Cross-Curricular links:
PSHE
Literacy
P.E (Dance) / Drama-focused learning (from Drama in Schools 2)
· Making – take part in a wide range of pretend situations, stories and characters.
· Performing – take turns speaking their part and act out familiar stories which they share with friends.
· Responding – say why they adopted a particular movement, voice or facial expression when they talk about their drama. / Role play area:
The giants’ castle
Jack’s home with the beanstalk growing outside
QCA Learning objectives:
· To explore familiar themes and characters through improvisation and role play.
· To act out own and well-known stories, using different voices for characters.
· To discuss why they like a performance.
PSHE/Citizenship links:
1a: To recognise what they like and dislike, what is fair and unfair, and what is right and wrong.
1c: To recognise and deal with feelings in a positive way.
4d: That family and friends should care for each other.
4a: That their actions affect themselves and others, to care about other people’s feelings and try to see things from their point of view.
SEAL learning outcome:
I understand that being unkind and hurting someone doesn’t make me feel better.
I can make myself feel better without hurting others.
Links to SEAL Relationships week 3: Telling the truth, saying sorry or making amends and week 4: Helping someone who is feeling sad and lonely. / Resources:
Jack and the beanstalk book
Jack and the beanstalk bag with story props
Digital camera
Scarf
Interactive whiteboard
Key vocabulary:
Freeze
Flashback/flashforward
Conscience alley
Teacher in role
Children in role
Mantle of the expert
Role on the wall
Rumours
Hotseating
Circle of thoughts
Lesson One:
Discuss what children think drama is.
Make a drama contract with the class, agreeing rules and ‘freeze’ command.
Flashback/flashforward: Tell the person next to you what you remember about the story Jack and the Beanstalk.
Find a space and show me a character from the story and what they are doing using your face and body.
(Begin reading Jack and the Beanstalk big book up until Jack’s mother throws the beans away).
Drama faces/bodies: Show me Jack’s face when he swaps the cow for magic beans. Move as if you are Jack coming home from the market. Show me Jack’s mums face when he brings home beans. Show me Jack’s face when his mum tells him off.
Think about a time when you have upset someone. What have you done to make you/the other person feel better? List ideas for Jack to make amends with his mum.
(Continue reading story until Jack sees the beanstalk for the first time).
Drama faces: Show me Jack’s face when he sees the beanstalk.
Conscience alley: Should Jack climb the beanstalk?
Lesson 2:
(Continue reading story until Jack sees the giant and leaves the castle for the first time).
Drama faces/bodies: Move around the room as if you are creeping through the giant’s castle.
Show me Jack’s face when he sees the giant. Move as if you are a huge giant.
Role on the wall: Draw outline of giant. On the outside, list what we know about the giant already. Inside the outline, write questions we would like to ask him, e.g. Why do you live up a beanstalk? Why are you so angry?
Lesson 3:
(Continue reading story until the second time Jack leaves the castle).
Rumours: Jacks returns to the village and tells all of the villagers about the giant. Children to act as villagers and spread rumours about the giant.
Literacy: List adjectives to describe the giant.
Circle of thoughts: Imagine you are the giant. You go to the village and when the villagers see you, they run away and all the shops are shut up. How do you feel? Go around circle expressing giant’s thoughts, e.g. Where is everyone? Why are they running away?
Hotseating: Hotseat the gian;ts wife. Teacher to put on scraf to show when she is in role. Children to act as villager and ask questions to find out who they are talking to. Teacher to answer children’s questions about the giant, making out that the giant is kind, caring and misunderstood. Out of role – Who did you just meet? What did you find out?
Literacy: List adjectives to describe giant again. Have the children;’s views changed? Why?
Lesson 4:
(Continue reading story until Jack chops down the beanstalk and the giant falls to the ground).
Drama faces: Show me the giant’s face when he sees Jack taking his things.
A + B Partner Role Play: Child A pretends to be policeman taking a statement and description of Jack for stealing and hurting the giant. Child B is the giant giving information to the police. Practice in pairs first; then half role play/half as audience, then swap over. Give two stars a wish. Who stood out? Why?
Literacy: Make wanted posters. Use adjectives to describe Jack.
Lesson 5:
(Recap end of the story).
Circle of thoughts: Children to imagine they are Jack. He has seen the wanted poster saying he has stolen from and hurt the giant. How do you feel? Go around circle saying Jack’s thoughts aloud.
Mantle of the expert:
T.I.R as Jack’s mum.
C.I.R: Superhelpers.
Situation: Jack wants to make amends with the giant.
Talk: How can Jack show the giant he is sorry?
Literacy: Write a sorry letter from Jack to the giant.
Lesson 6:
Flashforward: What happens when the giant receives the sorry letter from Jack? Does he forgive him? Discuss ideas.
Role play: In small groups, act out what you think happens when the giant reads the letter.
Children to assess each other’s work using two stars and a wish.
Additional ideas:
During the week, answer the register in different character’s voices: Jack’s scared voice, Jack’s mum’s angry voice, the Giant’s loud voice, a whisper so the giant won’t hear you, singing like the harp.
HIAS Healthy Schools website Relationships – Lisa Gilbert, Riders Infant School 3