Year 7 Drama: Comedy and Love (Lesson 10 of 16)

Comedy and Love

Lesson Duration

60 minutes
Class size: 25 students

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Explore how comedy can depict love through dramatic forms.

Success Criteria

Identify different comedy formats used to portray love.
Collaboratively create and perform a comedic scene related to love.
Demonstrate understanding of comedic timing, character, and interaction in relation to the theme of love.

Australian Curriculum Context

Content Descriptions:

AC9ADR8C01: Improvise and devise drama and/or interpret scripted drama, manipulating elements of drama and applying conventions relevant to the style/form.
AC9ADR8D01: Develop performance skills relevant to selected drama styles and/or forms, including vocal qualities and movement styles appropriate to comedy.
AC9ADR8C02: Evaluate and refine use of elements of drama and/or conventions to shape and sustain dramatic action and communicate ideas.
AC9ADR8D02: Reflect on their own and others’ drama to inform choices when manipulating elements of drama and/or conventions to shape dramatic action.

These elements support students to understand and create comedic drama that explores love.

Teaching and Learning Activities

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation
0-10 min	Introduction & Warm-Up Discussion	Start with a conversation about love and comedy in everyday life, films, and theatre. Ask: "How can comedy show love? What makes comedy about love funny or touching?"	Use visual prompts (images, short humorous clips) for dyslexic learners. Scaffold vocabulary (comic, love, timing).
10-20 min	Comedy Formats Exploration	Brief teacher explanation and examples of comedy formats (e.g., slapstick, romantic comedy, situational comedy, parody). Use short scripted or video examples.	Provide written and visual comedy format guide sheets for diverse learners. Group reading aloud for support.
20-40 min	Group Creative Task: Devise Comedic Love Scenes	Students split into groups of 4-5. Using a comedic format provided or own choice, they create a 2-3 minute comedic scene depicting an aspect of love. Use improvisation and scripting.	Offer choice to create or improvise; allow some to use props or known stories; provide step-by-step scene planning templates for scaffolding.
40-50 min	Group Performances and Peer Feedback	Groups perform their scenes. After each, classmates give positive feedback focusing on how comedy showed love, as well as comedic techniques used.	For students with anxiety, allow recorded performances instead of live; use sentence starters for feedback to help expressive learners.
50-60 min	Reflection and Class Discussion	Whole class reflects: Which comedic formats worked best? How did comedy help express different kinds of love? How can these skills be used in other drama forms?	Provide focused reflection questions visually; pairs discuss first to support less confident speakers.

Resources Needed

Comedy format cards or handouts (definitions/examples of slapstick, parody, romantic comedy, etc.)
Video clips demonstrating comedic love scenes (silent film slapstick or modern comedic scenes)
Props/accessories for scene creation (scarves, hats, simple costume items)
Writing materials and scene-planning sheets
Space for performance and audience seating arranged for peer feedback

Assessment and Feedback

Informal formative assessment through observation of group work and participation.
Evaluate student ability to incorporate comedic elements with the theme of love.
Use peer feedback to guide reflective discussions.
Teacher observations to assess understanding of comedy conventions and performance skills.

Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:
Visual supports and dyslexia-friendly handouts with clear fonts and layout.
Allow creative interpretations – not all groups must write a script; improvisation encouraged.
Scaffold tasks with provided comedy format options and structured templates.
Adjust group roles according to student strengths (e.g., director, actor, scriptwriter, prop manager).
For Advanced Learners:
Encourage experimenting with mixing comedy formats or creating new hybrid comedic styles.
Challenge to include multiple types of love (familial, romantic, friendship) in scenes.

Teacher Notes / Tips

Encourage playful collaboration and risk-taking to foster a fun, conversational atmosphere aligned with your teaching style.
Use humour and relatable examples to make the topic accessible at Year 7 level.
Monitor groups for engagement and offer support or extension prompts as needed.
Highlight the importance of empathy and respect when portraying different types of love, ensuring inclusive content.

This lesson plan aligns closely with the Australian Curriculum (v9) Drama standards for Years 7-8, particularly AC9ADR8C01 and AC9ADR8D01, focusing on improvisation, devising, performance skills, and reflection with the thematic focus of love expressed through comedy.