Yes, And...

Year 4 | Drama | 50 minutes | 25 students

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Unit: Dramatic Play Adventures

Lesson 3 of 8: Introduction to Improvisation: Yes, And...

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand the concept of improvisation in drama.
• Use the “Yes, And...” technique to build on others’ ideas collaboratively.
• Develop spontaneous dialogue and scene creation skills through partnered improvisation.

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NSW Curriculum Links

Learning Area: The Arts – Drama
Strand: Making and Responding
Cluster: Drama Knowledge, Understanding and Skills (Years 3-4)

• ACADRM027: Use elements of drama, performance skills and conventions in creating and presenting drama.
• ACADRM028: Work collaboratively to generate ideas, improvise and devise drama.
• ACADRR029: Use appropriate drama language to describe where, why and how drama is created and performed.

Achievement Standard:
By end of Year 4, students collaborate to improvise and/or devise drama that communicates ideas and meaning, and perform their work in informal settings.

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Success Criteria

• I can explain what improvisation means in drama.
• I can use “Yes, And...” to add ideas when working with a partner.
• I can create a short improvised scene with my partner by listening and building on their ideas.
• I can respectfully respond to others’ ideas and contribute positively during improvisation.

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Resources Needed

• Open classroom space for drama movement.
• Simple props or costume pieces (optional, for sparking ideas).
• Whiteboard and markers for introduction.
• Chart paper with “Yes, And...” key points (prepared before lesson).

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction to Improvisation (10 minutes)

• Activity: Gather students in a circle.

• Teacher introduces the word "improvisation" as making up stories and scenes on the spot without a script.

• Briefly explain why improvisation helps actors and creative collaborators.

• Demonstrate a very short improvised conversation (e.g., “I’m a superhero!” → “Yes, and I’m your sidekick!”). Highlight “Yes, And...” as a way to accept and add.

• Talk briefly about:

  • Listening to your partner.
  • Always building on their ideas.
  • No idea is too silly — it’s about creativity and teamwork.

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2. Teaching the “Yes, And...” Technique (7 minutes)

• Write “Yes, And...” on the board and explain:
  • Say “Yes” to accept your partner’s idea (agree, do not negate).
  • Say “And” to add your own new idea.
• Model with a strong volunteer to show how it works using simple, fun scenarios.

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3. Paired Improvisation Practice (20 minutes)

• Form pairs: Students work in partners.

• Each pair starts a simple improvised scene using “Yes, And...” dialogue.

• Provide starter prompts/examples on board, such as:

  • “We’re astronauts on a new planet...”
  • “We’re lost in a jungle...”
  • “We opened a magical door...”

• Encourage students to listen carefully to their partner, accept ideas and add new ones quickly.

• Teacher circulates, offering encouragement and guidance.

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4. Sharing and Reflecting (10 minutes)

• Select 3-4 pairs to perform their improvised scenes in front of the class.
• After each performance, ask the class to identify how the pair used “Yes, And…” to build their scene.
• Invite pairs to share how saying “Yes, And…” helped them feel confident and creative.
• Reinforce positive collaboration and creativity.

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5. Plenary and Success Criteria Review (3 minutes)

• Revisit WALT and success criteria.

• Ask students to self-assess:

  • Can I explain improvisation?
  • Did I use “Yes, And...” to build scenes?
  • Did I listen and collaborate well with my partner?

• Highlight how improvisation helps in all areas of drama and creativity.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

  • Provide sentence starters or simple sentence frames (“Yes, and we can…”) for students needing language support.
  • Pair struggling students with confident partners for modelling.
  • Use visual aids (pictures/props) to spark ideas for students with different learning styles.
  • Allow some students to use a physical gesture or movement to “say yes” if verbalising is challenging.

• For students requiring extension:

  • Challenge advanced pairs to improvise longer scenes with more complex characters or multiple setting changes.
  • Encourage them to experiment with voice and physicality during improvisation.
  • Introduce a short group improvisation where pairs join together.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative: Observations by teacher during paired improvisations noting capacity to use “Yes, And” and collaborate.
• Peer feedback: After performances, peers identify positive collaboration and creative additions.
• Self-reflection: Students complete quick checklist relating to success criteria verbally or via thumbs up/down.

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Teacher’s Reflection Notes (Post-lesson)

• Which pairs embraced improvisation enthusiastically? Which needed more scaffolding?
• Were students able to understand and apply “Yes, And…” without negating their partners?
• How well did students work collaboratively?
• Consider spotlighting successful strategies for next lessons on dramatic play and improvisation.

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This lesson plan nurtures creativity, teamwork, and foundational improvisation skills aligned with the NSW Drama curriculum for Year 4. It balances structure with freedom, ensuring students learn a vital drama technique in an engaging, age-appropriate way that fosters confidence and collaboration.