
out as “being in front of other people”. Explain that many people
find some of the activities students will be asked to do in Drama
very daunting. Ask for student input – why? How could somebody
counteract this? Explain that most important thing is to have a go.
15
mins
Activity 1:
· Performance: Working in groups of 4-5, performers introduce an
invisible scene.
· Example: Performers line up on stage, wait for audience attention
and give on introduction. One performer says simply “this is our
invisible scene”, and then each actor gives his or her name.
· Firstly, establish a performance area, and define “audience” and
“actor” – establish role and appropriate conduct for each.
· Give example and organise students into groups of 4 or 5. Ask
students what they think they should try to do during this mini-performance.
Aim for clear voices, loud, looking at audience etc.
Explain that they should stand still, with their weight on both feet
and arms by their sides with no fidgeting.
· Students rehearse introduction for 2-3 minutes, (differentiation –
weaker groups may need to be told exactly what to say)
· Students perform introductions. Ask for audience feedback – are
they standing right? Are their voices clear etc.
25
mins
Activity 2:
· Performance: Working in groups of 4-5, actors give an introduction
to a visible scene which has a title, characters and some important
information.
· Organise students into different groups of 4 or 5. Give each group
one card.
· Students decide who will say what and on what area of the stage
rehearse (again, weaker students may need roles assigned to them)
Stress importance of clear voices and good pace.
10
mins
Plenary:
· Sum up learning. Get student input to re-establish main points of
lesson.

Lesson 3
Aims: To improve team, communication and social skills, and group dynamic.
To establish and understand reasons for playing Drama games.
Resources:
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· Explain that many Drama lessons will involve games. Mention that
actors, even professional ones, use games as part of rehearsal
process.
· Ask for student input – why? Make list on board.
· Students write date and title “Why do we play games in Drama?”
and record 3-4 reasons. (Extension – try to think of more
reasons)
40
mins
Main Activity:
· Play a selection of Drama games. For example:
 Fruit salad
 Who began?
 Stuck in the mud
 Fox & Rabbit
 Name games
 Name/adjective/action
 Wink murder
10
mins
Plenary:
· Go through games played and discuss their purposes as part of
Drama lessons.

Lesson 4,5
Aims: To understand the history of drama and theater
Resources: class of the future
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· Research on the origins of drama and its reasons
40
mins
Main Activity:
 Have group presentations on its origin
10
mins
Plenary:
· Go through games played and discuss their purposes as part of
Drama lessons.

Grade 7– Introduction to Drama: Lesson 6
Aims: To understand the importance of gesture, facial expression and body
movemeny in Drama.
To practice using face and body.
Resources: Cards for starter, plus activities 1-7
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· Explain that body is one of the most useful tools an actor has.
Explain that. Even without making any noise, an actor can
communicate to an audience.
· Pass around simple action cards. In turn, students perform action.
When finished, other students guess what the action was.

40
mins
Main Activities:
· Choose a selection of activities to explore and rehearse
expression, gesture and body, giving appropriate rehearsal
and performance opportunities:
1. Organise students into groups of 2/3. Give each group an
emotion card. Students are given 5 minutes to prepare a
tableau, which demonstrates that emotion. Stress importance
of preparation – students should try to think of a situation in
which that emotion would occur, rather than thinking of
stereotypical gestures.
2. Believable Entrances – give out cards. A student stands at the
side of the performance area, then enters in the correct
manner. Student can reveal content of card either before or
after entrance.
3. Join In – one student volunteers and goes to centre of acting
area. Student is given activity card. Student begins to mime
action. As soon as a member of the audience sees what is
going on, he/she raises hand and is given permission to join in
action. No talking! Students in acting area should be
encouraged to interact.
4. Patterns & Machines – Organise students into groups of 5.
Each group finds a space and stands in a cluster. When given
the following instructions, each group must follow them as
quickly as possible:
 Groups must arrange themselves into any pattern, in any
position, but each student must be making contact with at
least one other in some way. Freeze, make new pattern,
following the same rules, freeze, new pattern, freeze.
 Groups must arrange themselves into any pattern, each making
contact with at least one other. Now begin to move, as if
group was a machine. Stop, make a new machine. Give students
the opportunity to watch other machines in action.
5. Be a Vehicle – Organise students into groups of 5. Students
think of a vehicle (differentiation – assign vehicles using
cards) Students make shape of vehicle using only their bodies.
Freeze. View each other’s vehicles. Now try to make them
move.
6. Be a household appliance – as above.
7. Be an animal – as above.
10
mins
Plenary:
· What have we learned today? Encourage feedback from all
students.

Lesson 7
Aims: To understand the types of drama: tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, modern theatre
e.t.c
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· List the types of plays and movies known under each category list
reasons as to why they are categorised in that group.
40
mins
Main Activity:
 Research on the genres
 Have group presentations of their research
10
mins
Plenary:
Go through games played and discuss their purposes as part of Drama
lessons.
Lesson 8
e.t.c
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· List the types of plays and movies known under comedy; list
reasons as to why they are categorised in that group.

40
mins
Main Activity:
 Have group presentations of short plays of a comedy and a
tragedy
·
10
mins
Plenary:
lessons.
Lesson 9
e.t.c
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· List the types of plays and movies known under modern theatre
list reasons as to why they are categorised in that group.
40
mins
Main Activity:
 Have group presentations of short plays of a modern theatre
·
10
mins
Plenary:
lessons.
Lesson 10,11

Aims: To understand the roles and characters in a plot or a play
Resources:
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· List the different kind of roles that an actor can play
40
mins
Main Activity:
 To find out the different kinds of characters in a story and their
roles
·
10
mins
Plenary:
Show a video clip and the students to figure out what types of characters
they are and the role they play.
Lesson 12-16
Aims: To know how to stage a specific genre of a short play applying all the elements
learnt in this unit.
Resources:
Time Activity Notes
10
Starter:
mins
· Groups to decide on what genre to deal with
· Brainstorming about the plot
40
mins
Main Activity:
 Bulding on the plot
 Rehearsing
 Reporting on challenges and interesting findings
 Staging the performances
·
10
mins
Plenary:
Students to recap on their challenges and lesson learnt.

Year 7: Introduction to Drama
Assessment Criteria
In Grade 7, students are expected to achieve the following:
· Show an ability to work with other students.
· Work sensibly and safely within the Drama studio.
· Perform to other members of the class, within the assessment.
· Introduce their performance, and complete the performance task.
· Show that they have understood the necessity to speak clearly and audibly, to face
the audience, to stand in an appropriate, smart manner.
· Show that they have understood the basics of performing in character.
To achieve the following assessment criteria:
Creativity is the foundation of the arts; it permeates the skill and structure of artwork.
Creativity is what makes the audience pause to take a closer look at a work of art. The students
should therefore achieve in all their assessment the following criterias:
a) Knowing and understand all concepts and the topic taught
b) Develop skills as per the discipline taught
c) Think creatively when applying all the skills
d) Reflect on everything taught

Lesson plan for year 7

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Lesson plan for year 7

Similar to Lesson plan for year 7 (20)

More from Eric Mukira

More from Eric Mukira (19)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Lesson plan for year 7