Good Things Web

7/30/2019 Good Things Web

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The

GoodThingsThe

GoodThings

USING DRAMA ASA TEACHING TOOL

A Teachers Resource Pack

by Katherine Morley & Gillian Lees of

Reeling & Writhing

for West Lothian Council


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Contents

Reeling & Writhing A short introduction

Who this pack is for and how it can be used

The play The Good Things and why it was made

The Good Things acknowledgements

West Lothian Arts Education Service Contact Information

West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Information Services

Facts about Drugs

Table of Drugs Information

Why use drama as a teaching tool?

Games, exercises and stimuli

Drama conventions for teaching across the curriculum

What to do now - a generic workshop plan

Control versus Expression trouble shootingEvaluation and where to get drama support

Further reading

Your own notes from CPD or classroom sessions

This pack can be downloaded from:

www.reelingwrithing.com and

West Lothian Council Education Services website:

http://edweb.westlothian.org.uk/artseducation

The

GoodThingsThe

GoodThings

Reeling & Writhing Ltd, 2005

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Reeling & Writhing is a Glasgow based company found-

ed by joint artistic directors Katherine Morley and Tim

Nunn.

Our performances start from, or are immersed in, fine

text and beautiful words, through which the company

aims to inspire and educate.

Reeling & Writhing creates a magnetism between the

textual and the physical worlds of performance, to

exercise text and ingenuity, to employ music as much

as a physical dynamic and to find and embrace human

complexity.

Productions are often accompanied by an education or

community project, to allow access, and to encourage

people of all ages, colours and sizes to benefit from allthat the arts can offer.

We engage with people from all sectors of the commu-

nity in which we live, as our audience and as collabo-

rating artists.

Reeling & Writhing was born from the need to make

beautiful things.

Reeling & Writhing was founded by KatherineMorley and Tim Nunn, who are committed to cre-

ating theatre for a broad and new audience inScotland.

We are arts professionals with strong combinedexperience and a history of working in Scotlandand throughout the UK. Katherine has been work-ing as a Glasgow-based theatre director and work-shop leader for 6 years, since the completion ofher research based MA. She has most recentlydirected shows for the Tron Theatre, TAG, GreyCoast and Reeling & Writhing. Tim moved toGlasgow in February 2003 and has been busy atthe Centre for Contemporary Arts establishing

the Creative Lab and in various professional and

voluntary positions for Scottish theatre. He hasalways had a professional connection to the artsbut also worked for ten years as a human rightscampaigner including a term as director of theFree Tibet Campaign.

In January 2004 we produced White Lament theperformance production for National HolocaustMemorial Day commissioned by the ScottishExecutive.We worked with a young cast from EastRenfrewshire to create the show in workshop, ulti-mately written by Tim and directed by Katherine.The performance was very successfully shown toan audience of politicians and business and com-munity leaders from all over Scotland.

After the success of White Lament we were com-missioned by the Scottish Executive to write a fivechapter, cross-curricular teachers pack about TheArts and The Holocaust. Entitled The Arts and TheHolocaust. Lessons from the past for citizens oftoday the pack was launched by Peter Peacock,the Education Minister on Holocaust MemorialDay 2005 and has been distributed to everySecondary school in Scotland.

In between these two big education projects wealso produced a new mainstream play calledStanding Wave as a co-production with the TronTheatre, Glasgow. It told the story of DeliaDerbyshire, a talented electro-acoustic composerwho worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop inthe 1960s and was best known for arranging theDr.Who theme tune for its first broadcast series.Our three week run of Standing Wave in October2004 received four star reviews from the Herald,the Guardian, the Times, the Express, the SundayHerald and the Metro and a five star review fromthe Scotsman.

A full company biography is detailed,with photo-

graphs, on our website: www.reelingwrithing.com.

Reeling & Writhing

brilliant, ground-breaking theatre

makes you feel the earth move a little under your feet Joyce MacMillan,

The Scotsman (Standing Wave)

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This pack has been written to give practical help for Primary teachersin West Lothian to tackle a range of subjects across the curriculum,using drama as a teaching tool.

The activities within this pack have been designed for teachers to usein a normal classroom or hall space and for any teacher to use, regard-less of their previous drama experience.

Although many of the exercises and activities are aimed at the P6 andP7 age group,much of the work can easily be adjusted to suit your ownclass and subject-specific needs.

In addition to this pack, Reeling & Writhing has been commissioned bythe Arts Education Service to make The Good Things a play for P6and P7 audiences, about drugs awareness and substance misuse. Thisplay is designed to dovetail into the multi-layered drugs programme

already active in West Lothian.

Teachers attending performances of The Good Things and the accom-panying CPD sessions can use the supporting material within this packto assist in the running of their follow-up classroom sessions on drugsawareness, as well as strengthening drama skills for exciting cross-cur-ricular integration.

The practical example exercises in this pack are generic and applicableto any issue-based topic. For clarity and continuity, when citing exam-ple exercises, we have often referred to our original issue-based com-mission about drugs awareness.

This pack has been written by Katherine Morley and Gillian Lees of

Reeling & Writhing Theatre, Glasgow with research advice from WestLothian Councils Arts Education Service and West Lothian Drug andAlcohol Service.

Who this pack is for and

how it can be used

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In May 2005 Reeling & Writhing were commissioned by West LothianCouncils Arts Education Service to make the performance The Good

Things. The Good Things is an interactive theatre experience thatengages a P7 audience in drugs related issues.

Actors help the audience to share knowledge and air their opinionsabout drugs related issues by, as young characters in the play, talkingdirectly to the audience, asking for their opinions and advice about thedrugs related scenarios those characters find themselves in (at a party,at work, at school, in the park, at home, with friends, with strangers).

This style of performance theatre allows the audience to make deci-sions on behalf of the characters and take an active role in determin-ing the outcome of their actions.As with many other issue-related top-ics, this style of active learning revolves around understanding the con-

cepts of choice and consequence or cause and effect.

We are pleased that this play is part of a network of drugs awarenesslearning involving West Lothian Police education department, NationalChoices for Life, the West Lothian network of School Nurses and WestLothian Drug and Alcohol Service.

What is the show

and why did we make it?

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Produced by Reeling & Writhing, Glasgow

The Good Thingswas devised by the company

Performer 1 Gillian Lees

Performer 2 Mary Wells

Performer 3 Brian Ferguson

Director Katherine Morley

Designer Tim Nunn

Stage Manager Catherine Milestone

Sound Design Rhythm & Wriggle

Set Construction Dana Payet

Project Researchers Katherine Morley & Gillian Lees

Specialist Research Advisors Joanne Sinclair, Schools Co-ordinatorand Brian Pringle, Education Training Manager from West Lothian Drug

and Alcohol Service.

With thanks to; Elly Reid,Viv Gee

West Lothian Council

The Good Things Project Management:

Laura Tyrrell Arts Education Co-ordinator

Fiona Macfarlane Cultural Co-ordinator

Nancy Douglas Cultural Co-ordinator

Sandy Crawford Theatre Technician

Craigsfarm Theatre

John Hoey Community Development Officer

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Useful Contacts for Drugs Information

in West Lothian(As of September 2005)

Education OfficerWest Lothian Council Education & Cultural ServicesLindsay HouseSouth Bridge StreetBathgateEH48 1TSTel: 01506 776136

Schools Drug Education Co-ordinator

West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service43 Adelaide StreetCraigshillLivingstonEH54 5HQTel: 01506 446658

Back on Track (support for young people affected by substance use)West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service43 Adelaide StreetCraigshillLivingston

EH54 5HQTel: 01506 430 225

Police Drug Awareness OfficerLivingston Police StationAlmondvale SouthLivingstonEH54 6PXTel: 01506 431200 or 445618 or 445671

Cloud Nine Project (smoking cessation)West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service43 Adelaide Street

CraigshillLivingstonEH54 5HQTel: 01506 446655

Pack It In Project (smoking cessation & education)West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service43 Adelaide StreetCraigshillLivingstonEH54 5HQTel: 01506 446659

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Through talking to teachers and young people during our research,wehave discovered that many people are confused about the basic factsconcerning both legal and illegal drugs and the effects they can have onthe body, both physiologically and mentally.

The following table of drugs information has been taken from advicepublished by Know the Score. Depending on the drugs climate inyour teaching area, P6 and P7 pupils may well have some knowledge ofthe drugs included in the table and want to ask you more about them.

This table should help provide direct and accurate information in situ-ations deemed appropriate by you, for your individual class.

N.B. After seeking advice from the West Lothian Drugs and AlcoholService, we have chosen to focus the play The Good Things aroundnicotine, alcohol and cannabis, as these are the drugs the P6 and P7 agegroup are most aware of.

Opposite is a list of local contact information for different aspects ofdrugs advice.

Regional colloquialisms mean that sometimes names of drugs areswapped around and may have alternative meanings in different localauthority areas.Young people may have adopted the wrong name for aparticular drug, and so it is essential, during drug-awareness work inthe classroom, to ascertain that both teacher and pupil are discussingthe same substance so that accurate information can be given.

Facts about drugs

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Drug

Name/

Appearance

Slang

Names

Effec

ts

S

hort-Term

Risks

Long-Term

Risks

Law

Alco

ho

lLiquiddrunk

asalcopops,spirits,

beersandwines.

Booze,B

evvy,

Drink

Depressantdrug-entersthe

bloodstreamwithin30

minutesandthentravels

straighttothebrain.Reduces

inhibitionsandincreasessense

ofrelaxation.Eachunittakes

anhourforthebodyto

process.

Hango

verincluding

dehydration,headache,nausea

andde

pression.Intoxication

canleadto

aggres

sive/irrationalbehaviour

andac

cidents.

Regularheavydrinkingcancause

stomachdisorders,cancerof

mouth,throatandgullet,l

iver

cirrhosis,braindamage,high

bloodpressure,problem

swith

thenervoussystem,sexualand

mentalhealthproblems,

and

familyandworkproblem

s.

LEGAL-

howeverisillegal

tose

llalcohol

toanyoneunder

18yearsold.

Nico

tine-

Cigarettes,

pipes,cigars,loose

tobacco,c

hewing

tobacco.Issmokedor

chewed.

Cigarettes,Fags,

Ciggies

Stimulantdrug-

Actsfast,f

irst

increasingalertnessthen

producingasenseof

relaxation.

Nicotineaddictioncan

develo

pquiterapidlyand

regularsmokersoftenfeel

anxiou

sandirritableifunable

tosmoke.Smokingcan

restrictgrowthinyoung

people.

Otherchemicalsintobacco

causelungcancerandstomach

diseases,heartdisease,

circulationproblems,wr

inkled

skinandprematureageing.

LEGAL

howeveritis

illegalfor

retailerstosell

tobaccoto

anyoneunder

16.

Canna

bis-Comesas

solidlumpresin;

leaves,stalksandseeds

calledgrass;orsticky

darkoil.Canbe

smokedorcookedand

eatenwithfood.

Hash,Dope,

Blow,Draw,

Grass

Hallucinogenicdrug-users

feelrelaxedandmayhave

sharpersenseofcoloursand

sounds.Somefeelurgetoeat.

Iftakeninfood,effectscanbe

strongerandharderto

control.

Impair

sabilitytoconcentrate

andco

nductcomplextasks.

Canle

adtotirednessandlack

ofmotivation.

Regularheavyusecanleadto

developmentorworseningof

mentalhealthproblems

includingparanoia.Smok

edwith

tobacco,itincreaseshea

lthrisks

associatedwithtobacco

useand

canleadtonicotineaddiction.

Veryheavyusecanlead

to

withdrawalsymptoms.

ILLEGAL-

Class

C


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Drug

Name/

Appearance

Slang

Names

Effec

ts

S

hort-Term

Risks

Long-Term

Risks

Law

So

lven

ts-Butanegas

cigarettelighterrefills,

disposablecigarette

lighters,aerosolsprays,

whippedcreamcans

andgluetinsortubes.

Sniffedorbreathedin

throughaclothor

sleeve.Gasmaybe

squirtedstraightinto

thebackofthethroat.

Gas,G

lue,Buzzin

Depressantdrug-

Similarto

beingverydrunk.Usersfeel

dizzy,gigglyandlight-headed.

Somehallucinate.E

ffectslast

fromafewminutesto30

minutes.

Hango

verforadayortwo.

Nause

a,vomiting,blackouts,

badco

ugh,spots/sores

aroundmouth,persistentcold

andhe

artproblems.Inhaling

witha

plasticbagcancause

suffocation.Itisextremely

dangeroustosquirtgasinto

themouthasthiscancause

suddendeath.Neverchase

anyonesniffingsolventsas

theirheartmaysuddenlystop

beating.

Damagetobrain,liver,k

idneys,

nervoussystem,lungsan

d

reproductiveorgans.

Itisillegalfor

retailerstosell

butanegasrefills

toanyoneunder

18.A

lsoillegal

forsolventsto

besuppliedto

peopleofany

ageinthe

knowledgethat

theyaretobe

abused

Tranqui

llizers-

Tabletsorcapsules.

Canbeswallowedor

injected

Vallies,Jellies,

Tranx,Benzos.

Brandna

mes

include:Valium,

Librium,

Mogadon

Depressantdrug-relieves

anxietyandtension.Calms

usersandslowsthemdown.

Highdosescanmakeusers

drowsyandforgetful.

Dange

rousmixedwithalcohol

oroth

erdrugs,particularly

other

depressanttypedrugs

Regularusecandamageshort

termmemoryandreduc

e

energy.A

lmostalltranquillizers

areaddictive.Withdrawal

symptomsincludedepression,

insomniaandpanicattacks.

Ifpossessed

withouta

prescriptionor

suppliedillegally,

classifiedas

ClassC.

Ecs

tasy-Tabletsof

differentshapes,s

izes

andcolours-oftenwith

adesignerlogo.Taken

byswallowingthe

tablet.

E,Eccie

s,

Mitsubishis,

Diamond

s,Euros

(MDMA

isthe

chemicalname)

Stimulant/hallucinogenicdrug-

within20minutestoone

hour,increasesenergyand

senseofwell-being.Sounds,

coloursandemotionsmore

intense.Lastsupto6hours.

Usecanleadtooverheating

andde

hydrationifusersdance

withouttakingbreaksor

sippingnon-alcoholicfluids.

Thiscanbefatal.Drinkinga

pintofliquideveryhourand

eating

asaltysnackfromtime

totim

eareadvised.Userscan

feeltiredanddepressedfora

fewdaysafteruse.

Ecstasyusehasbeenlink

edto

mentalhealthproblems,

and

liver,k

idneyandbraindamage.

ILLEGALClass

A


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Drug

Name/

Appearance

Slang

Names

Effec

ts

S

hort-Term

Risks

Long-Term

Risks

Law

Amphetam

ine-

Grey

orwhitepowderthatis

snorted,

swallowed,

smoked,

injected

or

dissolved

in

drink.

Tabletsareswallowed.

Alsocomesasbasea

wet

putty

like

substance.

Speed,W

hizz,

Base

Stimulantdrug-

for3or4

hoursusersfeelexcited,

confident,alertandfullof

energy.

Reducesappetiteand

abilitytosleep

Some

usersmayfeeltense

andan

xiouswhileusingand

afterw

ardsmanyfeelvery

tiredanddepressed.Thedrug

canca

usesuddendeathfrom

heartattackorstroke.

Frequenthighdosescan

cause

panic,hallucinationandw

eight

loss.Heavylong-termus

eplaces

strainontheheartandc

an

causementalillness.

Amphetaminesareaddic

tive.

ILLEGAL-

Class

BorClassAif

preparedfor

injection

Hero

in-brownish-

whitepowder.Some

heroincomesina

brown/blackformthat

lookslikehardtoffee.

Smoked,dissolvedor

injected.

Smack,S

cag,H,

Junk,Gear

Depressantdrug-

Slowsthe

brain,heartrateand

breathing.Smalldosesbringa

senseofwarmthandwell-

being;largerdosesmakeusers

drowsyandrelaxed,andfree

fromworryandpain.

There

isarealriskofdrug

overdose,possiblyleadingto

comaordeath,particularly

whenmixedwithother

depressantdrugs

Heroinishighlyaddictiveand

largerandmorefrequentdoses

maybeneededtofeeln

ormal.

Injectingcandamageveins;

sharingneedlescanspread

hepatitisandHIV.

ILLEGALClass

A

LSD-

Comesinsmall

squaresofpaper,o

ften

printedwithdesigns,or

astinytabletscalled

microdotsanddots.

Tabletsareswallowed.

ItisamyththatLSD

canbeabsorbed

throughtheskinfrom

transfers.

Acid

Hallucinogenicdrug-the

hallucinationortripstarts

withinanhourandcanlast8

12hours.Surroundings

seemdifferent.Colours

brighter,soundsnew,

movementandtimemay

seemtospeeduporslow

down.

Tripscannotbecontrolled,

changedorstopped.A

bad

tripca

nbeterrifying,which

requir

eshelpandreassurance

fromothers.Mentalhealth

proble

mscanbetriggeredand

existin

gconditionsmade

worse

.

Usersmayhaveflashbac

ks

wheretheyreliveatripwithout

takingthedrugagain.

ILLEGALClass

A

Theinformationabovehasbeentak

enfromwww.k

now

thescore.in

fo

Signsandsymptomsofdrugusecanvarygreatlyamongindividualsdependingonthedrugbeingusedandtheenvironmentthepersonis

in.

Itisimportantthatteachers

knowtheirpupilswellandcanther

eforegaugewhetheranysignificantchangesoccur.

Neverassumethatitisdrugusethatiscausingan

yunusualbehaviour.

Thepupils

welfareshouldalwaysbeofparamo

untimportance.

However,i

fyoudohaveanyconcernsregardingdruguseamongpupilsinschoolsthenpleasereferto;

Wes

tLo

thian

Counci

lsSchools

Substance

Po

licyorcontac

tWes

tLo

thianD

rug

&Alco

holServiceon

01506430225.


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Possibly the biggest myth about drama work is that its always highlytheatrical and necessitates costumes, makeup, lights and lots ofrehearsal. Of course there are some situations where this is true, butall you really need to use drama as a teaching tool is:

a clear learning objective

a good workshop plan

a group of young people and

an empty space.

The knowledge that we instinctively acquire as children to observe,listen, repeat and trust through means of verbal and non-verbal com-munications1 - helps determine the success of our development intofully rounded, creative, expressive people. Engaging in games that testnerves, observation, trust and listening is an everyday activity for theyoung child.Drama is an extension of just such constructive play,usingdifferent kinds of cerebral and physical activity to enhance communi-

cation skills, encourage positive self-esteem, assist with informed deci-sion-making and increase self-confidence, all of which are prerequisitesfor effective learning.

Enabling young people to better understand and express a message, astory or important information no matter what their topic-area orsubject-specific focus, is key to the aims of this pack.

Using drama as a teaching aid offers an opportunity to take a theoret-ical subject and enable young people to engage in that subject throughpractical means,building up the context of the chosen topic, and usingpractical examples to support reading and writing work.

When describing example activities we have made clear what thesocial and citizenship focussed outcomes can be and we hope this willform a good platform to then use the activities for any subject acrossthe curriculum, since each exercise can be easily modified to fit yourown needs and objectives.

1. Non-verbal communication:an amalgamation of facial expressions, body language, and

proximity to those we communicate with.Verbal communication: measured by the vol-

ume, speed and intensity of our speech.

Drama as a teaching tool

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise allows partici-pants to get to know each other a little better andrelaxes them into working within the context ofdrama.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A clear empty space.

DESCRIPTION: As a group, stand in a large circle.Each member in turn says their name followed bysomething that they like. The thing that they likemust begin with the same letter as their name, forexample: My name is Sarah, and I like snakes.

When each participant has spoken,the game beginsagain. Having said the same sentence for the sec-ond time, the participant then introduces the per-son to their right and the thing that that personlikes, for example: My name is Sarah and I likesnakes. Your name is Peter and you like parties.

Peter then continues by saying his own name andwhat he likes followed by the name and preferenceof the person to his right.

The game ends when everyone has spoken for thesecond time.

HINTS AND TIPS: Once the group has becomefamiliar with the game, instead of moving aroundthe circle in sequence and introducing the personto their right, participants can choose to introduceany other participant from the circle. In this

instance, teachers should be aware of who has notbeen included to ensure that they will be.

Name Games

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise allows partici-pants to get to know each other a little better andrelaxes them into working within the context ofdrama. It begins to develop a group ethos, encour-aging good eye contact and non-verbal communica-tion.


DESCRIPTION:

Part A -Stand in a large circle. One participant ishanded a ball.The person with the ball shouts outhis or her own name, then throws it to someoneelse in the circle. The person catching the ballreceives it,shouts their own name, then throws theball to someone who has not yet received it; thiscontinues until all participants have shouted theirname out.

Part B - The game begins again.This time, when aparticipant has received the ball and shouted theirown name, they must make eye contact withanother participant.When they definitely have eyecontact with someone, they shout the name of thatperson and throw the ball to them.This continuesuntil everyone has participated.

HINTS AND TIPS: When the participants havebecome confident with the game,extra balls can beadded to the circle. This develops the concentra-

tion, focus and awareness of the group.

TITLE: I LIKE TITLE: SHOUT IT OUT

Games, Exercises and Stimuli

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LEARNING OUTCOME:This exercise incorporates aphysical and vocal warm-up, as well as encouragingparticipants to work as part of a team


DESCRIPTION: Stand in a circle. The group collec-tively shake their right arms into the circle 16times, then their left arms 16 times, then right legs,then left legs. Participants are encouraged to countin time with the shakes.

The process is then repeated counting only 8shakes of each limb.

Continue in the same way, reducing the number ofshakes by half each time, from 8 shakes to 4, to 2and then 1.

As the counts get shorter and invariably faster, the

conclusion to the exercise is an enthusiastic wob-bly rubber chicken dance.

Wobble the body from toe to head whilst shoutingRubber Chicken.

HINTS AND TIPS:The idea of this game is to get thebody and the brain active, so ensure that full ener-gy is being used and that it is clear to the partici-pants that the faster and louder they can be, thebetter!

Warm-up Games

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise is useful as aphysical warm-up, but it also allows for safe physi-cal contact to be made between participants,breaking down the barriers between male andfemale pupils, which so frequently disrupt concen-tration.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A large, clear, emptyspace

DESCRIPTION: Participants move through thespace at a normal walking pace. One person shoutsPartner to Partner. On hearing this, the partici-pants form pairs and await instruction.

An appointed leader shouts out the name of abody part, for example right hand to right hand.The participants bring their right hands togetherand keep them there awaiting further instruction.

Another part of the body is shouted, and againthose body parts should be brought together andremain together. The group leader continues torapidly call out body parts.

At the point where the partners are losing balancebecause so many of their body parts are together,the group leader shouts Partner To Partner andthe participants move to find another partner.

When all participants are in pairs and ready, theprocess begins again.

Hints and Tips: Keep this game moving along quick-

ly to ensure both brain and body are constantlyexercising.

TITLE: RUBBER CHICKEN TITLE: PARTNER-TO-PARTNER

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise is useful forwaking up both mind and body. It promotes accu-rate listening skills and encourages participants towork as a team.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A large, clear space.

Description: Participants stand in a circle.They areasked to observe their own place within the circle.

Set three physical tasks to be completed one afteranother, for example, touch three walls, then do 10star jumps, then shake hands with 12 different peo-ple.

Tell the class they must return to their originalplaces in the circle once they have completed theset tasks.

Time the activity and keep the counter going untilevery team - member is back in their original place.

Repeat the exercise, encouraging teamwork toimprove the time it takes to complete all tasks.

HINTS AND TIPS: The participants should beencouraged to rise to the challenge of completingthe tasks within the time limits given, to heightenthe levels of excitement.

It is usual for each picture to contain 6 participants,after which, the picture can be discussed.The firstgroup of participants return to the circle and thegroup starts another picture. It is possible toinclude more participants in each picture but keep-

ing it to around 6 ensures energy is kept up by thehigh turnover of participants, ideas and pictures.

TITLE: THREE ELBOWS, FOUR WALLS

Warm-up Games cont.

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise allows theteacher or group leader to gauge the group dynam-ic and level of communication skills.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A large, clear, emptyspace.

DESCRIPTION: The participants are divided intotwo equal groups, and are informed that this gamewill be a race between the two teams. Each teammust line themselves up without talking (with noadult help) from the tallest to smallest member inthe group.

The first group to stand in the correct order andin a straight line is the winner.

HINTS AND TIPS:Variations of the line up could be,

alphabetically using first names or month of birthfrom January to December with each of thoseborn in January then organising themselves in dateorder before joining the class line.

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise allows thegroup to learn more about each other and theteacher to gauge the group dynamic. It also allowsless confident participants to deliver informationto the larger group, as part of a team.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A classroom or hallspace

DESCRIPTION:Working in pairs,participants shouldexchange 6 pieces of information about them-selves, with the aim of presenting what they havelearned about their partner to the rest of thegroup. Firstly, partners should share 3 things thatare true about themselves, ie. facts about pets, sib-lings or favourite hobbies. Secondly, they shouldswap three aspirational pieces of information ie.countries you would like to visit, jobs you wouldlike to do as a grown up or things you would like

to achieve.

Form a circle and sit down so that each pair canpresent their findings to the rest of the group.

HINTS AND TIPS: Categories of information soughtand presented could relate specifically to thetermly classroom topics being explored.

TITLE: LINE UP TITLE: 3 TRUE / 3 ASPIRATIONAL THINGS

Diagnostic Exercises

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise encouragesthe development and stimulation of imaginationand encourages participants to think laterally.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A space large enoughfor the group to sit in a circle on the floor.

DESCRIPTION: One participant is selected to beginthe exercise by thinking of an object,animal or per-son they would like to represent physically in themiddle of the circle. When they have thought ofsomething, they move into the empty space, strikean appropriate pose, and exclaim Im a followedby the name of the object they have chosen to be.The participant remains frozen in their pose. Forexample participant one might say Im a shoe,Im a litter bin or Im an endangered tiger

The remaining participants are asked (ordinarily up

to a maximum of 6 people per picture) to offersuggestions of what else or who else could join thefrozen picture.Ask the group to consider the poseand position of the first participant and then all thedifferent possibilities there are for a context. (Theshoe could be in a shop window, or abandoned inthe street, or in a bedroom.The litter bin could bein a park or school, over flowing or empty.)

After ascertaining which object they think wouldbe best to accompany the existing object, the nextparticipant is asked to place himself or herself inclose physical proximity to the first object, stating

what or who they represent. (The shoe could bejoined by a shoe box, a pavement or a radiator.Thebin could be accompanied by a park keeper, anempty drinks can or a dog.)

The picture is built up person by person no oneperson having overall say on how the picture iscompleted instead, each new participantresponds to what has gone immediately before.

It is usual for each picture to contain 6 participants,after which, the picture can be discussed.The firstgroup of participants return to the circle and the

group starts another picture. It is possible toinclude more participants in each picture but keep-ing it to around 6 ensures energy is kept up by thehigh turnover of participants, ideas and pictures.

HINTS AND TIPS: The initial object, animal or per-son can be themed before the game commences,so that participants work within the realms of topicrelated material, gaining subsequent insight in to asubject or topic, affirmed by a visual aid

The main aims of this game are to allow the groupto think laterally and to work together to physical-ly create an environmentally aware, three-dimen-

sional picture. If suggestions for the next part ofthe picture are really not relevant to the first,briefly discuss why and move on quickly to keepthe energy positive. When the inevitable footballscene occurs, actively avoid having more than onefootballer and think instead about all the differentlayers of things to see at a match, inside or outsidethe grounds, or at home with the tv.There neednot be any physical boundaries or realities to thisgame. Scenes set in space are always particularlysuccessful!

Diagnostic Exercises cont.

TITLE: IM A?

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise encouragesthe development of concentration skills and team-work.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A clear empty space

DESCRIPTION: Participants stand or sit in a tightcircle, with all eyes focussed on the floor at a pointat the middle of the circle. A target number of 10,15 or 20 is set. Participants count, as a group, from1 to the target number, without any two peoplespeaking at once. It is never predetermined whoshould speak at any point, participants are merelyencouraged to listen carefully to each other and bepatient. Only call out a number if it seems no oneelse is about to speak.

HINTS AND TIPS: Beware of very keen participantswho often fall in to the trap of always being the oneto start the sequence off again, especially withoutwaiting for all of the group to be fully ready andconcentrating.

Concentration games

LEARNING OUTCOME:This exercise promotes con-centration whilst encouraging the development ofmovement skills, body awareness and confidencebuilding.


DESCRIPTION: Participants stand in pairs, face toface, ensuring that plenty of space exists betweeneach pair. Decide which of the pair will be A andwhich will be B. Firstly, each pair counts from 1 to3, taking it in turn to say a number, for example:

A:1, B:2, A:3 B:1, A:2 B:3

and so on. Participants should aim to keep thedialogue at a steady pace.

After a few minutes of practice, choose one or twopairs to quickly present their dialogue to the

group. Some pairs may struggle to keep to a regu-lar rhythm; encourage them to keep constant eyecontact and a fairly steady pace.

At the next stage, each pair should substitute thenumber 3 (in their 1, 2, 3 conversation), for anaction of their own choice, which they must decidebetween them, for example- a jump, a clap or anod.The number three is no longer spoken. Nowthe dialogue starts again

A:1, B:2, A: Jump, B:1, A:2B: jump

and so on.

Just as before, this is practiced for a few minutesprior to presenting examples of the work to therest of the class.

Stage three involves the substitution of the number1 with yet another action, agreed by the pair. Nowboth number 1 and number 3 are substituted withan action i.e.

A: clap, B:2, A: jump, B: clap, A:2,B: jump.

Examples of the work are presented to the groupin the same fashion.

TITLE: 1-10 TITLE: 123, 123

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Stage four is a full movement dialogue with all ofthe numbers substituted by simple actions.This dia-logue can go fast or slow, loud or soft. Encourageeach pair to come up with their own performancestyle.

HINTS AND TIPS: It is essential that those pairs whoare asked to demonstrate their dialogues are notnecessarily chosen because they are the best in thegroup. It is encouraging for those struggling to seedialogues from pairs who may not be coping, tomake them aware that they are not alone.This canalso encourage those who are more adept, to tryto help struggling pairs.

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise helps to devel-op a sense of focus and concentration amongst theparticipants. It strengthens teamwork and helps tobuild confidence.


DESCRIPTION: Participants stand in a circle holdinghands,with eyes closed. One person, referred to as(A), walks round the outside of the circle and tapsa participant, referred to as (B), on the shoulder orback. Participant (B the detective) must leave theroom until they are asked to return.When (B) hasleft the room, (A) once again walks round the out-side of the circle and taps a participant, referred toas (C group leader), on the shoulder or back.When person (A) returns to their place in the cir-cle, they announce to the group Beware of thesqueeze, its coming your way!. On hearing this, all

participants open their eyes and the group leader(C) squeezes the hand of the person either to theirleft or to their right, depending on which directionthey would like the pulse to travel. Once you feelyour hand being squeezed,you pass the squeeze onas secretively as possible.

When the pulse has started, participant (A) invitesparticipant (B the detective) back into the space.Participant (B) stands in the middle of the circleand tries to locate the pulse.

If participant (B) guesses incorrectly, they remain in

the circle for two more attempts. If participant (B)guesses correctly, a new detective is chosen. Thisnew person must close their eyes or leave theroom whilst participant (A) taps a new groupleader on the shoulder or back. Once again, when(A) utters the words Beware of the squeeze, itscoming your way, the new group leader begins apulse to their left or right, all eyes open and theexercise begins again.

HINTS AND TIPS: This game should promote team-

work and the more secretive you can persuade theclass to be with the pulse, the better. It is also pos-sible to start two or more pulses going as long asthe detective knows how many pulses there are tofind.

Concentration games cont.

123, 123 CONT. TITLE: SQUEEZE

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise encouragesand develops the participants ability to concen-trate. It also develops a sense of teamwork andfocus.


DESCRIPTION:This game is similar to wink murder,but is based around movement. Participants sitcross-legged in a circle and appoint a detective.The detective is asked to leave the room.Anotherparticipant is appointed as the movement master,and it is this persons job to lead the group in basicmovements (using arms, hands, upper body andlegs) which all the group are capable of copying.Once the movement master has started leadingthe group in simple, quickly changing movements,the movement detective is invited back into theroom and asked to stand in the middle of the cir-

cle to find out who is leading the movements.When the movement master feels there is anopportunity, they swap and change the repeatingsmall movements. The movement detective isallowed three opportunities to guess who themovement master is.

Hints and tips: It is useful to ensure that the groupremain seated to avoid movements becoming overexcited and erratic. It is necessary for the move-ment master to change the movements every few

seconds, allowing the detective a chance toobserve change. Encouraging the group to onlysubtly look at the movement master will help keepthings exciting.

Concentration games cont.

TITLE: MOVEMENT DETECTIVE

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise encouragesand develops the participants ability to concen-trate. It allows the participants the opportunity towork and perform as part of a team, and engagesthem both mentally and physically.


DESCRIPTION: Participants stand in a circle withplenty of space in between each group member.One participant is elected to begin the exercise,participant (A). Participant (A) begins by lookingacross the circle and catching the eye of anotherparticipant (B).When eye contact is secured, bothof the participants nod at each other, so they eachknow the other participant is ready.

The nod allows participant (A) to move towardsparticipant (B), and as (A) walks across the circle

towards (B), (A) must stretch out his or her armsas though a sleepwalking or threatening Zombie.

(B) must find a new participant to make eye con-tact with, participant (C), and must have exchangeda nod with (C) before (A) has reached (B)s placein the circle.

If (A) reaches (B)s place in the circle before (B) hasmade eye contact and exchanged a nod with par-ticipant (C), then participant (B) is out and mustsit down in their place in the circle. Participant (C)then begins the exercise again by catching the eye

of participant (D).If (A) does not reach (B) before (B) has made eyecontact, nodded at and begun to move towards(C), then (A) moves in to (B)s place in the circle.

The process is repeated until every member of thegroup has had the chance to move into a newplace.

HINT AND TIPS: Participants can only move acrossthe circle once in the exercise. Eye contact isessential to release each participant, allowing themto move across the circle (A moves to Bs place, Bmoves to Cs place, C moves to Ds place etc.Thegroup should be encouraged to remember whomoved into their place and whose place theymoved into, so that the whole sequence can beexactly repeated over and over, gathering speed asthe groups confidence builds.

Physical Exercises

TITLE: ZOMBIES

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LEARNING OUTCOMES: This exercise develops theparticipants, both physically and mentally. It involvesacting upon instruction and responding physically.


DESCRIPTION: Ask the group to move randomlythrough the space at a leisurely pace, taking care toavoid making physical contact with anyone else inthe group.Ask each person to listen carefully forinstructions whilst on the move. At well-spacedintervals, call out a series of instructions stop, go,run, walk, fast, slow jump, crouch. N.B. It is impor-tant to allow enough time in between each instruc-tion for the participants to alter their movement.

When comfortable, inform the participants thatwhatever the instruction given, they must performthe opposite movement. For example, if the

instruction is to run, participants should walkthrough the space, and if the instruction is to stopthen they should continue to move. Instructionscan be given slowly at first and then gather spaceto test reaction rates and concentration.

HINTS AND TIPS: Altering the pace of this exerciseto suit the flow of the workshop is a good idea. Ifyou need to boost the participants energy, changethe instructions frequently to keep them on theirtoes and quickly segue into your next exercise or

impro. On the other hand, evening out the pace ofthe instructions can also help to focus and calm theclass in preparation for following work.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: This is a good exercise forself-awareness, spatial awareness and self-confi-dence.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY:A clear empty hall space

DESCRIPTION: First, ask the group to find their ownspace within the hall, and with arms outstretchedensure they cant touch anyone else in the room.With closed eyes or looking at his or her toes tohelp concentration, each person must choose asmall part of their body to think about.This couldbe an elbow, the back of the neck, an eyebrow, aknee or a hip, for example.

When the group are given the signal, each chosenbody part will start to lead each person slowlyround the room. For instance, if the knee is thechosen part, the rest of the body must always be

behind the knee as it makes its way round theroom. This invariably alters how the person walksand also how they feel about the world

After the initial walk around (always encouragingparticipants to walk in different directions, neversticking to the same direction of travel for morethan a few paces) ask the group to find a way to sayhello as this new character.When meeting the eyeof another person, ask them to greet each other astheir new character.

Depending on your workshop objectives it might

be useful to organise an impromptu catwalk ofnewly created characters, introducing themselves,with ages, occupations and favourite hobbies.

HINTS AND TIPS: This exercise can be used toexamine how the body works, what kinds of habitswe develop using our bodies and to build interest-ing new characters starting with their physicalityand letting other character traits follow, for exam-ple how they speak and how sociable they are.Walking Exam can be used in isolation for a funwarm up or help begin a longer process of devel-oping characters for an improvisation or particularscenario.

Physical Exercises cont.

TITLE: OPPOSITES TITLE: WALKING EXAMINATION

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Vocal Exercises

LEARNING OUTCOMES: This is excellent for listen-ing skills, concentration and working together as ateam.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY:Any space where a classcan sit down in a circle and are able to see oneanother.

DESCRIPTION:Ask the group to repeat the follow-ing rhyme one line at a time. Do bear in mind theword diddly (did-a-lee) has three syllables not two,as this will effect the rhythm of the game:

Diddly Dah / Diddly Dah / Diddly, Diddly, DiddlyDah

Once everyone can say all the words as a completesentence repeated over and over, suggest sayingthe sentence one word at a time, going round thecircle, for example,A begins by saying;

A: DiddlyB: DahC: DiddlyD: DahE: DiddlyF: DiddlyG: DiddlyH: Dah

Continue to repeat the sentence round and roundthe circle. Encourage speed and volume once thegroup have gained confidence.

HINTS AND TIPS:Theres no room for smarty pantsin this game, everyone needs to listen like a hawkto ensure they say the right word at the right time.Similarly, each person must speak up so that therest of the group can hear accurately.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: This is a fantastic game toencourage understanding of mathematical patternsand logical thought. Its a brainteaser, demandinggood concentration to be enjoyed with a largegroup of people. Once the exercise is known well,it serves very nicely as a straight vocal warm-up.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A piano or recorder toplay a clear starting note around about middle C orperhaps a few notes higher.

DESCRIPTION: After listening carefully to the start-ing note, for example Middle C (though this pitchmay need to be changed according to where yourclass are comfortable singing) the first word of thegame is sung one to the note middle C.

The game works on the principle that the wordssung (one, two, three etc.) correspond with an

octave, ie. singing from middle C up to D, E, F, G,A,B and C. 1 = C. 8 = C an octave higher.

The game begins by singing the word one to thenote of C and then starting again on the next line(see below), singing one two one.The next linecontinues one two three two one, following onto one two three four three two one etc. etc.until the final line one two three four five six seveneight seven six five four three two one.

1121

123211234321123454321123456543211234567654321123456787654321

The fun really starts when the group rhythm andconfidence has been well established (this usuallytakes a couple of sessions) and the number three isthen rubbed out of the pattern leaving a blankspace there instead. For example, we would sing,one, one two one, one two _ two one, one two _

four _ two one etc

HINTS AND TIPS: Keep a regular pace to the pat-tern and dont think of the exercise as actualsinging so much as thinking out loud to a pre-determined pitch!

TITLE: DIDDLY DAH TITLE: 1 121 12321

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TITLE: FURNITURE TITLE: GLASS COBRA

Group Work

LEARNING OUTCOME:This exercise encourages anacute sense of self awareness and spatial aware-ness. It highlights the necessity of working as ateam, in order to succeed in the completion of theexercise.


DESCRIPTION: The group should stand in a tightcircle. Participants are then asked to turn to theirright hand side so that they are facing the back ofthe person in front of them, and should all there-fore be facing in the same direction. Each personplaces their hands on the shoulders of the personin front, and closes their eyes. Pupils are allowed afew minutes to investigate the hair, shoulders, neckand back of the person in front of them.

With their eyes remaining closed, pupils are asked

to move out of the circle formation and walk slow-ly throughout the space, being careful to avoid con-tact with other participants.

At a point when the participants seem well distrib-uted throughout the space, ask the group tofreeze. After a few seconds of stillness, ask thegroup to try and move slowly back into the circlethey had previously been in, without opening theireyes. The object of the exercise is to reconstructthe circle, but also reconstruct the order of peo-ple in the circle, so each person is again standingbehind the person they investigated so carefully.

When a participant makes contact with anotherparticipant, they must undergo a physical investiga-tion of each others head, shoulders,neck and backto try to ascertain whether or not this person wasstanding in front of them in the circle. If they were,then whoever was at the back of the person,placestheir hands on the other participants shouldersand as a unit, they continue looking for othermembers of the circle.

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise works well toincrease body awareness and helps to developeffective group communication.


DESCRIPTION: Each participant moves around thespace by themselves, changing direction sharply byturning on 90 degree angles every 7 or 8 paces.

The class are asked to freeze, which means thatthey stop, look and listen to what is being instruct-ed.

An item of furniture is called out, followed by anumber. The participants should arrange them-selves in groups of the number stated, to createthe item of furniture announced with only theirbodies. Examples could be a chair, a table, a toast-er, a washing machine, a lamp,a vase or a television.Each persons body should be used to create partof the furniture. No real furniture can be used tohelp.

View each item and decide which to buy from theexamples constructed by each sub-group.

HINTS AND TIPS: It can get quite noisy with 5 or 6groups working quickly in the same space, so itsbest to ensure the class is well briefed on thefreeze signal and that when you slowly count

aloud from 10 to 1, those are the remaining sec-onds left to complete the task.

Encourage different groups to form for each newfurniture item, to allow a good mix of participantsto work with one another.

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HINTS AND TIPS: It is essential that participantskeep their eyes closed during the exercise. If nec-essary, scarves can be tied over the eyes to makethings easier. This is a complex exercise and tomake things easier split the class into two groupsand ask one group to be the audience and theother group to perform the task.Then swap over.What do we learn about ourselves and the task bybeing in the audience?

LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise focuses onawareness of self and others and what it is to workas part of a team.


DESCRIPTION: Participants are asked to formgroups of 3, and number themselves 1,2 and 3.Thenumber 1s are invited to move around the spacemaking a specific noise and creating an action ormovement of their choice. Numbers 2 and 3 mustcopy their number 1s.

Number 2s are then invited to lead their group bycreating a different noise and action. 1s and 3smust copy their number 1.This pattern is repeatedby the number 3s leading the group.

When numbers 1, 2 and 3 have had the opportu-nity to demonstrate their own individual noise andaction they are asked to perform their own insteadof copying or leading. Each participant should per-form their own action and sound.

When participants hear the word unify, membersof the sub-groups must decide instinctively,whoseaction should be copied, and then it must bedemonstrated. If there is a discrepancy as to whichparticipant should be copied, the majority alwayswins, so that all three participants make the samenoise and the same action or movement together.

HINTS AND TIPS:When the participants have falleninto a rhythm with this game, larger groups can beformed. Perhaps two groups of three join togeth-er, shifting the group dynamic.

GLASS COBRA CONT. TITLE: BABY SHOAL OF FISH

Group Work cont.

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise concentrateson the development of rhythm and movement, aswell as encouraging teamwork.


Description: Participants are split in to two teams,team A and team B. Each team stands at oppositeends of the room in a line (although they should bea few feet away from the wall behind them so theyhave space to move backwards and forwards).Eachteam selects a leader who stands in the middle ofthe line.

The leader of team A must present a repeatable,stylised movement and sound that the rest of theteam can copy. This movement and sound arerepeated six times.The rest of team A should joinin with their leader when they have picked up the

rhythm and sound.The team move forward confi-dently in their line towards team B as they repeatthe sound and movement together 6 times.

Team B must move backwards, the equivalent num-ber of steps that team A has taken forwards.

When the team leader has finished their round ofthe rhythm and sound, having advanced into themiddle of the room, they allow someone else intheir team to take over as the leader. The newleader then waits, and retreats, as team B displaytheir rhythm and sound advancing forward,

towards the middle of the room.The exercise continues with both teams advancingand retreating, until every member of both teamshas had the opportunity to be a team leader.

Hints and tips: Participants should be encouragedto create loud, percussive rhythms, which are dif-ferent from any that have already been demon-strated. It is easy to understand why the game iscalled West Side Story think about gang behav-iour and how music and rhythm was used in the

film to create tension and excitement.

LEARNING OUTCOME:This exercise envelopes eachparticipant in a wall of sound that they contributeto creating. Soundscapes encourage an interest inenvironmental sound without intimidation orexposure.This exercise can be used to help partic-ipants understand how sounds are layered to makemusic or atmosphere. With some simple con-stituent parts, it is possible to create a soundscapefor the weather, the jungle or even a journey ofadventure.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: A clear empty space,preferably with good acoustics.

DESCRIPTION: Participants sit cross legged in a cir-cle, with their hands free, ready for work. Split theclass into sub-groups whilst still remaining in thelarge circle and allocate different starter sounds toeach group. If the group were going to create a

rainstorm from the first drips, to a light pitter pat-ter, developing to a rain storm with thunder, youcould use the following sounds to help you; snap-ping fingers, light clapping, rubbing the palmstogether, low shoe tapping or shuffling, fast tappingof hands on thighs.

Its useful to set up an interesting base sound (asdescribed above), made up of many differentsounds and then progress to allowing each group,one group at a time, to create individual elementsof sound, increasing the intensity and volume of thesounds produced and eventually letting them slow-ly die away again to signify the end of the storm andthe last few drips of rain.

Vocal sounds and the stamping of feet can also helpthe soundscape develop. Random classroom itemscould also be chosen to help the soundscape incomplexity and intensity.

Music & Sound

TITLE: WEST SIDE STORY TITLE: SOUNDSCAPES

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HINTS AND TIPS: The creation and development ofa fire soundscape is also effective, but it neednt bea natural phenomenon that is depicted. Footballmatches, arguments, the noises heard walkingthrough a shopping mall, are all excellent possibili-ties for a soundscape and can be recreated withthe collective imagination of the group. Indeedmost topic areas could be recreated throughsoundscape to better understand a time and placethrough a controlled experience and free imagina-tion.

Music & Sound cont.

SOUNDSCAPES CONT.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES: A feast for the imaginationand brilliant for stimulating follow-up creative writ-ing sessions. Fun to conclude a session withbecause each participant can add information fromhis or her own imagination.

WHAT YOU NEED: A clear empty space

DESCRIPTION: Sit or stand in a circle with somespace in between each person.The group leader orteacher should secretively take a small (imaginary)object out of his/her jacket or trouser pocket, con-cealing it from the group and cupping it in thehands. Tell the group that you have brought thisspecial thing for them to see.Tell them not to befrightened (reverse psychology!) and that theobject wont bite them. (These instructions arevery important as they encourage the participantsimaginations to run wild). Next, gently hand the

imaginary animal or object to the person next toyou. Make a fuss about handing the thing over,ensuring it is ok and that the next person has itsecurely in their hands. By concealing it from thegroup as you hand the object over, curiosity isheightened and imaginations crank up another gear.

Hints and Tips:The objects can be as big or small,as heavy or light, as dangerous or cute as the indi-viduals imagination will allow. Encourage partici-pants to change the size and weight of the object

and to show that change in their bodies.

LEARNING OUTCOME: This is a fantastic exercisefor getting the group to focus and concentrate butits also useful to slow down the pace of the grouptowards the end of a practical session.


DESCRIPTION: The participants pair up, and faceone another in their pairs. They stand with thepalm of one hand at shoulder level, facing theirpartner. It is essential that if one participant is hold-ing up their right hand,then the other is holding uptheir left, as the idea of the exercise is to mirrorone another.

Neither participant should instigate or lead theexercise. Once the pair is confident about copyingone anothers movements, more of the body canbe used in the exchange. There should be a con-

stant, imperceptible exchange of leadership andcontrol as they move and follow each othersmovements as if facing a mirror.

When the partners are confident enough in doingthis, they can explore different physical levels, forexample, moving close to the floor or moving withtheir back to the mirror. Speed of movement canalso be tested.

HINTS AND TIPS: Participants should be madeaware that in order to be accurate, it is best to mir-

ror slowly.The aim of the exercise is not to catchpeople out by making them copy difficult move-ments.

Warm down games

TITLE: PASS THE OBJECT TITLE: MIRRORING

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LEARNING OUTCOME: This exercise allows the participants to enjoy a physicalwarm down, whilst breaking down barriers between participants who mightnot normally work together.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY:A clear empty space.

DESCRIPTION: Participants sit in a circle, facing the same direction, and placetheir hands on the shoulders of whoever is in front of them.

Lead the participants carefully through the basic stages of baking a cake andgive physical instructions to accompany each stage.The back of the person infront is the mixing bowl, into which ingredients will be added.

INSTRUCTION PHYSICALITY

Pour the flour into the bowl Participants should tap their fingers downthe back in a sprinkling motion from neckto the base of the spine.

Crack the eggs Holding the side of their hands vertically,participants should make a light choppinggesture onto the back.

Pour in the sugar Again, tap their hands down the back in asprinkling motion from neck to the base ofthe spine, and also from side to side.

Whisk the mixture Participants should place the palms of theirhands on the back, and move them in aslow circular motion across the whole areaof the back.

Add the raisins Using the tips of the fingers, participantsshould gently tap on the head of the person in front.

Pour the mixture Using the heels of their hands, participantsshould drag their hands down the back asthough pouring the mixture from the bowl.

Baking the cake In small circles, the participants should rubup and down the arms, across the neck andup and down the back.

HINTS AND TIPS: Inform the participants to be extremely gentle when Bakingthe cake taking care not to hurt his or her working partner.This exercise canalso be performed in pairs.

Warm down games

TITLE: BAKE THE CAKE

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The conventions we have detailed are easy to getto know, simple to set up and can be used univer-sally across the curriculum.Some of these conven-tions can provide a structure for a whole series ofworkshops;others will be more useful for a one offlesson.

See the Control verses Expression and What todo now sections of this pack for suggestions on

how to contextualise the following conventions.

1. NEWS REPORTS AND ADVERTS

TV public information adverts or news reports areuseful for exploring a whole gamut of issuesbecause every child will quickly understand whatthe persuasive or informative function of anyadvert or news bulletin is.

The medium of TV is exciting to most young peo-ple and enacting an advert can accommodate a

range of personalities in your class, in that presen-ters, camera-persons, reporters and technical per-sonnel are all needed to show the audience theform and content of the advert or news flash.

Ask the class to consider some the differentaspects of a news report ie.

the facts of a news story, a jingle, a studio presen-ter, the tone or seriousness of the presenter, anoutside reporter, two different sides to the story,effects of [the story] on the surrounding commu-nity, how the situation can be resolved, a conclud-

ing jingle.Or, ask the class to consider all the differentaspects of an advert ie. a jingle, a catchphrase, apresenter, the tone or jovial manner of the presen-ter, product or concept information, supremacyover rival products, a target audience, a time limit,where to buy the product or idea.

Divide the young people into groups of 4 or 5.Explain the learning points or objectives of thescene you would like them to make and that theymust perform to camera. Set a time limit for theexercise and make clear that each group will per-form their work to the rest of the class at the endof the timed rehearsal period. To help focus theadverts or news reports, encourage each group to

start and end the scene with a frozen picture.

Take time to visit each sub-group once or twiceduring the improvisation and rehearsal period tomake sure participants are working well, listeningto one another and meeting the learning objec-tives.

2. ROLE ON THE WALL.

This is excellent for issue-based work.The descrip-tion here offers a template around which any topiccould be framed.

Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 and give eachgroup one thick pen and a large A1 sheet of paperwith a very basic body outline pre-drawn onto it.Tell the class that two characters must be created,one healthy and one unhealthy, both adults. Eachsub-group is asked to create one of these charac-ters and must then decide on the characters level

of engagement with sport, hygiene, diet, smoking,drinking, modes of transport, appearance andleisure activities.They should also write the char-acters name, age and occupation onto the paper.

After 10 minutes or so, bring the sub-groups backtogether to present their characters.

It is possible to use these characters as a means ofexploring issues of general health, stereotypes ofdrug takers, or exploring the consequences of thecharacters lifestyles on themselves and thosearound them. Discuss the kind of advice the class

could give to each character for a healthierlifestyle.

3.STILL IMAGES

Still Images can be used to establish how much agroup has understood about a topic, how peopleare affected in different ways by the related issuesand for investigating the differing viewpoints par-ticular scenarios might provoke.

Divide the class into small groups of 4 or 5, in a

large, clear, hall space.Still Images work well when set as timed tasks.

A still image could be likened to a family photo-

Drama conventions for teaching across the curriculum

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graph where all the participants have the samefocus and context, but each persons individualthoughts and opinions show through a still facialexpression.

A still image could also be like a busy scene

frozen in time to show special or significantmoments in a story.We could ask a group to showthe story of Cinderella in five freeze frames, for

instance. Another example might be to use freezeframes to show a story of bullying, the harm doneand the resolve of the bullied to deal with the sit-uation in an adult way.The benefits of freeze fram-ing include the ability to tackle sensitive issueswithout the need for acting out actual violence orreal time intimidation.

The third possibility for still image work is to cre-ate tableaux showing different sides of a story,through gesture, body language and spatial proxim-ity between characters. Abstract tableaux can beused to let young people demonstrate their under-

standing of large concepts such as conflict, citizen-ship, friendship, love, family, peace, freedom and reli-gion. Tableaux can also be useful when asking agroup to abstractly show the meaning of a story, apiece of music or a painting and how their under-standing fits with other peoples opinions.

It is also possible, with Family Photographs or Frozen pictures to ask each participant to prepareone word or sentence to describe how they (thecharacter they are representing) are feeling in thismoment in time. Still Images do work best in sub-groups of 4 or 5 participants and after the remain-der of the class has had a chance to observe aimage and comment on it, you can tap each partic-ipant in turn to hear what they have to say. If theimage concerns passive smoking, perhaps a motheris smoking near a window, a father is reading abook and two young people sit on the floor playinga game. The Mothers sentence might be I wasdying for a cigarette.The Fathers sentence couldbe Im glad I gave up smoking for the kids sakeand the young people might be thinking I wishMum wouldnt smoke inside. We know the effectsof passive smoking can be really dangerous.

4. STOP, THINK, GO.

This is a technique useful during small improvisa-tion scenes or Still Image work.

By calling Stop any moving action in a scenefreezes.

Whilst saying Think, gesture towards which per-son you are speaking to.That person then speaks

aloud the thoughts or feelings of his or her char-acter at that moment in the scene or tableau.

When calling Go any moving action in the scenecontinues as before.

By freezing the action to ascertain any one charac-ters thoughts and feelings we can reveal the differ-ence between the text (that which is spoken) andthe subtext (the underlying meaning or feelingsbeneath that which is spoken). For example, whata character says out loud may not be what thecharacter really thinks or believes. Similarly, how a

character behaves outwardly may be contrary tohow he or she feels inside.

This technique can be great for tackling peer pres-sure / peer selection issues, bullying, citizenship, orlooking at social situations where young peoplemight want to communicate a more mature imagethan they are properly capable of.

5. TEACHER-IN-ROLE.

This exercise is always exciting for the class

because from the beginning of the teaching session(for perhaps 510 minutes or so) the class teachertakes on the persona of another person. By don-ning a simple costume, perhaps a hat and scarf oran overcoat and newspaper, the class can reassesshow they perceive the teacher and what is said.This allows a particular emphasis to be put on theinformation that is given whilst the teacher is inrole.

For example, if the teacher is in role as a journal-ist investigating local opinions about recycling pro-vision or a policeman investigating information on

local drug-crimes, the teacher can pretend to bethat journalist or policeman and move the sessionalong by presenting the information as a mono-

DRAMA CONVENTIONS CONT.

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logue or a question and answer session with theclass. Once the information is presented, theteacher can step outside the room to remove thebasic costume and immediately step back in againapologising that they had to leave for a few minutesand asking if they had seen the journalist who waslooking for the class. The teacher then ascertainswhat it was the journalist wanted and what heasked the class to do.

It is easy to see how this method could be appliedto any interesting figure or teacher-in-role whoenters the classroom to present new informationfor the class to consider or explore further. Itmight be that the figure chosen returns at thebeginning of every session to find out how theclass are getting on or to present them with freshevidence for the next stage of their investigation.The pretence and distancing effect of teacher-in-role allows a third party character to help delivernew topic information to the class in a creative,

controlled and intriguing way.

6. HOTSEATING

This is a brilliant device to ascertain the level ofunderstanding an individual has concerning a topicarea or contextualised character, whilst simultane-ously encouraging peer education.

When pupils are representing particular charac-ters in a practical session, it can be useful to inter-view a character, (as represented by the pupil).Hotseating normally takes the form of a questionand answer session, where the pupil must stay incharacter throughout the exercise, and is put inthe hot-seat to answer personal questions aboutthemselves (name, age, family etc.), their environ-ment (where they live, what country they live in,where they are being interviewed etc.) and theirstatus (their occupation, financial status etc.).These question and answer sessions are brilliantfor establishing and developing character traits andcould last three minutes or thirty minutes, depend-ing on the needs of the group and the confidenceof the pupil. Both the class and the class teacher

can pose questions.

Hotseating can be developed further by interview-ing two pupils in character at one time thereby

hotseating two characters together, to create awider context for the scenario.This also allows thepupils in character to take confidence from eachother.

7. CREATIVE WRITING EXERCISES.

After studying the lives of special people through

history, literature or citizenship lessons, a positiveway to consolidate knowledge or further creativethought, is through controlled creative writing.

At the beginning of the practical session ask eachperson to take a pen and paper to a particularplace in the hall where they, individually, feel com-fortable. This might be under a table or chair, orbehind a curtain. Its important everyone feels theyhave a private, quiet place to work (thats not toofar out of sight). Once each person has found aspot, request they put their name at the top of theA4 page.

Once they have claimed a space, its best then tobring the group back together and continue with afew other activities surrounding the topic in ques-tion before focusing in on the lives of particularpeople they have learnt about and preparing themfor the creative writing task.

When you feel the class are full of stimuli andbursting with energy and knowledge, tell them theyhave three minutes to complete the following task.They are going to write a diary entry or a letter toa loved one, detailing their situation (perhaps they

are an evacuee in wartime or an historical hero orheroine). Suggest phrases like I feel I remem-ber I dream of I fear I wish I regret Ihope They will only have three minutes to com-plete the task, in silence. As you walk roundobserving the work, if you feel the class needlonger, covertly extend the time, by announcingthey only have two more minutes left, when per-haps three minutes of the task has already passed.Urgency will undoubtedly produce fantastic results,as will pushing the class to consider to whom theyare writing and why.

This type of creative writing work can be appliedto ANY subject within the curriculum

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If you feel confident about using drama as a teaching tool, we trustthis pack has been a good starting point and stimulus, and hope it willhelp facilitate some exciting sessions. If you want to ask advice aboutfurther resources, please do email us at Reeling & Writhing and welltry to point you in the right direction.All the books on our suggestedreading list are available for short-term loan from West LothianCouncil library service.

If you feel nervous about using drama as a teaching tool, the bestthing to do now is to have a go. First decide what your topic focus is,then determine what the learning outcomes of that one session shouldbe. If the topic is Egyptians, the focus for one practical session may well

be to follow-up on the class work already done on farming, societalhierarchy or burial rituals. If the topic is drugs awareness, the focusmight be what drugs do to me and my body or how taking drugseffects those around me or the influence of advertising.

Next, look through this pack to choose some of the games and exer-cises that fit your objective and formulate them into a workshop planfollowing a similar pattern to the template below. Some sections of thisplan might be omitted if they are not relevant to your needs, for exam-ple if your class comes to a practical session straight after break timeor P.E. you may not need to spend time playing a warm up game.Theworkshop model below is flexible and can be modified depending onyour own time constraints.

1. a loud and exciting warm up game (this helps to burn offexcess energy within the constructive context of a gameand encourage an active, engaged brain to be switched onready for learning through drama).

2. a circle-based concentration game (after the loud warmup its good to bring the group back together, in a circle,ensuring they know the boundaries of drama work andthe discipline required for practical work, (concentrationis required and can be fun). Its important for the group to

be able to communicate clearly with one another duringgroup discussions and concentration games. A well-con-structed circle ensures this is possible, whilst also pro-moting equal status between all participants.).

3. an improvisation task splitting the class into workinggroups of 4 or 5 pupils (After carefully considering thefocus for your session, set the class an improvisation taskfor example,take 10 minutes to devise a public informa-tion advert encouraging the T.V. viewer to look after theirsurroundings more carefully (recycle, refill, reuse, repair).OR Using a frozen picture to begin and end your scene,take 15 minutes to devise two scenes showing the nega-

tive and then positive outcomes of a pupil being bullied totry a cigarette. This will allow pupils to revise work fromthe classroom by working through ideas together, deci-sion making in small groups, expressing their opinions

What to do now!

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about different aspects of the topic and presenting a prac-tical example of the topic in action)

4. a show and tell of the improvisation work, with eachgroup given time to show back the scene they created andanswer questions posed by their peers afterwards. (Byperforming the work they have created, each group aretesting their ideas of performance and discovering if theirunderstanding of the topic holds water when presentedto others. By allowing the audience of peers to ask ques-tions and tell the group what they thought was goodabout their presentation, both performers and audience

have the opportunity to revise their knowledge and ver-balise their understanding.)

5. a sit down, circle-based discussion of the topic covered,the work produced and revision of the learning outcomes(Here, you the teacher, has the opportunity to pull all ofthe learning outcomes together, asking questions aboutthe topic areas and each performance. If the topic is heav-ily factual, this is the place to perhaps use a quiz of sever-al questions, asking the class to vote by moving into a des-ignated corner of the room according to their answer ie.If your answer is yes, stand by the windows,if your answeris no stand by the piano, if you dont know or arent sure

stand by the door).

concluding with:

6. one or two warm down games as a reward for the class-es hard work (its lovely to finish with a game all the classcan enjoy together as one large group and that you, theteacher enjoy playing with them.Coming back together asa group shifts the attention, the group dynamic will havechanged from the beginning of the session, its good torecognise that the learning tool was drama, concludingthe session with a game that focuses less on a specifictopic but rather on calming the group down. Rather like a

full stop at the end of a sentence.

This loose structure can fit into a 1 hour session but keep all availablegames to hand sometimes sessions go faster or slower than expect-ed. If your session only lasts 45 minutes and youve achieved your goalsand covered all the required material, thats fine!

If you would like to write a workshop plan and then run it pastsomeone by emailing it to:

Reeling & Writhing ([email protected]) or

Fiona Macfarlane, the Cultural Co-ordinator for Drama at WestLothian ([email protected]),

wed be very pleased to help you.

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One of the most common challenges for the Primary teacher whenusing drama as a teaching tool is to ensure that you provide a produc-tive, expressive practical lesson whilst staying in control of the class.Different techniques work for different people, but the following sug-gestions offer a range of ideas to help maintain a balance between con-trol and expressive learning.

1. Before leaving the classroom for the hall space, expand andexplore the topic and the learning objectives you are going to cover inthe practical session. Also talk to the class about the specific dramaconvention you have chosen to work with in that one session ie.Frozen Pictures, News Reports or Role on Wall. Discuss what isrequired to succeed, both in relation to form (drama convention) andcontent (the topic area).Sharing the success criteria should help pupilsto visualise the structure of work and what is required.

2. Clear Instructions. Before leaving the classroom, give clear instruc-tions about what will happen as soon as the group enter the hall space.It is helpful if this is also a timed task ie.Before you have counted aloud

to 10, the group must be silently sitting in a circle (or have each founda partner and be standing face to face, or individually each person mustbe lying down well away from anyone else with their eyes fixed on theceiling) ready to work.

3. Set volume level controls. Take a few minutes to make sure theclass knows which levels of noise are acceptable during each type ofactivity.This works well using a scale of 1 to 10.Ask the group to definethe scale of acceptable noise, taking into consideration the type ofactivity and how many people are involved.

1 = whispering in pairs4 = class discussion akin to circle time when one person speaks atonce6 = normal conversation level akin to that expected in classroomgroup work9 = unacceptable level of noise, unless the class are preparing acrowd protest scene

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Trouble Shooting

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4. Timed Tasks. As previously discussed, timed tasks offer a brilliantway of ensuring expressionistic freedom and choice within neat, clearboundaries.Timing a task or activity makes it much more like a game,because pupils are racing against the clock and each other.The elementof competition means that you can ask the group to do lively activitiesfor a controlled amount of time but always return to stillness andorder.Timed activities work especially well if you also define where thepupils go at the end of the task to a seated circle for example. (Seethe game Three Elbows, Four Walls in the Warm-Up Games sectionof this pack).

5. Routines.Try to follow a similar routine each time you use dramain a practical teaching session. Discuss learning objectives and tech-niques in the classroom, move through to the hall, start with a timedtask and then use the chosen convention (different each week per-haps) to continue the work. Try to end the session in a similar wayeach time this way the class quickly learn what is expected of them.

6. Instructions and Understanding. Each section of the workshop will

have a different set of objectives. Ensure that your instructions to thegroup are clear and that the class have a chance to clarify what youmean by asking questions.When working on improvised scenes or insmall groups, double check the learning objectives are being fulfilled bycontinually visiting and interacting with every sub-group.

7. Groupings. Take an active role in determining which pupils worktogether. Creating a controlled and safe environment to use drama asa teaching tool is only achievable if sub-groups function with the min-imum of disruption!

8. Know your conventions and how they can work for you. Makesure you know exactly why you are using a particular convention andwhat the benefits are. It will be useful to reread the conventions forcreativity section of this pack and cross-reference that informationwith other publications. It will also help to discuss the chosen conven-tion with your class and hear their thoughts on how to make Role onthe Wall or Hotseating work for your topic area.

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Before evaluating your process and practice using drama as a teachingtool, first consider revising the eight points for action as detailed with-in Control versus Expression - Trouble Shooting as well as our sug-gested workshop structure detailed in What to do now!.

We find the following handful of questions useful when evaluating ourown teaching sessions. Use the following questions to evaluate yourworkshop. Before attempting to answer, first consider and compareyour written workshop plan with the actual workshop you conducted.

Were the pupils engaged in the set tasks?

If the pupils were disengaged,when in the workshop was that and wasit avoidable?

Were my instructions clear?

Was my time management of each section effective? Was there timeto cover all the set objectives?

Were the class able to tell me what they had learned at the end of thesession both in terms of topic area and drama techniques used?

At the conclusion of the workshop,how did I evaluate the session withthe children? Did I use a successful mixture of open and closed ques-tions?

Did I have confidence and control of the class, whilst still allowing theyoung people freedom to experiment with ideas?

WHERE TO GET DRAMA SUPPORTIF YOU GET INTO A PICKLE

Katherine Morley, Artistic Director at Reeling & Writhing([email protected])

Fiona Macfarlane, Cultural Co-ordinator for Drama and Film at WestLothian Council ([email protected])

Evaluating your process

and practice

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Further Reading

100+ Ideas for Drama by Anna Scher & Charles Verrall.Pub.Heinemann 1975. ISBN 0 435 18799 6

Drama 7-11 Developing Primary Teaching Skills by Neil Kitson andIan Spiby.Pub.Routledge 1997. ISBN 0 415 14184 2

Games for Actors and Non-Actors by Augusto Boal.Pub.Methuen 1992. ISBN 0 415 06155 5

House of Games by Chris Johnston.Pub.Routledge 1998. ISBN 1 85459 309 9

Look Listen Trust by George Rawlins & Jillian Rich.Pub.Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd. 1992. ISBN 0 17 432396 4

Structuring Drama Work by Jonathan Needlands.Pub.Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 37635 1

Student Handbook for Drama by Brian McGuire.Pub. Pearson Publishing 1998. ISBN 1 85749 843 7 1

The Arts and The Holocaust - Lessons from the past for citizensof today by Katherine Morley and Tim Nunn. Pub. East RenfrewshireCouncil and The Scottish Executive 2005.Available from www.reel-ingwrithing.com160 pages of games, exercises, discussion points, creative writingexercises all focused towards cross-curricular Citizenship work.

All the books recommended here are available for short-term loanfrom West Lothian Council library service. Contact: Lesley Reid orCarol Lennon at Information Services, Library HQ, Connolly House,Hopefield Road, Blackburn, EH47 7HZ, 01506 776328,

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