Introducing the HSC IP

Stage 6 drama

Interactive module

A note for teachers

The individual project assumes students have already acquired some knowledge and skills from the preliminary course.

These preparations should have given students an understanding of the processes and skills needed to realistically evaluate their own strengths and limitations in the various project areas.

This module provides approaches to the individual project. These approaches must be tailored to fit the needs of individual students.

There are 2 quizzes and an individual project questionnaire for students to complete in this module. Teachers can collect student responses by duplicating the links below and providing these to students separately.

Logbook and rationale quiz

IP text list quiz

Individual project questionnaire

When teachers introduce the individual project they should consult the following NESA publications which are all available on the Drama Stage 6 Syllabus section of their website.

These contain the specific requirements, guidelines, text lists, assessment criteria and suggestions for the individual project, including guidelines on supervising and facilitating the individual project.

The individual project offers students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained through the study of the content areas to the development of a specialised area of individual work. It engages the student in a process of self-directed learning throughout their HSC year.

Overview

By exploring this resource, students will:

  • identify and understand the function of the logbook and rationale in the development of the individual project

  • get an overview of the 10 plays on the current text list for individual projects

  • investigate the 10 individual project options

  • examine the NESA requirements for each of the drama individual projects

  • learn from the approaches of former HSC drama students who have previously completed a range of individual projects

  • engage with the marking criteria and NESA marking guidelines for some of the individual projects

  • identify their own strengths and areas of interest in drama

  • apply their understanding of these strengths and the project requirements to create a shortlist of individual projects for development in the HSC drama course.

Using this resource

This resource can be used to support the selection and development of the HSC drama individual project.

The resource can be used with Year 12 drama cohorts or adapted for individual student needs.

Teachers can set standalone activities from the resource, or work through the entire series of individual project activities.

As students progress through the online content in this module, teachers can interact with students to provide feedback using a shared online platform, such as Google Classroom, or in face-to-face lessons.

Teachers can set more specific timelines for students and can add resources and/or feedback tasks to differentiate learning.

General project requirements

The individual project worth 30 marks is a component of the HSC drama external examination.

The development of the individual project is also assessed by the teacher formatively and/or summatively as part of the school-based assessment.

Students may begin work on the individual project from the start of the HSC year and continue developing and refining the project up until the advised NESA submission date.

Image of a though bubble drawn on a chalk board with a real light bulb in the centre of bubble.

Logbook and rationale

As part of the individual project, all students are required to keep a logbook and write a 300-word rationale. Exploring the resource can help students understand the function and form of these two components.

Foreground image of a pile of books with window in background.

Text list for design and director's folio

Students undertaking the director’s folio or design projects should begin their project by choosing one of the plays from the current NESA text list for individual projects. Their design concept and directorial vision must be based on one of these plays.

Individual project options

Through the individual project students learn how to develop and present a project in an area of interest identified during study in the preliminary course. They use the knowledge, skills and experiences acquired in the preliminary course to select an area in which to specialise.

Students then learn how to develop concepts, express their intentions and work creatively to realise the individual project. They learn how to develop and utilise skills appropriate to the area in which they are working, whether critical reviews of performances, dramaturgy, direction, design, performance, scriptwriting or film making. They learn how to manipulate theatrical elements and conventions to achieve their aims.

In preparing their approach to the individual project, students learn how to plan, evaluate, structure and refine their work in a presentation that meets the criteria of their chosen project. Students chart the process of their project in a logbook. They learn how to reflect upon, record, interpret and synthesise research, edit preliminary drafts, adapt work to specifications of time or length, and to submit work that meets the project requirements.

The Individual Project will take one of five forms. Students choose one of 10 individual project options within these forms.

Image of a man in red theatre seat, writing on a script.

Critical analysis

Applied research, Director's folio or Theatre criticism

Image of hand colouring costume design sketches.

Design

Costume, Lighting, Promotion or Set

Image of a young actor crouched on a chair in a performance rehearsal.

Performance

Image of two young actor's beside a window reading from paper script in a performance rehearsal.

Scriptwriting

Image of a cannon camera in foreground, filming a woman at a desk in background.

Video drama

References and images