Face, the play

Benjamin Zephaniah and Richard

Conlon
Introduction
This Heinemann Play is supported by a scheme of work to help students engage with the
play and assist in your planning for close study. The resources include a medium-term
overview and 12 short-term lesson plans with accompanying student and teacher resource
sheets for photocopying or projection.

The lessons are self-contained and draw on Speaking and Listening, Writing, Reading and
Drama activities. They can be used to supplement your own teaching plans, or to provide
extra support for specific teaching points. Each lesson is mapped against Assessment Foci.

This file contains:

Synopsis ............................................................................... 2
Medium-term study plan................................................... 3
Resource sheets (Student Sheets/OHTs) ........................ 5
Short-term lesson plans ..................................................... 15

Activities by Mike Royston

The following pages can be downloaded and printed out as required.
This material may be freely copied for institutional use. However, this material is
copyright and under no circumstances can copies be offered for sale.
The publishers gratefully acknowledge permission to reproduce copyright material.

01865 888058
 Face, the play

Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Martin is a carefree, happy-go-lucky Londoner. He has a stable family,
a group of close mates (‘the gang of three’) and an attractive girlfriend. He is a talented
gymnast. As the school holidays approach, life seems to be as good as it gets.
One bad decision changes Martin’s life for ever. After a fun evening at the Bassment club,
he accepts a lift home from two joyriders in a stolen car. The driver is a heroin addict.
He crashes the car, kills himself and his friend, and leaves Martin critically ill in hospital
with severe facial burns.
Skin grafts and counselling allow Martin to return to school and attempt to pick up his
life. But despite the help of his family and his doctors, Martin has some hard lessons to
learn about ‘facial prejudice’. His girlfriend, who has secured a modelling contract, backs
off. His mates find it hard to see beyond his scarred face. He has to endure name-calling
in the street.
At his lowest point, Martin draws strength from his friendship with Anthony, a teenager
who has been facially disfigured since birth and who is still having corrective surgery.
Anthony helps Martin cope by his irrepressible good humour and by refusing to take
himself at at other people’s valuation: ‘The problem is with them, not with you. You have
to hang in there.’
The other key figure in Martin’s life now is his gym teacher. He asks Martin to captain
the school gym team, not to make him feel good but because he sees that Martin’s
gymnastic skills and leadership qualities are unaffected by the crash. The whole team
agrees.
At the gym competition that ends the play, Martin performs like a champion. But his
freestyle routine is too free and original for the judges; they disqualify him.
It is another lesson in not feeling sorry for himself. With the support of new friends like
Anthony, Vikki and Marcia (who are competing for the vacant position of girlfriend),
Martin is finally able to say, ‘It’s not the winning that matters, or even the taking part. For
me, it’s just being there’ – and mean it.

Teacher’s
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Notes
Teacher’s
Medium-term study plan for Face, the play by Benjamin Zephaniah and Richard Conlon
Coverage Objectives and lesson outcomes Assessment foci

Week of study: 1
Act 1 To identify the chronology of scenes in Act 1 R1, R3
To relate the playwrights’ dramatic technique to their intentions W2, W3
To create a flow diagram to explain dramatic structure

Act 2 To use inferential and evaluative reading strategies R1, R2

To develop textual understanding through argument and debate W2, W3
To present information and personal response in diagrammatic form

Act 1: To infer and deduce points about character from the text R2, R4
Specified scenes To support character points with quotation W3, W4
To write a character analysis using the PEE method

Lesson 3 Lesson 2 Lesson 1

Week of study: 2
Act 1: To consider the staging of scenes from the play R5, R6
Specified scenes To collaborate to perform scripted drama W1, W2
To write production notes for a scene from the play

Acts 1 and 2: To select textual material relevant to the task R1, R2

Specified scenes To trace a relationship between characters over time W5, W7
To write a personal letter in role

Act 1 To write an additional scene from the play R2, R6

To bring out character through dialogue W5, W7
To act out an invented scene

Lesson 6 Lesson 5 Lesson 4

Face, the play

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Notes
Teacher’s
Medium-term study plan for Face, the play by Benjamin Zephaniah and Richard Conlon
Coverage Objectives and lesson outcomes Assessment foci

Week of study: 3
Act 2: To compare the language of a range of characters R4, R5
Scenes 1 to 3 To relate characters’ language use to their attitudes W1, W2
To argue a point of view in group and class discussion

Whole play To examine the presentation of a principal character R4, R5

To make diagrammatic notes for later use W2, W7
To write recreatively in diary form

Whole play To work collaboratively to present unscripted drama R1, R2

To explore through role-play issues raised by the text
To evaluate the purpose and effectiveness of work in role

Lesson 9 Lesson 8 Lesson 7

Week of study: 4
Act 2: To analyse the style and structure of journalistic writing R4, R5
Scene 8 To select textual material relevant to the task W4, W7
To write a local newspaper report

Whole play To explore the play from a theatrical perspective R5, R6

To work collaboratively on a group project W1, W6
To write in a range of formats to describe, inform and explain

Epilogue and To relate the epilogue to the play’s main events and themes R6, R7
whole play To make detailed notes for later use in writing W3, W6
To write a formal essay about the play’s themes

Lesson 12 Lesson 11 Lesson 10

Face, the play

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 Face, the play

1 Frame for a flow diagram

Name: Date:

Past events Present events

Martin in school looking Martin in hospital just after the
forward to the holidays crash – his parents arguing about
who is to blame

Martin in the street looking for Martin in hospital about to come
Natalie and planning his evening round after the crash

Student
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 Face, the play

2 Mood graph of Martin’s highs

and lows
Name: Date:

High

Low
Events in Act Two


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 Face, the play

3 Past Martin’s character

Name: Date:

Character point Evidence in the form of quotation

Very sure of himself ‘I learned a lot in those sex lessons!
I’ll use that this holiday’

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 Face, the play

4 Production features to include

in your performance
Name: Date:

The positioning and movement on stage of the Street Voices

How the Street Voices should sound

How the Street Voices should interact with each other and with named characters

Student
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 Face, the play

5 Martin’s relationship with

Natalie
Name: Date:

Impressions of Natalie Martin’s feelings for Natalie’s feelings for

Natalie Martin

Student
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6 Telling Martin to his face

Name: Date:

Character Do they help or hinder Martin? How?

(1 = ‘help him a lot’, 5 = ‘hinder him a lot’)
Form Tutor

Natalie

Head Teacher

Vikki

Simon

Margaret

Reverend Sam

10

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7 Anthony’s influence on
Martin’s life
Name: Date:

Act One Scene 12

Anthony’s attitude towards his own
disfigurement:

Act Two Scene 8

Anthony’s support for Martin
at the gym competition:

Act Two Scene 6

Anthony’s advice to Martin about
Natalie:

11

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 Face, the play

8 Tasks for the group project

Name: Date:

An advertising poster

A 75-word synopsis of the play in leaflet form

A theatre programme including:

– a cast list: choose actors from your class or year

– a synopsis of scenes: show the order they come in and where they
take place

– an interview with Benjamin Zephaniah about both the play and the
novel on which it is based: find information on the Internet

– a note from the producer about the reasons for choosing the play
and the style of the production

– interviews with some of the actors about rehearsals and what they
think of the characters they play.

12

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 Face, the play

9 Poem in the Epilogue

Name: Date:

NARRATIVE MARTIN You have to look beyond the face

To see the person true,
Deep down within my inner space
I am the same as you;
I’ve counted since that fire burnt
The many lessons I have learnt.
Past Martin joins him.
PAST MARTIN You have to talk to me and not
The skin that holds me in,
I took the wisdom that I got
To make sure that I win:
I’ve counted weaker folk than me
Who look but truly cannot see.
Present Martin joins them.
PRESENT MARTIN I’ve seen compassion from the blind
Who think with open eyes,
It’s those that judge me quick you’ll find
Are those that are unwise:
Why judge the face that I have on,
Just value my opinion.
NARRATIVE MARTIN Friends will come and friends will go.
Now I need friends that feel,
PAST MARTIN My friends have changed so much and now
I make sure they are real:
NARRATIVE MARTIN I took the ride and paid the price,
I can’t afford to do that twice.
PAST MARTIN I came to here from ignorance,
I cannot call it bliss.
PRESENT MARTIN And now I know the importance
Of loving me like this:

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 Face, the play

9 Poem in the Epilogue (continued)

Name: Date:

NARRATIVE MARTIN To leave behind that backward state

Of judging looks is very great.
PRESENT MARTIN I’m beautiful, I’m beautiful.
NARRATIVE MARTIN This minor fact I know,
PAST MARTIN I tell you it’s incredible –
Near death has made me grow:
Look at me,
NARRATIVE MARTIN Smile,
PRESENT MARTIN You are now seeing
ALL MARTINS A great thing called a human being.
END

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Face, the play Lesson 1 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 1

Lesson aims: 1 To identify the chronology of the scenes in Act 1

2 To relate the playwrights’ dramatic technique to their intentions
3 To create a flow diagram to explain dramatic structure

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 1

knowledge: Understanding of chronology and flashback

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L4, S&L5, R4, R7, Wr2, Wr11 R1, R3
Year 8: S&L5, S&L10, R1, R5, Wr10, Wr12 W2, W3
Year 9: S&l2, S&l5, R2, R3, Wr9, Wr10

Starter: (15 minutes) In class discussion, establish that Act 1 has a complex
chronology. Ask students to identify which scenes, or parts of scenes,
take place before and after the crash. Make two lists on the board: ‘Past
events’ and ‘Present events’. Speculate about the playwrights’ purposes,
bearing in mind that the play is an adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah’s
novel, which has a straightforward linear structure.

Introduction: (20 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to create a flow
diagram showing the time sequence of past events and present events
in Act 1 and explaining how they interconnect. Distribute Student Sheet
1, a planning frame for the flow diagram with two entries already made
in each column. As a class, add two or three more until students are
confident about what is required.

Development: (15 minutes) Divide the class into groups. They discuss and fill in the
rest of the planning frame. Support groups who work more slowly and
who have difficulty distinguishing past from present events. The aim is
for everyone to reach the end of Act 1 during this stage.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Review with the class their completed frames; then set
the task below. Lead class discussion about how to present the flow
diagrams informatively and attractively. Encourage students to use
colour and to work on a computer.

Homework/ Students create a flow diagram to summarise and explain the dramatic
Follow-on: structure of Act 1.

Resources required: Student Sheet 1

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 2 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 2

Lesson aims: 1 To use inferential and evaluative reading strategies

2 To develop textual understanding through argument and debate
3 To present information and personal response in diagrammatic form

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 2

knowledge: Understanding the purposes of a mood graph

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L5, S&L7, R2, R6, Wr2, Wr16 R1, R2
Year 8: S&L10, S&L11, R3, R4, Wr3, Wr11 W2, W3
Year 9: S&L5, S&L9, R2, R3, Wr4, Wr9

Starter: (15 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to trace the ups and
downs of Martin’s attempt to live a normal life in Act 2 and create
a graph to explain these. Lead brief class discussion about Martin’s
‘highs’ and ‘lows’ during Act 2. What is his highest point, and why?
What is his lowest point, and why? Encourage students to argue for
their view.

Introduction/ (35 minutes) Divide the class into groups. Distribute Student Sheet 2,
Development: the outline of a mood graph to record Martin’s highs and lows.
Illustrate how to plot the graph, using a key. There are various ways of
doing this: allow groups to choose one they find easily workable.
Groups decide on 6–10 events for the graph and discuss where they fit
on the scale of high to low. Support them in (i) explaining their reasons
and (ii) writing concise explanations in the key.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Set the task below. Lead class discussion about the best
way to present the mood graph so that it is both informative and
explanatory. Students could use a computer if their ICT skills are
sufficiently developed.

Homework/ Students produce a best version of their mood graph.

Follow-on:

Resources required: Student Sheet 2

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 3 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 1

Lesson aims: 1 To infer and deduce points about character from the text
2 To support character points with quotation
3 To write a character analysis using the PEE method

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 1

knowledge: Experience of using the PEE method of analysis

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L1, S&L13, R8, R12, Wr18, Wr19 R2, R4
Year 8: S&L5, S&L10, R5, R10, Wr16, Wr17 W3, W4
Year 9: S&L2, S&L9, R5, R6, Wr16, Wr17

Starter: (10 minutes) In class discussion, introduce or revise the PEE method
of character analysis. Model an example about Past Martin from Act 1
Scene 1 using Student Sheet 3 displayed as an OHT. Emphasise that the
Explanation stage should develop the Point through further comment,
not merely re-state it.
Announce the purpose of this lesson: to build up material to write a
three-paragraph character analysis of Past Martin.

Introduction/ As a class, read aloud four short extracts: (i) Act 1 Scene 1, pages 8 to 9
Development: (ii) Act 1 Scene 2, pages 12 to 14 (iii) Act 1 Scene 4, pages 16 to 20 (iv)
Act 1 Scene 8, pages 25 to 29. Give students individual copies of the
chart for noting points about Past Martin’s character (Student sheet 3).
Fill in points about extracts (i) and (ii) with the class.
Divide the class into groups. They fill in points about (iii) and (iv).
Support groups who have difficulty in finding material for the
Explanation/Exploration stage.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Take feedback from the group work. Ensure that all
students have three clear and different points about Past Martin to
develop into a formal analysis; then set the task below.

Homework/ Students analyse Past Martin’s character using the PEE method, using
Follow-on: Student Sheet 3 as a writing frame.

Resources required: Student Sheet 3 (also used as an OHT)

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 4 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 1

Lesson aims: 1 To consider the staging of scenes from the play

2 To collaborate to perform scripted drama
3 To write production notes for a scene from the play

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 1

knowledge: Understanding of the role of a producer

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L16, S&L19, R12, R18, Wr18, Wr19 R5, R6
Year 8: S&L15, S&L16, R10, R16, Wr18, Wr19 W1, W2
Year 9: S&L12, S&L14, R11, R12, Wr16, Wr17

Starter: (15 minutes) Introduce the convention of using narrators in scripted

drama. Ask students for examples they have seen. Consider the various
functions of narrators. Then read the playwright’s comments on the
Street Voices in this play (see ‘Notes on the principal characters’,
page 98).

Introduction: (15 minutes) As a class, read aloud three extracts that make use of the
Street Voices: (i) Act 1 Scene 4, pages 16 to 20 (ii) Act 1 Scene 6, pages 22
to 24 (iii) Act 1 Scene 12, pages 37 to 42.

Development: (20 minutes) Divide the class into groups. Each group chooses one
of the extracts above to rehearse and perform, books in hands.
In preparation, display Student Sheet 4 as an OHT, a short list
of production features that groups should incorporate into their
performances. Allow 10 minutes’ rehearsal time and 5 minutes to
perform.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Evaluate the performances. Ask students to consider the
effectiveness of: (i) the Street Voices as a dramatic device (ii) their own
performance. Then set the task below.

Homework/ Students write production notes for an amateur theatre group on the
Follow-on: scene they presented using Student Sheet 4. They should include advice
about: (i) positioning and movement on stage, (ii) use of single and
multiple voices and (iii) costume.

Resources required: Student Sheet 4 (also used as an OHT)

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 5 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Specified scenes from Acts 1 and 2

Lesson aims: 1 To select textual material relevant to the task

2 To trace a relationship between characters over time
3 To write a personal letter in role

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play

knowledge: Experience of writing empathetically

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L1, S&L12, R4, R12, W1, W6 R1, R2
Year 8: S&L5, S&L10, R3, R10, Wr6, Wr7 W5, W7
Year 9: S&L5, S&L9, R3, R6, Wr2, Wr6

Starter: (15 minutes) Lead class discussion about Martin’s friendship with
Natalie in the whole play. How does their relationship develop before
the crash? Does Natalie ‘back off’ only because of Martin’s accident?
Why does she go to the gym competition?
Then announce the purpose of the lesson: to trace Martin’s relationship
with Natalie up to page 66, then write a letter from one to the other
shortly after the crash.

Introduction: (15 minutes) Distribute Student sheet 5, the outline of a chart for noting
how the relationship develops and changes. In pairs, students read (i)
Act 1 Scene 2, pages 12 to 14 (ii) Act 1 Scene 6, pages 22 to 24. They then
make two or three entries on their charts.

Development: (15 minutes) Take brief feedback from the pair work, then join the pairs
up into groups. They read (i) Act 1 Scene 8, pages 25 to 29, (ii) Act 1
Scene 12, pages 37 to 42, then make further entries on their charts.
Support groups in making a range of points rather than repeating
points already made.

Plenary: (15 minutes) As a class, read aloud Act 2 Scene 2, pages 63 to 66

(Martin’s phone call to Natalie). Then set the task below. Discuss a
suitable style for this personal letter, based on the way Present Martin
and Natalie speak in the play.

Homework/ Students imagine they are either Martin or Natalie after their phone
Follow-on: call. They write the other a letter expressing their feelings about: (i) their
relationship in the past, (ii) whether they should continue as boyfriend
and girlfriend.

Resources required: Student Sheet 5

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 6 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 1

Lesson aims: 1 To write an additional scene for the play

2 To bring out character through dialogue
3 To act out an invented scene

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 1

knowledge: Experience of scripting drama

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L16, S&L17, R12, R14, Wr6, Wr7 R2, R6
Year 8: S&L14, S&L16, R7, R8, Wr6, Wr7 W5, W7
Year 9: S&L12, S&L14, R11, R12, Wr5, Wr6

Starter: (15 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to project into
the characters of Mum and Dad and write an additional passage of
dialogue between them just before Martin comes home from hospital.
With the class, read aloud: (i) Act 1 Scene 1, pages 8 to 12, (ii) Act 1
Scene 11, pages 34 to 36, (iii) Act 1 Scene 13, pages 42 to 43.

Introduction: (10 minutes) Question students about Mum and Dad’s feelings in these
extracts. How does each of them feel about the crash? What are they
most concerned about? How do they react to other characters?
Then create pairs. Ask them to imagine Mum and Dad at home: (i)
making preparations for Martin’s return from hospital and (ii) talking
about his future and how they will need to help him.

Development: (25 minutes) In pairs, students write a passage of dialogue that could
be added to the play at the very beginning of Act 2. Support them in:
(i) establishing realistic voices for Mum and Dad, (ii) creating a credible
dramatic situation.

Plenary: Join the pairs into groups of four. Each pair reads its scene to the other,
then makes brief evaluative comments.

Resources required: None.

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 7 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 2, Scenes 1 to 3

Lesson aims: 1 To compare the language of a range of characters

2 To relate characters’ language to their attitudes
3 To argue a point of view in group and class discussion

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of Act 2

knowledge: Experience of relating language use to viewpoint

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L1, S&L5, R14, R16, Wr2, Wr11 R4, R5
Year 8: S&L10, S&L11, R3, R4, Wr1, Wr3 W1, W2
Year 9: S&L2, S&L9, R1, R6, Wr2, Wr4

Starter: (15 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to examine different
characters’ reactions to Martin’s disfigurement and decide how they
help or hinder his attempt to lead a normal life.
Distribute copies of Student Sheet 6, the outline of a chart for noting
the way seven characters respond to Martin in Act 1 Scenes 1 to 3. Lead
class discussion about the Form Tutor and Natalie in Scene 1. Students
make the first two entries on their charts.

Introduction: (20 minutes) Divide the class into groups. They read Act 2 Scene 2
and make further entries about the Head Teacher, Vikki, Simon and
Margaret. Support individual students in arguing for their view.

Development: (10 minutes) Groups read Act 2 Scene 3 and make a further entry about
Reverend Sam.

Plenary: (15 minutes) Review the completed charts. Lead class discussion to
decide on a rank order of ‘helpful/unhelpful to Martin’. Focus on the
way the seven characters speak to him and how he reacts to each of
them. Encourage students to express different points of view and justify
them with reference to the text.

Resources required: Student Sheet 6

Personal teaching notes:

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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 8 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Whole play

Lesson aims: 1 To examine the presentation of a principal character

2 To make diagrammatic notes for later use
3 To write creatively in diary form

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the whole play

knowledge: Experience of recreative writing

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L1, S&L12, R12, R14, Wr6, Wr7 R4, R5
Year 8: S&L10, S&L11, R3, R5, Wr6, Wr7 W2, W7
Year 9: S&L2, S&L7, R1, R3, Wr6, Wr7

Starter: (15 minutes) Question the class about how and why Anthony is
important to Martin as a friend and a role model. What is his attitude
towards his own disfigurement? What advice does he give Martin about
how to deal with facial prejudice? How does he help Martin come to
terms with Natalie’s rejection? Bullet point students’ responses on the
board.

Introduction: (20 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to build up material
for three entries in Martin’s diary describing (i) his meetings with
Anthony and (ii) Anthony’s influence on him.
Divide the class into groups. Distribute Student Sheet 7, a circle
diagram for noting down key points about Anthony’s character and
influence. Support groups in making entries about Act 1 Scene 12.
Ensure that they have a clear understanding of Anthony’s positive
attitude to his own appearance.

Development: (15 minutes) Groups make entries on their diagrams about Act 2 Scene
6 and Act 2 Scene 8. They should note how, by the end of the play,
Martin has learned a great deal from Anthony about how to cope with
prejudice and disappointment.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Set the task below. Then look at one or two examples of
Narrative Martin’s speech style in Act 2. Refer to the Adaptor’s Notes
on page 6: ‘Narrative Martin has the ability to voice inner feelings …
talk directly and comfortably’. This is the voice students should try to
use in their writing.

Homework/ Students write three entries in Martin’s diary that centre on Anthony
Follow-on: and his influence.

Resources required: Student Sheet 7

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 9 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Whole play

Lesson aims: 1 To work collaboratively to present unscripted drama

2 To explore through role play issues raised by the text
3 To evaluate the purpose and effectiveness of work in role

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the whole play

knowledge: Experience of working in role

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L15, S&L17, R2, R5 R1, R2
Year 8: S&L15, S&L16, R3, R6
Year 9: S&L12, S&L14, R2, R3

Starter: (15 minutes) Tell students they will conduct a group role-play of the
inquest into Graham Fisher’s death reported on pages 71 to 73. Lead
brief class discussion about the nature and purpose of an inquest,
emphasising that it is a formal occasion in which formal language
is used. Then question students about the details of the crash: Why
did it occur? What happened to Graham Fisher, Peter Mosely and
Mark Thorpe? Why did the coroner record a verdict of ‘death by
misadventure’?

Introduction: (20 minutes) Divide the class into groups. They should (i) allocate parts:
Murray Cole, the coroner; the police officer driving the patrol car; the
police officer who interviews Martin in Act 1 Scene 13; Mark Thorpe;
Natalie (optional) and (ii) prepare the questions to be asked by the
coroner and the answers the witnesses will give.

Development: (15 minutes) Groups rehearse, then role-play the inquest. Support them
in creating a formal context and using language appropriately.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Evaluate the role-plays. Did they increase the students’
understanding of the play’s central event? Did they deepen the
students’ response to character? What advice would students give to
other groups doing this activity in the future?

Resources required: None.

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 10 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Act 2, Scene 8

Lesson aims: 1 To analyse the style and structure of journalistic writing

2 To select textual material relevant to the task
3 To write a local newspaper report

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the whole play

knowledge: Experience of writing a newspaper report

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L1, S&L12, R13, R14, Wr10, Wr11 R4, R5
Year 8: S&L5, S&L10, R6, R10, Wr7, Wr10 W4, W7
Year 9: S&L6, S&L7, R11, R12, Wr1, Wr12

Starter: (20 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to write a newspaper
report for The Newham Chronicle about the gym competition at the end
of the play.
Distribute copies of a sports report from your local newspaper.
Annotate it with the class to show the use it makes of the following
features: an arresting headline, a factually informative first paragraph,
heightened language, interviews, presentational devices.

Introduction/ (25 minutes) Divide the class into groups. They list: (i) the main events
Development: at the gym competition that will feature in their reports, (ii) the ‘angle’
they will take as reporters, e.g. Eastmorelands’ disqualification, Martin’s
solo performance, Martin’s disfigurement, and (iii) the three people
they will interview.
Students then work individually to draft the headline, the first
paragraph and the interviews. Support them in using the stylistic
conventions of journalism.

Plenary: (15 minutes) Set the task below. Then use several of the drafts to
illustrate effective use of a newspaper format and journalistic language.

Homework/ Students produce a final version of their newspaper report. They should
Follow-on: make full use of presentational devices and, if possible, work on a
computer.

Resources required: Copies of a sports report from the local newspaper.

Personal teaching notes:

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 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 11 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: Whole play

Lesson aims: 1 To explore the play from a theatrical perspective

2 To work collaboratively on a group project
3 To write in a range of formats to describe, inform and explain

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the whole play

knowledge: Experience of drama productions

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L11, S&L13, R3, R13, Wr10, Wr11 R5, R6
Year 8: S&L10, S&L12, R8, R10, Wr7, Wr10 W1, W6
Year 9: S&L9, S&L10, R7, R8, Wr9, Wr12

Starter: (15 minutes) Announce the purpose of the lesson: to work in groups
to publicise a school production of the play. This includes devising an
advertising poster, writing a publicity leaflet and compiling a theatre
programme.
Divide the class into groups. Display Student Sheet 8 as an OHT, a list
of the tasks to be completed by each group. Groups make provisional
decisions about who does what.

Introduction: (15 minutes) Distribute and display: (i) a selection of advertising posters
for plays, (ii) a selection of theatre programmes. Look through them
with the class and discuss their use and effectiveness.

Development: (25 minutes) Groups proceed with drafting and writing. Support
individual students in setting realistic goals and using a suitable writing
style for their chosen tasks.

Plenary: (5 minutes) Agree with groups a timetable for completing their work.

Homework/ Students finalise their contributions to the group project.

Follow-on:

Resources required: A selection of posters advertising plays. A selection of theatre

programmes.
Student Sheet 8 (also used as an OHT)

Personal teaching notes:

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Teacher’s
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Notes
 Face, the play

Face, the play Lesson 12 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:
Lesson coverage: The poem in the Epilogue on pages 95 to 97

Lesson aims: 1 To relate the poem to the play’s main events and themes
2 To make detailed notes on the text for later use in writing
3 To write a formal essay about the play’s themes

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the whole play

knowledge: Experience of writing an analytical essay

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:

Year 7: S&L11, S&L12, R16, R18, Wr15, Wr19 R6, R7
Year 8: S&L10, S&L12, R13, R16, Wr16, Wr18 W3, W6
Year 9: S&L2, S&L10, R11, R14, Wr16, Wr17

Starter: (10 minutes) Distribute Student Sheet 9 and display it as an OHT, a

copy of the poem on pages 95 to 97. Read it aloud to the class. Then
announce the purpose of the lesson: to examine how the poem relates to
the play’s events and sums up its main themes. Students will go on to
write an analytical essay based on their work in this lesson.

Introduction: (15 minutes) Lead class discussion about stanza 2 of the poem, spoken
by Past Martin. Annotate this with the class and model making notes
on phrases that refer back to key events, e.g. ‘You have to talk to me
and not / The skin that holds me in’, ‘To make sure that I win’, ‘weaker
folk’.

Development: (25 minutes) Divide the class into groups. They continue annotating
their copies of the poem in a similar way. Support them in: (i) being
selective in their use of references, (ii) avoiding repetition of the same
points and (iii) appreciating that Past Martin and Narrative Martin now
speak with the same voice.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Revise the structure and style of a formal literature essay
using the PEE method.

Homework/ Students use their annotations as a plan for an essay entitled: ‘My
Follow-on: views on what the play shows about the problems of facial prejudice
and how they can be overcome.’

Resources required: Student Sheet 9 (also used as an OHT)

Personal teaching notes:

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