Movement and Expression

Unit Overview

This is Lesson 3 of 8 in the Year 3 Drama unit "Exploring the Elements of Drama" based on the Western Australian Curriculum for The Arts: Drama strand. The focus for this lesson is on using movement and facial expressions to enhance character portrayal and communication in drama.

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Curriculum Links

Western Australian Curriculum (The Arts: Drama – Years 3 and 4)

• Content Descriptor: Explore elements of drama such as role, situation, audience, time, place and tension when improvising and performing drama (AC9ADR4D02: Students learn to use elements like movement and expression to communicate ideas)
• Performance Skills Development:
• Use body movement and facial expression to communicate ideas, emotions and relationships.
• Experiment with gesture and physicality to develop characters and situations.
• Processes and Skills:
• Make and share drama using voice, movement, space and object.
• Reflect on own and others’ drama through discussion.
• General Capabilities:
• Personal and Social Capability – cooperating and communicating effectively in drama activities.
• Literacy – using drama terminology such as gesture, expression, character, emotion.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this 60-minute lesson, students will be able to:

• Use gestures and facial expressions to communicate different emotions.
• Experiment with physical movement to portray characters and situations in drama.
• Recognise how movement and expression contribute to storytelling and characterisation.
• Collaborate in pairs or small groups to create short non-verbal drama scenes.

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Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate:

• Use of clear, deliberate gestures and facial expressions to show emotions such as happiness, anger, surprise, and sadness.
• Confident movement that reflects character or mood within a given drama activity.
• Ability to work with others to create a simple dramatic moment that includes physical expression.
• Reflection on how movement and expression helped them or their peers communicate meaning without words.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For physical challenges: Offer options to participate using minimal movement such as hand or facial gestures only.
• For more confident movers: Encourage exaggeration of gestures and experiment with full-body expression.
• For language/dyslexia support: Use clear, simple language and visual aids showing expressions; demonstrations by teacher and peers.
• Flexible grouping: Mix students with various abilities to support peer learning and encouragement.

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Materials Required

• Open space large enough for 30 students to move safely.
• Emotion cards showing facial expressions and body poses (happy, sad, scared, surprised, angry, calm).
• Simple costume props/scarves (optional).
• Whiteboard or chart paper with success criteria and key terms written clearly.
• Timer or stopwatch.

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Lesson Breakdown (60 minutes)

1. Introduction and Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Welcome and set expectations: Introduce the lesson’s focus on using body and face to tell a story without words.
• Warm-up game “Emotion Freeze”: Play music, students move freely in space expressing an emotion called out by teacher (e.g. happy, angry). When music stops, they freeze in a pose showing that emotion.
• Discuss briefly how movement and face can tell others how we feel, even without speaking.

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2. Guided Exploration Activities (20 minutes)

Activity 1: Mirror Movements (10 minutes)

• Students partner up.
• One student slowly makes a gesture or facial expression; the partner mirrors the movement exactly.
• Switch roles after 3 minutes.
• After pairs have practiced, invite a few pairs to demonstrate for the class.

Activity 2: Emotion Walks and Faces (10 minutes)

• Call out an emotion. Students walk around the space using their whole body and facial expression to show that emotion.
• Encourage them to exaggerate body language for dramatic effect.
• For students with less mobility, suggest small gestures or facial expressions only.

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3. Creative Application (20 minutes)

Activity 3: Silent Scene Creation (20 minutes)

• Divide class into small groups (4 to 5 students per group).
• Each group is given a simple scenario (e.g. lost in a park, meeting a new friend, feeling scared of a shadow).
• Using only movement and facial expression (no talking), students create and rehearse a short silent scene to show their scenario.
• Allow 10 minutes for rehearsal.

Presentations:

• Each group performs their silent scene (1 to 2 minutes) for the class.
• After each presentation, briefly ask the audience how movement and expressions helped understand the story.

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4. Reflection and Cool-Down (10 minutes)

• Discuss as a class: What did you notice about how faces and bodies show feelings?
• Ask students to share which emotion was easiest or hardest to show with movement.
• Revisit success criteria: Did you use gestures and expressions to portray emotions? Did you work well with your group?
• Encourage positive peer feedback focusing on physical expression.

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Key Drama Vocabulary for Year 3

• Gesture
• Expression
• Movement
• Character
• Emotion
• Freeze (stillness)

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Assessment Opportunities

Informal assessment through:

• Observation of students using facial expressions and movement in activities.
• Listening to student reflections during discussion.
• Evaluating group silent scenes against success criteria of expressing emotions through movement and expression.

Provide verbal and written feedback highlighting strengths and areas to challenge further.

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Tips for Relief Teachers

• Keep instructions clear, slow, and visual.
• Use modelling liberally – demonstrate emotions and movements yourself.
• Offer lots of encouragement and praise, especially for shy or less confident students.
• Be sensitive to different physical abilities and comfort levels with movement. Allow silent participation through minimal gestures.
• Use the emotion cards and visual prompts frequently for support.

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This lesson plan aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum Drama achievement standards for Year 3 by focusing on improvisation, use of physical and vocal elements, and working collaboratively to communicate ideas through drama. It prioritises inclusive practice and dyslexia-friendly supports consistent with effective teaching for diverse learners.