Rainforest Scheme of Work
(ages 11-12)
Overview
This six-week scheme uses a South American rainforest context to teach devising, communication and performance. Lessons focus on practical drama techniques—improvisation, mime, tableaux and soundscapes—leading to a devised news report and a filmed performance assessment. The unit investigates community, governance and economic issues in the rainforest while developing students’ confidence to perform a polished piece.
What Students Will Learn
Students will explore character, negotiation and group dynamics through practical work rooted in rainforest issues. They will practise improvisation, mime, frozen pictures/tableau and soundscapes, then devise and rehearse a news-report style piece. The unit culminates in a filmed performance assessment that emphasises polished presentation and the application of three key drama skills.
Week 1: Animals and the Environment (Cooperation)
Explores cooperation and character development using improvisation and frozen pictures. Students use the 'Political Groups' activity to create tableaux and develop character relationships.
Week 2: Politicians and Policies (Communication)
Focuses on communication through practising mime and soundscapes to represent political situations. The lesson includes the warm-up 'The Jungle Game' and practical work on mime and soundscape creation.
Resources IncludeResourcesCategory CardsWeek 3: Amnesty International (Contribution)
Uses drama to explore contribution and negotiation through character work. The lesson employs the warm-up 'Raising Ghosts' and practical negotiation activities to develop understanding of viewpoints.
Week 4: Economic Issues (Capital Gain)
Examines economic conflict by portraying opposing interests in a town-hall context. Students take part in spontaneous improvisation to represent conflicting perspectives at a protest.
Week 5: Assessment Preparation (Creativity)
Prepares students for assessment by devising a news report that showcases three key drama skills. The lesson is focused on applying learned techniques to create a coherent devised news-piece.
Resources IncludeMusicNews ThemeResourcesSkill CardsWeek 6: Assessment Performance (Confidence)
Concludes the unit with a filmed assessment of polished group performances to demonstrate learning. Students are filmed and assessed on their ability to present a finished piece to camera.
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