Exploring Viewpoints

Year Level

Year 5

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

---

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Understand and explore the concept of Viewpoints as a physical theatre technique to analyse and create drama.
• Develop physical awareness and communication skills through body movement, space, time, shape, and gesture.
• Collaborate effectively in groups to devise short physical theatre sequences using Viewpoints.
• Reflect on their own and peers' performances to evaluate choices made in dramatic actions.

Australian Curriculum (v9) Alignment:

• AC9ADR6C01: Develop characters and situations, and shape and sustain dramatic action to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in improvised, devised and/or scripted forms.
• AC9ADR6C01_E4: Using Viewpoints to ask questions when exploring character and dramatic action such as "How did the performers use elements of drama and design elements effectively?"
• AC9ADR6P01_E1: Using props and physicality to enhance dramatic action.
• AC9ADR6P01_E3: Showing understanding of the purpose of rehearsing and the need for collaboration.
• AC9ADR6P01_E4: Sharing ideas about their drama with audiences through presentations and reflections.

These learning objectives and elaborations directly match the Year 5 appropriate capabilities under the Australian Curriculum for Drama, focusing on physically devised drama and the use of Viewpoints as a tool for drama making and analysis .

---

Key Vocabulary

• Viewpoints: A technique for exploring elements like space, shape, gesture, time, and movement in physical theatre.
• Physical Theatre: A style of drama that emphasises body movement and physical expression over spoken dialogue.
• Space: The area actors use on stage.
• Shape: The form the body takes in a pose or movement.
• Gesture: A movement of part of the body to express an idea or feeling.
• Time: The speed and rhythm of movement or action.
• Collaboration: Working together cooperatively.
• Reflection: Thinking back on a performance to consider what worked well and what could be improved.

---

Resources Needed

• Open space or cleared classroom for movement
• Simple props (e.g., scarves, sticks, hats)
• A whiteboard or chart paper and markers
• Timer or stopwatch
• Video clips of simple and age-appropriate physical theatre examples (can be teacher recorded or classroom demonstrations)
• Reflection worksheets with guided questions

---

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Objective: Engage bodies and minds; introduce Viewpoints.
• Begin with a whole-class warm-up: simple stretches, breathing exercises, and body awareness.
• Introduce the concept of Viewpoints by explaining key terms (space, shape, gesture, time).
• Demonstrate simple examples (e.g., a gesture of a wave, forming shapes with arms, moving at different speeds).
• Play a quick "Viewpoints Freeze" game:
  • Teacher calls out a Viewpoint category (e.g., space), students move around the room exploring that category.
  • Teacher says "freeze," and students hold their final pose.

2. Exploration of Viewpoints (15 minutes)

• Objective: Explore and experiment with each Viewpoint.
• Divide students into small groups of 4-5.
• Assign each group one or two Viewpoints to explore physically.
• Provide guiding questions:
  • For space: How can you use the whole room? Close together or far apart?
  • For shape: What shapes can your body make? How can shapes change the mood?
  • For gesture: What are small and large gestures? What stories do gestures tell?
  • For time: Can you move fast? Slow? What effect does this have?
• Students create short sequences (about 2 minutes) experimenting with their assigned Viewpoints.
• Teacher circulates, offering feedback and encouraging risk-taking in physical expression.

3. Group Collaboration Task (20 minutes)

• Objective: Create a devised physical theatre piece using multiple Viewpoints.
• Each group combines their explored Viewpoints into a short narrative or abstract sequence (2-3 minutes).
• Encourage creativity: groups can tell a story, express a feeling, or create a visual tableau.
• Introduce simple props to enhance the physical storytelling.
• Groups rehearse their pieces, focusing on clarity of expression and teamwork.

4. Performances & Reflection (10 minutes)

• Groups present their devised physical theatre sequences to the class.
• After each performance, facilitate brief peer reflection:
  • Ask questions such as, "Which Viewpoints did you notice?" and "How did the movement help you understand the story or idea?"
• Use the reflection worksheet to guide students in thinking about their own and others' performances.
• Highlight positive feedback about use of space, body shape, timing, and gesture.

5. Cool-down & Closure (5 minutes)

• A gentle physical cool-down: slow stretches, shaking out limbs.
• Recap key learning points: the importance of body in drama, working together, and thinking about Viewpoints.
• Ask students to share one thing they enjoyed or learned.
• Outline any follow-up activities or homework (e.g., noticing movement and gesture in everyday life or media).

---

Assessment Criteria

Students will be assessed on their ability to:

• Demonstrate understanding of Viewpoints by applying elements of space, shape, gesture, and time in physical theatre sequences.
• Collaborate effectively within a group to create cohesive dramatic action.
• Use physical expression and simple props to communicate ideas or emotions clearly.
• Participate thoughtfully in peer reflection, providing and receiving constructive feedback.
• Reflect on their own performance and learning through a written or oral reflection.

These criteria align with the Australian Curriculum outcomes for Years 5-6 Drama performance and reflective skills .

---

Extensions & Differentiation

• For more advanced students: Challenge with complex Viewpoints like shape relationships, spatial relationships, or rhythm.
• For students needing support: Provide small group or one-on-one scaffolding during activities.
• Incorporate cultural storytelling through Viewpoints reflecting First Nations perspectives on space and movement, linking with cross-curriculum priorities.

---

This lesson plan empowers students to physically engage with drama concepts central to the Year 5 Australian Curriculum while fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical reflection in a fun and accessible way. It balances hands-on practice with theoretical understanding of Viewpoints as a dynamic tool in physical theatre.