Activity 5: Creative Drama Performance

Focus
Student diaries are the focus in creating and performing a drama.

Background
The diary of a three-day journey travelling from mangroves to mountain rapids in the World Heritage Area was developed in Activity 4 using the Traditional Aboriginal Food Resources Poster. Students will now work in groups to write a three-scene creative drama based on selections from the three-day diaries. Each scene is focussed on each day’s events in the diary.

Pedagogy/teaching strategies
• Writing for a purpose (students write the script of a performance based on selections from the groups’ diaries).
• Decision-making (descriptions of characters in the play, set design, props, casting roles).

Activity sequence
1. Review the structure of a play: characters, actors, directions, use of props and set design. Each group reads a short play.
2. Select diary entries from the group’s members which best suit scripting for a play (eg. well defined characters, well structured plot, easily constructed props and set design).
3. Each group writes a three-scene script for the performance.
4. Assign roles – actors, prop design and set construction team, backstage crew.
5. Rehearse the play until script is memorised, props and sets are constructed and back stage crew are well trained.

Assessment opportunities
Perform the creative drama in small groups. The plays may be recorded, edited and enhanced by special effects so that a film festival is held for a wider audience. See Performance Assessment for suggested guidelines.