Lesson 1.
Aim/objective:
Introduce the topic to be explored during the term.
Look at exclusion through improvisation.
Basic Hotseating.
Class lined up in silence before entering the space. Into space, 1 minute to get bags and coats to the side and B/G seating. Introduce myself, then register.
Explain that since they are Y9, I expect them to work together quickly and quietly. Because of the space we are in, rather than shout at them to stop I will raise my hand. When they see me with my hand raised I expect them to stop what they are doing, raise their hand and face me in silence.
(6 minutes)
Put them into mixed groups of 3 (they are not to move until I tell them to) and find themselves a space. Groups to label themselves A, B & C (and D if there is a group of 4).
(2 minutes)
A & B are best friends, and are going to the cinema to watch a film. C is selling tickets, but will not sell a ticket to A because A has the wrong colour eyes. B, however can go and see the film (D, if needed, will be the manager of the cinema). What do they do ?
10 minutes to improvise a scene. We will see these and I will then question the characters.
(20 minutes)
Discuss as a group how the different characters felt: As how it felt to be excluded for what seemed like no sensible reason; Bs how it felt for their best friend not to be allowed to go with them, and Cs how they felt, whether there was any feeling of power and if they were tempted to bend the rules.
(7 minutes)
Explain that we will be looking at the Jewish ghettos over the rest of the term, and ask what the class knows about them.
Explain that in on September 15th 1935 German Jews were stripped of their rights by the Nuremberg race laws. The nazi’s believed in the superiority of the Aryan race —white, blonde and blue-eyed. Jews were officially considered less than human. As Nazi Germany invaded Eastern Europe, Jews were routinely rounded up and confined to ghettos, whole families being confined to one room. The Nazis controlled all food that went into the ghettos and would effectively starve them when simultaneously working them to death. As the war progressed they would be routinely rounded up and either killed outright or sent to concentration camps.
Suggest, if possible, that they discuss this with their history teacher for more information before the next lesson.
(10 minutes)
Lesson 2
Aim/objective:
To develop the drama through improvisation.
To use freeze to finish drama and introduce dialogue direct to audience.
To encourage empathy with the Jews to forward the drama.
Class lined up in silence before entering the space. Teacher to lead them into space. 1 minute to get bags and coats to the side and B/G seating.
Register in silence.
In a circle, Quick recap of last weeks lesson: Background to the holocaust and a look at racism. Re-iterate that Jews were herded into ghettos, often given less than 24 hours to pack up what belonging they could carry and to leave the area. In the ghetto there would often be three or four people to a room. The Germans controlled all the food that went in and out of the ghetto. Jews were not allowed out of the ghetto. Ask the class to put themselves in that kind of position, they come home from school one day to be told that the family has to move to a house that they will share with three other families. They will be strictly limited in the places they can go to and will not be allowed out after a certain time.
Around the class with one word to say how they would feel.
(10 minutes)
Into threes. Family packing in readiness to leave. Son/daughter comes home. Scene explaining to the child that they are moving away and must pack everything that are going to take with them, parents must decide what and how to tell the child (14/15). 10 minutes to rehearse scene. Then view two with comments and suggestions.
(10 minutes)
Back into groups. Refine rehearsal, bearing in mind the interim work seen. Finish the scene with a freeze, hold it for five beats (explain term).Characters will then turn to face audience and give one line of dialogue summing their thoughts either on what has happened or hopes for the future (link this to the various monologue that they have done in the past).
(10 minutes)
View scenes with comments
(15 minutes)
Lesson 3
Aim/objective:
To further develop drama through techniques other than improvisation.
To use freeze to start & finish drama.
To introduce and use ‘Essence/Sound machine to create mood.
Register. Extract from Diary of Anne Frank.
Class lined up, single file, in silence. Drama books & pens checked before entering the space.
Teacher to lead them into space. 1 minute to get bags and coats to the side and B/G seating.
Register in silence. Homework will be set to describe your characters feelings on your first night in the ghetto: What you felt like when you saw it for the first time, your first thoughts, what sounds you heard in the night. Explain that we will be looking at this in the lesson.
Limit questions, explain that we will be looking at this during the lesson (remind, if needed, that I have had to talk to some people after the lesson and I do not want to have to do this again. Stress the good work seen by many members of the class).
(5 minutes)
Still in circle. Teacher seated.
In circle ask the class what sounds they hear at night, hands up only, no talking; Cars, car alarms, people coming and going, TV next door/another room etc. Question if these are comforting sounds. What type of sounds do they think they would hear in the ghetto ? Would they be different ? Would they be comforting, particularly if this was your first night ? Read short extract from Anne Franks diary (only saying that this is an extract from a diary of someone who was in a ghetto.
Keep the questions moving, do not let discussion stray. Must last no longer than 10 minutes (15 minutes from start of class).
Previous groups. Using the main hall (Leigh, Lee, Glenn & Ashley in hall). Not to go until I say so, no complaints/whingeing.
In previous groups I want two scenes. One scene where they arrive in the room that they will be living in for the foreseeable future. I need to see their reaction -it will be dirty, few possessions, leaking/damp walls etc. Remind them not all Jews are rich, as anybody who is Jewish would tell them. I then want them to freeze and put together a second scene where the child goes to bed for the first time: Getting ready for bed and lying down. The other two members of the group will make the sounds that s/he hears as s/he tries to go to sleep-link to extracts from the piece. Rehearse to view.
Double check if they need any other pieces of information. Illustrate with quotes from the extract. Use volunteer from the group to demonstrate if necessary. Teacher moving around the groups to push drama forward and deepen it.
(15 minutes)
Limited time to arrange themselves on stage to view work.
View scenes with comments
(10 minutes)
Class as audience, Teacher at front. Chairs to be stacked when they leave.
Remind them of the homework & that it is due in next week. Answer any questions.
Extract from Anne Frank:
In the next room there’s a terrible creaking: a folding bed being set up. More blankets and pillows, anything to make the wooden slats a bit more comfortable.
Upstairs it sounds like thunder, but it’s only ‘a’ bed being shoved against the window.
After Peter’s finished, it’s my turn for the bathroom. I wash myself from head to toe, and more often that not I find a tiny flea floating in the sink..
Ten o’clock...: for fifteen minutes, at least, the house is filled with the creaking of beds and the sign of broken springs, and then, provided our upstairs neighbours aren’t having a marital tiff in bed, all is quiet.
Eleven-thirty: The bathroom door creaks. A narrow strip of light falls into the room. Squeaking shoes, a large coat, even larger than the man inside it... Dussel is returning... I hear him shuffling back and forth for ten whole minutes, the rustle of paper and the sound of the bed being made up. Then the figure disappears again, and the only sound is the occasional suspicious noise from the lavatory.
Approximately three o’clock: I lie awake listening to the sounds of the night. In the first place, to hear whether there are any burglars downstairs, and then to the various beds - to tell whether the others are asleep or half awake... there’s the sound of a fish gasping for air, and this is repeated nine or ten times. Then, the lips are moistened profusely. This is alternated with little smacking sounds, followed by a long period of tossing and turning and rearranging the pillows.
Sometimes the guns go off during the night, between one and four. I’m never aware of it before it happens, but all of a sudden I find myself standing beside my bed, out of sheer habit. Occasionally I’m dreaming so deeply of irregular French verbs or a quarrel upstairs that I realise only when my dream is over that the shooting has stopped and that I’ve remained quietly in my room. But usually I wake up.
Lesson 4
Aim/objective:
To look at additional stimulus for the drama.
To use freeze to start & finish drama.
To introduce background to ‘day in the life’ to create mood.
Register, TV & Schindler video.
Teacher led
Lined up, single file, outside the space in silence. Instructions given as to where to place bags/coats and how to sit.
Into space. Bags & coats to the side. Seated around the TV in silence. 1 minute to achieve. Register.
Emphasis on the atmosphere.
In the ghetto whole families would live in one room. Not all the families would have been able to travel together, some would have been split up, or would have gotten lost on the way only to finally meet up in the ghetto. Watch extract from Schindlers List where the Jews are moved to the ghetto and discuss what they have seen.
(10 minutes)
Pupils still sat where they were to be put into groups and told what they will be working on.
Into groups to work toward video assessment. Two scenes. Each group will be a family unit, but no member under 14. 1st scene to show the family arriving at the ghetto, discovery and reaction to the state of the room that they will have to share, questioning how they are to live, what will happen to them etc. Scene to finish with a freeze.
Second scene will be two weeks later. What has happened to the family, are they still together, what hardships are they facing, deprivations, difficulties, whether any of them have any special needs: Medication, injuries etc.
(5 minutes)
Pupils into full space, teacher to work with groups.
Into full space to rehearse first scene. Teacher to move amongst the groups encouraging reaction, believable dialogue and differentiation of character. Disruptive pupils to be spoken to, then temporarily excluded from the class, finally, if behavior persists, sent to the behavior room.
(15 minutes)
Pupils brought together to view work in progress. Comments on use of space, dialogue and character.
Recap on work completed. Confirm that these are the groups they will be working in to further the drama. They can push the drama further into the future or continue with ‘2 weeks later’.
(H/W: 3 facts about The Holocaust/Life in the ghetto.)
Lesson 5
Aim/objective:
To continue rehearsal of scene.
To look at ‘character’ and the relationships within the family.
To look at emotional responses of the characters.
Register. (Ration Cards).
Teacher led
Lined up, single file, outside the space in silence.
Into space. Bags & coats to the side. B/G seating regardless of the space used. Silence for the register.
Recap work last week - They are in the ghetto & have established central dramatic situation (two weeks later), improvising/evolving scene(s) to be looked at. Refer to school rules for learning decided by pupils & staff. Disruptive pupils to be spoken to, then temporarily excluded from the class, finally, if behavior persists, sent to the behavior room. Remind them of basic points:
(10 minutes)
Pupils into groups & into space to rehearse.
Into groups in space. Decide staging & props that you may need. Teacher to move around groups, issuing ration cards if it seems helpful/ necessary (does their scene involve food, is there illness/pregnancy where extra food maybe necessary, etc.)making sure all groups are working, but focusing on :
(20/5 minutes)
Pupils into viewing area, dependant on space either setting up an area or where they are working.
View one groups work, looking specifically (from the audience POV) at emotions behind the character & relationships within the family.
(10 minutes)
H/W 3 emotions that ‘drive’ your character & why.