Key Stage 3 drama is about two things:
1) Learning and acquiring really key life skills, such as; communication, cooperation, negotiation, presentation and evaluation;
2) Learning about drama and theatre as an art form. The units you will undertake will build your skills, understanding, application and knowledge in these areas.
Homework is set, but not on a weekly basis. Homework may take the form of research, extra rehearsal, writing up rehearsal notes. Sometimes homework can look like an extra rehearsal with your group. There is also our Drama blog with extra drama challenges which can be attempted in learner’s own time. They are beyond curriculum challenges with level 7+ work.
If you would like to do more drama out of lessons- come and see Ms Cook or anyone in the Drama team.
http://jrcsdrama.blogspot.co.uk/
Year 7
The curriculum starts by ensuring our students have the necessary skills they need for successful drama to take place – they are slowly introduced to range of drama skills and techniques both for exploration and performance of drama.
Students study the following topics:
Serious Fun / Darkwood Manor
Games and drama activities that teach the rules of drama and include our baseline assessment. A haunted house (Darkwood Manor) provides the backdrop for learners to explore how to establish location, scene endings, to build tension and how to develop and explore roles.
Evacuation – Right to Write
1940’s the context is World War Two, but we also touch on the idea of displacement and refugees. We teach the drama skills of suspension of disbelief, spontaneous improvisation, thought tracking, dramatic potential, character and monologue. Students begin to develop short performances and we teach them how to evaluate the work both orally and in the written form.
Murder in the Library
A performance unit teaches the genre of murder mystery/ Whodunits’, how to do flashbacks, the idea of multi-rolling and how to put together scenes to structure a performance.
The Tempest
We study Shakespeare’s text to explore the original performance conditions and the conventions and stage craft of the play. E.g. how to use drama to create a storm at sea on stage, how to show magic through drama, students also learn the importance of rehearsal and how to interpret a piece of text in two different ways to create different meanings.
Planet X
This fun unit recaps all the skills acquired in Year 7 and allows students to develop their abilities to assess their own involvement in spontaneous improvisation and improve by use of rehearsal.
Year 8
We build on skills acquired in Year 7 and there is a real focus on acting technique and stagecraft.
Students study the following topics:
The History of British Theatre and Genre (including Right to Write)
These workshops explore the conventions of British theatre and genres including acting styles and theatre practitioners. They learn the history and apply the conventions of medieval drama, Elizabethan theatre, radio drama, pantomime, naturalistic acting (including Stanislavski). They evaluate what they have learned in both the oral and written form.
Sweeney Todd
A text based unit- where students study the play text, explore the conventions, the acting style the piece demands and consider stage design.
Trestle Masks
workshops using masks and movement and ultimately creating a group performance
Antigone to Rosa Parks
Students learn the history of Ancient Greek Theatre and explore structuring their own pieces. They learn GCSE explorative strategies such as Forum Theatre and how to make connections between the two characters.
Day Dreaming
Students have explored a range on non-naturalistic drama skills over Year 8. In this unit they work as small theatre companies and they create a performance. They will perform to Year 7 and will be given a performance deadline. They have to consider, lighting, costume and sound in this assessment too and keep a written log of the process.
Year 9
We work with students to prepare them for GCSE drama in case they might wish to choose this subject as an option
Kerry Smith
This is a GCSE style issue based unit. Students are introduced to some GCSE exercises and expectations which are designed to help them decide if GCSE Drama is the correct option for them!
TIE Project
Students will develop a piece of theatre for a target audience about something they think their target audience should be more aware of. They will have to research and then implement this so their piece is both educative and enjoyable and then they must perform!
Girls Like That and Right to Write
A text based unit where GCSE style exploring strategies are used to explore the world of the play. There are research and performance based opportunities. They have to conduct research and evaluate their learning in the written form.
Monologues and Duologues and design
This is an adapted A level unit- designed to stretch and challenge our learners as much as they feel able to wish to be stretched. Students will choose a performance task, explore the play they are performing from, learn the lines, prepare for performance and perform. They will then complete a design project for their chosen play. All students will carry out research before they embark on design and performance.
There are three categories in which students are assessed they are: making drama, performing drama and evaluating drama. Assessment for learning is at the heart of what we do with our students in supporting them to make progress and attain high levels of achievement.