Introducing School Drama-Hosted by Barking Gecko Theatre Company School Drama is a professional learning program for primary school teachers, which focuses on the power of using Drama and Literature to improve English and literacy in young learners. The School Drama program has recognised that in 2019 and in the coming years, our most important national resource will be human resources. If we are to continue to meet the challenges of the future, today's school's need to develop creative leaders. Winthrop Primary School has been asked to pilot the program for Western Australia and help to develop our future creative leaders in WA. This acclaimed program was developed by Sydney University and Sydney Theatre Company since 2009 and has had great educational success for teachers and students alike since it's induction into schools across NSW, Victoria and QLD. Our selected teachers to roll out the program this year at Winthrop Primary are: Lisa Chamberlain and Deanne Maher (Pre-Primary), Alison Kelly (Year 4) and Anna Stanton (Year 6). Chosen teachers will work alongside actor/educators from Barking Gecko Theatre Company to create programs based on current and relevant literature using Drama skills in classroom activities over a 7 week period this term. Team members will be used to feedback skills and knowledge to fellow colleagues for professional development. This is an exciting opportunity for all students and staff to be involved in, whilst integrating The Arts throughout our curriculum and developing our future creative leaders here at Winthrop and beyond.
As a part of our School Drama learning experience this year, we will be focusing on descriptive language and vocabulary use from our recent school NAPLAN data-2018. These area's have been flagged as a focus for us in 2019.
Our School Drama Program seeks to enhance students engagement and understanding in these areas through a literacy focus.
As teachers, we will endeavour to use the skills learnt in our School Drama time throughout our curriculum experiences.
Student's will be involved in pre and post testing before and after our participation in School Drama to gain information from our student's knowledge.
Look at what we've been up to...
Pre Testing- Term 3
Miss Stanton's Descriptive Ideal Life
My Ideal Future Life.
I believe my ideal future life would look like a small cottage by the ocean with an inviting country garden with a small path that trails to my white picket fence. My home would look simple and elegant, with a sweeping verandah around the outside to which I could place large armchairs on to watch the sunset with my family.
I could hear the soft humming of the ocean with small hints of waves crashing on the shore. I can hear my children laughing and playing chasey around our house. A gentle panting from our friendly, furry mutt as he joins in the game with the children. My kitten would be on my lap purring contentedly at the warmth of being patted by me.
My future life would feel like a gigantic, warm hug as I would have all of my cherished friends and family close to me. I would feel safe, loved and content knowing that I had many important and special people to share in my beautiful life with me.
As my husband brings out the pork roast with extra juicey, dribbling crackling from our oven, I can taste my mouth salivating at the thought of devouring his carefully prepared family meal. I can taste the rich gravy and fluffy yorkshire puddings in my mouth. My children are rosie cheeked and licking their lips at the juiciest meat their father has carved them for their Sunday Dinner. I sip on the finest, full bodied wine, enjoying every last drop in my glass.
The smells of our home cooked meal fill the air, combined with the sweetness of my freshly bathed children. Their hair reminds me of the smell of strawberry cakes with vanilla butter cream frosting. I could eat them up at the thought of them as they sit on my lap, chatting away. I breathe their hair in and feel so warm and fulfilled.
My days are filled with time to myself, to enjoy my simple life walking along the beach, breathing in the healing, salty air. I have a well-balanced social life with pleasant, fun-filled experiences with family and friends that fill the air with sounds of story-telling,joy and laughter.
My ideal future life, is simple and uncomplicated. I will enjoy making an inviting, warm and happy home for all of my family and friends to be welcomed to.
Warm Up- Short Stories
Our Class Novel Drama Integration through Literature
John Jagamarra grew up at the Pearl Bay Mission for Aboriginal Children. He was taken from his mother when he was 5 years old. How did John Jagamarra reconnect with his past?
What is the purpose of the text? The purpose of the text is to tell a story about the Stolen Generation from the point of view of John Jagamarra both as a boy and as an adult, his memories and his journey.
Who is the intended audience? Anthony Hill wrote this book for all readers, but in particular, mature children, to begin to help them understand the stories of the Stolen Generation from the point of view of a young boy who was taken.
Who/what kind of person do you think created this text? What are their views, values, beliefs, experiences? Anthony Hill is a journalist who lives in Canberra. He writes books concerned with Australia’s history. Anthony Hill said, “I have chosen this book because it tells a very important story about an Aboriginal boy about the same age as you. Some children who had one Aboriginal parent and one European parent used to be taken away from their families.” This stopped in about 1970 but when Anthony Hill wrote this book in 1994, many white people in Australia didn’t know what had been happening to Aboriginal children.
In 1998 (one year after Anthony Hill wrote this book) the Australian Government commissioned a report called “Bringing Them Home.” A team of experts was paid to find out how Australian laws had affected Aboriginal families like the one in the story. Anthony Hill wrote this story so that children could understand what had been happening – it is not a true story, but in the Government report that was published two years later, there were many true stories like it.”
Descriptive Language/Vocabulary
Draw a picture of John Jagamarra as a little boy and his mother based on the follow sentence:
‘She picked him up, and held him close to her breast, and rocked him as she had when he was a baby. She wept with a low wordless sound, and he felt tears wet on his naked skin.’
Write your own sentence/paragraph using some of the above words near the drawing.
Draw out/highlight the words of emotion from both John and his mother using sentence starter: ‘This makes me feel…’ 1. John Jagamarra’s mother would do anything to keep her son with her. What did she do to outsmart the authorities? Draw a 3 part drawing to illustrate this.
‘I think ….’ ‘I wonder……’’What if ….’ ‘If this happened to me ….’ The authorities came anyway. They took John Jagamarra away from his mother.
Homework- Week 6-7 (due Weds Week 7)
Letter to Mother (Liyan)
Write a letter from John to his mother when he arrives at Pearly Bay Mission.
Describe his envrionment, including the people there or who he meets, how he feels and perhaps what he thinks/hopes might happen.
Homework Week 7-8 (due Weds Week 8)
Alternative Ending
Write an alternative ending to the story. One chapter only and you MUST end the story completely. Without a 'be continued' or just killing characters off. Two pages of writing maxiumum. This is only a short book, so stay to the theme.
Ideas could be:
John Jagamarra goes back to Dryborough Station and gets to stay with his family at the camp.
Liyan escapes Dryborough and travels by foot to Pearly Bay Mission to take her son back.
From where the story ended when John is grown up with his son...What happens next?
Perhaps it could be from the perspective of Mr or Mrs Grainger and what happened to the workers at Dryborough Station.
You may have come up with something completely different to the above ideas...Go with that, if it makes sense!
Post Testing- Descriptive Writing The Stolen Girl Term 3