Characters Exploration

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for 30 Year 7 students and focuses on exploring the characters of A Midsummer Night's Dream through interactive drama techniques. It closely aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s Key Stage 3 English programme of study, emphasising reading comprehension, speaking and listening, and group collaboration skills.

---

National Curriculum Links

• Reading: Understand and explore a range of narrative texts, identifying key themes and characters (PoS reference: English KS3, Reading, Section 1.2.a, 2014 programme).
• Writing and Spoken Language: Develop spoken language skills through performances and presentations (Spoken Language KS3, Section 1.4.c).
• Drama & Performance (Cross-curricular with KS3 Drama): Use voice, movement, and role to develop characterisation (Drama PoS, 2014).
• Group Work & Collaboration: Work effectively with others to create a shared theatrical performance (PSHE and citizenship, teamwork focus).

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand key traits, motivations, and relationships of the main characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus, Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Oberon, Titania, Puck).
• Collaborate in groups to physically and verbally represent chosen characters using drama techniques.
• Reflect on how performance choices shape meaning and audience understanding.
• Demonstrate confidence and clarity in spoken language through presentations.

---

Success Criteria

Students will:

• Accurately describe personality traits and relationships of their selected character.
• Use body language, facial expressions, and voice effectively to portray their character.
• Work cooperatively in groups to create a believable scene or tableau.
• Speak clearly and audibly during presentation.
• Show engagement and respect for peer performances.

---

Preparation & Resources

• Copies of dyslexia-friendly character description sheets (short paragraphs, clear fonts, bullet points).
• Character role cards with keywords, images, and simple quotes.
• Open space for drama work with movable desks.
• Whiteboard or flipchart for discussion notes.
• Timer/ stopwatch.

---

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes) – Character Introduction & Brainstorm

• Read aloud a dyslexia-friendly summary of A Midsummer Night’s Dream characters (pre-prepared sheet).
• Quick whole-class brainstorm: What do students already know about each character? Write keywords on the board.
• Teacher models a brief ‘hot-seating’ example with a strong character voice.

2. Main Activity Part 1 (15 minutes) – Group Character Research

• Divide the class into 6 groups of 5 students, assigning each group one character.
• Each group uses a character role card and dyslexia-friendly description sheet to identify:
  • Traits and personality
  • Relationships with other characters
  • Key motivations
• Groups list these on large paper or whiteboards.

3. Main Activity Part 2 (20 minutes) – Character Roleplay & Tableau

• Groups create a frozen tableau representing a key moment or trait of their character.
• Practice short dramatic speeches or monologues to express character traits.
• Encourage use of voice modulation, posture, and facial expression.
• Teacher supports and prompts to develop ideas.

4. Plenary & Reflection (10 minutes) – Perform and Feedback

• Groups perform their tableau and deliver speeches to the class.
• Peers provide positive, specific verbal feedback based on success criteria (guided by teacher prompts).
• Teacher leads reflective discussion: How do these performances help us understand the characters better?

5. Wrap-up (5 minutes)

• Quick written or verbal exit ticket: One new thing learned about a character and one performance skill they used or want to improve.

---

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Type	Strategies
Dyslexic learners	Dyslexia-friendly sheets, chunked reading, coloured overlays available, verbal instructions.
EAL learners	Visual aids on character cards, paired with bilingual peers, simple sentence stems.
Less confident performers	Start with group work and tableau (non-verbal), encourage low-stakes participation before speeches.
Advanced/High achieving learners	Extension: Write a short character diary entry or inner monologue to perform or share.
Students with SEN	Clear role assignment in groups, use of gestures/signposting, sensory breaks if needed.

---

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Create an additional short scene where characters debate or reveal feelings not in the text.
• Compare and contrast two characters’ motivations and present a persuasive argument defending their behaviour.
• Prepare an alternative modern-day adaptation of their character and perform it.

---

Assessment for Learning

• Formative assessment through teacher observation during group activities focusing on engagement, collaboration, and understanding.
• Peer assessment via verbal feedback in plenary focusing on performance and character insight.
• Exit ticket written/verbal feedback checks individual understanding.

---

Teacher Notes

• Encourage creativity—students can use modern language or incorporate movement/dance for characterisation within drama activities.
• Use warm-ups to energise students physically and vocally before role-playing.
• Highlight cross-curricular links: how literature informs performance, and how drama deepens literary understanding.
• Scaffold language for less confident students by modelling expressions and sentence starters.

---

This lesson plan promotes active engagement with Shakespeare’s characters, linking reading comprehension to expressive and collaborative drama activities, perfectly tailored to England’s KS3 National Curriculum and the teacher’s drama-focused ethos.