Drama Lesson Plans
Menu

Pirates Scheme of Work

(ages 11-12)

Overview

This six-week, practical unit uses pirate-themed stimuli to keep students moving while developing physical storytelling skills. Lessons focus on physical theatre exercises, active drama games and musical accompaniment to support devising, mime, tableau and choreography. Named activities such as 'Captain’s Coming', 'Tribal Dance' and 'The Chain Gang' give clear, repeatable structures for warm-ups and scene work.

physical storytellingmimechoreographystage combatimprovisationensemble workdevisingcharacterisation

What Students Will Learn

Students will develop physical storytelling and ensemble skills through exercises, games and music. They will practise mime, frozen pictures (tableau), choreographed stage fighting and devising to create short scenes. The unit includes improvisation work, musical visualisation and hot-seating to deepen character exploration and present devised pirate-themed pieces.

£29.99 + VAT one-off purchase

Permanent access in your account after purchase.

View cart
Need more than one scheme? Compare Full Access

Protected teaching materials

What your purchase includes

This page shows the scheme outline. The detailed teaching material stays in your account after purchase.

  • 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 resourcesMusic are included where they support the lesson sequence.
  1. Week 1: Physical Theatre

    Focuses on physical theatre and expressive movement. Students perform the exercises 'Captain’s Coming' and 'Fishing for Supper' using exaggerated movements and facial expressions to develop ensemble timing.

  2. Week 2: Making Objects

    Explores body sculpture to represent island objects. Students create body shapes representing treasure-island items and use them within a short scene of their own devising.

  3. Week 3: The Tribe

    Develops choreographed action and warm-up routines. The lesson includes a physical warm-up exercise 'Tribal Dance' and choreographed stage fighting work for ensemble staging.

  4. Week 4: Tribal Meeting

    Uses improvisation and musical visualisation to devise movement. Students improvise, respond to music and devise a tribal dance for the piece 'The Main Course'.

    Resources Include
    Music
    Untitled Rhythm
  5. Week 5: The Escape

    Focuses on narrative stillness and mime. Students create frozen pictures (tableau) and perform mime sequences depicting the escape from the fearsome 'Sharkey Malarky'.

  6. Week 6: The Capture

    Combines mime with character work and questioning. Students perform mime to music as 'The Chain Gang' and take part in hot-seating for the Naval Officer and Pirates in 'Cat and Mouse'.

    Resources Include
    Music
    Gold RushMysterySchmetterlingUp on a Housetop

Ready to teach this unit?

Unlock all 6 detailed lessons and resources

Keep the complete teaching sequence in your account and open every lesson when you need it.

£29.99 + VAT one-off purchase

Permanent access in your account after purchase.

View cart
Need more than one scheme? Compare Full Access

Add to your library

Build your drama scheme library

Add a complementary unit to your cart and check out in one secure payment.

(ages 11-12) · 6 lessons

Rainforest

Creating drama using social and economic issues and tensions

View scheme

(ages 11-12) · 6 lessons

Refugees

Drama based on the issues and experiences faced by refugees

View scheme