Voice and Movement

Overview

Unit Title: Dramatic Performance Journey
Lesson Number: 2 of 9
Lesson Title: Voice and Movement: Expressing Emotion
Year Levels: Years 5 and 6
Duration: 50 minutes
Number of Students: 27
Learning Area: The Arts – Drama
Specific Curriculum Reference:
Years 5–6 content description from the Australian Curriculum: The Arts – Drama:

ACADRM036: Rehearse and perform devised and scripted drama that develops narrative and uses performance styles and conventions to engage an audience.
ACADRM035: Develop skills and techniques of voice and movement to create character, mood and atmosphere and focus dramatic action.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand how vocal tone, pitch, pace, and volume can express different emotions.
• Explore how body language and movement support emotional expression in performance.
• Apply their learning in a fun theatrical game that requires emotional expression and teamwork.

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Success Criteria

Students will be successful when they can:

✅ Demonstrate at least three different emotions using both voice and movement
✅ Participate actively in vocal and physical warm-ups
✅ Reflect on how they changed their voice and body to express emotion
✅ Collaborate with peers to perform emotional expressions in a drama game

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Resources & Materials

• Open floor space
• Emotion cards (printable set of 12 diverse emotions: e.g. joy, fear, anger, surprise, sadness, excitement)
• Small portable mirror (optional for reflection activity)
• Cones or markers for activity space boundaries
• Whiteboard or large sticky notes for vocabulary display

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Welcome and Acknowledgement (5 minutes)

• Begin with an Acknowledgement of Country.
• Outline the learning intentions and success criteria for the session.
• Use engaging language: “Today we’ll explore how actors become emotional detectives—using voice and movement to show what a character is feeling without saying it outright.”

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2. Warm-Up Activities (10 minutes)

Vocal Warm-Up: “Emotion Echo” (5 minutes)

• Students repeat phrases in different emotions.
• Teacher calls out a phrase (e.g. “I can’t believe it!”) and an emotion (e.g. excitement).
• Students echo using voice only (no gesture yet).

Focus: Volume, pitch, pace, tone.
Tip: Do each phrase at least three times, changing the emotion (fear, anger, happiness).

Physical Warm-Up: “Flick-Shake-Stretch” (5 minutes)

• Begin with energy flicks and hand/foot shakes.
• Move into slow, exaggerated stretches with emotion:
  • Reach up (delight)
  • Bend forward (sorrow)
  • Shoulder rolls (calm)

Optional: Play light instrumental music to inspire mood shifts.

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3. Introduction to Key Concepts (5 minutes)

Use the whiteboard to display two key themes:

• Vocal Expression: Tone, volume, pace, pitch
• Physical Expression: Gestures, posture, facial expressions, movement

Ask students:

• “How might someone stand if they’re nervous? Speak if they’re angry?”
  Let students act out short responses.

Mini-discussion: Why does combining voice and movement matter in drama?

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4. Skills in Action: Emotion Stations (15 minutes)

Set-Up:

Divide class into 5 groups of 5–6 students. Each group rotates through the following Emotion Stations. Each station highlights one key emotion (randomised from emotion cards). Assign adult support or student leaders if possible.

Each station has:

• Emotion prompt card (e.g. “You feel proud after winning a competition!”)
• Mirror or observer buddy to give feedback
• Short challenge: Speak a line and move across the small space expressing that emotion

Examples:

1. Joy Station: Say "Look what I made!" and skip in a joyful way.
2. Fear Station: Slowly say “What was that?” and move cautiously around cones.
3. Anger Station: Shout “This isn’t fair!” and stomp.
4. Excited Station: Say “They said yes!” and jump in place.
5. Sadness Station: Say “You forgot my birthday…” and trudge away slowly.

Each rotation is 2–3 minutes. Use a bell/sound cue for transition.

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5. Practical Application: “Emotional Freeze!” Game (10 minutes)

Instructions:

• Students walk around the space in neutral (no emotion).
• Teacher calls out an emotion and counts 3-2-1…FREEZE!
• Students must freeze in a pose and facial expression to match that emotion.
• Add challenge: Ask a few students to unfreeze and add a single line in character.

Variation: Team version—three students create a still ‘group picture’ conveying one emotion. Audience guesses the emotion.

Skill Focus: Integration of movement, vocal tone and gesture.

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6. Reflection and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

Reflection Questions:

1. Which emotion was easiest for you to express? Why?
2. How did your body change to match your feelings?
3. When did someone else’s performance really communicate a strong emotion?

Strategy: Turn-and-talk with a partner. Encourage active listening before sharing a favourite insight with the class.

Revisit success criteria on the board:

✅ “Did we use voice and movement to show at least three different emotions?”
✅ “Did we improve control over how our bodies and voices communicate mood?”

Finish with encouragement:
“You’re all becoming expressive storytellers with no script required!”

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Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:

• Visual Learners: Use emotion visuals and gestures.
• EAL/D Students: Pair with buddy and use simplified vocabulary on cards.
• Students with ASD or sensory sensitivities: Offer opt-in verbal participation (they may demonstrate through movement only). Use a calm-down corner if overwhelmed.

For Students Requiring Support:

• Provide line prompts or emotional descriptors as sentence starters.
• Assign a peer model or co-performer during group tasks.

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Extension Activities

• Advanced students: Challenge to perform two emotions in contrast through transition (e.g. from relaxed to furious).
• Encourage developing a short duo performance that moves through three emotions in under 20 seconds, using gesture and line.
• Allow students to begin thinking of a character they'd like to develop across the unit and explore their emotional range today.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Observation check-list during “Emotion Stations” and “Emotional Freeze” game.
• Peer Feedback: During group rotations - students state one strength and one area for growth.
• Self-Reflection: Verbal or written short answer: “When I use my voice and body in drama, I can…”

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Teacher Notes

📌 Consider video recording a group from each station (with permission) to show development over the unit journey.
📌 Have a visual emotion chart on display throughout the term for reference.

Next Lesson (Preview)

Lesson 3: Creating Character Through Movement and Voice
Students will begin building a distinct character through consistent physical and vocal traits, building on emotional expression skills.

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This lesson not only builds dramatic capacity but offers a fun and engaging way for students to explore empathy, interpretation and presence.