P2 PAL Drama L1&2

Lesson 1 out of 4

Level : Primary 2

Duration : 2 hours per lesson

Domain : Performing Arts – Drama

Lesson Title : REACHING FOR THE STARS

Prior knowledge and skills

Students should be able to:

1.  Listen to instructions given by the teacher

2.  Work in small groups of 4 – 5

Drama Objective/s

Students will be able to:

1.  Make:

• •Remain committed to the role-play by participating and believing in the imaginary situation

2.  Present:

• •Able to control the body in motion

• •Able to control movement and gestures

• •Able to hold positions in stillness

3.  Respond:

• •Out-of-role :

i.  Respond to the imaginary situation with their peers and the teacher ii.  Respond to the shapes and images formed by their peers

Value

• •Respect

SE Competency

• •Self-management

Specific Skill

• •Understand the need for personal space

Outcomes of SE Competency

Students will be able to:

• •Become more aware of their personal space

• •Respect others’ personal space

Materials Required

• Pictures of outer space

• Tambourine / Bell

• Star Badge

             

Synopsis for the lesson:

A group of space explorers from Singapore is heading to a new planet, Gaia, to build a Singapore Space Station. They have three tasks (i) to build a comfortable Space Station with enough space for the explorers, (ii) survive on the new planet Gaia and (iii) report back to the Director of the Singapore Space Mission.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

LESSON 1

1 PHASE 1: SETTING THE CONTEXT

Discussion (leading in)

Teacher asks some of the following questions:

• •What do you know about outer space?

• •Is there a lot of “space” there?

• •Do we have a lot of space in Singapore?

• •What do you think might happen if we run

out of space in Singapore? Where else can we go?

Write, “What if we run out of space?” on the board.

Explain what a lack of space can result in (e.g. overcrowding, traffic jam, people has less space for themselves, etc.).

• To introduce the context for the drama

Pictures or poster of outer space.  

To help trigger students’ imagination if necessary.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

2 Warm-up activity

Tell students that they will be pretending to be space explorers. They are going to practise their ‘space walk’ before going into space.

I. Arrange students in a circle.

II. Ask  students  to  imagine  walking  in space.

a.  Ask “How do you walk?”

b.  Ask  “How would  an  elephant walk in space?”

c.  Ask “How would a mouse walk in space?”

Teacher Narration

Oh no! If everyone were to move around in space like that, some of you may float away and we will not be able to  find you again! What shall we do?”

• To allow students to get used to moving about in the given space.

MAKE / PRESENT

Students may move about in the classroom. Allow them to do so for now.

Students may tend to move with their friends, so they need to be reminded not to move together with their friends.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

3 Setting the scene

Show students “Rules of Space Exploration”

Rule 1: Always listen to the Captain

* Rule 2: Only Move, Freeze and Gather

Rule 3: Don’t bump into each other

• Tell the children that the class is going to pretend  to  be  going  on  a  space expedition to look for planets where they can live in, as Singapore has ran out of space. They will be space explorers from Singapore, heading to a faraway planet to  build  the  Singapore  Space  Station there as a new home for the explorers.

• But first, the teacher needs to revise with the  space  explorers  some  basic  ideas and behaviours expected of them while in outer space.

• The teacher  will  use  a  drum  or tambourine to give a signal to the students.

• 1 beat – Move, 2 beats – Freeze, 3 beats

– quickly Gather in a close group. [Write

• To use mime to build belief in the setting and characters

MAKE / PRESENT

“Rules” can

be projected

on a Ppt slide,

written on the    board or  printed on  A3 paper

Tambourine or  bell or anything that makes a  sound that the students

can hear.

*It is important to establish a Drama routine (rule 2) with the students for the rest of the module.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

on the board if needed]

• This will be used by the Captain of the team  to  signal  to  the  explorers  during their expedition in outer space.

• Practice with the students for a few rounds. *Move on to Step 4 only after students have learned the routine, and know how to use the classroom space well.

4 Setting the scene: Stars and Planets

• •Inform  the  students  “We  are  going  to

explore what outer space looks like.”

• •Teacher to introduce the following

concepts:

I. Stars are bright and shiny, like our

Sun.

II. Planets   are   round   objects   in space, like Earth.

• •Ask students to stand in a circle.

I. Teacher to stand within the circle. II. Assign  alternate  students  “Star,

Planet,  Star,  etc…”  around  the

circle.

III. Ask all the “Stars” to put up their hands. Ask all the “Planets” to put up their hands.

MAKE / PRESENT

Forming a circle, assigning roles and knowing how to behave as instructed is part of a good Drama lesson. Take the time to build this routine well!

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

• •Practice with the students:

I. Stars   to   take   1   step   towards center of the circle. When given a

signal by the teacher, they are to stretch out and reach out as big as a star.

II. Planets to take 1 step forward towards center of the circle. When given a signal, they are to form a round shape with their limbs and be as round as they can.

• Add-ons:

I. Ask students to form the shapes with low, mid and high levels.

II. Allow students to practice moving around as Stars and Planets.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

5 PHASE 2: BUILDING BELIEF

Setting up Teacher-in-Role

• •Teacher asks “Wouldn’t you want to go to

space? Shall we all be space explorers?”

(Lead-in) Discuss with the students:

• •What do space explorers need to wear?

• •How  do  they  wear  the  space  suits  /

helmets / gear?

• •Shall  we  all  put  on  the  space  suits  /

helmets / gear?

[Allow students to practise wearing the imaginary helmet/gear together]

Space Mission

• •Teacher narrates to students, “Now, are

you  ready  to  receive  your  mission  as

space explorers?”

• •Plays audio file [use Annex A and narrate

as back up if audio fails]

• To build tension for the task.

MAKE

Play Audio file provided

Allow students to make suggestions on how to wear the space suits, helmets and gear.

Using mime helps to build students’ imagination. It is part of building their capacity to imagine and play along.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

6 Teacher-in-Role as Captain of the Singapore

Space Shuttle (SSS)

• •Inform the students that the teacher will

take on a role as the Captain of the SSS. Show the prop that the teacher will use/display to signal that he/she is in role.

• •The students are to be in-role as space

explorers who are awaiting instructions just before they depart for space.

• •Teacher is to walk away from the

students and use the prop to get in role. (Alternatively, teacher can just turn his/her back away from the students and face the students when he/she is in-role with the prop.)

Teacher Narration:

• •Good AM/PM Space Girls and Space

Boys*! I can see that you are all in the proper gear. Can we do a quick check

on your helmet/gear/space suit?

[Interact with students to make sure they are all ready]

• •Good! Now, I am the Captain of the

Singapore Space Shuttle and you have to listen to me so that we can get to the Space Station safely.

• •This mission is very important.

• To introduce the Teacher- in-Role as Captain of the SSS.

A Star badge  

*It is okay to stop and begin again if students are unfamiliar. Give yourself and the students time to learn new routines.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

• •Singapore has ran out of space and

we are going to a new planet to try to build   a   new   home   for   us.   It   is

important for you to listen to me and focus on the mission.

[Teacher-in-Role, may ask]

• •What happens when we don’t have

enough space?

• •Would you be comfortable if people

are too close to you all the time?

As Captain of SSS, inform students that they are about to get onboard the Space Shuttle.

Teacher-in-Role

• •Organise students to sit in rows on the floor and be as close to each other as possible and say this: “we don’t have a lot of material to give more space for the shuttle, so we all have to squeeze!”

• •Ask students to close their eyes as

teacher narrates:

The Space Shuttle is about to take off. The engines are running. Shall we count down

• Encourage students to interact with the role.

• •Persist in

maintaining focus  and sustain the role play so students will be more involved  with the situation.

MAKE

Get students to be as close as possible, even if some of them are uncomfortable

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

together? From 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 and LIFT

OFF!

The Space Shuttle leaves planet Earth and is heading for the new planet similar to Earth. We have called it Gaia, a Greek name for Earth. We hope we can make it liveable for our people.

Now, keep your eyes tightly shut! We are going to use the space rockets to get to Gaia quickly. Are you ready? [Swoosh!]

Ahhhh… we have arrived at Gaia!

The  explorers  have  arrived  on  the  new planet and it is indeed similar to Earth but with a lot of space! Large tracts of forests, fields and open space. Perfect for a new home!

Discussion and Reflection [out-of-role] Ask the students to open their eyes. Ask:

• •How was the journey? Can you imagine

flying into outer space? What was it like?

• •How was it in the space shuttle? Were

you comfortable? Why or why not?

• •What   do   you   think   will   happen   if

Singapore runs out of space and we have

RESPOND PAL/SEL:

Relating experiences  to their lives / Evaluating impact of decision on self and others

Steps Description of Activity Rationale Drama / SE Outcomes Resources Remarks

to be so close to each other?

• •How do we make sure that we do not get

into  each  other’s  space  so that we do not feel uncomfortable?

END OF LESSON 1

Lesson 2 out of 4

Level : Primary 1

Duration : 2 hours per lesson

Domain : Performing Arts – Drama

Lesson Title : REACHING FOR THE STARS

Prior knowledge and skills

Students should be able to:

1.  Listen to instructions given by the teacher

2.  Work in small groups of 4 – 5

Drama Objective/s

Students will be able to:

1.  Make:

 •Remain committed to the role-play by participating and believing in the imaginary situation

2.  Present:

 •Able to control the body in motion

 •Able to control movement and gestures

 •Able to hold positions in stillness

3.  Respond:

 •Out-of-role :

i.  Respond to the imaginary situation with their peers and the teacher ii.  Respond to the shapes and images formed by their peers

Value

 •Respect

SE Competency

 •Self-management

Specific Skill

 •Understand the need for personal space

Outcomes of SE Competency

Students will be able to:

 •Become more aware of their personal space

 •Respect others’ personal space

Materials Required

 Tambourine / Bell

Synopsis for the lesson:

A group of space explorers from Singapore is heading to a new planet, Gaia, to build a Singapore Space Station. They have three tasks (i) to build a comfortable Space Station with enough space for the explorers, (ii) survive on the new planet Gaia and (iii) report back to the Director of the Singapore Space Mission.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

LESSON 2

1 Re-cap lesson 1

• •Students  learned  how  to  move  in

space.

• •They  learned  how to  put  on  space

helmets and suits.

• •They have  accepted the  mission  to

find more space on the planet Gaia for people in Singapore.

2 Warm-up activity

• •Repeat steps 3 and 4 in lesson 1 with

the students.

• •End of the activity, ask students “Do

you remember your mission last week?

[Optional: Re-play the audio file]

• •Ask students to sit down and narrate:

• •The space explorers have arrived on

planet Gaia with the Space Captain. It is indeed a big and beautiful place. Now, what shall they do to complete their mission of learning how to live on a different planet? • •Builds  Drama

routine

Proceed faster than in lesson 1, as students are more familiar with the routine.

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

3 PHASE 3A: DEEPENING BELIEF/ADDING

COMPLICATION

Inform the students that the Captain and the explorers have arrived safely on Gaia.

They took some time to settle down and they now have to begin their mission.

Their Captain has asked for a meeting with all the explorers. He informed them that they have to show him a design of a home for the explorers, one that is spacious and has enough space for a family of 5 to live in.

 Teacher’s instructions

• •Divide the class into 3 groups (about 10 pupils per group)

• •Inform them that they have to form the

design of a home with their bodies. i.e. Their arms will form the walls and doors to the home.

• •Ask students for ideas what are the things should they have in a home. List them on the board.

• •Ask students for ideas on how they

can form the home. Teacher may divide the class into smaller groups to form the living room, bedroom,

RESPOND

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

restrooms, kitchen, etc..

• •Ask students to form the walls and

doors first. If there are more students in a group they can form the furniture

within.

• •Ask some students to “walk through”

the home from 1 room to the next.

• •Ask the students:

o Is  there  enough  space  for  a family of 5? 8? 10?

o How  can  they  move  into  1 room and another without bumping  into  each  other? What if they come too close?

O Are  we  ready  to  show  the

     Captain?

Teacher-in-Role

Hmm. Well done explorers! This seems like a good plan! Very soon we will be building

many of such homes in Gaia!

[pretend to receive a message]

Wait. Let me check this. [listens to headset]

I just received this piece of news. To build homes like these on Gaia, we need material

MAKE

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

and  our team of  experts  just  informed  us

there is not enough raw material on Gaia to make such big homes. We have to reduce the size of the houses.

Can you think how we can reduce the houses?  How  people  can  still  live comfortably in them?

What shall we do?

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

4 PHASE 4: RESOLUTION

Setting-up

• •After the students have made changes to

their Freeze Frames, explain to the children that the explorers have to show the Captain the final plans.

Teacher-in-Role

• •Teacher, in-role as the Captain, will walk

round to the students’ plans, commenting on the discomfort and irritation he/she feels due to the lack of space.

Out-of-Role activity

• •Teacher asks students if they thought the

actions exhibited by the Captain were polite.

• •Teacher  asks  students  to  stand  in  a

circle. Assign them numbers 1-5. • •  Teacher-in-

Role to lead in to the

demonstrate how to respect each other’s personal

space in  this segment.

• •Inform all number 1s to form a group, etc.

[total 5 groups]

• •Each group is to show 1 good example of

respecting each other’s space, and 1 bad

example.

• •Teacher may need to demonstrate 1 or 2

examples, if necessary.

• •After  some  groups  have  demonstrated

Some positive examples:

o Excuse    me, may I?

o Sorry         for bumping into you!

Steps Description of Activity Rationale DRAMA / SEL

outcomes Resources Remarks

their examples, ask:

• •Well, it seems like even on Gaia we may

not have a lot of space too. Do you think

if we learn how to respect other people’s space in Singapore, we can live happily there too?

Out-of-role discussion (reflection)

• •When do we need to respect people’s

personal space? On the bus,  MRT, crowded places? Or in school?

• •How do we respect people’s personal

space in the bus, MRT  or crowded places? Or in school?

• •Can we all live happily in Singapore if

we all respect each other’s space?

• To elicit students’ responses. Ask them which is right or wrong. Follow up questions can be asked.

PAL/SE Outcome: Relating experiences to their lives / Evaluating impact of decision on

self and other o Excuse    me, you just got into           my

space. Could you please step back?

Some negative examples:

o Roll eyes.

o Push people

       away.

 o Step  on  their feet.

END OF LESSON 2

Annex A [Transcription of audio file]

Hello Space Explorers!

This is the Director of the Singapore Space Expedition speaking.

As you know, Singapore is fast running out of space. We are getting very crowded and people are getting unhappy.

We need to find a new space for all of us to live happily together in the future. Your mission, as new space explorers, is to follow your Captain to outer space to

try to build a new home. Then, you need to report back to me.

Remember, the future happiness of Singapore depends on you. I wish you all the best in your mission.