Storytelling Magic

Year Level

Prep (Foundation Year)

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

Unit

Playful Drama Explorations - Lesson 5 of 10

Lesson Title

Storytelling Through Drama: The Art of Narration

Lesson Description

In this lesson, Prep students will explore storytelling by creating and performing short stories using drama. They will work in small groups to develop a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end focusing on character development and using dramatic techniques such as facial expressions, movement and voice to communicate their story to the class.

Australian Curriculum Links: The Arts > Drama (Foundation Year)

Content Description

AC9ADRFD01: Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes, and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas
AC9ADRFE01: Explore how and why the arts are important for people and communities
AC9ADRFP01: Share their arts works with audiences

Achievement Standard (Foundation Year) Highlights

Students participate in dramatic play to explore stories, situations, and characters
They use facial expressions, gestures, movement, and voice to communicate feelings and ideas
Students share their drama with others and discuss their ideas

Learning Objectives

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

Understand the concept of storytelling in drama: beginning, middle, and end.
Collaborate in small groups to create a simple story with characters and events.
Use basic dramatic techniques (facial expression, voice, movement) to convey their story.
Present their story to the class, demonstrating narrative structure and characterisation.
Reflect on their own and others’ stories through positive feedback.

Resources

Story prompt cards with simple themes (e.g., a lost puppy, a day at the park)
Open classroom space for performance
Seating arranged to facilitate group work and audience viewing
Visual aids: Storyboard template with three sections (beginning, middle, end)

Lesson Procedure

Time	Activity	Description	Curriculum Link
0–10 minutes	Warm-up: Expressive Faces	Begin with a fun warm-up game: “Emotion Mirror.” Teacher makes an exaggerated facial expression; students copy.	AC9ADRFD01_E1 - Use of facial expressions and movement to communicate feelings【12:AC9ADRFD01】
10–15 minutes	Introduction to Storytelling	Teacher explains a story has a beginning, middle, and end. Read a simple story aloud, emphasising these parts.	AC9ADRFD01 - Explore ideas via dramatic play【12:AC9ADRFD01】
15–25 minutes	Group Story Creation	In groups of 4-5, students select a prompt card. Using the storyboard template, they outline beginning, middle, and end with teacher guidance. Encourage simple characters and events.	AC9ADRFD01_E2 - Imagining characters and story sequences【12:AC9ADRFD01】
25–40 minutes	Rehearsal of Stories	Groups practise their story, using voices, movements, and facial expressions to bring characters to life. Monitor and assist.	AC9ADRFD01_E7 - Use of voice and movement to communicate ideas【12:AC9ADRFD01】
40–55 minutes	Group Performances	Each group presents their story to the class (2-3 minutes each). Encourage attentive and supportive audience behaviour.	AC9ADRFP01_E5 - Presenting retellings of stories【17:AC9ADRFP01】
55–60 minutes	Reflection and Positive Feedback	Class discusses what they liked about each story, focusing on how characters and events were shown with drama. Teacher models positive feedback.	AC9ADRFE01_E4 - Sharing ideas and feelings about drama【10:AC9ADRFE01】

Assessment

Formative:

Observation of student participation in group discussions and story creation.
Monitoring use of narrative structure during story outlining.
Note use of dramatic techniques (facial expression, voice, movement) during rehearsals and performances.
Peer and teacher feedback during reflection.

Success Criteria:

Students clearly demonstrate understanding of story structure (beginning, middle, end).
Students effectively use dramatic expression to communicate their story.
Students collaborate respectfully with peers to create and perform their stories.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Provide visual aids and cues for students who benefit from additional support.
Encourage students with less verbal confidence to focus more on physical expression.
Grouping considers social dynamics to foster positive collaboration.
Use story prompts that include diverse characters and familiar contexts.

Teacher Notes

Keep the atmosphere playful and supportive to build confidence and creativity.
Scaffold story creation, helping students verbalise ideas and sequence events.
Emphasise that drama is about exploration and fun, not perfection.
Use questioning to deepen understanding: “What might happen next?”, “How does the character feel?”

This lesson plan aligns closely with the Australian Curriculum Foundation Drama content descriptions and achievement standards, focusing on play, imagination, character exploration and sharing arts work with an audience, appropriate for Prep students developing foundational drama skills【12:AC9ADRFD01】【10:AC9ADRFE01】【17:AC9ADRFP01】.

Teaching Instructions