Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream Lesson 1 All will discuss knowledge of Shakespeare Most will understand how the plot to this play begins Some will use body face and voice imaginatively to show the plot Tasks Teacher Amendments 1. Outline objectives 2. Basic knowledge of student’s knowledge of Shakespeare and ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream.’ PowerPoint if available 3. In pairs discuss keeping a secret – the play begins with a secret being shared 4. In same pairs act out a simple version of someone sharing a secret 5. Show some – discuss how the body, face and voice showed this was a secret. 6. Read extract – discuss how important the secret is and what it tells us about these characters in the play. 7. 2’s - Hermia and Lysander are in love. Freeze frame to show this. 8. In 3’s using mime, show the lovers sneaking away into the woods with a narrator choosing lines from the extract to highlight what is happening – extension add thoughts aloud of other characters. 9. Show – how did body face and voice work – 10. Helena is in love with Demetrius but he doesn’t want to know – discuss how you would feel 11. spontaneous thoughts aloud for Helena – extension, response to this problem as Lysander 12. 13. Recap lesson skills used and objectives. Extension Resources Act 1 scene one extract ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream.’ PoS links English 1 Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream All will know the characters in The Players Most will use voice and gesture to bring out the comedy of the characters Some will use the text to make the audience laugh Tasks – high status mortals 1. Outline objectives 2. Introduce The Players (use video extract where possible) 3. Discuss that these men are not very good at their job- why might that be funny 4. List the men – as individuals describe each man and students use face and gesture to sum them up 5. Freeze frame of the actors showing status and enthusiasm of them all 6. Read extract – 7. Using the script do your own version of it – it is important to highlight the comedy. 8. Perform 9. Evaluate in detail using level sheets to peer assess. 10. Recap lesson, skills and objectives Extension- improvisation of their second rehearsal Resources Video extract – Extract Act 1 scene 2 - Midsummer Nights Dream Character description sheet Lesson 2 Teacher Amendments PoS link English 2 Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream Lesson 3 All will act as if a magical creature Most will use their physicality to show magical creatures Some will show status and magical attributes in script work Tasks Teacher Amendments 1. Outline objectives recap last lesson 2. There is another group of characters in the play who are magical, the fairies. 3. Whole group role play, 4 students are the main characters of Lysander, Hermia, Demetrus and Helena, the rest are objects in the magical wood, as the main characters pass you play mischievous tricks on them as fairies. If they see you move you turn to stone. (Using sound scape - make some magical noises) 4. Discuss atmosphere of this scene 5. Using slow motion and thoughts aloud create a scene of the fairies placing a spell on mortals, and see the effects, the mortals need to change physically. 6. Introduce Oberon and Titania – they are King and Queen and are having an argument. Titania won’t let Oberon have one of her servants. Improvisation based on these characters arguing, don’t forget they are magical and high status. 7. Read extract – what trick is Oberon planning and who is Puck? 8. Conscience alley for Puck, should he do as his master tells him? 9. Read second part of the plan - students work on this extract ready to perform 10. Show in pairs and possibly best ones show whole class 11. Evaluate - who was the most effective at showing status and his magical nature 12. Recap lesson, skills and objectives Extension – monologue as one of the younger fairies how they feel about Titania or Oberon Resources PoS links Magical music - unless using sound scape English Extract – Act 2 Oberon plan Extract – act 2 3 Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream Lesson 4 All will use facial expressions in freeze frames to show comedy Most will develop their ability to create comedy in their wok Some will use dialogue to add to the comedy in the scene Tasks Teacher Amendments 1. Outline objectives 2. The plot is developing and we meet Helena and Demetrius – Read extract. What is happening in this scene? 3. Using over the top physicality show this conversation in your own words (you may have Helena at Demetrius’ feet) 4. Puck plays a trick and casts a spell using the flower on Hermia who falls in love with Demetrius and one on Lysander who falls in love with Helena. Read extract mixed up love triangle if it helps explain the plot. 5. In 3/4’s create a series of freeze frames to sum up one of these scenes - Puck will thought track each freeze frame. 6. Share and discuss Read extract Enter LYSANDER and HELENA he thinks he is in love and discuss 7. 3’s - Spontaneous improvisation, Both men are now in love with Helena and are fighting over her. She thinks they are taking the micky. 8. Discuss why this would be funny to watch? How could you make it funnier? 9. Recap lesson and how comedy has been created Extension - In the play Puck mimics their voices to confuse the situation even more. Planned improvisation – same scene as before but with Puck making things worse. You need to make it funny Resources Extract - DEMETRIUS and Helena (I don't like you) At the start of the play Hermia loves Lysander and he loves her too Helene loves Demetrius but Demetrius loves Hermia PoS links 4 Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream All will use physicality to show a magical change Most will develop their use of text in performance Some will use Shakespeare’s language to create comedy Tasks 1. Outline objectives 2. Puck is up to no good again and is about to turn Bottom in to a strange donkey like creature. 3. 2’s – show Puck transforming Bottom. Swap roles. 4. Read extract – using this show the reaction of his fellow Players. 5. Using the extract or your own dialogue create a scene where The Player react to Bottoms change. 6. Perform. 7. Using mime – show when Oberon squeezes the flower juice on Titania’s eyes. 8. Share some and evaluate 9. 2’s Spontaneous improvisation – Titania waking to see the Donkey version of Bottom and falling in love instantly 10. Perform and evaluate 11. Recap lesson Resources Extract - PUCK putting the spell on Bottom Lesson 5 Teacher Amendments PoS links English Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream All will develop their own version of ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ Most will work as a cohesive group Some will display leadership skills in group work Tasks – 1. Outline objectives 2. To resolve all of the mischief Puck rubs the right people with the right love potion. Titania and Oberon make up too. All is well. 3. Group wedding. Whole group role play – freeze and spotlight. 4. Discuss the happy ending. How would you include the Players? (They perform their plays) 5. In groups of 6/7 students need to work on a 3min version of Midsummer Nights Dream. This must include the following skills Mime Slow-motion Sound scape Conscience Alley And others you want to add. 6. Perform, level and evaluate. If you have 7 lessons then use the last week to perform, level and evaluate 7. Recap lesson – If no lesson 7 - Recap whole scheme and discuss progress made over the whole of Year 7 – targets for next year. Resources PoS links English Lesson 6 Teacher Amendments 5 Kingsmead School Drama Department Year 7 Midsummer Nights Dream All will perform their piece Most will use a range of drama skills throughout Some will evaluate effectively Tasks – 1. Recap last lesson and outline objectives 2. Continue to work on 3min version of Midsummer Nights Dream. This must include the following skills Mime Slow-motion Sound scape Conscience Alley And others you want to add. 3. Perform, level and evaluate in detail 4. Recap whole scheme and discuss progress made over the whole of Year 7 – targets for next year. Lesson 7 Teacher Amendments Outline objectives Rehearsal time for class Perform each piece and level each performer given justifications Recap lesson whole scheme and the best parts. What would students change or improve, what did they think worked best? Resources PoS links 6
