Year 9 Drama

Unit Content

Units 1 & 2

Willy Russell's Blood Brothers

At the beginning of Year 9, students explore Willy Russell's acclaimed play Blood Brothers. In the first half of the double unit, they familiarise themselves with the text through collaborative work focused on scenes that contain important character moments, themes and narrative devices. In the second half, students are given time and freedom to produce their own, abridged version of the play, learning to respond to an open brief in ways that prepare them for GCSE Drama, should they choose this option.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding text and subtext in key scenes in Blood Brothers
  • Understanding the key themes, characters and narrative devices of the play

Key skills developed:

  • How to perform with confidence, showing character through physical theatre
  • How to use a variety of appropriate dramatic skills and techniques 
  • How to produce a thought-provoking performance based on an original text

Assessment: Students benefit from immediate oral feedback from the teacher in lessons. They receive peer feedback and have the opportunity to assess themselves according to established criteria. Finally, students receive written feedback from the teacher following each group performance.

Unit 3

Responding to a Stimulus

This unit of work is designed to improve students' creativity in the ways they respond to a given stimulus. Students build their understanding of this essential foundation of the GCSE specification while learning to create imaginative and original performances. They are presented with a range of thought-provoking stimuli and produce an initial response performance for each of these. At the midpoint of the unit, students select one of these to turn into a final performance which is then developed and presented at the end of the unit.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing how to structure and devise a longer, more complex performance
  • Knowing how this unit links to the GCSE drama specification

Key skills developed:

  • How to respond to stimuli in a creative and original way
  • How to use a combination of drama skills to create a dynamic and sophisticated performance
  • How to collaborate in a creative way to produce an ensemble performance

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively throughout the unit by the teacher and through feedback from peers.

Unit 4

Physical Theatre 2

In this unit of work, students increase the range of dramatic skills at their disposal. They learn a variety of physical theatre skills including imitation and mime, mirroring, simple repeatable movements, frantic assembly techniques, multi-prop work and techniques from Steven Berkoff. Students also revisit different types of staging including the proscenium arch, theatre in the round, traverse, thrust and promenade. The unit concludes with the students presenting a physical theatre performance in the round.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the key vocabulary for describing physical theatre
  • Knowing the main types of dramatic staging

Key skills developed:

  • How to use a range of important physical theatre techniques
  • How to use physicality to communicate meaning to an audience
  • How to perform successfully 'in the round'

Assessment: Students benefit from immediate oral feedback from the teacher in lessons. They receive peer feedback and have the opportunity to assess themselves according to established criteria. Finally, students receive written feedback from the teacher following each group performance.

Units 5 & 6

Comedy

Students study features and aspects of comedic performance in this final KS3 unit, taking part in exercises designed to maximise their understanding of timing and concentration. They study the role of status in comedy, with reference to the 'master-servant' dynamic originating in the commedia dell'arte. Students also explore situation comedy, studying classic and modern sitcoms to understand their common tropes and the ways in which the genre has evolved. Finally, students are tasked with creating the pilot episode of a new sitcom. This involves determining the setting and casting, writing an opening scene, and then “pitching” the finished idea to the class.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the characteristics of situation comedy
  • Knowing the impact of timing, concentration and status in the context of a successful comedic moment 

Key skills developed:

  • How to use a range of important comic techniques
  • How to apply the characteristics of a defined genre within devised work
  • How to write a short scene in a specific style
  • How to present an original idea to an audience

Assessment: Students benefit from immediate oral feedback from the teacher in lessons. They receive peer feedback and have the opportunity to assess themselves according to established criteria. Finally, students receive written feedback from the teacher following each group performance.