This slide share provides teachers with ideas for teaching drama using the Infancy Narratives (birth of Jesus). Lessons can be applied to non Catholic schools who can replace the scripture references with two different picture books. Drama activities are linked to the Australian Curriculum and involve script writing, reader theatre and acting.

1. Ideas for teaching
PRIMARY DRAMA
At
Christmas Time
By
Joanne Villis
Images: http://pixabay.com

2. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
AUSTRALIAN CURRICIULUM
YEAR 3/4 CONTENT DESCRIPTORS
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)

3. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
AIMS FOR STUDENTS (based on elaborations):
Students explore and experiencing a range of roles that they initiate and
develop
Students use elements of drama and the principles of stories to shape
improvisations to communicate their intentions as drama makers
Students experiment with the loudness/softness, pace and pitch of their voices
to create roles and situations, time and place
Students vary their facial expressions and movements to create roles and
situations
Students apply story structures in their drama, including roles and events linked
through cause and effect and dramatic tension
Students perform short scripted drama with a sense of role, situation and
dramatic tension
Students plan and rehearse their drama for a live or virtual performance
Students evaluate drama performances (How did the drama begin? Develop?
Conclude? How did the performers vary their voices, movement and gestures to
create and share believable characters? How are elements of drama such as
role, situation, time and place part of the action? How is the dramatic tension
developed in the drama?)

4. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
FOR TEACHERS:
This unit uses two scripture references and
includes some teaching ideas for Catholic Schools.
If you are a teacher in a non Catholic school you
could use two different picture books which show
the Christmas story instead of using the scripture
references.
On the following slide have embedded a short
video for teachers to view. Please note, humour is
intended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGzQFYaUHS
Q

5. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 1: Read The Birth of Jesus according
to Luke (2:1-20) to students. Invite students to
rewrite the narrative text using a reader’s theatre
style (ie play script). Ask students to focus only on
the content and characters which appear in Luke.
Then allow students to share their scripts in reading
groups. This allows each student to share their work
with an audience whilst practicing their reading skills.

6. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 2: Then read The Birth of Jesus
according to Matthew (1:18-25 & 2: 1-12) to
students. Invite students to rewrite the narrative text
using a reader’s theatre style (ie play script). As
students to focus on only the content and characters
which appear in Luke. Then allow students to share
their scripts in reading groups. This allows each
student to share their work with an audience whilst
practicing their reading skills.

7. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Links to Catholic Religious Education:
- Review the significance of the Infancy Narratives with
students.
- As a class create a Venn Diagram showing the similarities and
differences between the two narratives.
- Ask students the following ‘wonder questions’:
a) I wonder why the two infancy narratives are different yet
both are included in the Bible.
b) I wonder why God sent Jesus.
c) I wonder if Matthew and Luke included any symbolism in
their narratives. I wonder if there are any special messages for
us.
- Direct students to spend a few minutes in silence, reflecting
on how the coming of Jesus brought hope to the world.

8. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 3: Invite students to improvise The Infancy
Narratives and write their own version of the Narrative. Invite
students to think about:
- Which parts of the narrative are important to them?
- Which parts of the narratives would they like to remove or
combine?
- Are there any elements, characters or animals they would like to
add?
- What if The Infancy Narratives were written in todays’ current
society? How might it read?
Invite students to rewrite the narrative text using a reader’s theatre
style (ie play script). Then allow students to share their scripts in
reading groups. This allows each student to share their work with
an audience whilst practicing their reading skills.

9. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 4: Select a number of students’ scripts for
groups to read and perform. The number of scripts will depend on
the number of students in your class. I recommend that teachers
select one of the scripts based on Luke’s and one on Matthew’s
Gospel. Place students into groups and allocate each group a
script. Ask students to select a character from the script to play.
Students then experiment with the loudness/softness, pace and
pitch of their voices to create roles and situations, time and place
as indicated by the script. Then allow each group to perform their
groups’ readers theatre script to the class. As the focus of this
lesson is on student’s use of voices, I like to have a row of chairs
out the front of the room (one for each member to sit on). Then,
each student stands, reads their part and then sits down. Each time
they have a new part to read they stand, read and sit.

10. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 5: Inform students that they are now going
to have the opportunity to act out their reader’s theatre
script. When preparing and practicing for their
performance encourage students to consider and
experiment with their facial expressions and movements
to create roles and situations. Allow students time to plan
and rehearse their drama for a recording of their
performance. Groups may like to consider prompts and or
costumes to help support the delivery of their
performance.

11. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 6: Record each groups play. There are
numerous ways of doing this. Some ideas might include
using a video camera or an app. I like to use Green
Screen which is an iPad app. The app costs $2.99.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/green-screen-by-do-ink/
id730091131?mt=8
The video which is embedded on the following
page shows you how to use the app.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlH3h19
ablI

12. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 7: Allow students to view and evaluate
their own and group member’s performance. I like to use
De Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats for evaluation. Below are
some questions which I like to use:
How did the play:
a) Begin
b) Develop
c) Conclude
What feelings do you think each character was trying to
portray?

13. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Did any of the performers do any of the following and if so
how did they do it?
- Vary their voices?
- Move their body?
- Make their character believable?
Are there any elements/aspects of the play which could be
improved?
If you could change someone about the play what would
you change? What are some suggestions that you could
give to the performers?

14. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Teaching Idea 7: Once students have had to opportunity
to evaluate and read peer evaluations, allow them to
regroup and rehearse their plays again. They may choose
to or choose not to change elements of their play.
I then like to invite other classes and or parents to come
and view students performing live. We have a drama
stage at school so I like to allow students to perform on
the stage. If you don’t have a drama theatre you could
always create a stage with drama blocks.

15. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
Infancy Narratives and Drama
Final Note: I hope that you enjoy the unit and have a
Merry Christmas. Hopefully when you cook your
Christmas turkey you won’t have as much trouble as Mr
Bean does on the following slide!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdQwJLl5LFE

16. Drama Ideas
By Joanne Villis
COPYRIGHT
I give permission for the following:
Adaptations and sharing of this resources is for educational
purpose only. I do not give permission for commercial use of
this work. When sharing or adapting this work I ask that you
give credit to the original creator, Joanne Villis at
http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/ .
Contact details:
http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/
jvillis@inter-tech.com.au
http://www.pinterest.com/joannevillis/