Grade 3 Drama Sample Unit
Learning Objectives Checklist for Unit 3: Making Sense of Things
The checklist below is the same checklist that appears at the beginning of the Grade 3 Drama section of the
curriculum guide. The objectives that are checked are those that are selected for teaching and/or reinforcement
in the Grade 3 Sample Unit. Note that some objectives are addressed more than once in the sample unit and that
other objectives are better addressed in other drama units.
The students will:
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develop belief in the dramatic situation (i.e., learn to suspend disbelief)
sustain roles in dramatic situations and accept/respond to others in role
begin to use language purposefully when speaking and writing in role
recognize the need to work together within dramatic contexts
contribute ideas appropriate to the drama
develop an understanding of the need to listen at all times within a drama
recognize the need to respect the contributions of others
use imagination to explore various possibilities in dramatic contexts
develop confidence in using a variety of strategies within dramatic situations
understand that libraries, resource people, and the Internet are sources of information for drama work
recognize the need to choose specific alternatives in order to further the drama’s development in a
satisfactory way
welcome new or surprise information as a way to make the drama more interesting and to provide
opportunities to solve problems
recognize that dramas are more interesting when sound/silence, light/dark, and movement/stillness
are varied
accept that characters/roles, objects, and places can stand for ideas of what the drama is about
recall and express responses to the drama work, both in and out of role
support contributions to drama discussions with stories of own experience
become acquainted with the language of drama in discussions about the drama work
explore strategies other than discussion to reflect on drama work
begin to make connections between own dramas and own lives
explore the use of story maps to develop understanding of actions and consequences in dramatic
presentations
understand that actors in dramatic presentations represent characters with various traits, problems,
and experiences
understand that characters talk to each other in different ways in dramatic presentations
understand that dramatic presentations viewed express ideas
recognize that sound and music are used for different purposes in dramatic presentations viewed
recognize ways that set, costume, sound, and lighting contribute to dramatic presentations viewed
respond in a variety of ways to plays viewed as audience
begin to examine how plays are made
develop the awareness that plays convey ideas
develop an awareness of the purposes of dramatic presentations in home, school, and community
settings
understand that cultures around the world have various forms of drama
recognize different ways that dramatic presentations can have an effect on people
begin to examine the work of Saskatchewan and Canadian dramatic artists, including First Nation and
Métis artists
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Common Essential Learnings Objectives Checklist for Grade 3
The objectives that are checked are those that are selected for teaching and/or reinforcement in the Grade 3
Sample Unit. Note that some objectives are addressed more than once and other objectives are better
addressed in other drama units.
The students will:
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write about ideas presented using own language (C)
explore and express the purpose for and meaning of what they are doing (C)
show their understanding of ideas presented (e.g., by drawing) (C)
summarize important understandings from oral presentations (C)
summarize their understanding (C)
listen for various purposes (C)
gradually incorporate the vocabulary of drama into their talk and writing (C)
transfer knowledge of mathematical concepts to everyday applications (N)
imagine and discuss a situation or event from the perspective of another person or living thing (CCT)
develop awareness of and begin to understand the feelings and needs of others (CCT)
assume a pretend role, participate in, and contribute ideas for imaginative play – interacting with
objects and other children (CCT)
use all of the senses to explore, experiment, create, and interact with the environment (CCT)
visualize objects, people, and places – both real and imaginary (CCT)
develop understanding of own knowledge base and gaps in knowledge related to a specific topic (e.g.,
“What do I know? What do I want to know?”) (CCT)
recognize, reproduce, and create patterns of all types (e.g., movement, number, or word patterns;
patterns found in nature) (CCT)
begin to understand that many problems have more than one solution and that there are often several
ways to accomplish a task, and/or achieve a goal (CCT)
begin to understand creativity as related to imagining, having ideas, and making or changing things
according to one’s own ideas (CCT)
contribute to group ‘brainstorming’ and/or other activities for generating many ideas (including drawing
ideas, manipulating concrete objects, and acting ideas out using people and things) (CCT)
develop several ways to demonstrate learning (e.g., drawing, movement, and simple charts or graphs)
(CCT)
design and construct original objects that are useful and/or personally meaningful (CCT)
examine their immediate experiences with technology in the home and in the school (TL)
explore the relationships between the natural and constructed worlds (TL)
explore the impact of technological change on their immediate environment (i.e., the natural and
constructed world) (TL)
explore the distribution and uses of technology in the community (TL)
understand the benefits and limitations of technological tools in drama (TL)
take turns and participate actively or contribute to task (PSD)
develop the abilities to prevent conflicts through use of creative problem solving and the application of
various strategies to ensure fairness (PSD)
appreciate the contributions of others (PSD)
begin to develop the ability to follow a process and use basic co-operative skills/abilities when
engaging in co-operative learning and other types of small group endeavours (PSD)
explore and develop appreciation for natural environments in own community (PSD)
demonstrate their achievements in a wide range of appropriate ways (IL)
participate in a wide range of learning activities (IL)
identify their own learning needs and interests (IL)
discover how their efforts can affect learning (IL)
focus on and complete learning tasks (IL)
work and communicate with others as a means to meeting learning goals (IL)
Refer to Objectives for the Common Essential Learnings (1991) for a more complete listing of C.E.L.s objectives.
The objectives are available on Saskatchewan Learning’s website: www.learning.gov.sk.ca and were distributed
to schools in Incorporating the Common Essential Learnings and the Adaptive Dimension: A Resource Package
(1991).
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Unit 3: Making Sense of Things – A
Sample Unit
Lesson 1
Time: 6-8 weeks
Component: Creative/Productive
Time: 45 minutes
Supplies/Resources
Teacher Note:
The following sample unit has been developed from
the Starter List of Activities provided for Grade 3.
The purpose is to illustrate how the suggested
activities for all the units can be developed into
more detailed lesson plans, incorporating the
Common Essential Learnings and the grade 3
drama learning objectives.
Following is an example of how one teacher might
choose to lead students through a drama unit. The
sample unit is not intended to be adhered to in a
step-by-step manner as the teacher and students
may decide to take the drama in many different
directions.
Mini-unit: A Sense of Order
The sample mini-unit includes five lessons and two
optional extension lessons on making paper shadow
puppets. Time to complete each lesson may vary
depending on the group.
Sample Topic: Dragons Galore
Teacher Information:
Many cultures have stories featuring dragons. They
are symbolic, and depending upon the culture, may
be seen as fierce, wise, wicked, peaceful, evil,
greedy, tricky, kind, omniscient, playful, or scary.
Dragons have captured our imaginations for
centuries.
In this unit, students explore the concept of dragons
through research, story, puppets, and drama by
using a variety of drama strategies. Students look at
attitudes and perceptions when answering the
question, “What is the threat?”
The structure includes:
• exploring the kinds of dragons in books and
mythology
• exploring concepts and comparing cultural
differences
• using puppets for storytelling (optional)
• protecting people from dragons
• protecting dragons from humans.
• Small drum and/or various percussion
instruments
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• develop belief in the dramatic situation (i.e., learn
to suspend disbelief)
• contribute ideas appropriate to the drama
• develop an understanding of the need to listen at
all times within a drama
• explore and express the purpose for and
meaning of what they are doing (C)
• summarize their understanding (C)
• assume a pretend role, participate in, and
contribute ideas for imaginative play – interacting
with objects and other children (CCT).
Procedure
1. Parallel play
Begin by asking students what they know about
dragons, where they live, and what they look like.
Ask each student to take on the role of a dragon
investigator who has just found a cave suspected
to be the home of a dragon. As dragon
investigators, they can only do three actions: look
for something, wait for something, and be
surprised by something. Ask students to keep
their ideas a secret, and then at the signal and all
at the same time, begin the actions.
Discuss the students’ ideas. Make comments to
students about what you see. Help them become
aware that they are communicating a lot of
information without using words.
2. Focus for the drama: How dragons move
Dance drama
Ask students to take on the role of a dragon. It
can be any kind of dragon they wish. How would
a dragon move?
Use a drum to create a tempo for the movement.
As they move to the sound of the drum, change
the tempo at times. Ask questions such as the
following to guide students’ movement:
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How does the dragon walk?
Can he/she fly?
Can he/she swim?
What do they eat?
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Supplies/Resources
Teacher Note:
Students practise following directions and listening
to the teacher’s voice. Sometimes a sound (e.g., a
drum or triangle) can act as a signal to freeze or sit
down.
3. Story theatre
Tell students you will be narrating a story and
they are to act it out through mime. Ask them to
listen to the drum as it creates a tempo and
indicates conflict. What would it mean if the drum
is fast and loud? Soft and slow? Even tempo?
Improvise a story about a friendly dragon who
loves to explore caves. For example, “The
dragon loves nothing better than spending the
day exploring caves and playing games of
imagination. One day the dragon discovers an
incredible treasure. He looks at the treasure
every day and as he does, he feels a
transformation of character taking place. He is
afraid someone else will steal the treasure. He
feels greedy and mean. He hides the treasure,
guards it, and no longer plays or explores. This
goes on for many days. But one night he falls
into a deep sleep and when he awakens, he
discovers the treasure is gone!”
4. Tableau
Ask students to create a tableau that shows what
might happen next.
Engage the students in a discussion about their
thoughts on the story and the final tableau. What
likely happens next? How might these ideas be
used in a drama about dragons?
Teacher Note:
Once you ask the question, “How might this
become our drama?”, you need to follow the lead
given by the students. This builds commitment to
the idea as it belongs to them. You can build some
suspense by leaving the students with a hint of
what is coming next. For example, “Perhaps we
should find out more about what kinds of dragons
exist in books and mythology.” Given some time,
students can be thinking about the story they wish
to share for next class.
Lesson 2
Time: 45 minutes
Component: Cultural/Historical
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• Books on dragons from a variety of cultures such
as The Paper Bag Princess by R. Munsch and/or
Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like by J.
Williams
• The Internet (consider bookmarking appropriate
sites in advance)
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• understand that libraries, resource people, and
the Internet are sources of information for drama
work
• begin to make connections between own dramas
and own lives
• begin to examine how plays are made
• summarize important understandings from oral
presentations (C)
• listen for various purposes (C)
• develop understanding of own knowledge base
and gaps in knowledge related to a specific topic
(e.g., “What do I know? What do I want to
know?”) (CCT).
Procedure
1. Read aloud two stories about dragons such as
The Paper Bag Princess and Everyone Knows
What a Dragon Looks Like. Compare the
dragons in these two books. Why are they so
different? How do perceptions and attitudes
affect the stories? How might these stories be
done as a play? Has anyone ever seen them
performed (e.g., at a children’s festival)?
2. Research
Prompt students to think of their own research
questions such as:
• What information do we need to find out about
dragons?
• How shall we organize ourselves so that each
person has something to discover in the
research?
• How will we share our findings with the
group?
3. One way to share the information is to create a
bulletin board using the research material
collected by the students. Ask students to think
of it as an ongoing collection that can be added
to as they learn more.
Lesson 3
Time: 25-30 minutes
Components: Creative/Productive
Critical/Responsive
Supplies/Resources
•
A notebook with a hand drawn map
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• sustain roles in dramatic situations and
accept/respond to others in role
• recognize the need to choose specific
alternatives in order to further the drama’s
development in a satisfactory way
• summarize their understanding (C)
• begin to understand creativity as related to
imagining, having ideas, and making or changing
things according to one’s own ideas (CCT)
• begin to understand that many problems have
more than one solution and that there are often
several ways to accomplish a task, and/or
achieve a goal (CCT).
Procedure
1. Teacher in role
Enter in role as a dragon hunter, carrying a
notebook. Gather the students around and
indicate who you are.
For example, “Gather round you villagers; I have
come with good news. I am the great dragon
hunter and I have come to rid you of your
dragon problem. I understand that several
sheep are missing and a child has been
attacked. Can you tell me any more about the
vicious attacks on your village?”
The students take on roles and answer
questions offering new details to the story.
2. Parallel play
Show the students the map of a dragon’s lair
that you bought from a stranger on the road.
Ask for some brave souls to join you on the
hunt. Others should prepare the village against
further attacks. What should be the plan? What
needs to be done?
Villagers work at their tasks as they prepare for
the journey to the dragon’s lair.
3. Journey
The journey can be made in pairs working to
help one another along the difficult path. As you
move about the room, narrate to the students
some of the problems to look out for, such as
low branches, a swamp, quicksand, and other
obstacles.
4. Mime
With the lair just ahead, it is time to stop and
make a plan. What will happen now? The
villagers are afraid but they must protect the
village. Is there a way to stop the attacks?
What can be done?
Still working with a partner, ask the students to
work silently using mime to show how the
situation can be solved.
5. Discuss each of the solutions and the way it was
expressed through mime.
Lesson 4
Time: 40 minutes
Components: Cultural/Historical
Critical/Responsive
Learning Objectives
• welcome new or surprise information as a way to
make the drama more interesting and to provide
opportunities to solve problems
• become acquainted with the language of drama
in discussions about the drama work
• imagine and discuss a situation or event from the
perspective of another person or living thing
(CCT)
• develop awareness of and begin to understand
the feelings and needs of others (CCT)
• develop the abilities to prevent conflicts through
use of creative problem solving and the
application of various strategies to ensure
fairness (PSD).
Procedure
1. Teacher in role
Enter in role as a dragon. Gather the students
and explain your role through narrative. For
example, “Gather around dragon brothers and
sisters. I have just returned from the annual
Council of Grand Dragons and I have heard
some disturbing news. Humans have been
attacking our fellow dragons. The humans have
somehow found access to the hidden lairs and I
fear the humans will come here next. We need
to protect ourselves, for as you know, humans
are very dangerous. They have been digging
deep into our caves for hidden treasure. What
shall we do?”
2. Meeting/Story map
Ask students to form into small groups and to
discuss a plan of action. Ask each group to
create a map explaining how and what to do.
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The rest of the drama will depend upon the
students’ solutions. Students may decide to do
any of the following:
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attack first
send a peace envoy
ask for help from the other animals in the
forest
move to a new and better protected place
let the media know their story.
Discuss the options generated by the students
and discuss the consequence of each action.
3. Still working with their group, ask the students to
use mime, as in the previous lesson, to show
how their solutions solve the problem.
4. Discuss each of the solutions and the way it was
expressed through mime.
5. Writing/Drawing
Write a letter to the other dragons. Describe
what happened. Perhaps draw a picture to
illustrate the final solution.
Lesson 5
Time: 30-40 minutes
Component: Critical/Responsive
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• recall and express responses to the drama work,
both in and out of role
• understand that actors in dramatic presentations
represent characters with various traits,
problems, and experiences
• write about ideas presented using own language
(C)
• demonstrate their achievements in a wide range
of appropriate ways (IL).
Procedure
1. Review the material collected on the bulletin
board display (i.e., research, maps, drawings,
and letters).
2. Tapping in
Ask each student to think of one of the roles
played in the unit (i.e., hunter, villager, dragon,
investigator, or story character). Think of one
thing s/he would say now if in that role.
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Move randomly around the room and tell
students that when you touch them on the
shoulder, they will be able to speak “as if” in that
role. What would that character like to say?
Discuss the drama. What roles did students
enjoy most? What other roles might they have
liked to try? What else could have happened in
the story that was not explored this time? Would
the students like to continue this drama or begin
a new one?
3. As a class, write a poem together to
commemorate the drama. It may be in a rhyming
couplet style similar to most ballads. Post it on
the bulletin board display.
Lessons 6 and 7 (optional)
See Grade 3 Appendix
Mini Unit: A Sense of Purpose
Time: 6-8 weeks (Lessons 3, 4, and 5 are optional)
Sample Topic: Lost in Space
Teacher Information:
This unit takes students into outer space, to the
“as if” world of aliens and space exploration.
Students have opportunities to ask questions
such as “What do aliens see when they look at
Earth? How do humans appear in this context?
What kinds of problems are humans creating on
Earth?”
The structure involves:
• role playing episodes as aliens
• journeying through space to look for new
possible homelands
• studying humans for suitability as planet
partners
• identifying the problem (possibly pollution)
and future concern for Earth
• creating a scrapbook (scientific log) of the
experience on Earth.
As an option for this unit, teachers may choose to
make alien masks with the students. Masks have a
long tradition in drama and have been used by many
cultures in various ways. The drama will work well
with or without mask work; however, students may
find the use of mask helpful in transforming the self
into a role. Be aware that some people find masks
rather scary; therefore, teachers may wish to discuss
the activity first with the students when deciding how
to proceed.
Lesson 1
Time: 45 minutes
3. Teacher in role/Parallel play
Ask the aliens to go to their own sleeping cell, eat
their breakfast, make their bed, and then return to
the lab for tests.
Components: Cultural/Historical
Creative/Productive
They are to line up and complete a number of
tests; for example, touch your toes, rub your belly
and pat your head, sing a song (in alien
language, remember), and walk a straight line.
Supplies/Resources
• A small box or possibly a calculator (as a
translation device)
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• develop belief in the dramatic situation (i.e., learn
to suspend disbelief)
• recognize the need to work together within
dramatic contexts
• recall and express responses to the drama work,
both in and out of role
• explore and express the purpose for and
meaning of what they are doing (C)
• listen for various purposes (C)
• develop awareness of and begin to understand
the feelings and needs of others (CCT).
Procedure
1. Motivate students to engage in a drama about
alien life forms and interplanetary friendships by
asking whether students believe alien life may
exist. In 2002, the Hubble Space Telescope
discovered a galaxy similar to ours, but light
years away. It is believed to also have a planet,
comparable to Earth, orbiting around a sun.
What are the possibilities for drama?
Imaging
What do you think aliens might look like? How
might they move? What would their homes look
like? How might they sound?
2. Focus for the drama: What if I was an alien on
Earth? What if I had to leave my home planet?
Ask students to take on the role of an alien
visiting Earth. The alien can be in any form they
wish to explore. Explain that you will be in the
role of a scientist trying to study them. You will
not be able to understand their language; it will
just sound like noises to you, but the scientist and
the aliens will do their best to communicate with
one another. You may wish to first practise a
gibberish language to attempt to understand what
is meant. For example, using only gibberish, ask
someone to show you how to tie a shoe. You will
need to add in gestures to communicate the
request.
The focus is to communicate and to discover as
much as you can about the aliens.
4. Interview
Show the aliens a new invention (a small box
perhaps) that automatically translates the alien
language to English (or French or Cree or
whatever may be appropriate).
Sit in a circle and pass the translator device to
the aliens. The scientist may now ask questions
about their home planet(s) and about life there.
The aliens can also ask questions of the scientist
about Earth. The aliens are looking for possible
new homes. Why?
Teacher Note:
This interview process may reveal a direction for
the drama. The preferred focus for the drama
comes from student input. Questions and
discussion while in role often uncover student
thinking and attitudes relevant to the drama.
For the sample unit, we imagine the focus is on
finding a new home for the aliens. They are
considering moving to Earth but are first
investigating the planet and its inhabitants. This
provides a direction for the remaining lessons.
5. Writing
Still as aliens, write a journal entry on this day
with the scientist called, “What I Learned About
Earth”. This is their own scientific log that they
will use to file reports back on their home planet.
Lesson 2
Time: 40-45 minutes
Components: Cultural/Historical
Critical/Responsive
Supplies/Resources
•
Instrumental music (often synthesized sounds
have a “space” mood)
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Learning Objectives
Students will:
• sustain roles in dramatic situations and
accept/respond to others in role
• contribute ideas appropriate to the drama
• explore strategies other than discussion to reflect
on drama work
• write about ideas presented using own language
(C)
• assume a pretend role, participate in, and
contribute ideas for imaginative play – interacting
with objects and other children (CCT)
• visualize objects, people, and places – both real
and imaginary (CCT).
Procedure
1. Imaging
In role as the scientist, ask the aliens to come
back to the lab. Explain to them that humans are
very interested in space travel and they cannot
understand how the journey was made here to
Earth. Would the aliens agree to be connected to
a computer that can read brain waves and then
translate it into words? It is totally painless. All
the aliens have to do is lie back comfortably,
close their eyes, and imagine the journey.
Teacher Note:
It may be useful to turn the lights low and to play
some soft music. Instrumental music can set the
mood for the visualized journey. Sometimes it
helps to settle students down by first leading them
through some simple stretches. Once students are
lying down, ask them to focus on breathing deep,
right down to the tummy, to help them relax.
You may wish to ask questions to help the
students create the images. Examples may
include:
• Remember back to the time before you left
your home. What did your home look like?
(pause to visualize)
• Why did you need to leave to come to Earth?
(pause)
• How did you prepare for the long journey to
Earth? (pause)
• What kind of space travel did you use? Did
you have a spaceship? What did it look like?
(pause)
• What does it look like in space? (pause)
• How did you feel on the trip? (pause)
• What was it like when you first landed on
Earth? (pause)
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2. Storytelling
Ask everyone to sit up, stretch, and turn to a
partner. Tell them the computer is working on
the data related to the journey, and give them five
minutes to tell each other about what students
saw on the journey.
3. Tableau
Ask the aliens in pairs to now show you what it
was like arriving on Earth and meeting the
Earthlings. Each pair creates a tableau (a still
photo with their bodies) to document the
experience.
Look at each of the tableaux and discuss what
the aliens have presented. Encourage them to
ask questions of one another to clarify what the
aliens wished to communicate.
4. Writing
Write a second entry into the journals that
documents “The Day I Met the Earthlings”.
Lessons 3, 4, and 5 (optional)
See Grade 3 Appendix
Lesson 6
Time: 50 minutes
Components: Critical/Responsive
Creative/Productive
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• recognize the need to respect the contributions of
others
• use imagination to explore various possibilities in
dramatic contexts
• explore the impact of technological change on
their immediate environment (i.e., the natural and
constructed world) (TL)
• appreciate the contributions of others (PSD)
• explore and develop appreciation for natural
environments in own community (PSD).
Procedure
1. Parallel play
Ask students to volunteer for roles as people in a
market (shoppers and vendors) or as aliens. In
the role of scientist, enter and tell the aliens they
are going on a trip to the market. It will help them
in their research about Earth. Use improvisation
to prepare for the market (e.g., explain how
money works to purchase things).
Improvisation
Go to the market and encourage the aliens to
interact with the other people in role. As the
scientist, you can assist at times and clarify if
needed. When it seems appropriate, gather the
aliens to return to the lab.
2. Focus for the drama: What is the effect of
pollution on Earth?
On the way back to the lab, the scientist takes
the aliens past the garbage dump. There is a
discussion about garbage and the problem of
pollution. Water has been contaminated and is
no longer safe to drink in many places. Is water
contamination a problem on their home
planet(s)?
Writing
Ask the aliens to make an entry in their journals
called “Earth Environment”.
3. Meeting
Gather students together and talk about the
drama. What do you think the aliens have
learned so far about Earth? The aliens are
looking for a new home – is Earth a good
solution? Can the aliens trust the humans?
4. Writing
Decide to draft a letter to the earthlings with the
conditions for an agreement to stay on Earth.
What are the aliens prepared to offer in return for
a place to live?
Lesson 7
Time: 60 minutes
Component: Creative/Productive
Supplies/Resources
Large sheet of paper and non-toxic markers
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• welcome new or surprise information as a way to
make the drama more interesting and to provide
opportunities to solve problems
• explore the use of story maps to develop
understanding of actions and consequences in
dramatic presentations
• begin to understand creativity as related to
imagining, having ideas, and making or changing
things according to one’s own ideas (CCT)
• contribute to group ‘brainstorming’ and/or other
activities for generating many ideas (including
drawing ideas, manipulating concrete objects,
and acting ideas out using people and things)
(CCT)
• develop several ways to demonstrate learning
(e.g., drawing, movement, and simple charts or
graphs) (CCT).
Procedure
1. Story mapping
On a large paper, work together to make a story
map of the drama thus far. Ask for suggestions/
direction for the drama. Ask “what if …”
questions. For example, the focus may be:
• What if the earthlings cannot be trusted, and
they trick the aliens into doing something
dangerous?
• What if the aliens decide to help with the
pollution problem, but some earthlings do not
like the solution and feel threatened?
• What if the aliens are called home for a crisis
of their own?
• What if new aliens from another galaxy arrive
and cause trouble?
2. Tableau/Storytelling
Students may want to try out several story ideas,
as discussed. If so, form into groups and assign
one story idea to each group. Ask students to
take on the roles needed (e.g., earthling, alien, or
new alien) for the story idea. Provide adequate
time to talk about the story idea. Tell students
they are to create a series of tableaux (perhaps
four) in order to explain the story. Students can
use words following each tableau to help tell the
story.
Remind each group that they need to consider an
ending to their scenario (e.g., how will they solve
the conflict?).
Tell the students you will be entering the room in
role as the alien grand chancellor. They have
been called before you to explain what has been
happening during their time on Earth.
3. Tableaux
Groups take turns showing their tableaux and
telling the story of what happened on Earth.
Encourage the other groups to ask questions and
comment on the experiences.
4. Flashforward
Imagine it is now the time to say goodbye to the
earthlings. Improvise saying goodbye to the
scientist and any others students wish to include.
Why must they say goodbye? Will there be any
future visits?
Reflection
What is the most important thing students have
learned about the people of Earth?
9
Sample Assessment Form
Grade 3 Sample Unit  Making Sense of Things
Mini-unit: A Sense of Order
This sample assessment form can be used throughout the sample unit to record students’ learning related to
specific objectives.
Sustain roles in dramatic
situations and accept/
respond to others in role
Understand that libraries,
resource people, and the
Internet are sources of
information for drama work
Begin to make
connections between
own dramas and own
lives
Could not seem to accept
me as anything other than
teacher in the 1st lesson. By
the 3rd lesson was
accustomed to the idea.
Was eager to take on the
role of hunter and wanted
to organize the others.
Brought in a book from
home to share with the
group.
Wants the class to do a
puppet show for her
sister’s class in Grade 1.
Was able to use an
encyclopedia to find
information.
Laughed at inappropriate
times, masking discomfort
with role, but became much
more comfortable by the
3rd lesson.
Very adept at doing
successful searches on the
Internet.
Shared an experience of
seeing a storyteller in the
park who used dolls and
musical instruments to tell
stories.
Explained how the
hospital used puppets to
prepare him for a
tonsillectomy operation so
that he would not be
afraid.
Student’s Name
Student A
Student B
Student C
10
Sample Assessment Form
Grade 3 Sample Unit  Making Sense of Things
Mini-unit: A Sense of Order
Student’s Name: _________________________________________ Date: _____________________________
Yes
No
√
Begins to use language purposefully when speaking and writing in
role
Welcomes new or surprise information as a way to make the drama
more interesting and to provide opportunities to solve problems
√
Uses imagination to explore various possibilities in dramatic contexts
√
Begins to examine how plays are made
To Some
Degree
√
Comments:
Josh seemed to respond well in group work and was very interested once we switched the point of view to the dragon.
He wanted to continue the story to include a dragon protest march. He made up posters for the dragons to carry
during the march and encouraged others to help with a song by changing the words to “Give Peace a Chance” to
“Dragons want Peace too”. He has not yet seen a live performance of a play but is starting to understand how plays
can be made.
11
Sample Assessment Form
Grade 3 Sample Unit  Making Sense of Things
Mini-unit: A Sense of Purpose
This sample assessment form can be used throughout the sample unit to record students’ learning related to
specific objectives.
Recall and express
responses to the drama
work, both in and out of
role
Student’s Name
Student A
Student B
Student C
12
Explore the use of story
maps to develop
understanding of actions
and consequences in
dramatic presentations
Understand that cultures
around the world have
various forms of drama
Wrote extensively in his
journal.
Able to recall very specific Brought in a book on the
detail about the story.
masks of North West First
Nations.
Did not understand why the Shared the experience of
Often spoke out of turn,
argument resulted in a lack seeing an African
but was eager to speak in
Storyteller at the Children’s
the “alien voice” she created. of trust.
Festival.
Was not very confident in
writing in the journal, but
had a lot to offer in
discussions.
Offered a creative solution Brought in a mask from
to the “attack on Earth”.
home that came from
Korea.
Sample Assessment Form
Grade 3 Sample Unit  Making Sense of Things
Mini-unit: A Sense of Purpose
Student’s Name: _________________________________________ Date: _____________________________
Yes
Sustains roles in dramatic situations and accepts/responds to others
in role
To Some
Degree
√
Develops an understanding of the need to listen at all times within a
drama
√
Recognizes the need to respect the contributions of others
√
Use imagination to explore various possibilities in dramatic contexts
Contributes ideas appropriate to the drama
No
√
√
Comments:
Jessica has shown a great deal of enthusiasm for taking on roles and accepting others in role. She has a good
imagination, but her suggestions are usually directed toward ideas for battles and fights. I worked on trying to support
her enthusiasm, while improving listening skills and redirecting her ideas away from typical “video game” scenarios.
Improvements were evident in the success of the final tableaux.
13