Spanish Primary Readers :: Express Publishing ELT Spain

Drama Activities

1 Line up!

Aims:	To help the Ss to get to know each other.
Preparation:	You need to know all the Ss’ names and dates of birth.
Materials:	None.
Description:	1 Ask the Ss to arrange themselves in a line from the tallest to the shortest. 2 Ask the Ss to arrange themselves in a line with people whose name begins    at the start of the alphabet at one end etc. 3 Ask the Ss to arrange themselves in a line from the oldest to the    youngest. Now Ss will have to find out in which month and year their    peers were born.

2 First-time listening and reading

Aims:	To familiarise Ss with the story they are going to perform.
Preparation:	Read the story and decide at which points it would be suitable to stop and ask Ss to speculate on the story.
Materials:	The audio cassette/CD and the Pupil’s Books.
Description:	1 Introduce the story to the Ss by showing them the Pupil’s Book cover and    front page. Point to the characters and ask for Ss’ speculations on both    story and characters. 2 Play the cassette/CD while Ss follow in their books. When you reach the    first stopping point, ask Ss to close their books and tell you what they    think is going to happen next. Accept all answers and then continue. 3 After listening to the development of the story, stop again and ask Ss    which of their suggestions were correct. Then play the story until the    next stopping point.

3 Chanting

Aims:	1 To practise in a group before speaking alone. 2 To help Ss learn their lines.
Preparation:	Cut out the script pages from the Pupil’s Books.
Materials:	A copy of the script for every S.
Description:	1 Divide the class into groups so that each group plays a different    character. Read out the scene you have decided to practise while the Ss    follow in their copies. Change your own voice as you change character. 2 After every page, stop and allow the Ss to chant the page in their    character groups. 3 Go through the play, page by page initially. 4 Then read a scene and allow the Ss to chorus the scene. 5 By this stage, the Ss should be able to chorus the play while you    listen.

4 Listen for the cue!

Aims:	To help Ss learn their lines and identify when to say them.
Preparation:	Cut out the script pages in the Pupil’s Books.
Materials:	The scripts from the Pupil’s Books.
Description:	1 Point out that knowing when to speak is important in a play and that    in order to do that, they should identify the lines of the characters who    speak before them (i.e. the cues). 2 Allocate the roles and ask Ss to underline their lines in one colour and    circle the lines before them. Ss who are not willing to act can work as    prompters. 3 Ask Ss to read out the play. Prompters can help out those who    confuse their lines. 4 You can repeat the reading, focusing on intonation, pronunciation,    clarity etc.

5 Stop – Start – Action!

Aims:	1 To help Ss to get visual clues from what is happening on stage. 2 To help Ss to work co-operatively.
Preparation:	Read the story and memorise the position and movements of the characters in each scene.
Materials:	The audio cassette/CD and the Pupil’s Book.
Description:	1 Pick a S to come to the front and start miming a scene. 2 After about 15 seconds shout, “Freeze!”, which tells the actor to hold    their position. Point to another S and have that S replace the frozen S in    their exact position and shout, “Go!” This S then continues and extends    the action that the previous S was in the middle of performing. 3 Continue until all the Ss have had a turn.

6 Who am I?

Aims:	1 To encourage Ss to work together and practise co-ordination. 2 To revise lines from the play they are about to perform.
Preparation:	Practise miming a simple scene from the play.
Materials:	The Pupil’s Book.
Description:	1 Revise the basic plot of the play with the Ss. 2 Mime the scene you have prepared and ask them to guess who you are.    After they have guessed, see if they can remember the lines of the    character in that scene. Allow Ss to check their guesses by finding that    scene in the book. 3 Divide the class into teams of 3 or 4. Tell them that now they have to do    the same. Give each group time to prepare a different part of the play. 4 When they are ready, each group performs their scene. The rest of the    class try to guess who is who and what is said.

7 Mirrors

Aims:	To encourage Ss’ powers of observation and concentration.
Preparation:	None.
Materials:	None.
Description:	1 Ask Ss to sit or stand in pairs facing each other. Explain that one of    them, S A, has to act as if he/she is looking in a mirror, and the other,    S B, has to mirror their exact movements. 2 Ss start practising in pairs. After a few minutes, ask Ss to change roles    and S B takes over the lead while S A mirrors the movements. Point out    that concentration is important and monitor the class, watching each    pair. 3 This activity can be turned into a game, where the best pair wins,    by eliminating pairs if they do not mirror the exact movements of their    partners.

8 On my way to school today …

Aims:	To encourage Ss to memorise things.
Preparation:	None.
Materials:	None.
Description:	1 Ask Ss to sit in a circle. 2 Select a S to start by saying, “On my way to school today, I saw a … (e.g.    dog).” In turns, each S in the circle continues by adding an item to the list.