Drama

Length of Course : The first year of a three year Key Stage 3 course.

Course description and aims

To develop students’ understanding of theatre and drama, themselves and the world they live in.

To build their knowledge of a variety of forms of drama and gain satisfaction from working within it.

To build confidence and communication and other life skills.

To develop drama skills and knowledge and how to apply them to create theatre.

To stimulate creativity and problem solving.

To develop the use of technology as a learning tool and resource.

Main concepts and topics covered

Students will begin to understand the conventions of theatre and performance.

Students will gain a knowledge of the origins and the development of theatre through the ages.

Students will learn drama strategies and elements of drama and how these are used to create performance.

Students will gain an understanding of the concepts of tragedy and comedy and how to create their own performances in these genres.

Contents

History of the theatre

Drama strategies and elements of drama

Tragedy-focus on classical Greek tragedy as the origins of formal drama/theatre

Comedy- focus on creating their own comedies, focusing on Commedia Dell’Arte

Course outcomes

Students will:

create a theatre history timeline

Perform a variety of improvisations using drama strategies and the elements of drama.

Create and perform their own mini- classical Greek tragedy and perform and extract a classical Greek tragedy.

Make and correctly use a Greek tragic mask.

Apply techniques and skills to create and perform in their own Commedia Dell’Arte scenarios.

Types of assessment

Students will have both practical and written assessment throughout the year.

During lessons, students will be continuously assessed through observation and be given verbal and written feedback, which will be formalised and used to set individual targets.

Continuous assessment will take the form of teacher, peer or self-assessment.

Written work will be set as required, usually for homework, and marked and recorded formally once a half term.

A summative practical assessment will be completed at the end of every unit.

Online testing of key terminology

Methodology

All lessons are practical lessons.

Written work in undertaken to support practical work and to develop an understanding of why something is being done; this creates practical work that is meaningful for both performer and audience.

Text and materials

A classical Greek tragedy script

Greek masks

A Commedia Dell’Arte script

Relevant videos and images

Grading policy

Students will be assessed using Key Performance Indicators and awarded a level between 1-7

Additional expectations

It is really important that students are exposed to Theatre as much as possible so they can develop their skills continually. Going to the theatre and being involved in school productions will give them another experience of theatre and allow them to develop as a performer and a student of Drama.