Refugees Scheme of Work
(ages 11-12)
Overview
This six-lesson KS3 unit uses devised drama to explore the experience of refugees through child characters. Lessons use Role on the Wall, basic Stanislavski techniques, Mantle of the Expert, tableau/frozen images, hotseating and improvisation to build character, empathy and ensemble work. Activities include story-card devising, classroom narration in teacher-in-role, and a real-life interview read-through. The unit finishes with group performances, reflection and an end-of-unit self-assessment to support formative evaluation.
What Students Will Learn
Students will develop characterisation and empathy by creating and sustaining refugee personas across different moments in a story. They will practise devising and improvisation, use Role on the Wall and Stanislavski prompts to add detail, apply Mantle of the Expert for perspective, and perform frozen images, hotseating and thought aloud techniques. The unit culminates in devised group performances and reflection on a real-life refugee testimony.
Week 1: The Children Leave
Introduces refugees' confusion on arrival and revises KS3 drama skills. Students devise scenario-based pieces from story cards and create a frozen image to show children in the new building.
Resources IncludeResourcesStory CardsWeek 2: The Children go to a new Family
Explores communication difficulties in a new family setting and develops spontaneous improvisation. Activities include teacher-in-role as Mr Simpson, class tableaux and three-person improvisations with language barriers.
Week 3: Identity
Introduces and challenges the idea of identity within the refugee context. Students devise and perform short scenario pieces where a character (Ilse) faces pressure to change name and religion, then return to negotiate identity.
Week 4: Developing Your Character
Students build individual refugee characters using Role on the Wall and basic Stanislavski prompts. Activities include completing role sheets, moving and improvising as the created character and spotlighted performances.
Week 5: 5 Years Later
Extends characters five years on and uses Mantle of the Expert to raise moral dilemmas about identity documents and homeland. Pupils hotseat one another and perform improvised parent-child reunions.
Week 6: Mrs Shumacher’s Story
Links learning to a real-life refugee testimony and consolidates unit skills. Groups devise reunion scenes ending in a frozen image and thought aloud, with performances used to complete self-assessment sheets.
Resources IncludeResourcesInterview with Mrs Schumacher
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