~ Drama Fillers ~
~ Death In A Minute ~
KLA: Drama Filler
Time: Ten minutes
Stage: Stage Three
Outcomes: The children will be able to think on their feet and create a one minute drama as a team. The children must
comply with time limits and achieve their aim in the one minute interval.
Procedure: The class is split into groups of four or five. One group is selected, and the teacher gives the a piece of
paper with a place on it, such as a restaurant, a weight loss centre, a school, Pizza Hut, a beauty salon, a
rollercoaster, a hair dresser’s or a music store. The group receives their slip of paper with a place written on it and
then, as a group, they must make up a one minute script in which one person, or the whole group, dies. This must be
done in the most creative way possible. For example, in a hair dresser’s salon, the hair dresser cuts off the customers
head with the scissors while cutting his/her hair. However, at least one person must die in the one minute script.
Considerations: Check if death is a touchy subject in your classroom. You don’t want to bring up issues you can’t
handle, however, stage three children recognise that death occurs everyday and don’t react much to it. Stress the
importance of performing a play that flows and makes sense.
~ Well-oiled Machine ~
KLA: Drama Filler
Stage: Early Stage One, Stage One, two and Three
Outcomes: Children will explore the idea of sequenced movement by created a machine. They will also see an aspect of teamwork and use creative movement and dance to construct their piece of the machine.
Resources: NIL
Procedure: Ask one child to begin by coming out the front and starting a simple movement. The activity should not be told to them yet, because when the first child begins there actyion, one outcome is for the children to think and move creatively, so the other children that follow must fit in with the first child. Thus, they may have to analyse the movement of the first child and create a sequenced movement next to the first child. Each time, a child is added until the whole class is moving. Then, ask a few of the children to see what they thought the machine could be.
Considerations: This can be done with small groups, and groups analyse each other and predict what each other could be creating. Also, ask the children if it looks like a "well-oiled" machine and possibly, what changes would they make to help sequence the machine better.
~ You Are Walking
Through.......? ~
KLA: Drama/ Mime
Stage: Early Stage One, Stage One, Two and Three
Outcome: The children will rely on their imagination to control how they
move. This activity also helps to increase the child’s body awareness in a physical manner.
Resources: NIL
Procedure: The children form a large circle in the playground or yard. The
teacher should also join in to help them picture the scene. The children and teacher start walking
in that circle. (Instruct them which way to go to avoid collisions!). The children walk normally,
until the teacher changes the scene. The teachers does this by saying, “You are walking through
thick, sticky mud!”. Immediately the children’s movements should change. They should be
visibly having trouble lifting their feet off the ground, or shining through the mud. The children’s
facial expressions should also change, to one that shows struggling and maybe a little
uncertainty. The teacher should identify some of the students who are doing it well.
After a lap of the circle, change the scene again, for example, “You are walking on ice!”. The
children will start slipping and sliding all over the place. Arms will be flying around and facial
expressions will, be very comical. Change the scene again. Below are some possible scene you
may wish to create:
You are walking on the moon.
You are walking through thick grass.
You are walking on hot coals.
You are walking on quick sand
You are walking on clouds
You are walking on hot sand
You are walking on bubble gum
You are walking on a tightrope
Change the scene as often and quickly as possible to create an atmosphere of unpredictability.
The children have a lot of fun and exercise at the same time.
Considerations: Safety issues may wish to be mentioned, for example, hands
off other people during the activity, as well as no pushing or shoving. This has never happened
when I have performed this activity, but you never know!
~ Action Maker
~
KLA: Drama Filler
Stage: Early Stage One, Stage One, Two and Three
Outcome: The children learn to follow directions and movements in a fun
group way.
Resources: NIL
Procedure: The children form a circle. One child is chosen and moves away
from the group, with eyes closed. That child is the “Action Detective”. Another child, who is in
the circle is chosen as the “Action Maker”. The Action Maker is known to everyone, except the
Action Detective. The children then start a simple action such as clapping hands repeatedly as
the Action Detective enters the circle. The aim of the game is for the Action Maker to
continuously change movements, such as lunges to clicking, without the action Detective seeing
him or her change the movements. The Action Detective has three guesses to find the Action
Maker in the circle. If the Action Detective determines who the Action Maker is, the Action
Maker goes outside and becomes the Action Detective for the next game. If the Action Detective
is unable to determine who the Action Maker is, the Action Maker identifies who he/she is, and
they move outside to become the Action Detective for another game. Once outside, another child
is chosen as the Action Maker and the game continues.
Considerations: Tell the children who are to follow the Action Maker not to
look directly at him/her when performing their actions, because this will give it away. Being
subtle is the best strategy for this game.
~ Now are you........!
~
KLA: Drama
Stage: Stage Two, Stage Three
Outcome: Children explore their physical capabilities as well as examine their own body awareness as they manipulate it to become an object of choice.
Resources: NIL
Procedure: The students sit in the circle, while one student is selected. That selected child student stands in the middle of the circle. The teacher begins by asking them to become a 'pencil writing on paper'. To do this, the child may make their body rigid and straight, while jumping up and down as though scribbling on a sheet of paper. You may even get students who continue to improvise the situation, but making a mistake and using their head as a rubber to erase the error.
Then more students are selected to pretend they are melting ice, a leaf falling from a tree, a spraying hose, an egg beater, a bouncing ball, an awning blowing in a heavy wind, a key turning in a lock or even a see-saw. These are challenging activities and the students must learn to interpret a situation and use their body accordingly to fulfill the expectations the situation presents.
Then the students are split into pairs, to play a mime-concentration game. The two students sit facing each other; one is chosen to make the actions and the other student copies those actions in a mirror image. Then swap roles and let the other person copy the actions.
