Drama Guide by Jason Wood
This is a piece of work that I produced with eleven young people sometime during 1998. It is designed for seven weeks of continuous groupwork and it based on the theme of drama. Below are the seven planning models (one for each session). You will activity guide in order for it to be a success.
I recommend drama for loads of reasons. It helps build team work, tackle current issues and is also good for seeing how groups coming together, evolve and disband. The NAOMIEs can be changed and altered to suit all kinds of activities.
Enjoy!
Contents (Please click to go to section)
- NAOMIE for session 1
- NAOMIE for session 2
- NAOMIE for session 3
- NAOMIE for session 4
- NAOMIE for session 5
- NAOMIE for session 6
- NAOMIE for session 7
NAOMIE for Session 1
Need
A
basic understanding of/introduction to:
-
the idea behind the group
-
how drama can work and be entertaining
-
expectations of worker and young people involved
Aim
Group
ground rules set and acknowledged. Basic skills assessed and a short set of
performances carried out.
Objective
Young
people to come away with a certain level of commitment to the group and the
ground rules. Young people to have an understanding of group confidentiality and
supportiveness.
Methods
Group
invited (max 12). Ice breaker to start session (trust circle/knots). Game one:
"The last chocolate bar on Earth". Break for ground rules exercise.
Game two: "Signature performance".
Implementation
Session
time: 1.5hrs. Variety of music needed for signature performance. Chocolate
needed for first game. 1 worker to deliver and facilitate.
Evaluation
Group
to feedback how they felt about games and teamwork approach. Worker to report on
session to other staff.
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NAOMIE for session 2
Need
Feedback/review
techniques and basic skills in drama.
Aim
Introduction
of planning activities and group work. Improvements to be made to structure of
performances. Reaffirm ground rules.
Objective
Group
to have understanding of working together as a team to produce coordinated
performances.
Methods
Ice
breaker. Review last session. Use signature game and extend for young people to
connect their individual performances together. Perform to other members of the
group.
Implementation
Need
various popular music CD singles. Flipcharts for review sessions and for
signatures. Group of 10/12 - 1 worker. Time 1hr.
Evaluation
Bring group together for final. Ask to express in terms of how they felt using hand movements.
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NAOMIE for Session 3
Need
Freedom
of group to explore ways of expressing using drama.
Aim
To
encourage group to participate in wide range of activities that promote methods
of expression that the members may not have originally considered doing!
Objective
Group
to have understanding of how they can attach their feelings or moods to
different types of music. An understanding of characters - how to detach from
their real selves to allow for improvisation.
Methods
Ice
breaker. Review of sessions to date.
Activity
1: using a compilation tape of different music, ask group to identify how the
music makes them feel; does it remind them of anything? Lead discussion after as
a group.
Activity
2: Approach an inanimate object - ?wall/noticeboard and show some feelings
towards it.
Implementation
Continue
with group. Session time 1-1.5 hours. Resources: CD singles, compilation tapes.
Flipcharts for recording feelings.
Evaluation
Group
to express to worker how they felt the session went. This can be done as
dramatically as possible.
Worker
to record progress.
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NAOMIE for session 4
Need
Group
to understand how they can work together to perform a piece of drama.
Aim
A
basic understanding of how to plan a piece, based on limited information and
using their fellow group members. Senior, more experienced or extrovert members
to co-ordinate.
Objective
Group
to present a series of short performances as a team. Group to be able to assist
in evaluating each others work. Developing team work awareness and skills.
Methods
Bring
group together with a friendly, fun game. This could be a series of trust games
to reaffirm their belief in each other in terms of respect and confidentiality
within the group.
Activity:
produce three different scenarios - these can be issue based. Ask groups to
split up. They have 10-15 minutes to prepare.
Groups
come together and perform. Everyone to take part in feedback of each
performance.
Implementation
Session
time: 1hr. Worker to deliver session with help from senior members. Encourage
"silly" members to take lead role. Access any resources you may need
in relation to the scenarios you have selected.
Evaluation
Group to give feedback on performances and on the session itself. Worker to provide feedback.
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NAOMIE for session 5
Need
A
review of learning to date. A need to progress on to producing evidence of their
work.
Aim
Young
people to be given the opportunity to extend their performances away from the
group they have been working with. Also to provide some sort of evidence of
their progress.
Objective
To
produce a series of drama based activities and film them.
Methods
Before
session - ask y/p to bring object close to them and to bring clothes for 1 of 3
scenarios (eg. job interview, night out, rock concert.)
Warm
up with fun ice breaker. Worker to explain the camera - an emphasis on directing
attention to their performance rather than the camera itself.
(1)
Group to explain object in a dramatic way with music.
(2)
Group to approach the place they are dressed for in a dramatic way - to the
music.
(3)
Split up into the three "dresscodes" and give them a scenario to work
to relating to their dresscode.
Implementation
Session
time: 1.5 - 2hrs. 1 worker plus camera operator. Video camera. Music.
Evaluation
Young people to tell camera how they felt about session.
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NAOMIE for session six
Need
Feedback
and evaluation skills.
Aim
Young
people to be able to analyse their work and provide comments where appropriate.
Preparation for final performance.
Objective
A
clear understanding of feedback, how improvements can be made, how they can use
their learning from the group to make changes. Young people to begin a plan of a
performance they can show to others. Other skills; dialogue, team work and
confidence.
Methods
This
session will involve watching the video recorded last time. Remind young people
that they are not checking how they look - but how they perform - this
is crucial to make the session successful. Stop after each key performance
and ask for comments, suggest discussion starters. The young people need to
engage in good conversation and be able to understand their purpose of watching
it.
After
the video has finished, begin preparing young people for a final performance.
Suggested: "Jerry Springer Show" featuring issues crucial to young
people. Ask them to come up with ideas using the "silly" members to
take lead roles in preparing.
Implementation
Session
time: 1 - 1.5 hrs. Resources: TV/Video. Writing paper and pens if desired.
Evaluation
Continual throughout film.
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NAOMIE for session 7
Need
Evidence
of young peoples' learning and progression through group. The ability to share
performance with others.
Aim
Group
to channel skills learnt into some sort of hard product that they can own
themselves.
Objective
A
video film featuring the young people in various roles targeting issues
important to them focusing on their feelings and using music. Young people to
have developed confidence skills, presentation skills and feedback skills.
Methods
Before session -
group have prepared Jerry Springer issues and recorded some feelings.
Lively
icebreaker to start session. Explain how the session will form. Reaffirm ground
rules. Get groups together and rehearse their work. Suggest alternatives and
challenge where appropriate but keep encouraging. Finish session by filming.
Suggest making film available to others to see - a performance night.
Implementation
Session
time: 1.5-2.5hrs. Resources: video camera, flipcharts to record ideas. Various
types of music.
Evaluation
Bring
group together and ask them to thank each other in comical ways (a way of
disbanding groups). Worker to provide feedback.
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Extract from: Northleach Drama Group NAOMIE, Report & Evaluation
Jason Wood (1998), Gloucester: Unpublished
© Student Youth Work Online 2001