ICT in Drama Links, Resources and References
Acknowledgement:
Whilst there are several contributions from NAACE members the majority of the ideas here come from
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer, Falkirk Council Education Services, E-mail:
malcolm.wilson@falkirk.gov.uk
Dave Murray
General:
Shambles – Drama and ICT Links:
http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/performing/dramaict/
Also puppets, storytelling, circus at: http://www.shambles.net/performingarts/
BBC Blast
A site dedicated to helping young people bring their creative ideas to life by offering them
opportunities to explore their interest in art, dance, music, film, writing or digital creativity.
www.bbc.co.uk/blast
Futurelab:
Lots of exciting projects with potential for drama work at:
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/showcase/show.htm
In particular, Media Stage
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/showcase/mediastage/index.htm
5-14 Online from Learning and Teaching Scotland
• www.ltscotland.org.uk
• Contains 5-14 Guidelines, and example resources from schools and local authorities.
Creative Drama and Theatre Education
• www.creativedrama.com/
• Contains classroom ideas for games and warm-up exercises to develop specific
drama skills.
Tag Theatre – Scottish touring company
• www.tag-theatre.co.uk
• Contains background notes, teaching resources, lesson ideas, drama activities
related to performances by Tag Theatre Company.
Drama in Education
• www.artsonthemove.co.uk/education/education.html
• Contains descriptions of drama “conventions” and terms as well as activities specific
to primary schools.
Creative Drama Lesson Plans
• www.childdrama.com/lessons.html
• Many lesson plans for all ages sorted by age, type of drama and curricular subject.
Teachers Resource Exchange • http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk
Technology:
Podcasts and Video as a performance media for reaching wider audiences:
http://www.youtube.com/
http://www.polyptych.co.uk
Kar2ouche – unique software with lots of case study material at:
http://www.imed.co.uk/kar2ouche/
Also See Kent LA example - developing role plays with children with special needs in
http://www.elspa.com/assets/files/u/unlimitedlearningtheroleofcomputerandvideogamesint_344.pdf
Soundbeam:
Converts movement into sound and triggers video clips by ultrasonic sensors and switches. Quite a
complex system to get your head round (MIDI etc) but potential for dance and drama teachers at
KS2,3 and 4. Soundbeam website has short case studies on video.
http://www.soundbeam.co.uk/
Story:
• Make use of texts online, these are usually out of copyright, as starting points for:
• “Hot-seating” – pupils read story then each takes a character and when interviewed by
other pupils take on the role of that character and improvise answers based on their
understanding of that character.
• “Dilemma Debate” – at turning points in stories, where a decision has to be taken, split the
class into two groups with each group arguing case for one decision choice, each pupil in
turn giving their view to the pupil who has taken on the character role.
• Storybook Online – a storytelling community for children where children add stories.
• http://www.storybookonline.net/Default.aspx
• Online texts library - http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/lists.html
• Kidspace @ The Internet Public Library – click on Reading Zone link • http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/
E2BN's Myths and Legends site:
Has a powerful storymaking tool which could provide a good introduction to storyboarding.
http://myths.e2bn.net/index.php
Sensory Stories:
See related article in Primary Focus on ICT and Inclusion, Autumn 2006-11-03
http://www.petewells.co.uk
ICT, multimedia and access to stories:
See example from Primary Focus on ICT and Inclusion, Autumn 2006-11-03
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/meldreth/textandinfo/Powerp/Have%20you%20seen.swf
also general support at
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/meldreth/textandinfo/Powerp/Powp.htm
Mimed Action Using On-line Music:
• Use a music track on the computer (use an Internet search engine and enter “free royaltyfree music” in the search box for free download music files from online sites) as stimulus
(to download files right click on each download link and “save target as” – choose where to
save to – save).
• www.koumis.com/music.htm for free royalty-free music and video clips
• www.partnersinrhyme.com for free royalty-free music, sound-effects.
• www.incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/ for free royalty-free piano, orchestral,
contemporary music.
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• www.freeaudioclips.com – for free short sound clips from movies.
pupils to combine a sequence that moves from one freeze-action mime to the next on a
signal from the teacher.
Pupils use a digital camera to take photographs of freeze-action of groups, to show on
computer / data projector – pupils to reflect and evaluate in group discussion.
• www.bobsedulinks.com/digital.htm - resources on using digital camera.
Pupils create mimed action mirroring actions of character shown on a short clip on the
computer
• www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/webplay/clips/index.shtml
• www.bbc.co.uk/history/multimedia_zone/audio_video/
• http://www.historychannel.com
Picture Starters:
• Choose pictures from the Internet:
• historic still pictures of people, objects or places –
• www.scran.ac.uk
• www.historybuff.com
• www.historytoday.com
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/
• constantly updating location webcam images
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/webcams/
• panoramic images
• www.avirtualdominica.com/360degs/ - Dominica
• www.360portugal.com/ - Portugal and Spain
• www.czechbyclick.com/vt/index.cfm - Prague
• www.bbc.co.uk – type panorama into the search box
• Show the class a selected picture and together establish a few facts observed from the
picture using prompts Who, What, Where, Why, When?
• “Still-image / Freeze frames” - in groups the class re-create the picture with each pupil
taking on the role of one of the people in the photograph. Each pupil will be asked to speak
when the teacher clicks fingers above pupil’s head. They will say their name and what they
are doing
• “Thought Out Loud”- each pupil in character will describe their feelings about the situation
the picture shows them in.
• “Cross-Cut” – one group starts with action – then cut to next group action of what they
think happens next, then on signal from teacher cuts to next group.
Movies as Stimulus:
• Use online resources of film clips, news stories or movie trailers as starting point for “What
happens next” improvisations (right-click on film clips – save target as – choose location to
save on your computer - download).
• http://heritage.scotsman.com/videos.cfm - video clips from Scotsman news archive.
• www.scran.ac.uk – Scottish archive of photographs and film.
• www.mediaed.org.uk - UK Movie Image and Media Education.
• www.scottishscreen.com – Scottish Screen – includes resources and links.
• www.bfi.org.uk – The British Film Institute.
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“Forum Theatre” – a group starts the improvised action watched by the rest of the class. It
can be “frozen” by any other pupil or the teacher and other pupils add to the situation or
replace characters.
• News sources:
• http://news.bbc.co.uk
• http://news.google.com
•
www.newsindex.com
Creating Digital Video:
 Open University Module on using Digital Video:
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1543
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http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk (enter “drama and digital video” into the search box) - Teachers
Resource Exchange - example animations on how to start using digital video with pupils
www.atomiclearning.com/storyboardpro - free film-making storyboarding software and
tutorials
www.mightycoach.com/articles/mm2/index.html - free tutorials and resources on using free
Windows Movie Maker 2.
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/nisa/moviemaker.htm - Georgia Movie Makers – resources and
tutorials on using Windows Movie Maker 2.
Creating a “Living Newspaper” – record a report on an event in the news, historical or
current, with pupils taking on roles of interviewees, reporter and people in character.
• Stimulus may be story from the news or a headline.
Create a puppet show – pupils devise scripted puppet show and record on video.
• www.childdrama.com/puppets.html
• Contains directions for making different kinds of puppets, including
templates.
• www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/theme/puppet.html
• Contains links and resources for making and using puppets
Scripted Work:
• BBC Writer’s Room free Microsoft Word templates for Screenplay; TV Taped Drama; TV
Taped Sitcom; Radio Drama; Radio Sketch; Stage; Comic Book. Also has archive of scripts
from broadcast BBC plays, animated films, television sitcoms.
• www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/
• Nuts and Bolts Film-making – free scripts and resources
• www.cvisual.com/film-techniques/default.asp
• Making Movies - A Guide For Young Filmmakers by The Film Foundation and Directors Guild
of America, provides free step by step lesson plans, workbooks and activities for making a
movie with pupils
• www.scenariosusa.com/educators/makingmovies/
• Independent Film makers - Sonnyboo free resources including script templates,
storyboarding templates
• www.sonnyboo.com/downloads/downloads.htm
Books:
NATE Drama Publications draw upon many resources but use ICT intelligently where appropriate.
E.g.
Resourcing classroom drama : 5-8 / Teresa Grainger & Mark Cremin
Sheffield : NATE, 2001
Drama--Study and teaching (Primary)
Oversize
Joe Winston’s book Drama and English at the Heart of the Curriculum, published by David
Fulton, has a whole chapter devoted to ICT in drama.