Sharing Stories
Stories are at the heart of the drama curriculum, when students share stories they connect to the characters. Each of the following sections is a way in which I told Indigenous stories. I have included lesson plans and assessments for each of the examples. Feel free to convert and adapt as needed. Remember at the end of the day the story is a re-telling to treat with humility and appreciation.
Picture book/Graphic Novel Adaptation
Steps to take:
Finding Indigenous authors
Convert picture books to scripts.
When converting to scripts the teacher or the student can be the one to adapt the story. The major focus will be breaking the story into specific roles.
Possible Adaptation Formats
The following is a list of possible ways to adapt pre-written Indigenous stories. To see handout examples and more information for each unit. Click the title.
Steps to take:
Find a story
Learn about shadow theatre
Build shadow props
Rehearsal
Performance
Tableau Performances
Steps to Take:
Find a story
Line run and learn about speech skills
Introduce tableau
Rehearse tableau
Bring speech and tableau skills together in a final performance.
Steps to take:
Find a story
Learn about Black light theatre/ puppetry techniques
Build speech skills (students can either tell the story themselves or reanact a recording of the story.)
Build shadow props
Rehearsal
Performance
Personal Stories
Students can also learn about the tradition of oral storytelling and use the ideas of oral storytelling to tell their own personal story. This can help build speech skills and encourage students to build their confidence in solo performance.
Steps to take:
Learn about Indigenous oral storytelling.
Focus on the significance and background behind the oral storytelling process.
Listen to oral story examples.
Analyze oral story example.
Plan the story.
Create an artifact to represent the story
Rehearsal
Performance