Bodies Tell Stories

Overview

These two 30-minute Drama lessons introduce Year 2 students to characterisation through movement. Students explore how posture, shape, speed, level and facial expression can communicate who a character is without using words. Lesson 2 builds on this by combining movement choices into a short silent character scene.

Lesson 1: Building a Character

Learning intentions

• WALT use our bodies to show a character.
• WALT change our shape, level, speed and facial expression.
• WALT notice how movement choices communicate ideas to an audience.

Success criteria

• I can make a clear character shape.
• I can move in a way that suits my character.
• I can use my face and body to show how my character feels.
• I can watch safely and describe a movement choice I noticed.

Curriculum links

• Drama: Developing practical knowledge by exploring movement, space, levels and expressive techniques.
• Drama: Developing ideas by creating and interpreting characters.
• Drama: Communicating and presenting by sharing dramatic work with an audience.
• Key competencies: managing self, participating and contributing, and relating to others.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and safety. Open with the character movement hook slide showing two contrasting silhouettes and ask, “What sort of person or creature could this be?” Establish walking space, freeze on “stop”, gentle movements, and respect for others’ personal space. Students suggest clues and practise freezing safely.

2. 4–9 min · Teacher modelling. Use the movement choices slides to demonstrate a tiny mouse, a proud king or queen, and a sleepy giant. Model changing posture, body shape, level, speed and facial expression while students identify what changed. Students copy each movement choice, then return to neutral.

3. 9–16 min · Guided exploration. Display the movement exploration instructions and call out character ideas such as a sneaky cat, excited explorer, grumpy troll or busy farmer. Students travel safely around the room, changing character when signalled, then freeze in a strong shape. Briefly ask, “What did your body do to show that character?”

4. 16–23 min · Partner guessing game. Pair students and distribute the character planning sheet. Each student chooses a character and draws or records three movement choices: shape, speed and level. One partner silently performs while the other guesses and names one clue. Swap roles, then refine the movement if the guess is unclear.

5. 23–28 min · Share and respond. Invite four or five pairs to perform. Use the audience response prompt: “I noticed…”, “I guessed…”, and “The clearest movement was…”. Students watch quietly and give kind, specific responses.

6. 28–30 min · Reflection. Students show a silent thumbs signal: up if movement clearly showed a character, sideways if they are still practising. Ask two students to explain which body choice helped most.

Resources

• the character movement deck
• the character planning sheet
• Open floor space
• Whiteboard and marker
• Optional character picture prompts

Assessment

• Observe whether students alter at least two physical features to communicate character.
• Listen for partner explanations using movement vocabulary such as shape, level, speed and face.
• Note students who need further modelling or a smaller, supported space.

Differentiation

• Support learners with visual character pictures, teacher modelling, sentence starters and the option to perform seated or in one place.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly worksheet design: large clear font, minimal text, icons, wide spacing, and drawing or oral recording instead of extended writing.
• EAL learners may choose from pictured character options and rehearse with a supportive partner.
• Challenge advanced learners to combine three contrasting choices and make their character change emotion without speaking.

Lesson 2: Silent Character Scenes

Learning intentions

• WALT use movement to show what a character wants and feels.
• WALT plan and perform a short silent scene.
• WALT work cooperatively and respond thoughtfully as an audience.

Success criteria

• I can keep my character’s movement choices consistent.
• I can show a beginning, change and ending without words.
• I can use space safely and respond to my group.
• I can explain how movement helped tell the story.

Curriculum links

• Drama: Developing practical knowledge through controlled movement, space, focus and stillness.
• Drama: Developing ideas by shaping a simple dramatic situation and character.
• Drama: Communicating and presenting by performing for others.
• Key competencies: thinking, managing self, and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Retrieval warm-up. Revisit the lesson 2 welcome and retrieval slides. Students move as one familiar character from Lesson 1, then freeze. Ask them to show a different level, speed and emotion while keeping the same character.

2. 5–10 min · Demonstration. Show the silent storytelling slides and model a wordless scene: a small bird wants food, a larger bird takes it, and they find a fair solution. Think aloud about beginning, change and ending. Students identify how posture, distance and focus communicated the story.

3. 10–14 min · Group planning. Place students in five groups of five and give each group a picture prompt or choose one: “lost in the forest”, “a surprise visitor”, “sharing a special object” or “animals preparing for rain”. Students use the silent scene planning sheet to draw three boxes for beginning, change and ending, and select one character movement for each performer.

4. 14–22 min · Rehearsal. Reopen the rehearsal steps. Groups rehearse silently, ensuring everyone has a clear role and the audience can see each action. Teacher circulates, prompting: “What does your character want?”, “How will we see the change?”, and “Can you make that movement bigger and slower?”

5. 22–28 min · Performances. Groups perform their silent scenes while the audience watches for character clues. After each performance, invite one audience member to say, “I knew the character was… because…” and one performer to name a movement choice.

6. 28–30 min · Plenary and self-assessment. Use the reflection slide. Students make a character shape showing how confident they feel, then share one way bodies can tell stories without words.

Resources

• the silent character scenes deck
• the silent scene planning sheet
• Character or situation picture prompts
• Open performance space
• Whiteboard and marker

Assessment

• During rehearsal, check that each student contributes a purposeful movement and maintains a safe performance space.
• Assess performances for a recognisable character, a clear change, and a beginning, middle and ending.
• Record students’ reflection responses to identify who can explain how movement communicates meaning.

Differentiation

• Offer groups a simple three-picture sequence, pre-teach “beginning, change, ending”, and allow students to use one repeated movement as their character signature.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly planning sheets with large boxes, icons, little text, drawing options and oral rehearsal before recording.
• EAL learners can demonstrate ideas physically, use picture prompts, and work with a peer model.
• Advanced learners can show a relationship between two characters, use contrasting levels and tempo, or create a clear emotion change while remaining silent.