Expressive Movement & Voice

Curriculum Area

Subject: Drama
Level: Level 4 of The New Zealand Curriculum
Key Competencies: Thinking, Participating and Contributing, Using Language, Symbols, and Texts
Big Idea: Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua – Drama is influenced by whakapapa and is a way to respond to and share identity, culture, and perspectives.

Learning Intentions

By the end of this 120-minute lesson, students will:

• Explore and apply vocal techniques (pitch, pace, projection, pause, tone) to create a convincing performance.
• Develop expressive body movements that enhance storytelling.
• Work collaboratively to craft short scenes with a strong narrative structure.
• Reflect on their performance and provide constructive feedback to peers.

Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate success by:

• Using voice and movement effectively to portray emotions and character intentions.
• Collaborating actively with their group to create a compelling scene.
• Performing with confidence and conviction in front of an audience.
• Engaging in self and peer reflection to improve future performances.

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Lesson Plan (120 minutes)

1. Whakawhanaungatanga & Warm-up (15 mins)

Objective: Build comfort and trust within the group, activate students’ bodies and voices.

1. Energy Circle (5 mins) – Standing in a circle, students take turns passing an imaginary energy ball around, changing its weight, shape, speed, and temperature. Encourage exaggerated movements and vocal reactions.
2. Mirroring (5 mins) – In pairs, one student leads while the other mirrors their movements exactly, focusing on body awareness and exaggerated expression. Swap roles.
3. Vocal Ladder (5 mins) – Start with whispering, build to normal speech, then progress to a loud but controlled voice. Introduce pitch variation and emotional vocalisation (e.g., saying “Hello” in fear, excitement, sadness).

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2. Exploring Voice & Movement in Character (20 mins)

Objective: Experiment with different ways of using voice and movement to express character and emotion.

1. Emotion Walks (10 mins) – Students move around the space embodying different emotions (e.g., joy, fear, anger, sadness). Layer in vocal adjustments—how does a fearful character breathe? How does an angry character pace?
2. Power of the Pause (5 mins) – Students practise delivering a line (e.g., "I can’t believe you did that!") with different pauses and vocal emphasis. Discuss how meaning changes.
3. Extreme Characters (5 mins) – Have students choose a unique physical feature (e.g., a heavy limping walk, an exaggerated arm gesture) and a distinct voice (high-pitched, raspy, deep) to create a character.

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3. Group Devising: Creating a Convincing Scene (40 mins)

Objective: Apply voice and movement techniques to develop a short performance.

1. Scene Prompt Selection (5 mins) – Each group (3-4 students) selects from pre-written prompts such as:
   • A surprise discovery in an old abandoned building.
   • A tense family meeting with an important announcement.
   • A dramatic chase scene involving a stolen object.
2. Storyboarding & Experimentation (10 mins) – Groups plan their scene using short bullet points and experiment with movement and vocal techniques. Encourage dynamic staging and non-verbal storytelling.
3. Rehearsal & Refinement (15 mins) – Groups rehearse, focusing on projection, clarity, and expressive movements. Teacher moves around offering observations but minimal direct instruction to allow student-led exploration.
4. Tech Run (10 mins) – Quick ‘cue-to-cue’ run-throughs, ensuring transitions and pacing work smoothly.

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4. Performance & Feedback (30 mins)

Objective: Share work in a supportive space and reflect on the creative choices made.

1. Performances (15 mins) – Each group presents to the class. Encourage students to project and commit fully to their movement choices.
2. Peer Feedback (10 mins) – Using the “Glow & Grow” method:
   • Glow: One strength of the performance (e.g., “You used pauses effectively to build tension.”)
   • Grow: One area for improvement (e.g., “Try using more varied pitch to enhance the mood.”)
3. Self-Reflection (5 mins) – Students jot down one aspect they’re proud of and one thing they’d like to try differently next time.

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Wrap-up & Connection to Next Lesson (5 mins)

• Discuss what students found challenging or surprising about using voice and movement.
• Briefly preview the next lesson, which could focus on status shifts in performance or physical theatre techniques.

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Extensions & Differentiation

• Support: Pair students who need extra confidence with a stronger group member for support. Use scripts for those who need a starting point.
• Challenge: Ask skilled students to incorporate multi-role playing, using rapid shifts in body and voice to depict different characters.

Assessment Opportunities

Observational notes can be taken during warm-ups, rehearsal interactions, and final performance. Self and peer reflections provide insight into student progress and engagement.

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This lesson engages students in kinaesthetic learning, empowering them to express stories dynamically through movement and voice—key elements in the evolving NCEA Drama framework.