Topic: Australian History-Drama

Context:
Who: Grade 4
When: Any time of the year in Dance but it will develop over 3 classes.
Where: Classroom
What: History and Drama
Why: To explore the First Fleet and who migrated to Australia.
Theme:
Students will explore History and the people that migrated to Australia.
Each performance will go for 2-3 minutes.
They need to think about their voices and how they will portray their character.
They need to think about the clothing they will wear for costumes to capture the era and origin of their person.
They will need to think about how their body will move to best portray their person.
Learning outcomes
Cognitive (Intellectual/artistic): Connect with their character and get into character
Psychomotor (Thinking/Physical): Show movements that portray their character and how they wouldve moved.
Affective (Emotional/Social/Cultural): Connect with the First Fleet and how the people may have felt on the boat.
Assessment
There will be peer assessment and self-assessment to determine how well the group connected with the character
and emotion of the time. They will also be assessed on their body movements and how they portray the origin of the
person/group and their ages.
This lesson fits into Level 4 History: Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for the
journey, who travelled to Australia, and their experiences following arrival.
(ACHHK079)

WHAT - content
Warm up Kinesthetic tune-up
Students have been researching the Frist Fleet for most
of the term and exploring the key concepts. Each
students has already done a presentation on an individual
that migrated to Australia. This is an assessment piece.
Introduction of the concept/theme
Revisit previous concepts visited and brainstorm.
Students plot out their character that they did a
presentation on previously. Teacher role models a
character of choice and gives a brief background of
person.
Exploring and developing ideas (creating & making)
Students break off and begin to develop their story of
their character. Teacher circulates to offer prompts if
needed. They can be mind mapping or role playing.
Practicing their voice, physical (technique) and social
skills
Students then pair up and share their ideas with a
classmate. Classmate provides feedback to peer with two
stars and a wish.
Students then break off again and reflect on their
feedback and decided whether they want to incorporate

HOW strategies and approaches

15mins
They will be sitting on the mat with teacher.
Group discussion
All students are sitting comfortably and
supporting their backs.
Teacher will be providing prompts by changing
voices and encouraging students to answer
with different accents.

45minutes (both activities)

They will be sitting in their own space to allow
them some space to think and reflect. When
joined by a partner, they will be sitting so they
can hear each other and not be distracted by
others.
Teacher will be roving around the pace
ensuring students are on task and answering
any questions that come up.
Positive reinforcement with students are doing
the right thing and engaging in activity. Sit and

the ideas into their performance. Practice

discuss with students that are struggling to

engage.
Using quiet voices so others can concentrate.
Each group need own personal space.
Sitting on the ground or a chair to ensure no
accidents.
As teacher circulates, provide prompting
questions if students are missing a concept of
their performance. i.e. voice, space awareness,
movements, age etc.

Development - Exploration
After they have reflected on their feedback, students
need to start thinking about costumes and props their
want to use. They also need to think about the
information they want to include about their character.
They can use their previous presentation to draw the
information from.

Culminating Dance/Play - Presentation

Introduction (beginning) Based on the years that their
character came to Australia, will be the order they go in. It
will be like a timeline.

1 hour (whole class)

We will have an audience and stage area for
the performances.
Teacher will be in the audience
We have previously worked out the schedule
of performances. Works in a time line based on
their years of migration.
Encourage them to project their voice to
ensure everyone can hear them.
When in audience, they need to listen.
Ensure all hazards have been removed from
stage area.
Bare feet when performing to illuminate
tripping.

Development (middle) Each student will perform and

show their character.
Resolution (ending) Each student gets peer assessed
by a classmate and receives this feedback at the end of
class.

Discussion Memory integration

How do you feel you went?
What do you think you can improve on?
What did you like best about your character?
How do you think you portrayed the emotions?
How do you think you used the space? Why?

Both discussion and closure will last 25

minutes each.
Students will be at their tables or mat,
whichever is comfortable.
Teacher will be front of class.
Talk during reflection to their partner but listen
when teacher is giving instructions.
All students need to be sitting safely on a chair
with 4 legs on the ground.
Looking for movement terminology from
students in their responses. If missing it,
teacher asks prompting questions to
encourage them to use it.
Teacher provides a list of what they all did well
to class and students contribute what they
think too.

Closure
Conduct a reflection on the whole assessment piece.
They can write out what they enjoyed, what they did not,
what they did well and what needed improvement.
They can include any other information that they wish.
Lecturer in Primary Arts Education (Dance/Drama): Jacqui Dreessens

jacqui.dreessens@deakin.edu.au
Tel: (03) 5227 2231 ext: 72231