The Housewarming Party

Overview

This drama lesson is designed for Year 6 students, in alignment with the UK National Curriculum. It focuses on developing speaking and listening skills (Programme of Study for English), collaborative group work (personal, social, and health education, PSHE), and performance (Drama and Arts). The "Housewarming Party" scenario encourages role-play, improvisation, and teamwork, allowing students to develop confidence and refine their creative expression.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Use role-play to develop an imaginative scenario and demonstrate empathy for their characters. (Spoken Language - NC for English KS2)
• Work collaboratively in mixed groups to create a short improvised scene. (PSHE, preparing to contribute to life in modern Britain)
• Understand body language, vocal projection, and active listening to engage an audience with a dynamic performance. (Arts, Theatre Skills)

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Resources & Setup

• A large open space: Arrange chairs and tables out of the way to create a clear performance/workshop area.
• Props/Table settings: Simple items like paper plates, fake food, hats, scarves, or any small “housewarming party decorations” to set the mood.
• Name cards/index cards: To assign specific characters where needed.
• Drama contract/rules poster: (E.g., Respect peers, speak one at a time, have fun!) to set expectations for behaviour.

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Lesson Breakdown

Duration: 45 Minutes

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes)

• Game: “Party Greetings”
  • Students walk around the space pretending to attend a party.
  • Teacher calls out a personality/emotion, and students greet each other accordingly (e.g., “You’re extremely nervous,” “You’re overly excited,” “You’re famous but don’t like crowds”).
  • This encourages students to step out of their comfort zones and use movement/facial expressions.

2. Scenario Introduction & Group Formation (5 minutes)

• Scenario: “You’re attending a fancy housewarming party at a new neighbour's home. However, things start to go hilariously wrong—unexpected mishaps, awkward moments, and different personalities clashing!”
• Divide the class into 10 groups of 7 or 8 students so that everyone gets a chance to take part.
• Give each group a character prompt card, such as:
  • The overly enthusiastic host
  • The grumpy neighbour
  • The clumsy child who keeps breaking things
  • The gossip who spreads silly rumours
  • The celebrity guest who doesn’t really want to be there
  • The person pretending to belong at the party but who wasn’t invited
• Encourage students to brainstorm how these characters can interact during the party.

3. Guided Practice - Freeze Frames (10 minutes)

Objective: Help students refine their understanding of dramatic situations.

• Groups create and rehearse 3 key freeze frames:
  1. The guests arriving and mingling.
  2. The moment the party starts going wrong (e.g., a spill, argument, or misunderstanding).
  3. A dramatic or funny conclusion to the chaos.
• Teacher circulates to offer support (e.g., helping students explore tone, how to exaggerate character traits, or resolving disagreements).

Quick Feedback: Pick 2–3 groups to showcase freeze frames; ask the class to predict what might lead into or come after these snapshots.

4. Improvised Performance (20 minutes)

Set-up:

• Groups expand their freeze frames into full scenes lasting 1–2 minutes. They don’t need a script—it’s about spontaneity and creative character interactions!

Performance Time:

• Each group performs their scene while others watch and act as the audience. Use prompts to guide students:
  • Start with, “It’s a sunny afternoon as the first guest arrives…”
  • Encourage groups to consider movement, volume, and how each character reacts as events unfold.

Audience Role:

• After each group’s performance, ask the watching students to identify:
  • The most memorable character and why.
  • One thing they enjoyed about the performance.
  • One way the performers made the scene entertaining (e.g., voice, facial expressions, teamwork).

5. Cool-Down & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Cool-down activity: "Character Shake-Off"
  • Students step out of their roles physically and mentally by shaking out their arms, legs, and whole body while saying goodbye to their characters.
• Reflection Circle:
  • Sit in a circle and discuss these prompts as a class or in smaller groups:
    • “What was the funniest or most unexpected moment during the session today?”
    • “What skills do you think you used to bring your character to life?”
    • “Why do we think exploring characters through drama helps us in real life?”

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Extensions & Differentiation

1. For More Advanced Students: Encourage them to include subtext in their improvisation—what is their character really thinking vs. what they’re saying aloud at the party?
2. For Students Needing Extra Support: Assign smaller roles or pair them with a buddy to share the same character. Provide extra prompts like, “How would your character react if they accidentally spilled a drink?”

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Assessment & Links to Curriculum

• Assessment: Informal observation—assess speaking and listening skills, participation, use of imagination, and collaboration during group work.
• Curriculum Links: This lesson aligns with the following:
  • Spoken English objectives (National Curriculum for KS2 English): Participate in discussions, consider and evaluate others’ viewpoints, and improvise in performance contexts.
  • Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education (PSHE): Develop teamwork, empathy, and conflict resolution.
  • Arts Education (Creative development in drama): Perform independently or as part of a group, using voice and movement creatively.

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Homework/Follow-Up

• Optional Homework: Write a party invitation as your character OR write a short diary entry about their experience at the housewarming party. Encourage students to stay in role and reflect the challenges/conflicts they encountered.

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This lesson is designed to be engaging, inclusive, and memorable while meeting specific educational goals. By connecting drama to real-world social situations, students can explore creativity, communication, and empathy in meaningful ways.