Drama (Version 8.4)

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Rationale

This rationale complements and extends the rationale for The Arts learning area.
Drama is the expression and exploration of personal, cultural and social worlds through role and situation that engages, entertains and challenges.

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Aims

In addition to the overarching aims of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, drama knowledge, understanding and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students develop:

confidence and self-esteem to explore, depict and celebrate human experience, take risks and challenge their own creativity through drama

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Structure

Learning in Drama
Learning in Drama involves students making, performing, analysing and responding to drama, drawing on human experience as a source of ideas. Students engage with the knowledge of drama, develop skills, techniques and processes, and use materials as they explore a range of forms, styles and contexts.

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Example of knowledge and skills

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Years 3 and 4

Years 3 and 4 Band Description

In Years 3 and 4, learning in The Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding to artworks independently and collaboratively with their classmates and teachers.

As they experience The Arts, students draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. While the arts in the local community should be the initial focus for learning, students are also aware of and interested in the arts from more distant locations and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity.

As they make and respond to artworks, students explore meaning and interpretation, elements and forms, and social and cultural contexts of the arts. They make personal evaluations of their own and others’ artworks, making connections between their own artistic intentions and those of other artists.

Students continue to learn about safe practices in the arts and in their interactions with other artists. Their understanding of the role of the artist and the audience builds on their experience from the previous band. As an audience, students focus their attention on the artwork and respond to it. They consider why and how audiences respond to artworks.

In Years 3 and 4, students’ awareness of themselves and others as audiences is extended beyond the classroom to the broader school context.

In Drama, students:

  • extend their understanding of role and situation as they offer, accept and extend their ideas in improvisation
  • vary voice and movement to create role when devising drama
  • learn about focus, tension, space and time in their own and others’ drama
  • explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements including voice, movement, situation, time and place, and tension as they make and respond to drama
  • use language and ideas to shape dramatic action
  • use story structures to shape drama for audiences.

Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Explore ideas and narrative structures through roles and situations and use empathy in their own improvisations and devised drama (ACADRM031 - Scootle )
Literacy

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

Ethical Understanding

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
  • Consider points of view

Understanding ethical concepts and issues
  • Explore ethical concepts in context

Reasoning in decision making and actions
  • Reflect on ethical action

  • exploring and experiencing a range of roles and situations that they initiate and develop
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

  • making improvisations that explore issues and ideas using empathy
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Understand relationships
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Ethical Understanding

    Reasoning in decision making and actions
    • Reason and make ethical decisions

    Understanding ethical concepts and issues
    • Explore ethical concepts in context

  • using elements of drama and the principles of stories to shape improvisations to communicate their intentions as drama makers, for example, establishing time and place and the roles and characters in the drama
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative
    • Express emotions appropriately

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

  • experimenting with tension, and creating dramatic meaning to sustain improvisations and process dramas
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes

  • Considering viewpoints – forms and elements: For example – How did the drama begin? Develop? Conclude? How did the performers vary their voices, movement and gestures to create and share believable characters? How are elements of drama such as role, situation, time and place part of the action? How is the dramatic tension developed in the drama?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships and create dramatic action with a sense of time and place (ACADRM032 - Scootle )
Literacy

Grammar knowledge
  • Use knowledge of sentence structures
  • Use knowledge of words and word groups

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose texts
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

  • experimenting with the loudness/softness, pace and pitch of their voices to create roles and situations, time and place
    Numeracy

    Using spatial reasoning
    • Visualise 2D shapes and 3D objects

    Using measurement
    • Operate with clocks, calendars and timetables

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Self-awareness
    • Recognise personal qualities and achievements
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

  • varying their facial expressions and movements to create roles and situations
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative
    • Express emotions appropriately

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Recognise personal qualities and achievements
    • Develop reflective practice

  • exploring roles and situations by trialling the use of language, such as choice of words, expressions and tone
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Grammar knowledge
    • Use knowledge of words and word groups

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • developing sensory and spatial awareness when creating dramatic action
    Numeracy

    Using spatial reasoning
    • Visualise 2D shapes and 3D objects

    Using measurement
    • Operate with clocks, calendars and timetables

  • experimenting with body language and gesture from different cultures and times
    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Communicate across cultures

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Visual Knowledge
    • Understand how visual elements create meaning

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

Shape and perform dramatic action using narrative structures and tension in devised and scripted drama, including exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drama (ACADRM033 - Scootle )
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Literacy

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose texts
  • Deliver presentations
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Intercultural Understanding

Interacting and empathising with others
  • Communicate across cultures

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
  • Develop respect for cultural diversity

Personal and Social Capability

Self-awareness
  • Recognise personal qualities and achievements

Self-management
  • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

  • applying story structures in their drama, including roles and events linked through cause and effect and dramatic tension
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Literacy

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

  • Considering viewpoints – meanings and interpretations: For example – What are the stories and the ideas in the drama you watch and listen to? Which of the characters do you identify with? What relationships and situations do you recognise (or not recognise) in the drama you watch and listen to?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

  • performing their improvised sections of process drama and playbuilding
  • sharing with others dramatic action that is structured through dramatic tension, in real or virtual spaces
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Consider alternatives

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Managing and operating ICT
    • Select and use hardware and software

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

    Literacy

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Deliver presentations
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Numeracy

    Using spatial reasoning
    • Visualise 2D shapes and 3D objects

    Estimating and calculating with whole numbers
    • Estimate and calculate

  • performing short scripted drama with a sense of role, situation and dramatic tension
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Communicate effectively
    • Make decisions
    • Work collaboratively

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Deliver presentations
    • Use language to interact with others
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures
    • Use knowledge of text cohesion

  • Considering viewpoints – evaluations: For example – How well did you collaborate to make drama? What worked best in the drama?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • planning and rehearsing their drama for a live or virtual performance
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Deliver presentations
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
    • Use language to interact with others

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

  • exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and how they are dramatically portrayed as a reference for shaping their own drama
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Communicate across cultures

  • exploring dramatic traditions and practices from one or more Asian societies in their drama
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Text knowledge
    • Use knowledge of text structures

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Communicate across cultures

Identify intended purposes and meaning of drama, starting with Australian drama, including drama of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, using the elements of drama to make comparisons (ACADRR034 - Scootle )
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Critical and Creative Thinking

Reflecting on thinking and processes
  • Reflect on processes
  • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
  • Consider alternatives

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Literacy

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Compose texts

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
  • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
  • Comprehend texts
  • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
  • Develop respect for cultural diversity

Interacting and empathising with others
  • Communicate across cultures
  • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • identifying meaning and describing purposes in drama from different social, cultural or historical contexts
    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives
    • Communicate across cultures

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • Considering viewpoints – societies and cultures: For example – What features and ideas in the drama come from other cultures, times and places? How have you used these ideas and features in your own drama? Why do you think people from all different cultures make and respond to drama?
  • comparing the expectations and requirements of performers and audience in different cultural settings and applying learning in their own performances
    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Recognise personal qualities and achievements
    • Develop reflective practice

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • examining drama in their community and comparing it to other drama of different people, times and cultures
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Literacy

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives
    • Communicate across cultures

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

  • Considering viewpoints – meanings and interpretations: For example – What are the stories and the ideas in the drama you watch and listen to? Which of the characters do you identify with? What relationships and situations do you recognise (or not recognise) in the drama you watch and listen to?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • writing about and discussing with others the meaning and intended purposes of their own drama using drama terminology
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Consider alternatives

    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
    • Use language to interact with others

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Grammar knowledge
    • Express opinion and point of view

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately


Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between artworks they make and those to which they respond. They discuss how they and others organise the elements and processes in artworks.

Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that communicate ideas.

By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between drama they make, perform and view. They discuss how they and others organise the elements of drama in their drama.

Students use relationships, tension, time and place and narrative structure when improvising and performing devised and scripted drama. They collaborate to plan, make and perform drama that communicates ideas.


Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios