Drama Assessment 2
Drama Assessment 2
➢ Focus ➢ Character
➢ Structure ➢ Role
➢ Language ➢ Tension
➢ Sound ➢ Time
➢ Movement ➢ Place
➢ Atmosphere ➢ Situation
➢ Symbol ➢ Sound
➢ Atmosphere ➢ Movement
Introduction to Introductory Workshops- The unit will begin with a class discussion where ➢ Informal formative assessment
playbuilding Throughout the introductory workshops the the teacher will define playbuilding and gauge ➢ Students will reflect on their
➢ What is students will learn the process behind their prior understanding of the topic. Inquiry learning through log book entries
playbuilding? playbulding and that there are various ways that questions, collaborative brainstorming and mind discussing what they have learnt
➢ What is the playbuilding can be approached. Students will map activities will introduce students to (students may use electronic or
process of learn about and experiment with different types playbuilding. hardcopy log).
playbulding? of playbuilding including both narrative (linear
and non-linear) and montage.
Group theatre sports activities using a stimulus as
Students are also given an overview of the unit a starting point will be used to introduce students
and are given information on the assessment due into the making and performing aspects of
at the end of the unit. playbuilding.
Improvisation Students learn that improvisation is a key Throughout the improvisation learning segment ➢ Informal formative assessment
technique used in the playbuilding experience. students will engage in improvisation tasks such ➢ Teacher will gauge students level
Students will learn that improvisation requires as ‘Space Jump’, and ‘Improvisation Tag’ to and understanding of
imagination, spontaneity, the ability to work encourage spontaneous thinking. Students will improvisation through observing
cooperatively with other performers and also learn to accept an offer without dropping and side coaching students.
understand the elements of dramatic situation. character or stopping the action. This will be
initiated through activities such as ‘Yes and..’
where spontaneity and impulse will be
encouraged to make offers, accept offers and to
extend and advance offers.
Formal summative Students are made explicitly aware of what is Students are allocated groups and are required to ➢ Formal summative assessment
assessment required and expected for their formal summative follow the playbuilding process to create a 5- ➢ Students will begin to reflect on
assessment. minute group performance. Students will be given the assessment process. i.e. how
a topic/theme and a stimulus to get them started. they are finding the topic, are
Throughout this process students will focus on Students will also be required to conducted a 1 their ideas being listened to in the
the playbuilding experience and conduct research minute spoken presentation to the class outlining group and how well the group is
into their topic to develop a deep understanding. their playbuilding process and experience. working together.
Students should keep consistent logbook entries
throughout their assessment process to hand in to
the teacher after their final performance.
Assessment Students will be given time in class to Students will work in their allocated groups to Teacher will ensure students are
preparation prepare/rehearse for their assessments. work on and prepare for their assessment. making progress with their
assessments by checking in with
each group every lesson.
In-class performance. Students will perform assessment in class. ➢ Formal summative assessment
Appendix 1- Outcome descriptors.
Unit Title: playbuilding Unit Assessment: Assessment of Type of Submission: Practical, Legnth of Submission:
Learning spoken and written - 5-minte group performance
- 1-minute spoken presentation
Outcomes being Assessed: Due Date: Weighting: 20%
This assessment will integrate making, performing and appreciating.
Part One: Students will be allocated a group of 3-4 members to are required to create a five-minute group performance that follows the playbuilding
process. The scene is to begin as a tableau depicting the designated theme and must also end with a frozen moment. Students will be given a
topic/theme and a stimulus by the teacher to get started. The scene must demonstrate a clear understanding of the theme and effectively communicate
their intended message to the audience.
Part Two: students will be required to present a one minute spoken explanation discussing their playbuilding process and experience.
Part Three: Students will be required to keep a rehearsal log and document their playbuilding process in their logbooks which will be handed in for
marking after each group performs. Students should focus on:
- How they found the playbuilding experience (difficult, easy, enjoyable, confusing).
- How they researched their topic.
- How they used their stimulus as a starting point.
- How well they worked as a group (do you feel like your ideas were listening to fairly? Did you take other student’s ideas into consideration as
much as your own?)
- How the elements of drama assisted in improving/advancing your scene.
Marking Criteria
Through learning in this unit the students should be able to:
- Develop and refine a scene collaboratively, using the elements of drama such as
➢ The creation of character/role
➢ Tension, time, place, space, structure, language, sound, movement, rhythm, moment, symbol and atmosphere.
➢ Audience engagement.
- Understand the improvisation and playbuilding process and the choices made to convey a desired dramatic intention through
➢ Devising a provocative tableau which highlights a conflict.
➢ Conveying a clear message about the theme
➢ Displaying an awareness of the relationship between the actor and the audience.
How the quality teaching elements you have identified are achieved within the lesson.
Background Students will need to employ the information and their background knowledge from
knowledge previous lessons. Learning activities are explicitly built off student’s background
knowledge and require students to make links between what they are learning and
what they have previously learnt (Department of Education and Training, 2003).
Reflection
What have I learned about the teaching and learning process when preparing this lesson?
In developing this lesson I reminded myself that this was only the introductory lesson to the Elements of
Drama and it was important to allocate some for a sufficient warm-up for students to become comfortable
in the classroom. In preparing this lesson I learnt that side coaching is an effective learning and teaching
tool as it allows students to improve on incorporating the elements of drama into their improvisation
(Clausen, 2004). I was also reminded that improvisation exercises an effective way to test and gauge
students improvisation skills and understanding of the elements of drama as they need to ‘spontaneously
establish character, situation, tension…’ (Clausen, 2004m p.38) etc. As this is an introductory lesson it
was also important to delegate some time for student to reflect on their activities and provide peer
feedback.
How am I measuring the outcomes of this lesson?
5.3.1 Appreciating - A student responds ➢ This is measured and recorded in student’s logbooks
to, reflects on and evaluates elements of after their informal class performances.
drama, dramatic forms, performance
styles, dramatic techniques and theatrical
conventions.
Other considerations
Complete the table blow by inserting the AISTL graduate standards that you are demonstrating
and indicates the evidence from this lesson that should comply with the standard.
Board of Studies New South Wales. (2003). Drama years 7-10 Syllabus.
Board of Studies New South Wales. (2003). Drama Years 7-10 Advice on Assessment and
Programming.
Clausen, M. (2004). Centre Stage 2nd Edition. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Heinemann.
NSW Department of Education (2016). Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy.
NSW Department of Education and Training (2003). Quality Teaching in Public Schools.
Topic area: Elements of Stage of Learner: Stage 5 year Syllabus Pages: 38-40
Drama 9
Cross Curriculum themes & Explicit subject specific concepts and skills
General capabilities - Elements of drama
➢ Elements of English and ICT - Improvisation
with be embedded into this - Creating a character
lesson. - Working collaboratively
➢ General capabilities include
students working collaboratively
to achieve a common goal.
Quality Teaching Elements (lesson focus) Highlight the appropriate areas
Reflection
Throughout the development and planning of this lesson it has become evident that logbooks are a necessary
tool for students to use throughout the lesson as it can act as a guide for students to refer back to in
following lessons. It is also essential that lessons build on from what students have already covered in class
to reinforce their knowledge. Keeping a log allows students to recount and analyse their experiences
(Clausen, 2004) as well as research. It is also essential and relevant when employing background knowledge
in the lesson as students can refer back to their prior learning in their logbooks.
Complete the table blow by inserting the AISTL graduate standards that you are demonstrating and
indicates the evidence from this lesson that should comply with the standard.
WHS
What are the key risk issues that may appear for and need to be reduced/eliminated in this lesson? Using
your syllabus and support documents as well as other WHS policy- Outline the key WHS considerations that
are to be applied in this lesson?
Ensuring students are provided with a safe working and learning environment is an
integral and essential responsibility of the teacher (Workplace health and safety
policy, 2016). In order to reduce/eliminate risk areas in this lesson the teacher must
explicitly outline and teach students how the classroom should look before each
lesson begins. Teacher must ensure that the floor space is clean and dry, free from
chords and props to minimise the risk of students injuring themselves during class.
Students must also keep their shoes on.
Resources Attached:
Clausen, M. (2004). Centre Stage 2nd Edition. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Heinemann.
NSW Department of Education (2016). Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy.
NSW Department of Education and Training (2003). Quality Teaching in Public Schools.
Drama, particularly playbuilding provides students the opportunity for creative expression and self-
expression in a controlled environment (O’Toole, Stinson & Moore, 2009). Throughout this process, I
have developed a clear understanding of the ways that a drama teacher can creatively provide students
with an effective and engaging playbuilding program that blends their personal teaching practices with
drama theory that also link to the NSW drama Syllabus. Playbuilding was chosen as the focus area as it is
an essential and mandatory element of the NSW drama syllabus for 7-10 and it works to develop
student’s improvisation skills and collaboration skills. The unit has been developed as an introductory
year nine unit with the assumption that students have little or no drama experience and therefore, has been
organised with a clear a focus on the structure of the playbuilding process in combination with elements
of drama. Beginning the unit with the assumption that students have not undertaken playbuilding
previously provides students with an equal learning experience and ensures that there are no gaps for any
students. By taking on the role of the teacher in this process I have been able to gain further insight that
will inform and influence my future drama pedagogy.
During the investigation and planning process for this unit of work I learnt that my role as a teacher is to
effectively and efficiently inform and teach students the necessary elements in playbuilding with the aim
of designing a unit that no only transfers knowledge to students, but also provides richness and value into
their learning experience (Hatton & Lovesy, 2008). Elements of making, performing and appreciating
(Department of Education New South Wales, 2003) have been embedded into the unit, lesson plans and
assessment task which act as a vehicle for students to explore their creativity and imagination. I learnt that
incorporating activities that involve making, performing and appreciating are essential, not only because
it is outlined in the syllabus, however, also because it provides a range of methods for students to become
engaged in the lesson. Providing both experiential and cognitive learning activities also allows a larger
scope for myself as a teacher to know my students and how they learn (Australian Institute for Teaching
and School Leadership, 2011). Many of my creative pedagogical teaching strategies for the future that
were developed throughout this process were influenced by Lovesy and Hatton (2008). By drawing on
their expert knowledge and experience I effectively adapted their activities, techniques and ideas to suit
my lessons and ensure they aligned with the syllabus. One of the most important strategies learnt
throughout this process was inspired by Hatton and Lovesy’s idea around creating an open space for
discussion as ‘classroom drama relies heavily on students participating voluntarily in the work. Students
cannot be forced to do drama’ (Lovesy and Hatton, 2008, p.24) and to explicitly introduce and teach the
concept and process of playbuilding (Lovesy & Hatton, 2008). These techniques are evidenced in my unit
as I have included an introductory segment on playbulding where the teacher explicitly teaches the
playbuilding process and promotes an open space for discussion through inquiry questions and class
brainstorms about playbuilding.
I have become aware that an effective teaching strategy to employ during a playbuilding unit is to
provide students with constraints that allow for a challenging and rewarding learning experience,
however, adopt less of a hierarchical (Hatton & Lovesy 2008), reductive narrow minded and authoritative
relationship with the students (Flemming, 2011). Rather, allowing students to explore their creativity
through experiential learning where the teacher acts as a guide to facilitate the way students negotiate,
devise, process and create their drama (Hatton & Lovesy, 2008). The teacher acting as a guide throughout
the playbuilding process allows for student engagement and student self-direction where they can
exercise some direction over their learning (Department of Education and Training, 2003). This teaching
strategy was employed throughout the ‘Practical: Peer teaching of a component.’ Students were given
constraints in the “Space Jump” exercise where one student initiated the task acting out a scene, which
built up to all students contributing. I provided time constraints during this exercise and gave the students
a theme of having a conversation to begin the process. Students were also instructed to focus on specific
elements of drama. In the second section of the lesson when students were divided into two groups they
were provided with more freedom as they selected a segment of their “Space Jump” activity to expand on
and selected elements of drama to focus on. This activity was designed to provide students with the tools
to create effective and successful drama as well as providing them with the chance to develop a deep
understanding of the playbuilding process and improve their higher order thinking skills by learning in a
holistic, experiential and cognitive learning environment (O’Toole, et al, 2009).
Reflection is another important strategy that I have learnt during this investigation. While it is widely
understood that students should be reflecting in their log books and discussing their process, I also believe
that it is important for the teacher to reflect and self-evaluate lessons. Students log books may be an
effective way to reflect on the success of the lesson and to gauge if the students are understanding their
activities and whether or not they are engaged in class.