Costume Design Focus

Context

Year 10 Drama, Lesson 19 of 30
Unit: Clowning Around: A Drama Journey
Duration: 50 minutes
Class size: 25 students

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

Design an original clown costume that reflects character and style.

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Success Criteria

• Use costume templates to develop a clown costume design.
• Include key costume elements that enhance clown characterisation (colour, texture, accessories).
• Present and explain your costume design choices clearly to the class.
• (Extension) Create a physical costume using recycled materials.

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Curriculum Links — New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (NZC)

Learning Area: The Arts — Drama
Level: 5 (Year 10)

Drama Strand:

• Developing ideas in drama — Generate and develop ideas to create drama that communicates to an audience (NZC Drama Level 5).
• Communicating and interpreting — Use voice, movement, and design elements (including costume) to realise role and purpose (NZC Drama Level 5).

Key competencies:

• Participating and contributing — Collaborate in dramatising ideas and designing elements.
• Thinking — Design costumes by making creative decisions and problem-solving (such as working with recycled materials).
• Using language, symbols, and texts — Use visual symbols and costume templates to communicate ideas visually and verbally.

Achievement Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate understanding of costume as integral to character and storytelling in drama.
• Students analyse and create expressive costume designs informed by drama techniques.

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Resources

• Costume templates (line drawings of a clown body outline)
• Visual examples of clown costumes (images/photos displayed or handouts) — supports dyslexia-friendly learning through visual scaffolding
• Art materials: coloured pencils, markers, fabric swatches, glue, scissors
• Recycled materials for extension activity (optional)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Recap previous lessons on clown characterisation and physical performance.
• Introduce today's focus: "Design a clown costume that enhances your clown’s character."
• Show visual examples of clown costumes to inspire and model styles (classic, modern, abstract). Use images projected or printed for easy viewing — supporting dyslexia-friendly learning through clear visuals and minimal text.
• Discuss key costume features: colour choices, oversized elements, textures, patterns, and props/accessories. Ask students quick questions to activate prior knowledge.

2. Guided Costume Design (20 minutes)

• Distribute costume templates to each student.
• Guide students through brainstorming and sketching their clown costume onto the templates.
• Prompt them to think:
  • What colours and shapes express your clown’s personality?
  • How do textures or accessories add to the comedic or dramatic effect?
• Provide differentiation:
  • Offer additional visual supports or colour-coded prompts on templates for students who need extra guidance.
  • Allow more experienced or confident students to design more detailed or elaborate costumes.
• Teacher circulates offering support, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging creativity.

3. Presentations (15 minutes)

• Students present their costume designs in pairs or small groups, explaining their choices and how the costume reflects the clown’s character.
• Encourage positive peer feedback based on success criteria.
• Select 3–4 students to share with the whole class to further build presenting confidence and communication skills.

4. Extension and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Offer an extension challenge: Create a physical clown costume piece or accessory from recycled or found materials at home or in-class time (ongoing beyond this lesson).
• Quick whole-class reflection on how costume design contributes to storytelling and clown performance.

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Differentiation

• Support: Use clearly labelled costume templates and step-by-step visual anchors. Provide one-on-one support as needed.
• Extension: Students who finish early can develop physical costume items using recycled materials, encouraging sustainability and hands-on creativity.
• Dyslexia-friendly: Visual examples replace or supplement textual instructions. Instructions delivered verbally and visually.

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative assessment through:

• Observation of design process — creativity and understanding of clown character costume requirements.
• Peer and teacher feedback during presentations emphasizing communication skills and design decisions.
• Optional extension assessments via photographed or presented physical costume pieces showing application of design ideas.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Adjust timing based on student engagement in creative process.
• Note students who need more scaffolded support or alternative activities.
• Collect student designs for review and to inform next lessons on character embodiment in performance.

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This lesson plan aligns with New Zealand Curriculum (The Arts: Drama Level 5) learning goals emphasizing creative design, communication, and collaboration, and integrates wellbeing considerations for diverse learners including those with dyslexia through visual scaffolding and multi-modal learning strategies.

By blending creative costume design with character development, this lesson deepens student understanding of drama as a multi-sensory storytelling medium, reinforced by clear success criteria and differentiated support to ensure engagement and success for all learners.

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If you would like, I can also provide handouts or templates as part of this plan!