Aboriginal Dreamtime Scheme of Work

(ages 12-13)

This six-lesson practical unit explores the Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime story through ensemble devising, character work and visual theatre. Lessons move from visualisation and soundscape to hot-seating, tableaux, split scenes and a final physical-theatre performance supported by didgeridoo music. Activities use story text, examples of Aboriginal art and simple props (blue sheet) to develop characterisation, atmosphere and cultural discussion. The sequence includes group devising, class evaluation and a student self-assessment task for the final performance.

What Students Will Learn

Students will explore creation myths and aspects of Aboriginal culture while developing core drama skills: visualisation, mime, voice, tableau, soundscape creation and devising. They will build sustained characters, practise ensemble timing and use physical theatre devices (split scene, slow motion, flashback) to present a devised piece, then reflect through performance evaluation or self-assessment.

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6 detailed lesson plansA complete, practical teaching sequence for the unit.
Lesson-by-lesson activity guidanceUse the unit structure, skills focus and classroom tasks without starting from scratch.
Linked classroom resourcesResources, Music are included where they support the lesson sequence.

Week 1: The Creation
Introduces an Aboriginal creation tale and begins character work through visualisation and mime. Pupils visualise the scene, mime animals awakening and create a class soundscape to represent the earth's creation before re-telling in groups.
Resources Include
Resources
Dreamtime, a story of creation
Week 2: Developing the Characters
Deepens characterisation using modelling and hot-seating to explore vocal and physical traits. Students hot-seat, practise mime and add vocal elements, then perform short role-plays around a watering-hole scene.
Resources Include
Resources
Dreamtime, a story of creation
Week 3: At the Watering Hole
Extends the story by creating tableaux at a watering hole and exploring time through flashbacks. Groups make three frozen pictures linked by slow motion and thought aloud to show one hour, 24 hours and one week earlier.
Week 4: Totem Poles
Uses examples of Aboriginal art to prompt devised vocal and movement pieces examining belief and cultural clash. Groups study images, discuss cultural observations and devise chants or movement sequences to perform and evaluate.
Resources Include
Resources
Aboriginal Art
Week 5: Going Walkabout
Explores the concept of walkabout via split scenes combining mime and dialogue. Pupils model split-scene linking techniques (gesture, echoed sound, frozen images) then devise and perform paired scenes with mime and key lines.
Week 6: Assessment
Groups create a physical-theatre piece set to music to demonstrate understanding of the Dreamtime story. Pupils devise timed physical sequences to represent passing time, perform with didgeridoo audio and complete self-assessment or filmed review.
Resources Include
Music
Didgeridoo