Chapter 7, MMADD about the Arts Teaching DRAMA in the K-6 Classroom Deirdre Russell-Bowie

K-6 DRAMA Education Elements of DRAMA Effective Drama is an integration of: Thought Action Emotion

K-6 DRAMA Education In DRAMA Children explore an imaginary world they create by interacting with others as they take on a role that is different from their ‘real’ life and communicate using their Emotions Body Language Vocal Expression Symbols and Gestures

Primary Creative Arts Elements of DRAMA Tension Focus Mood Time Contrast Symbol Space Performance elements of Drama

K-6 DRAMA Education TENSION The creation and controlled use of energy throughout a dramatic experience that culminates in a climax and resolution.

K-6 DRAMA Education TENSION Can be created by the use of: The unexpected Mystery Unresolved conflict Mime instead of words Contrasting music Lighting and actions By the constructing of parameters, such as Space Pace or Time

K-6 DRAMA Education FOCUS Focus is used to draw specific attention to certain themes, issues, characters or actions as portrayed in the drama. Through the use of : Body language, Words, Actions, Vocal expression, Careful staging Gestures Use of lighting, props or costumes and so on. If there is an audience, children should also direct the focus of the audience to specific themes, issues, characters, action, plot and so on being portrayed in the drama.

K-6 DRAMA Education MOOD Children can touch people emotionally using drama Mood can be changed or enhanced through: Vocal expression, Body language, Pace, Actions, Staging, Use of space, Sound effects, Lighting, Costumes, etc.

K-6 DRAMA Education TIME Time sets the drama in its context. ie, past, present or future. Time conveyed through: Costumes Staging Props Actions Pace of Words Dramatic Action

K-6 DRAMA Education CONTRAST Contrast can enhance dramatic meaning and enjoyment through contrasting opposites, eg. Stillness after movement; Sound followed by silence; Contrasting size, shapes & levels of movement; Contrasting emotions portrayed through: Gestures, Facial and vocal expressions, Posture, etc.

K-6 DRAMA Education SYMBOL Drama can use symbols and metaphors. Drama uses objects or people to represent meaning beyond the literal; Objects can be given a specific meaning, A symbol can give different messages in different cultures and contexts, Certain gestures and movements can be symbolic.

Space can enhance or limit what occurs in the drama K-6 DRAMA Education SPACE Space can enhance or limit what occurs in the drama Space can significantly shape a performance. Children need to make informed choices about: Size and shape of the space Use of different levels Relationships with the audiences within the context of the space, Their use of common and personal space

K-6 DRAMA Education AUDIENCE SKILLS Children learn to be an actively engaged audience through: modelling, observation, discussion and specific instruction. Being part of an audience involves: Listening carefully, Analysing what is being performed in relation to the language of drama, Observing peers and others share themselves through drama, Enjoying the performance, Encouraging the performers through clapping and positive, constructive comments and feedback.

K-6 DRAMA Education PERFORMANCE ASPECTS OF DRAMA Staging and sets Lighting Costumes and make-up Masks and props Sound effects Music

K-6 DRAMA Education TYPES of DRAMA Drama Games Improvisation Storytelling Readers’ Theatre Choral reading and speaking Movement and Mime Playbuilding Scripted Dramas Puppets and Masks Video-Audio Drama

K-6 DRAMA Education DRAMA GAMES Children learn interactively with those they do not normally play Used for warm ups, to focus minds and bodies at the start of the lesson Introduce theme or learning experiences Introduce skills to be learned in lesson

K-6 DRAMA Education PROCESS DRAMA Focuses on the PROCESSES involved in exploring and making drama Teacher and children work together on improvising dramatic events that are created and developed over a period of time ‘Allows teachers to wrok alongside children to explore where learning may go rather than teachers determining wher it will go’. (Aitkin, 2007)

K-6 DRAMA Education IMPROVISATION/ PROCESS DRAMA Spontaneous Improvisation ｷ Where is the scene set? ｷ What is happening? ｷ When did it happen? ｷ How did it happen? ｷ Who is involved? ｷ What are they doing? ｷ What are they feeling? ｷ What motivates them? ｷ What is at stake? ｷ How will it start? ｷ How will it end?

K-6 DRAMA Education IMPROVISATION/ PROCESS DRAMA Role Improvisation Children portray real or imagined people They are encouraged to ‘become’ another character They talk, act, move and think like this other person They take on their values, attitudes and actions They learn to ‘step into another’s shoes They explore their real-life issues and attitudes Can extend further into characterisation and acting Can lead into a performance

K-6 DRAMA Education DEVELOPING IMPROVISATION Through: Barrier Games Sculptues Still images / Freeze Frames Hot seating Questioning in role Tapping - in Liquid pictures Teacher-in-Role Mantle of the expert Vocal Collage

K-6 DRAMA Education STORYTELLING Children can tell real or imagined stories They can tell them individually or in a group as a circle story Children can explore the roles characters and situations they have created Stimuli for storytelling: Picture cards Graphic Score Storyboard Photos

K-6 DRAMA Education READERS’ THEATRE Allows hesitant readers to practise text and read it aloud with confidence May use: Gestures, Facial and vocal expression, Simple movements, Props Sound effects

K-6 DRAMA Education CHORAL READING AND SPEAKING Uses vocal and facial expression and gestures Requires little space Can enhance children’s diction, enunciation and creative use of voices Techniques: Unison (all together) Two groups in different parts Cumulative reading Solo / Chorus readings

K-6 DRAMA Education MOVEMENT and MIME • Exploring drama without speech or sound effects • Children make exaggerated movements to audiences can understand clearly the message conveyed • Focus on clarity of detail and accuracy in depicting message, action or emotion • Can be in response to a narrated story, poem, piece of music or theme

K-6 DRAMA Education PLAYBUILDING Children work together to create a dramatic work about a selected topic or issue which generally develops over several weeks. Teacher scaffolds learning through planned frameworks Play is built on: Discussion Negotiation Improvisation Rehearsal Reflection Refining Create a finished product to share

K-6 DRAMA Education SCRIPTED DRAMA Ensure scripts are appropriate for their purpose Achieve drama outcomes May be commercial or created by children Time required for planning, rehearsing and presenting play to audiences Process is as important as the product

K-6 DRAMA Education PUPPETS and MASKS Help children focus on and understand a character Children can show what they know about the character through their puppet’s or mask’s: Features Costumes Expressions Use a variety of types of puppets: String Glove Sock Finger Shadow Rod Use different masks Full-face masks Half masks

K-6 DRAMA Education VIDEO-AUDIO DRAMA Used when plays or other drama products are created with the intention of being recorded on video or audio equipment.

K-6 DRAMA Education Warm ups, discussion and games LESSON PLANNING for DRAMA Warm ups, discussion and games Focused learning experiences Closure activities

K-6 DRAMA Education Using themes Music Developing a skill or activity STIMULI for DRAMA Using themes Music Developing a skill or activity Artworks Literacy texts Objects

K-6 DRAMA Education For further information, see Chapter 7 in MMADD: About the Arts: An introduction to Primary Arts Education by Deirdre Russell-Bowie, published by Pearson Education Australia