Building a Drama Community

Lesson Overview

This 90-minute Drama lesson for Year 7 students in New Zealand is designed to create a strong foundation for participation in Drama, focusing on building relationships, classroom expectations, and collaborative play. Students will engage in interactive Drama games to develop trust, communication, and confidence, while also reinforcing key classroom non-negotiables.

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum (Level 3-4) – The Arts:

• Big Idea: Drama fosters collaboration and creativity, strengthening relationships in a shared artistic space.
• Key Competencies: Participating and Contributing | Thinking | Relating to Others
• Achievement Objectives:
  • Develop confidence in creating, performing, and responding to drama.
  • Explore how kotahitanga (unity) and whanaungatanga (relationships) support effective drama work.
  • Establish kawa (customary practices) for respectful collaboration in drama spaces.

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Lesson Plan Structure (90 Minutes)

1. Whakawhanaungatanga & Warm-up (15 mins)

Welcome and Introductions (5 mins)

• Gather students into a circle and introduce yourself.
• Briefly explain the purpose of Drama: creativity, collaboration, and confidence.
• Invite each student to share their name and a movement or gesture that represents them. The class repeats each new name and movement in a call-and-response style.

Classroom Expectations – Non-Negotiables (10 mins)

• Discuss respect, listening, participation, and courage in Drama. Use a student-led brainstorming approach:
  • "What helps us feel safe and confident in Drama?"
  • "What do we need to agree on to work well together?"
• Introduce the concept of kawa (guidelines) in the Drama room. Examples:
  • No put-downs – only constructive feedback.
  • We support everyone, especially outside our comfort zones.
  • Drama is about risk-taking, so we cheer for effort, not just skill.
• Create a short class chant that reflects these non-negotiables (e.g., “Drama is a safe place – we listen, we share, we respect!”).

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2. Icebreaker Games – Building Trust (20 mins)

Game 1: Captains Coming (5 mins)

• A quick-fire movement game where students must listen carefully and react to commands:
  • "Captain’s Coming!" – Stand tall and salute.
  • "Lifeboats!" – Gather in groups of three.
  • "Row the Boat!" – Sit and mime rowing.
  • "Seagulls!" – Flap and squawk like birds.
• Debrief: Connect this game to listening skills and group awareness in drama.

Game 2: Body Sculpture (10 mins)

• In small groups, students create frozen tableaus (sculptures) representing:
  • A boat in a storm.
  • A famous NZ landmark.
  • A moment of celebration.
• Groups present and others interpret their sculptures. Encourage thinking about body positioning, facial expressions, and storytelling.

Game 3: 21 (5 mins)

• The class must count sequentially to 21 without speaking over each other.
• If two people speak at the same time, they go back to 1. This helps foster focus, patience, and teamwork.

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3. High-Energy Play – Focus and Reactions (25 mins)

Game 4: Bang! (10 mins)

• Students form a circle; one student calls a name and "shoots" (points) – that person must duck while the two on either side "shoot" at each other. Whoever reacts slowest is out.
• Reinforces alertness and quick-thinking.

Game 5: Wink Murder (15 mins)

• Choose one student as the Wink Murderer. They must “eliminate” classmates by winking, while detectives figure out who it is.
• Encourages observation skills and dramatic reactions.

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4. Reflection & Closing (10 mins)

Debrief Discussion (5 mins)

• As a group, reflect on the lesson:
  • "What did you enjoy the most?"
  • "How did we work as a team today?"
  • "Why are trust and listening important in Drama?"

Closing Activity: Mirror Walk (5 mins)

• Students pair up and take turns leading a slow-motion mirror movement, reinforcing focus, body awareness, and teamwork.

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Teacher’s Notes & Adaptations

• Cultural Responsiveness:
  • Incorporate Te Reo Māori and Māori concepts (e.g., whanaungatanga, kawa).
  • Reference NZ contexts in games (e.g., local landmarks for Body Sculpture).
• Adaptations for Class Needs:
  • For shy students, allow them to observe first.
  • If energy levels drop, return to an engaging movement game (Bang! or Captains Coming).

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Reflection & Next Steps

This introductory drama lesson sets the foundation for collaboration and creativity in class. Moving forward, we will build on:

• Characterisation and storytelling.
• Improvisation and devising performances.
• Performance and audience skills.

Kaiako (Teacher) Tip: Encourage positive risk-taking and celebrate students stepping out of their comfort zones. Drama thrives on bravery and trust.

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Final Thoughts

This well-structured lesson ensures that Year 7 students establish a strong Drama culture from Day One, setting them up for an engaging year ahead. 🎭