How to use this document
This document was created for general practitioners working within the broad general education.
It provides suggested learning intentions for drama for each level within Curriculum for Excellence.
The learning intentions reflect the experiences and outcomes and progression framework* for drama.
In many cases the wording of the learning intentions is similar. It is important that each practitioner uses his / her professional judgement to select or amend the most suitable learning intention(s) to suit the needs of the learners.
Where there are italics the practitioner should insert his / her own examples which are relevant to the particular lesson(s).
The list is not exhaustive and is intended to provide a bank of helpful prompts to dip in and out of when planning drama lessons.
Learning intentions should always be clearly understood by learners and should therefore be in child friendly language. They will form the basis of questioning, teacher feedback and self and peer assessment.
It is also good practice to consider skills from other curricular areas, thinking skills and personal attributes when devising learning intentions.
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Success Criteria – Guidance
Success criteria are generally context related and therefore do not feature heavily in this material. The practitioner should know what the success criteria will be in a basic form first, before discussing them with learners.As practitioners consider success criteria they should ensure that they are closely linked to the learning intentions and the evidence which they will be able to collect. Involving learners in agreeing success criteria will enable practitioners and their learners to judge ‘how much’ and ‘how well’ they have learned.
In order to have maximum impact success criteria should ultimately be generated by the learners themselves.
It is also good practice to consider skills from other curricular areas, thinking skills and personal attributes when devising success criteria.
Learners should be encouraged to refer to success criteria throughout the lesson(s) and should also use these when making judgements for self and peer assessment.
Things to keep in mind:
Helping learners to analyse and define quality for themselves will help them to identify ‘what a good one looks like’.
From early level,practitioners should be using success criteria to getthe learners to compare their work towhat they think the criteria are describing. This will help them to generate success criteria and talk about the criteria as they create their own work
It is important that in creative subjects, such as drama, learners are not confined to thinking that there is only one way to meet success criteria. For example there are several ways of using facial expressions or movement to convey the same emotion. Learners should be able to discuss different approaches to meeting success criteria
Examples of success criteria could include:
Significant Aspect of Learning: PRESENTING
I can be successful if I can:
- say how / where I want my work to be presented
- keep in role until the end of the drama
- make my voice loud and clear
- face the audience when I speak
- perform to an audience facing the front
- don’t speak my lines when the audience is clapping or laughing
- don’t speak when I am miming
- use my hands when I am miming
- use my facial expressions to show the audience how I am feeling
- take responsibility for performing to the best of my ability
- say my lines with expression
- learn my lines off by heart
- learn a few lines of script
- be confident when I perform
- use volume when speaking aloud
- control my voice and language using volume, dynamics and accents
- explain how I used theatre arts technology (light / sound / costume / scenery) to enhance a performance
- use a microphone effectively.
Significant Aspect of Learning: CREATING
I can be successful if I can:
- use voice and language to convey a character
- use language appropriate to the role
- use research to help me create a believable character
- use information from my research to make my drama believable
- listen to each other’s ideas
- explain our ideas to our group
- pick the best idea from our group
- pretend to be a character
- use movement and voice to demonstrate emotion
- move like the… character
- behave like the…. character
- give my drama a clear beginning, middle and end
- use the language of a character to make my performance believable
- use language appropriate to the role
- take part in group / class discussions to shape a drama
- use drama conventions (e.g. Hot seating / thought tracking / mime / role play / slow motion)to create a drama
- suggest ideas for characters and roles
- suggest ideas for situations and settings
- make up a short scene from …. A story / other stimulus
- write a piece of scripted drama using a given layout
- follow a script to present a drama
- convey a historical event (a current event)through my drama
- develop a character using my own ideas
- use lights to create mood
- use sound effects to create atmosphere
- use props to convey more information about the character
- improvise with props to enhance the drama
- resolve issues or problems through role play
- use mantle of the expert (thought tunnel / hot seating / role on the wall / vox pop etc) in my drama.
Significant Aspect of Learning: EVALUATING
I can be successful if I can:
- keep quiet (still) when I am watching others
- act appropriately as part of an audience using applause / silence
- behave as part of an audience for other peoples’ work
- listen to what others say about my work
- explain why I chose a movement (voice / gesture) when portraying a character
- explain how I feel about my work to …(Insert examples such as visitors to the school; peers; teachers)
- talk about what I saw at the … (insert example such as Theatre Company; other class performances).
- say how the drama makes me feel
- say why I like a performance
- listen carefully and act upon my friend’s/ teacher’s feedback
- use words like movement , interaction with the audience, stage left, blocking when I describe my / other’s work
- talk about the decisions I made to enhance my character
- say two things I could do to improve my work
- say two things my friends could do to improve their work
- look at my partner when they give me feedback
- take my turn at giving feedback
- use the agreed success criteria to evaluate my performance
- use the agreed success criteria to make a judgement about my own / other’s work
- discuss my learning against success criteria
- set targets for improving my drama skills
- identify dramatic forms* and explain the basic differences
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EXA 0-01a
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting /performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations / performances.
We are learning to take part in drama activities.
We are learning to talk about our own performance.
We are learning to talk about what we need to do / organise for the performance / presentation to take place.
We are learning to talk about how performing makes us feel.
We are learning to listen to and watch others present and perform.
We are learning to talk about performances we have seen.
We are learning to clap / sing along / shout out /be quiet at the right times.
EXA 1-01a
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting /performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations / performances.
We are learning to present to different audiences(Class, whole school and the wider community).
We are learning to present our drama to others confidently and enthusiastically.
We are learning to present our drama confidently in pairs… (small groups / whole class)
We are learning to show an awareness of the audience.
I am learning to describe how performing for an audience makes me feel.
We are learning to talk about performances we have seen in and out of the school.
We are learning to behave like a good audience.
We are learning how to show our appreciation as part of an audience (clapping / singing along / joining in)
We are learning to describe how being part of an audience makes us feel.
EXA 2-01a
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting /performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations / performances.
We are learning to work together to perform our drama.
We are learning to make suggestions about how we will present our drama.
We are learning to perform in front of familiar and unfamiliar audiences with confidence.
We are learning to express our feelings about how presenting our work makes us feel.
We are learning to show an awareness of the audience’s responses.
We are learning to engage with audiences.
We are learning to express our feelings about how being part of an audience makes us feel.
EXA 3-01a
I have used the skills I have developed in the expressive arts to contribute to a public presentation / performance.
We are learning to perform our work to the highest standard using drama skills we have developed.
We are learning apply our drama skills to enhance a performance.
We are learning to express our creativity through performances.
We are learning to create atmosphere in our drama using a range of theatre arts technology.
EXA 3-01b
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting /performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations / performances.
We are learning to discuss aspects of performances we have experienced and say how they make us feel.
We are learning to reflect on the use of theatre arts technology in a performance.
We are learning to discuss the acting (design) concepts in a production.
We are learning to demonstrate skill and confidence when performing our work in front of others.
EXA 4-01a
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting /performing for differentaudiences
We are learning to appreciate the energy and excitement that comes from performing.
We are learning to perform within a range of genres (forms).
We are learning to perform our work to a variety of unfamiliar audiences.
We are learning to perform complex pieces of work to selected audience.
EXA 0-12a
I have the freedom to choose and explore how I can use my voice, movement, and expression in role play and drama.
We are learning how to use facial expressions to show how we feel.
We are learning to speak clearly so other people can hear.
We are learning how to use our voices in different ways (volume / pace / pitch / tone / clarity)
I am learning how to use my voice to show how I am feeling. (Angry, upset, happy)
We are learning how to mime different actions.
We are learning how to move our bodies in different ways. (In response to a particular context or story)
We are learning how to use gesture (wave / shrug / nod) in different ways.
We are learning to talk like our characters. (Through Role Play; Teacher in Role / Hot Seating)
EXA 1-12a
I enjoy creating, choosing and accepting roles, using movement, expression and voice.
We are learning about dramatic techniques (using voice / expression / movement) and how they make our drama better.
We are learning how to use facial expressions to create a real / imaginary character.
We are learning how to use facial expressions to portray different characters.
We are learning how to use movement to create a character.
We are learning how to use our voice to create different characters (different personalities; characters from stories; from improvised and scripted drama).
We are learning to create / develop a drama using improvisation (making it up)
We are learning to create / develop a drama using a script.
We are learning how to create roles to help us present our drama (using real life situations / imagined situations / stories.)
We are learning to learn to work with others when choosing and accepting roles.
EXA 2-12a
I can create, adapt and sustain different roles, experimenting with movement, expression and voice and using theatre arts technology.
We are learning to memorise lines / scripts to help us keep in role.
We are learning about drama conventions.*
We are learning how to use theatre arts technology (experiment with lighting to create mood or atmosphere; use a microphone to ensure everyone can hear or to produce sound effects; apply makeup creatively) to enhance our drama.
We are learning how to adapt (interpret) roles e.g. portraying an old person as very fit and agile.
We are learning to create / portray /a variety of characters using language and voice.
We are learning to create / portray/ a variety of characters using movement / gesture.
We are learning to create / portray / a variety of characters using a range of expressions.
We are learning to create/ portray /characters that will engage the audience.
I am learning to explain the decisions I make to enhance my character.
We are learning to improvise drama using drama conventions*(such as Hot Seating; Teacher in Role)
We are learning to sustain a role(keep in role)
We are learning how to research information to help us create our drama / characters.
EXA 3-12a
I can create, develop and sustain a realistic or stylised character through the use of voice, movement and language.
We are learning to create realistic characters using a variety of voice and movement techniques.
We are learning to portray a range of realistic characters using a variety of dramatic techniques.
We are learning to sustain a range of characters using a variety of dramatic techniques.
We are learning to enhance a character by choosing / applying a range of voice and movement and language skills.
We are learning to enhance a character by using language associated with the drama context.
EXA 4-12a
I can demonstrate sensitivity, precision and depth in the portrayal of a character, conveying relationships and situations in a variety of settings and to different audiences.
We are learning to develop a range of characters appropriate to given stimulus.
We are learning to use a wide range of voice and movement techniques to enhance our portrayal of a character.
We are learning to convey relationships between characters using a variety of dramatic conventions.
We are learning to convey relationships between characters using a wide range of voice and movement skills.
We are learning to perform dramas using different forms, structures, genres, styles.*
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EXA 0-13a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through drama.
Using a range of stimuli … (insert an appropriate / relevant stimulus, for example relationships such as friendships; bullying; family issues / traditional tales / story books / costume box / prop box)…we are learning to express our ideas / thoughts / feelings in our drama.
We are learning to express ideas through role play.
We are learning to express thoughts through role play.
We are learning to express feelings through role play.
We are learning to express our ideas / thoughts / feelings through role play using our voices and our bodies.
We are learning to use body movements /facial expressions / voices to express our feelings.
We are learning to role play using our voice and our bodies.
We are learning to improvise / make up a drama and present it.
We are learning to choose costumes / props / areas for our role play.
We are learning to use words and phrases that …… would say. (Santa – ‘Ho Ho Ho’; Shop Keeper – ‘would you like to pay using cash or card?’ / ‘Two pounds fifty please’.)
EXA 1-13a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through drama
Using a range of stimuli … (insert an appropriate / relevant stimulus)… we are learning to present our ideas / thoughts / feelings in our drama.
We are learning to use our voices, expressions and movement to present stories and ideas.
We are learning to express our ideas / thoughts / feelings through role play using our voices and our bodies.
We are learning to express our ideas / thoughts / feelings through Thought Tracking / Hot Seating / Role on the Wall.
EXA 2-13a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through drama.
We are learning to express our ideas through the use of language - pitch / pace.
We are learning to express our ideas through the use of posture / facial expression / proximity / use of levels to convey the role.
We are learning to explore our thoughts and feelings in different situations in role.
We are learning to explore situations from differing perspectives in our drama.
We are learning to create a believable character using voice / facial expressions / movement / gesture.
We are learning to give reasons for choosing the way we portray / create a character.
EXA 4-13a
In response to a variety of stimuli, I can use my understanding of characterisation to create characters using different approaches, making use of voice, movement and language. I can present to an audience.
We are learning to respond creatively to a range of stimuli (including texts) to create characters.
We are learning to identify appropriate ideas and dramatic conventions to create characters.
We are learning to use a wide range of voice and movement techniques to develop a range of characters appropriate to the given stimulus.
We are learning to use more refined language appropriate to the drama context.
We are learning to generate and communicate our ideas thoughts and feelings when creating drama.
EXA 0-14a
I use drama to explore real and imaginary situations, helping me to understand my world.
We are learning to explore real and imaginary situations through role play / hot seating / freeze frame etc.*
We are learning to use role play to solve problems.
We are learning to make (create)and make up (invent) situations in our drama.
We are learning to talk about what’s happening or going to happen in the drama.