Creating Character Play

Unit Context

Unit Title: Dramatic Play Adventures (Lesson 3 of 8)
Year Level: Prep (Foundation Year)
Subject: Drama
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 16 students
Curriculum Reference: Australian Curriculum v9 – The Arts: Drama, Foundation Year

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Develop their own imaginative characters by selecting and describing simple traits, names, and backgrounds.
Share their created characters with a partner, practising clear communication.
Engage in basic improvisation activities using their characters, demonstrating early dramatic play skills.
Show understanding and use of elements of drama—character, role, voice, and movement—in a playful, supportive context.

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards and Content Descriptions Aligned:

AC9ADRFD01: Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas【9:AC9ADRFD01.md】
AC9ADRFP01: Share their arts works with audiences (performing retellings of stories to peers through dramatic play)【6:AC9ADRFP01.md】
AC9ADR2D01_E4 & E5: Taking part in purposeful dramatic play focusing on creating roles and situations; taking turns in offering and accepting ideas and staying in role when participating in improvised drama【10:AC9ADR2D01.md】
Use of drama terminology such as ‘role’, ‘character’, ‘improvisation’, ‘audience’ appropriate for Prep level understanding.

Materials

Character creation template sheets (with prompts for traits, names, background)
Large chart paper or whiteboard for shared brainstorming
Simple costume pieces or props (hats, scarves, glasses, etc.)
Open classroom space for movement and improv activities

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Welcome students and briefly revisit previous lessons in "Dramatic Play Adventures."
Introduce today’s focus: Creating Characters.
Quick warm-up: "Show me how your face looks if you are happy, sad, surprised," encouraging them to explore facial expressions.
Briefly explain what a character is – a pretend person with feelings, a name, and things they like.

2. Character Creation Brainstorm (10 minutes)

Gather students on the floor; use a large chart/whiteboard for whole-class brainstorming.
Prompt with questions:
- "What makes a character interesting?"
- "What kinds of names can we choose?"
- "What are some things a character might like or dislike?"
Record simple ideas (e.g., happy, funny, brave, shy; loves animals, scared of spiders).
Model creating a character with a fictional name and traits.

3. Individual / Paired Character Development (10 minutes)

Hand out character creation template sheets tailored for Foundation students with picture prompts and simple trait choices.
Students choose or invent:
- A character name (can draw or write).
- 2-3 traits (using pictures/words).
- A little about where their character lives or what they like.
Pair students (preferably with friends or mixed abilities).
Students take turns sharing their characters with their partner, practising speaking clearly and listening respectfully.

4. Improvisation Practice with Characters (15 minutes)

In pairs, students practise a short "conversation" or scene using their characters.
Provide guided prompts such as:
- “Your characters meet at the park. What do they say or do?”
- “Your characters like different animals. Show how they talk about this.”
Encourage use of voices, facial expressions, and simple gestures.
Teachers and assistants circulate to observe and gently support improvisation and confidence.

5. Group Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

Invite a few pairs to optionally share their character conversations with the whole class.
Positive reinforcement: Highlight imaginative ideas and respectful listening.
Ask students: “What did you like about your character?” and “How did you feel playing your character?”
Reinforce the drama vocabulary: character, trait, improv (improvisation), role.

Assessment and Feedback

Formative Observations:
- Are students able to identify and express simple character traits?
- Do students share and listen respectfully in pairs?
- Are students engaging in improvisation with awareness of role and voice modulation?
Teacher Reflection Notes:
- Note students needing additional support with speaking or staying in role.
- Consider next lesson focusing on extending improvisation or introducing simple narrative sequences.
Feedback:
- Provide immediate positive feedback during activities.
- Use phrases like “I really liked how you used your voice to show your character’s feelings.”
- Encourage peer feedback during sharing.

Differentiation Strategies

Support students who are shy or reluctant by pairing with a confident peer.
Offer alternative ways to express character ideas, e.g., drawing instead of speaking.
Use simple sentence starters on character sheets for students who require language support.

Links to General Capabilities

Literacy: Developing oral language skills through storytelling and sharing.
Personal and Social Capability: Practising cooperative learning, turn-taking, and empathy by considering different feelings and perspectives of characters.
Creative Thinking: Using imagination to create unique characters and scenarios.

Teacher's Notes

Ensure the physical environment is safe and inviting for movement.
Use open-ended questions to encourage creativity rather than correct/incorrect answers.
Keep the atmosphere fun and low-pressure to foster expressive freedom.
Sample Character Creation Template may include visuals like emoticons, simple word banks, and space to draw the character.

This lesson plan is designed to be engaging, accessible, and closely aligned with the Australian Curriculum's Foundation Year drama content description AC9ADRFD01 and related elaborations. It introduces young students to foundational dramatic play skills and improvisation through character development, promoting early literacy, social skills, and creativity within a carefully scaffolded framework【9:AC9ADRFD01.md】【6:AC9ADRFP01.md】【10:AC9ADR2D01.md】.

Teaching Instructions