Irene McCormack Catholic College
Year 9: Semester Course
Year 9 Drama ~Semester Course 2015
Melodrama & Scripted Drama
Overarching Learning Outcomes
1. Understand, develop and communicate ideas and information and to interact with others.
10. Students participate in creative activity of their own and understand and engage with the artistic, cultural and intellectual work of others.
12. Students are self-motivated and confident in their approach to learning and are able to work individually and collaboratively.
13. Students recognise that everyone has the right to feel valued and to be safe, in this regard, understand their rights and obligations and behave
responsibly.
Week
Objective
1
To learn about the
concept of
stereotyping and
identify their own
perceptions of
various
stereotypes.
Content/ Strategies/Methodology of Teaching

Introduction into role-play. Explain role –play. (Shown here briefly)
Role- play requires you to actually talk and behave like other people, either by exaggerating
what they say and do or by focusing on one particular facet of their lives or personalities.
Role play is often used to create stereotypes. Stereotypes are useful for exploring
exaggerated roles and situations.

Understand that
role play, using
stereotypes, is
useful in exploring
exaggerated and
comedic roles.
Resources
Brainstorm and discussion
What is a stereotype? Brainstorm well known stereotypes. E.g. surfie, homie, druggie,
football jock, dumb blonde, etc.
Ask students how they would describe a princess? Normally portrayed as young, pretty,
beautifully dressed and wealthy. This is a stereotype.
Introduce the concept of overacting and exaggerated roles.

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Activity Students move into pairs, select A and B. Students are to use spontaneous
improvisation and improvise a scene with the characters I call out. Students will only have
3-4 minutes for each character.
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Year 9: Semester Course
-
Round one: A ‘cheerleader’ and a Grandma/Grandpa sharing morning tea.
Round two: A ‘jock’ asking a ‘nerd’ for directions.
Round three: A hypochondriac going for a job interview.
Students will then stay in their pairs and form a circle, where they will have the opportunity to
show one of their scenes.
Discuss how stereotypes can allow for comedy and exaggerated roles, etc.

Activity
Students are to work in pairs and move to opposite sides of the theatre facing each other.
Side A will become a stereotypical housewife (overworked, ragged, tired, stays at home and
doesn’t work, raises the children) Side B will become a stereotypical salesman/woman (sales
pitch, con man, chirpy, wont take no for an answer) who has come to sell the housewife a
product she doesn’t need.
Complete a quick verbal brainstorm of the stereotypical characteristics of these characters,
as shown above in the brackets.
The salesman/woman will enter the space to about half way and knock on the door. The
housewife will answer the door and the two characters will improvise a meeting. Think of the
possibilities – does the door get slammed in the salesman/woman’s face after the sales pitch
or does the housewife buy the product or invite the salesman/woman inside?
Roles will be swapped with side A becoming an elderly man/woman neighbour and side B
becoming a young child answering the door.

Reflection/debrief
Discuss the verbal and non-verbal characteristics that are stereotypical to these characters.
E.g. an elderly person (non-verbal - hunched walk, walking stick, slow walking, shuffle feet,
hunched stance. Verbal – many pauses, slow pace, stumble over words. etc)
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Year 9: Semester Course
What can be changed to make these characters funny or exaggerated? E.g. falling over,
being very slow, and saying known statements “when I was young…”

Group Improvisation exercise
Students will form groups of 6. I will ask each group to choose a location – share with the
class. Then I will hand out a cast list and things to consider in this improvisation task.
Cast list handout
and points to
consider.
e.g. A doctor who faints at the sight of blood. A blind person who doesn’t want people to
know they are blind. Etc.
Things to consider include, When do I enter? Why do I enter? Who do I interact with? Why
them? Etc.
Students given 20 mins rehearsal time – perform and reflect.
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Introduce the topic
of Melodrama.
For students to
understand that
Melodrama was a
popular form of
theatrical
entertainment.
For students to
understand the
conventions of
Melodrama.

Discuss
Discuss briefly the History of Melodrama. (Shown here briefly.)
Melodrama developed into a theatrical form in approximately 1800. It was emotional theatre,
and the melodrama plays of this period were tales of suffering, suspense, romance and evil
deeds. Everything was aimed at thrilling and moving an audience.

Handout: Read and Discuss
‘The Conventions of Melodrama.’
Handout includes basic information on plot and dramatic structure, acting style and
audiences.

Handout: Read and Discuss
‘Melodrama: Stock Characters.’
Handout: ‘The
Conventions of
Melodrama.’
Handout:
‘Melodrama:
Stock
Characters.’

Activity: Demonstrating Emotion
Students will walk around the room and when the teacher signals, they hold a pose for one of
the emotional states – evilness, innocence, courage, laziness, vulnerability, defiance,
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Year 9: Semester Course
repentance, haughtiness, depression, grief, lovesickness, territorial and cruelty.
Students must focus on communicating the emotional state through every part of the body,
especially facial expressions, remembering that the acting style was exaggerated.

Activity: Stock Melodrama Characters
Refer to the handout on Stock Characters and in pairs use the following steps to create the
three main stock characters of Melodrama each. (Hero, villain and heroine)
-
Adopt a frozen pose.
Add a walk or stride that clearly represents the character’s personality.
Add a mannerism or gesture that is representative of the character’s
personality.
Add a sound, word or phrase that represents the character’s personality.

Activity: A Melodramatic Scene
Students are to get into groups of no more than 6 and select a stock character from the
handout. They are to create a scene, set in a generic location, such as a Doctor’s waiting
room. The focus is to be on the characters (building the stereotypes of the characters and
being overly melodramatic) but not necessarily building up a traditional melodrama plot.
All groups to perform to the class.

Worksheet
Worksheet is to be completed in class if time permits, or for homework (due the following
lesson.)
Arts Ideas
Worksheet.
Worksheet covers questions on stock characters and the acting style (Arts Ideas.)
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To continue to
explore the stock
characters of
Melodrama.
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
Vocal Warm Up
Teacher choice of verbal warm up activity to get students using their voice in the correct way.
A warm up focussing on articulation or pronunciation (e.g. tongue twisters etc) may be
beneficial.
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For students to
understand the
exaggerated
verbal
communication
techniques used in
Melodrama.
Year 9: Semester Course

Discuss
Discuss the use of emphasis in Melodrama. E.g. Melodrama requires emphasis and this can
be achieved by choosing certain words or syllables to say in a special way.

Activity: Character and Voice
In pairs students will work on a short script, adding special emphasis where letters are in
upper case. They could also find a mimed action or gesture for the words they emphasise.
Script handout.
Some pairs to perform.

Discuss
Discuss the concept of asides with students. E.g. An aside is where any character speaks
directly to the audience to reveal a thought or plan that is kept secret from the other
characters. The performer’s delivery of an aside should establish a feeling of secrecy and
draw the audience’s focus from the general action to the performer delivering the aside. The
aside reveals inner thought of the character.

Activity: Asides
Give students the aside handout with an example of a villain’s aside. Students to be given a
few minutes to experiment with asides.
Aside handout.

Activity: Performance
Students are to get into groups of 3 and create a melodrama scene from the following
situation (build up to a climax) and using some typical traits from the stock characters.
‘A bully is caught picking on another student and is saved by the school sports hero/heroine.’
All groups to perform.
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For students to
become fluent in
the character traits
of the Melodrama
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
Activity: Character Lines
Students are to divide into pairs and write 3 lines of dialogue each for the following
characters: hero, villain and heroine. On a piece of paper, indicate which character says the
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stock characters.
Foe students to
adapt the
conventions of
Melodrama to a
modern situation.
Year 9: Semester Course
line, whether or not it is an aside and underline any words or syllables for emphasis. Out all
lines written by all pairs into a box. Everyone takes a line from the box and is given a couple
of minutes to practise their line. Each person then delivers their line, with appropriate
character body language, gesture and use of emphasis.
Option: Using the lines as a start for an improvisation and in their pairs must complete the
scene.

Discuss
Discuss how Television soap operas (soapies) have many of the elements of melodrama,
including stereotypical heroes and villains and unlikely storylines.

Activity: Modern Melodrama
In groups of 3 students are to choose one of the following situations (or create their own) to
present to the class. The emphasis in this activity is the use of melodramatic body language
and the use of melodramatic delivery set in a contemporary situation. Students are to
playbuild and rehearse their scene prior to performing for the class.
Possible situations: - Trying to persuade a parent to let you go out with your boyfriend to a party.
- Being caught by your teacher doing something wrong, being placed on detention and
getting help sneaking out.
- A love triangle, where one person is dating two others and them finding out.
All groups to perform.

Research Assignment; Melodrama
Give students research assignment and discuss their requirements. Assignments are due the
following lesson.
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To introduce
students to their
assessment task
and begin the
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
Collect Assignments

Assessment Brief: Read and Discuss
Research
assignments.
Assessment
Brief
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playbuilding
process.
Year 9: Semester Course
Discuss assessment task and expectations/requirements.

Playbuilding
Supply students with A4 paper for brainstorming initial ideas and set goals for the task (on a
week to week basis). Allow students the lesson for playbuilding and improvising.
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6-7
For students to
have further
opportunity to work
towards their
performance
assessment task.

For students to
perform their
assessment tasks
and to begin the
self reflection
process.

Playbuilding
Students have the lesson to spend working towards their performance assessment task.
They are to revisit the goals that they made last week to make sure they are progressing in
the playbuilding process.
Can move onto performance if students are ahead of program schedule.
Rehearsal
Students are given the majority of the first period to make any final arrangements for their
performance assessment today.
Self Reflection
Worksheet.

Option: Video
Camera
Performance
Students will perform
Begin Scripted Drama
To further previous
knowledge of
 Introduction and Discussion into scripted drama.
scripted drama to
- What do they know about scripts?
begin to explore a
- When have they come across scripts in the past?
dramatic script.
- How is a script put on stage?
- Identify and illustrate features on the board; dialogue, stage directions etc.
To understand the
elements of drama  Scripted Drama Booklet: Read and Discuss
and how they
Read and discuss briefly pages 5,6,7,9 which cover topics of the elements of drama,
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Assessment
rubrics.

Self Reflection
Students will fill in their self-reflection worksheet If it is not completed it is to be done so for
homework.
7-8
A4 paper

Scripted
Drama
booklets (1
per student)

Script: Year
9 Are
Animals
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Year 9: Semester Course
effect a script.
characters, performance area, dramatic tension, onstage positions and movement.
Students are then to look at pages 14-16 which shows an example of a script, with the
features highlighted. Also briefly cover pages 149-152, which offers a glossary of
commonly used terms related to scripted drama. This will need to be referred to
throughout the unit.


Script: The
Weather Girl

Worksheet:
The Weather
Girl: Analysis
Questions
Activity: Year 9 Are Animals.
Students are given one small scene from the play Year 9 Are Animals. Students are to read
the one scene in groups of 4 and add, in written form, any stage directions, timing,
movements, entrances, exits or sound effects to the scene. Students may also like to
include a cast list giving a basic outline of characters present in the extract. Groups are
then to either explain the decisions made to the class or perform a section of their scene
to demonstrate, possibly also speaking the stage directions to emphasise their decisions.
8-9
For students to
understand the
conventions of a
script.
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
Read Script: The Weather Girl.
- Read cast list
- Discuss first impressions – what is going to happen in the play?
- Read the whole play aloud as a class.
- At the conclusion of reading the play, read the interview with the playwright which
offers suggestions into the stereotypes and characters she has created.

Discuss
- Discuss how the play, especially in scene one establishes several characters and
their stereotypes. List these as a journal entry. (To be completed as homework if
you run out of time.)

Recap: Plot and Characters of The Weather Girl.

Activity: Confrontations
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For students to
analyse the
characters and
plot from The
Weather Girl.
Year 9: Semester Course
The play leaves a question as to what might have happened after Diane and Penny’s
conversation. Students have to use their creativity and knowledge of the character;
personalities, and the stereotypes they represent, to script and perform one of the
following confrontations:
-
Between Diane and Mr. Lane
Between Mr. Lane and Penny
Between Diane and Priscilla
Between Jemima and Rodney
Students are to perform their created scripts to the class.

Worksheet: The Weather Girl
Students are to complete worksheet associated with The Weather Girl, asking students to
extend their knowledge of the characters in the play. The worksheet asks students to
consider the status of the characters and how the power between characters has effect on
the outcome of the play. (This is to be completed for homework if not completed in class.)
9-10
For students to
 Activity: Alternate Endings
consider
alternative endings Students are to, in groups of 3-7, rewrite an alternate ending of the play using one of the
to the play.
following situations:
For students to
become aware of
the production
elements needed
to stage a
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Penny fires Diane and Diane decides to take revenge on Priscilla.
Diane gets her own way by playing father and daughter against each other.
The audience reacts to Diane’s comments by storming the studio at the next
broadcast.

Paper for
scripting

Worksheet:
Set/Stage
Designs
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performance.
Year 9: Semester Course
Students are to first improvise the scene and then work on the script (using the correct
format), stating stage directions and lines of dialogue etc.
Students are to perform to the class.

Written Activity: Set/Stage Design
Discuss with students that the play takes place in two rooms – the make-up room and the
news studio. Students are to select one of the rooms as a set/stage and include a props
list needed to make the set appear more ‘real.’ Sketches should be completed in a bird’s
eye format.
* Complete example on board and get students to refer to the glossary of terms given in the
first lesson.
(This to be completed for homework if not completed in class.)
10-11
To introduce
students to their
assessment task
and begin the
playbuilding
process.
For students to
consider the
differences
between the News
and their own
‘news’ creations.

Discuss: News Programs (E.g. Channel 7, 9, 10)

Possible
computer
booking

Assessment
Brief
Discuss the following aspects that will aid them in writing a journal entry (Arts In Society):-

-
What is the basic format of the news? (E.g. local/most pivotal news items first)
-
Make a list of all the people and their jobs that would be needed to produce a news
broadcast.
Introduce Assessment Task : Performance
Discuss assessment task and expectations/requirements.
Students are to now be introduced to their assessment task.
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Year 9: Semester Course
In small groups (approx 5-6), students are to write an original comedy script for a news
program. Students will need to write their own set of ‘light hearted’ news stories suitable
for the nightly news featured in this play. Students may choose to accompany their news
reading with clips or visual aids on a power point presentation or to be creative and do
‘live crosses.’
Students will also need to consider what happens behind the scenes as well as on camera
(conflicts, funny news stories etc.)
Brainstorms/ script drafts need to be included in the Drama Folio and computer lessons may
be booked.

Homework: Journal Entry
Students need to write a journal entry explaining how the ‘real’ news is different to the news
stories that they are creating. (E.g. think of the news stories covered in the News watched
earlier this lesson. What is the common theme/mood of these stories and how do they
differ from your ideas for this performance?)
Write some initial goals that you want to achieve in this task.
Playbuilding
Students have the lesson to spend working towards their performance assessment task.
They are to revisit the goals that they made last week to make sure they are progressing
in the playbuilding process.
Remind students to keep any to-do lists/brainstorms etc in their journal.
Performances are next lesson.
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For students to
perform their
assessment tasks
and to begin the
self reflection
process.
Year 9: Semester Course

Rehearsal
Students are given the majority of the first period to make any final arrangements for their
performance assessment today.

Assessment
rubric/
proforma.


Self
Reflection
Worksheet.
Self Reflection
Students will fill in their self reflection worksheet If it is not completed it is to be done so for
homework.

Option:
Video
Camera


Script:
Because!

Assessment
brief

Students
must have
their journals
for the
coming
lessons.

Pre-made
example of a
prompt
script.
Performance
Students will perform

12-13
For students to
understand and
analyse the
characters and
plot from Because!
To introduce
students to their
assessment task
and begin the
rehearsal process
and begin creating
a prompt script.

Read Script: Because!
- Read Director’s Notes
- Read cast list
- Discuss first impressions – what is going to happen in the play?
- Discuss the convention of timing/asides, as shown in the first scene of the play
Because!
- Read the whole play aloud as a class.
Activity: Mimed Scenes
Students are to break into pairs and select one of the scenes from the play Because!
Students are to then rehearse presenting the scene in movement only – they are to work
on communicating the text of the play through the use of body language, movement and
gesture.

Introduce Assessment Task: Performance
In pairs students are to select and perform a scene from the play Because! to perform to the
class for assessment. Performances are to be memorised, costumed and with props to
the best of the students ability. (Stage blacks are the minimum costume requirement).
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Year 9: Semester Course
Students are to note that extra rehearsal and preparation (learning lines etc) will be required
to be completed in their own time.
13-14
For students to
perform their
assessment tasks
and to begin the
verbal self
reflection process.

Rehearsal
Students are given the majority of the first period to make any final arrangements for their
performance assessment today.

Assessment
rubric

Performance
Students will perform

Self Reflection: Verbal
Students are to answer questions relating to their character and performance from teacher
and peers. Peers are to also offer constructive feedback on the performances using the
P.M.I. motto (Plus, Minus, Interesting.)

Collect Journals/Folios For Assessment

Conclude Unit
Aim/Objectives
This unit of work focuses on students being introduced to scripted drama in preparation for studying more complex plays the following year. Throughout this
unit students will learn about the elements of drama and the conventions and format of a script. The will also understand that characters and situations in a
play can be analysed and useful in creating their own performances based on that creating particular characters.
Extension Activities
Throughout the unit outline there is some extension activities listed. These aim at further developing the student’s ideas into performance and offering a
more structured approach to the task.
As Drama is creative and ideas based, the tasks are ‘open ended’ in that they can extended or suit a student’s capabilities. A student will show their
extension through the development and complexity of their ideas.
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