Merlin The Wizard Scheme of Work

(ages 11-12)

This six-lesson practical drama unit uses the Merlin story to guide pupils through character work, devising and performance. Lessons progress from warm-up games and spontaneous improvisation to split scenes, mime, narrated improvisations and atmospheric visualisation, ending with a filmed assessment where pupils consider lighting and special effects. The unit emphasises practical techniques teachers can use within a short sequence to build cohesion and prepare a group performance for self-evaluation.

What Students Will Learn

Pupils will develop core drama techniques including improvisation, role-play, mime and narrated performance. They will practise split-scene construction, thought-aloud and asides, frozen pictures/tableau and atmosphere-making using music and visualisation. The unit concludes with pupils staging and filming their devised version of the story, focusing on how lighting and special effects can emphasise key moments and support self-evaluation.

Week 1: The Legend
Introduces pupils to magical characters and the Merlin story using a wizard-themed warm-up. The main practical work uses spontaneous improvisation and role-play to explore character and opening plot moments.
Resources Include
Resources
The Story of The WizardThe Sign of Carved Words
Week 2: Creating the Story
Focuses on constructing linked moments from the story by developing a split scene between two beginnings. Pupils practise imaginative linking and scene transitions through devised split-scene work.
Week 3: The Farmer and Merlin
Explores the first encounter between Merlin and a farmer through narrated mime and whole-class improvisation. Activities explicitly use narrated mime, thought aloud, asides and thought tapping to develop character and plot.
Week 4: Inside the Cave
Develops mood and atmosphere for the farmer's discovery using music and visualisation exercises. The principal technique is creating magical atmosphere through guided visualisation supported by music.
Resources Include
Resources
Gold Coins
Music
Not As It Seems
Week 5: The Farmer Tells his Tale
Practises storytelling as the farmer would in a tavern, emphasising dramatic pauses and frozen pictures. Pupils retell the story using dramatic pauses and tableau to highlight key moments for an audience.
Resources Include
Resources
The Sign of Carved Words
Week 6: The Wizard Assessment
Assesses pupils' devised versions of the story with attention to lighting and special effects while performances are filmed. The practical outcome is a filmed group performance used to support self-evaluation.