Drama

Overview of teaching and assessment

Assessment focus –

A: performance / storyboard of character profile using freeze frame and flashbacks and flash forwards.

B: performance / storyboard interpretation of a poem using freeze frame and conscience alley.

C: performance /storyboard interpretation of a script extract using freeze frame and thought tracking / hot seating.

Mask design and creation.

Assessment focus –

A: create a mask design / model based the study of Ancient Greek Theatre and write an evaluation of the techniques and styles used in the design.

B: create a mask design / model based on the study of Japanese Noh theatre, or Nohgaku (能楽) and write an evaluation of the techniques and styles used in the design.

C: create a mask design / model based on Postmodern Theatre. Example: Saul Steinberg paper bag masks and write an evaluation of the techniques and styles used in the design.

Assessment focus –

A: design costumes for a character from a classic story / play and write an evaluation.

B: design futuristic costumes for a play set in a particular historical context and write an evaluation.

C: design surreal or post-modern costumes for a character.

Assessment focus: A: view / perform and evaluate an example of Epic theatre and Brechtian theatre.

B: view / perform and evaluate an example of Stanislavski and Naturalism theatre.

C: view / perform and evaluate an example of Physical theatre and Musical theatre.

Assessment focus: performance / storyboard of performance from a Shakespeare play.

A: Romeo and Juliet – love is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that supersedes all other values, loyalties and emotions.

B: The Taming of the Shrew – gender and misogyny, social hierarchy, identity and marriage.

C: Hamlet – hierarchy, family, revenge, corruption; religion, politics, appearance and reality, and feminism.

Assessment focus: study, evaluate and create a scenic design for a stage performance

A: King Kong, the professional scenic designs include a 2,000-pound animatronic puppet brought to life by a group of agile aerialists via state-of-the-art animatronics and technology.

B: Beetlejuice, the professional scenic designs include forced angles and a giant sandworm that lives in the walls. 

C: Alice in Wonderland, the professional scenic designs include a surreal ceiling of falling clocks, vortex swirl stage design and life size flowers.

Working as a team.

Communicate with their peers.

2. Freeze frame (still image).

Focus, gesture and facial expression.

3. Freeze frame and thought tracking / conscience alley. Opportunities for Peer Assessment.

4. Cross-cutting use in film and stage production.

5. Marking the moment and script development.

6. Study of how to write an evaluation of  assessment freeze frame – important to evaluate work as you go along, control over its quality, adapt and change things as necessary, honest about what works and what could be improved. Opportunities for Peer Assessment.

7. Analysing a script and developing examples of freeze frame, cross-cutting or thought tracking.

8. Independent research – using a freeze frame example.

9. Design / perform and evaluate an example of freeze frame techniques.

2. History of the mask from a specific period.

3.  Wearing a mask. Entering and exiting. Reacting to other masked characters.

4. The use of expression and body language. The use of mime.

5. Designs / features from the historic / postmodern styles.

6. Design a mask using shape and expression. Opportunities for Peer Assessment.

7. Use texture and colour. Independent research and evaluation.

8. How to make a mask. Independent research and evaluation.

9. Evaluate the design and creation of a mask. Independent research and evaluation.

2: How to use costume to show a classical / historical character / futuristic. Opportunities for Peer assessment.

3. How to use props to convey symbolism. 4. Costumes created for an actor portraying more than one character and historical / social authenticity.

5. Costumes for futuristic ideas.

6.  Independent research and evaluation.

7. Create a 2D example of props and costume.

8. Create some 3D examples of texture, colour and shape.

9. Evaluate the design and creation of a scenic design.

2. Looking at how theatre has changed, developed and progressed over time to shape ideas of what to devise (the subject matter) and how to do it (the form and style).

Movement exercises. Physical theatre example: sign language and dance.

Brechtian example: creating objects with bodies.

Stanislavski examples: focus exercises and the system.

3. The storytelling process of the style of theatre. Analyse examples of practitioners. Examples: Physical – DV8 and Frantic Assembly.

4. Focus on a technique / skill used in the theatre style and analyse / create examples. Opportunities for Peer Assessment. Examples: Physical – dance. Brechtian: posters / placards / quotes.

5. Using sound. Examples: Physical – human percussion, STOMP. Brechtian:

7. Use of specific props and costume.

8. Use of play or musical for performance / script writing and evaluation.

9. Design / perform and evaluate an example of freeze frame techniques.

2. Extract from opening scene and thought tracking techniques.

3. Extract from scenes that introduce characters and Hot seating techniques.

4. Triggering the action scenes and forum theatre – audience stopping action.

5. Building the momentum scenes and freeze frames techniques.

6. Pinnacle / climax of action scenes and role on the wall.

7. Resolution scenes and using narration techniques.

8. Independent research and evaluation of Shakespearean plays and stage performances.

9. Design / perform and evaluate an example of a scene from a Shakespeare play.

2. Use of scenic design in outdoor / open-air theatre performances.

3. Study and evaluate Broadway scenic designs.

4. The use of moveable objects.

5. The use of measurement.

6. Independent research of scenic design.

7. Create a 2D example of scenic design. Opportunities for Peer Assessment.

8. Create an example of 3D scenic design.

9. Evaluate the design and creation of a scenic design.

·         Cross-cutting

·         Thought-tracking

·         Concentration of attention

·         Dramatic pause

·         Sight lines

·         Written evaluations

·         Focus

·         Flashback / flash forward

·         Hot-seating

·         External characteristic

·         Mime

·         Narrator

·         Clocking

·         Counter mask

·         Character establishment

·         Counter mask

·         Internal monologue

·         Internal dialogue

·         Context garments – social, futuristic & historical

·         Wigs

·         Colour / pattern

·         Croquis (quick sketch for shape)

·         Motley

·         Mise en scéne

·         Wardrobe plot

·         Stock costumes

·         Genre

·         Fourth wall

·         Direct address

·         Stylisation

·         The System (inner life)

·         Soundscape

·         Total theatre

·         Black-box

·         Alienation

·         Soliloquy

·         Minor character

·         Beat / iambic pentameter

·         Dynamics

·         Dénouement

·         Exposition

·         Inflection

·         Irony

·         Mood

·         Prompt copy

·         Proscenium

·         Traverse

·         Thrust

·         Scenography

·         Backdrop

·         Cyclorama

·         Set dressing

·         Model box

·         Flats / platforms

·         Drapes / curtains

Students should be able to utilise any prior drama knowledge in their development performances or scriptwriting or storyboarding.

This unit is taught now because drama skills can improve verbal and non-verbal communication skills

Learning to act and drama skills can help students develop their speech, communication and presentation skills, which are vital skills for anyone.

This unit is taught now because students are fully embedded in their drama curriculum and they have studied the main skills of drama. This programme allows the development of the design aspect of drama. Masks have been used almost every culture to represent characters in theatrical performances. Theatrical performances are a visual literature of a transient, momentary kind. It can be created by students and reflect a reality.

This unit is taught now because it further develops students’ knowledge and understanding of how costumes and props convey a character in terms of personality, context and genre. Designing in more detail permits progress from the mask design scheme of learning and is taught here in a challenging yet accessible way for all.

This unit is taught now because students have already explored how performance techniques, mask design and costume design are developed and used in the theatre. This scheme focuses on a specific genre from the theatre in more detail and permits progress from the previous schemes of learning. It is taught here in a challenging yet accessible way for all.

This unit is taught now because the work of Shakespeare is challenging but the plays present people, emotions and situations that we still recognise today. His characters have an emotional reality that students can connect with to help with the complex language. The scheme also supports the study of Shakespeare in English lessons from a performance perspective.

This unit is taught now because it looks at the ‘big picture’. It pieces all the other aspects of theatre together. It reflects job opportunities within the theatre. Plus a view of the roles in the theatre that are not usually seen.

Scenic design creates the visual world of a play or musical. It shows what the stage will look like, from large or abstract scenic elements to furniture and backdrops.

Adaptive learning by year target grade and expression

A fully coherent and successful interpretation of the character/role using highly relevant aspects of the genre style.

Good application of performance skills throughout the storyboard.

A mostly coherent interpretation of the character/role using relevant aspects of the genre style.

Reasonable application of performance skills in the storyboard. Reasonable interpretation of the character/role using some relevant aspects of the genre style.

Some application of performance skills in the storyboard.

Some interpretation of the character/role using a few relevant aspects of the genre

An excellent range of relevant design

techniques/characteristics associated with the chosen theme is used.

Mostly imaginative design ideas are created and developed to communicate meaning.

A good range of relevant design techniques/characteristics

associated with the chosen theme is used.

Reasonably imaginative design ideas are created and

developed in response to the chosen stimulus to communicate

meaning.

A reasonable range of relevant design

techniques/characteristics associated with the chosen

theme is used.

Some relevant design ideas are created to communicate meaning.

Some relevant design techniques/characteristics associated

with the chosen theme is used.

A fully coherent and successful interpretation of the character/role using highly relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Good application of costume design throughout the performance.

A mostly coherent interpretation of the character/role using relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Reasonable application of costume design. Reasonable interpretation of the character/role using some relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Some application of costume design.

Some interpretation of the character/role using a few relevant

aspects of the practitioner/genre.

An excellent, perceptive and detailed analysis and evaluation of character/ role/ costume/ scenery.

A good, detailed analysis and evaluation of performance skills including most of the successful and unsuccessful aspects of the piece.

A good, detailed analysis and evaluation of character/ role/ costume/ scenery.

A reasonable analysis and evaluation of performance

skills including some of the successful and unsuccessful

aspects of the piece.

A reasonable analysis and evaluation of character/ role/ costume/ scenery.

Some analysis and evaluation of performance skills including a few references to successful and unsuccessful aspects of the piece.

Some analysis and evaluation of character/ role/ costume/ scenery.

A fully coherent and successful interpretation of the character/role using highly relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Good application of performance skills throughout the performance.

A mostly coherent interpretation of the character/role using relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Reasonable application of performance skills. Reasonable interpretation of the character/role using some relevant aspects of the practitioner/genre style.

Some application of performance skills.

Some interpretation of the character/role using a few relevant

aspects of the practitioner/genre.

An excellent range of relevant design

techniques/characteristics associated with the chosen theme is used.

Mostly imaginative design ideas are created and developed to communicate meaning.

A good range of relevant design techniques/characteristics

associated with the chosen theme is used.

Reasonably imaginative design ideas are created and

developed in response to the chosen stimulus to communicate

meaning.

A reasonable range of relevant design

techniques/characteristics associated with the chosen

theme is used.

Some relevant design ideas are created to communicate meaning.

Some relevant design techniques/characteristics associated

with the chosen theme is used.

enable / skills are transferable and

useful.

Industry.

Learning will take place through well-structured, differentiated lessons delivered at an appropriate pace using assessment and challenge. Engaging starters enhance social, moral, cultural and spiritual knowledge and experience. Teaching and learning in lessons is modelled and scaffolded to promote challenge and adaptive learning through resources and by outcome. Performance, script or design aspect assessment options are provided for all SoLs.

–          Peer assessment

–          Formative and summative levelled / graded assessment each half term.

–          Use of DIRT marking to allow reflective learning.

To follow the Whole School Literacy Policy as displayed in classrooms and:

–          Use capital letters and full-stops correctly.

–          Use commas and apostrophes correctly.

–          Spell regular words correctly.

–          Use homophones correctly.

–          Use a wider range of vocabulary.

–          Use semi colons and colons.

–          Use clear sentences.

–          Write out spelling errors three times.