More Mini-Plays Blake’s Topic Bank This Topic Bank contains: n Part A—Puppetry (most suitable for lower primary students) n Part B—Eco-Plays (most suitable for middle primary students) n Part C—Whodunnit? (most suitable for upper primary students) Each part contains: n an introduction for the teacher n a sample script outline n an activity task card for students Author-educator Hazel Edwards runs Whodunnits? on site. Locations have included school camps, guesthouses, an old mansion, an aerodrome, old Fremantle Jail, Museum of South Australia, Monash University and even Luna Park. Voice of the Forest was performed at Wilsons Promontory as part of the National Parks’ centenary celebrations. Visit her web site: www.newwebcity.com/hazel/edwards.htm D3 n Fun and Easy Drama Activities Lower, Middle and Upper Primary by Hazel Edwards
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MoreMini-Plays
Blake’s Topic B
ank
This Topic Bank contains:n Part A—Puppetry (most suitable for lower primary students)n Part B—Eco-Plays (most suitable for middle primary students)n Part C—Whodunnit? (most suitable for upper primary students)
Each part contains:n an introduction for the teachern a sample script outlinen an activity task card for students
Author-educator Hazel Edwards runs Whodunnits? on site. Locations have included school camps,guesthouses, an old mansion, an aerodrome, old Fremantle Jail, Museum of South Australia, MonashUniversity and even Luna Park. Voice of the Forest was performed at Wilsons Promontory as part ofthe National Parks’ centenary celebrations. Visit her web site:www.newwebcity.com/hazel/edwards.htm
Puppetry can range from impromptu finger orsock puppets to elaborate marionettes, or full-sized puppeteers wearing black garb andmanipulating giant puppets in professionaltheatres. Puppets do not have to be peoplecharacters. They can be abstractions such asthe Feral Trolleys (which feature in thefollowing sample script), or objects like adoona. Using abstractions, or unlikely items,as puppets often appeals to highlyimaginative students. Puppets may be used inscripts with live actors, or purely forimprovisation.
Why use puppets?
ß A puppet performance (or wearing a mask)gives students a chance to hide behind anassumed personality. Shy students canparticipate without feeling on show.
ß The tactile aspect is important. Somestudents gain from making the puppetsfirst, and working out the story later. Otherstudents prefer to start with the script, anddesign the puppets to fit the roles.Encourage students to try both methodswhen making puppets.
Finger puppets
Finger puppets are easy and can be used:
ß as a narrator for storytelling
ß to perform at celebrations (for example abirthday puppet)
ß to encourage manual dexterity
ß for speech therapy
PuppetryPattern for basic finger puppet
Cut two out of felt and sew around edge. Glueor sew on features.
Pattern for basic walking fingerpuppet
Cut out of thin card and decorate. Put fingersthrough holes so puppet has legs to walk.
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Things to doMake the animal characters as eitherfinger puppets, paper-plate masks orhand puppets.
Take one character, for example a bilby,and find out some facts about realbilbies.
Improvise the plot as a group activityonce the puppets have been made.
Decide what will happen in the story.Each story needs something to gowrong. The Feral Trolleys and theSucking Monster (vacuum cleaner) arethe baddies in the following scenario.The Mops could be goodies.
The Narrator can hold the actual script(if there is one) in a folder.
Songs, special effects and music can beadded. One student can be the specialeffects expert and create sounds, at theright time.
Puppetry Script Outline
Narrator: When the shopping centre closes for the evening, the Night Shift begins.Silky the Bilby and her animal friends come out. They are the Night Shift.Each night they improve one thing, to thank the shopkeepers who leaveleftovers in bins just for them!
Listen! Here comes Silky. If we're quiet, she probably won't see us. Silky’seyesight is not the best! Silky does, however, see the bin overflowing withrubbish.
Bilby: Great! Look at these leftovers. Hey Flapper!
Narrator: Silky picks up an old pair of sunglasses which were in the rubbish bin. Silkyis so busy playing with the sunglasses, that she bumps into Flapper thePlatypus, emerging from his hiding place.
Flapper: Hi Silky. Hey, what’s that noise?
[Special Effects: Feral Trolleys make rumbling noise]
Bilby: Did you hear that?
[Special Effects: Feral Trolleys make louder, threatening noise]
Narrator: Grace the Sugar Glider arrives, gliding gracefully.
Grace: Look out! The Trolleys are coming! I've seen Mean Trolleys…CrookedTrolleys...Nasty Trolleys...Wobbly Trolleys...Ankle-Snapping Trolleys and....they're CHASING US!
All: Not AGAIN!
Narrator: The frightened animals run and hide behind their friends the mops.
Now you finish this play.
You may wish to include a song or some music, for example:
When the shopping centre closes, the Night Shift comes on.
We wait until shoppers have gone home.
We wait until the cleaners have finished.
And we wait until the leftovers have been put out.
Then the Night Shift starts.
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Gather stray socks, plus thread,needles, scissors, buttons and avariety of ‘bits’ to decorate yourpuppets.
Work in a group of three.
Create three puppets. Each puppetshould have one disability—one isdeaf, one is blind and the third hasa different type of disability (forexample no sense of humour, or nosense of direction).
Work out a one minute scene foryour puppets to act out. Your sceneshould contain:
a) conflict
b) suspense
c) a twist at the end
Remember, your puppets should actin character and should be easy totell apart.
Decide who will introduce your oneminute performance.
Turn a table upside down. Coverthe legs with a sheet, and let thesheet fall down one side of thetable, so that it forms a ‘wall’. Youcan use your puppets behind thiswall.
Perform your show.
After you have given your puppetperformance, ask the rest of theclass to comment on what workedwell, and what could be improved.
Puppetry Task Card
Sock Exchange
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An eco-play is an improvised script aroundlocal issues. It’s performed outside, using thenatural setting. Voice of the Forest, for example,was performed at Wilson’s Promontory byprimary school students as part of ParksVictoria’s centenary celebrations.
Why perform an eco-play?
You can choose an issue pertinent toyour local area. Voice of the Forest is aboutbush inhabitants co-operating against anoutside THREAT. The Parliament of theForest is holding an election to choose aleader of forest fauna and flora. Thisleader will lead the forest’s inhabitantsagainst the unspecified THREAT.
There is scope for lots of dressing up andimprovising of the lifestyles of birds,insects, animals, trees and humans.
Eco-plays can be incorporated across thecurriculum in the following learning areas:
ß Problem-solving skills for theoutdoors, like how to arrangesandbags so props won’t fall in thewind, or a Plan B for wet weather
ß Factual content about the environment,for example trees, insects and animals
ß Checking on long-range weatherforecasts for performance times makesscientific data relevant
There is scope to encourage communityinvolvement. Ask for family support inmaking props and helping withcostumes. Try local theatre or dancecompanies for the loan of costumes orprops, for example bee costumes.
How should an eco-play beperformed?
Build up a cast. Characters don’t need tobe people. Voice of the Forest charactersranged from a tall Eucalypt tree to feistyDung beetle to K Burra, the pop singer.
There is a risk of becoming too didacticwith a fact-based script, unless it islightened with humorous skits andspecial effects. Have choruses interruptwith singing and dancing commercialsenabling many students to participate. AEucy Oil Chorus could shower theaudience with student-made Eucalyptusleaves, after belting out their song.
Encourage audience involvement byhaving them wear Forest-Reality glasses.These glasses allow the viewer to enterthe world of dramatic imagination,where an ant and a tree can be seentalking together.
Construct a floral archway throughwhich the audience passes into theworld of the drama.
Have a twilight performance to takeadvantage of pleasant weather.
What types of props can be used?
Print LOUDER and SLOWER on promptpoles and use for directing performers.
Play music to add atmosphere.
Have The Flight of the Bumble Bee for Beeschorus. (Have performers wear blackswimming caps.)
Have the Eucy Oil Chorus dance to rapmusic as they shower leaves.
Play ‘fiery music’ as backgroundwhenever the THREAT is mentioned.(You could also have yellow and redstreamers which wave in the wind.)
Eco-Plays
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pastures...break up the dung…burydung in the ground for breeding andfeeding.
You see, my mate and I dig a nestunder the dung.
Our beetle tunnels help water and airget into the soil.
Roots work better because of MYwork. Because I eat only dung, I helpthe environment. Creative recycler,that’s my occupation.
ORGANISER: Do others value yourwork?
DUNG BEETLE: Fly pests hate me. Idestroy their breeding sites.
FLIES: [crossly] That’s right. Dungbeetles muck things up.
ORGANISER: Are you planning onbreeding yourself?
DUNG BEETLE: Of course. [shows ballshapes] These are brood masses.Each has several eggs. My eggshatch into larvae. My larvae feeds onthe dung within the brood mass.Later, my beetle children will dig out.Then they’ll fly to fresh dung pads...start to feed and breed, I’m glad tosay.
ORGANISER: If you’re so useful, whydoes anyone attack you?
DUNG BEETLE: Birds and foxes are aproblem. But I tunnel fast.
are needed. I was invited here fromEurope to do a job....or my great-grand beetle was. Local dung beetlescan manage the pellet droppings ofnative marsupials. But you need aEuropean expert for European cattledung.
Australia’s my adopted country... andthe forest is my home.
I will fight any threat to the Forestcycle.
ORGANISER: Heard that Kookaburrawill be standing against you.
DUNG BEETLE: Ha. Ha. that’ll be alaugh.
ORGANISER: So you know about theTHREAT then?
DUNG BEETLE: Which one?
ORGANISER: The thing which willdestroy our forest.
KOOKABURRA: [flies in, appeals toaudience] Can you help me?
Got a problem with a Wedge-tailedEagle that’s flying around.
Whenever Kookaburras call [warningKookaburra sound] it means Freeze!Wedge-Tailed Eagle overhead!
Stop everything. Point your billsskywards. Stiffen like a rod.
Then we look like a stick to any Eagleoverhead. Try it.
No? I’ve got GREAT eyesight. Cansee a worm, snail, insect, frog, lizardor snake or even small birds...
INSECTS: We know. Our cousins whowent to dinner with you, didn’t comeback!
KOOKABURRA: Fast food chain. Ouryoung Burras also like MacReptiles.
We prey on smaller animals. Largerones, like the Wedge-Tailed Eagleprey on us. LOOK OUT! [warningKookaburra sound] Stick-like![Audience freeze into stick shapes]
[WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE enters andflies out again]
MRS K: I think the eagle’s gone now.Hi! I’m Mrs K. He’s my mate. Knewhim BEFORE he became a famouspop singer. Now, back to work!We’re checking our old nest.
[Pokes around. Rearranges chips anddust. Checks it out. Kookaburrassquawk at each other contentedly.]
I plan to hatch our little ones whenthere’s plenty of food around.
Unluckily, there’s not much foodaround before they hatch. That’s whymy mate needs to feed me then.Famous pop singers like Burra aren’tkeen on food shopping.
We like to use the same nest, but ifpossums or bees move in, we leave.
Improvise a sequel to the Voice of theForest dung beetle script.
ß Who is elected?
ß What is their argument/platform?
ß How is the THREAT defeated?
2. Prequel
Try a prequel (what came before).
ß How long have each of the characterslived in the forest?
ß Have the forest residents beenthreatened before?
ß Which of the forest characters arefriends?
3. Adopt a Character
Imagine you are one of the forestcharacters. Decide what you would liketo see happen in the forest.
4. Lucky Dip
ß Put the names of endangered speciesinto a hat.
ß Draw out one name. You will take onthe role of this endangered species.
ß Find out three facts about your speciesor your situation.
ß Give a speech as your character. Theunderlying theme of your performanceis ‘Time’s running out…’.
5. Animal Rap
Divide into small groups. Choose ananimal, insect or bird. Choreograph anAnimal Rap with each character in thegroup acting like their creature.
6. Footprints From the Past
Paint a frieze of footprints or paw markswhich relate to specific creatures.
7. Animal Fashion Parade
Choose an animal from the forest anddesign an appropriate costume. Hold afashion parade and have each animaltake turns to act as compere.
8. Class Election
Have a class election. In groups of aboutfive students, decide what will be yourplatform. This means you will need to statewhere your party stands on particularissues. Each party should present theirstance to the rest of the class. Remember tohave a catchy name for your party. Aftereach group has presented their position,and outlined their differences to otherparties, hold the election.
9. Tree Party
Not all trees are green. Have a tree partywhere each guest is dressed as a specialtree. Plan a special menu which includeswoody food, for example wood chips,tree-ring snacks, leaf mould mousse andsawdust sprinkles.
10. Ancient Times
The dung beetle in ancient Egypt wasconsidered sacred. Devise a ‘This is YourLife’ program for the Egyptian dungbeetle. Feature other creatures from theforest as guests.
Eco-Play Task Card
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The Case of the Burnt ChurchThere has been a fire in an old church.
Whodunnit script outline
Your brief…
ß Work out whodunnit.
ß Create your sleuth’s dossier.
ß Work out why your suspects might beinvolved.
ß Use at least three clues.
ß Create a dossier for your major suspect (doer).
ß Plot what happened and why.
Share your WhoDunnit? on site. Performyour solution.
Clues
Use the actual objects or find substitutes.
ß sneakers with different laces
ß walking stick with stickers showing areaswalked
ß timer which ticks
ß Chinese coin with writing on it
ß hammer/screwdriver
ß key ring, but no key
ß letter opener
ß photo of couple standing in front of aNew York landscape
ß money box with stopper missing
ß airline eyeshade for sleeping
ß three candles on a stand
Hints
ß There is no one correct answer.
ß Discuss motive, method and opportunity.Remember, non-violent mysteries arecleverer than those where characters arejust ‘bumped off’.
ß Think about ‘What if?’. What if therehad been a fire in the church? Who didit? Why? Was it accidental ordeliberate? When? How? Who elsemight be suspected? What was theirmotivation? (Reward? Reputation?Solving a puzzle? Clearing the blame?)
ß Think of a good title, for example BurntOut, Getting Your Fingers Burnt and HotArt.
Suspects
Jogger (because who notices a jogger?)
Property developer
‘Heavenly Pizza’ chef
Art dealer (stained-glass windows, churchgold)
Ex-priest
Neighbour (ashamed of rundown churchproperty beside own)
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1. Choose a local, real site with severalexits and different reasons for peopleto visit, for example a museum, galleryor old school.
2. You need to visit the site beforehand inorder to decide what its dramaticpossibilities are. Think about thefollowing:
ß Why might someone want to closethis down?
ß Where might a fire or gas leak start?
ß What could be heard, smelled, orseen around here?
ß Could anything be overheard inspecific places?
ß Are there areas where you getreflections or distortions?
ß Are there any unlocked or self-locking doors?
ß Check the position of fire escapes.
Now you need to decide on yourmystery—what needs to be solved.
3. Choose some clues which could havemany uses. For example a bunch ofkeys with a name tag that isimpossible to read; a photograph ofsigns or people; foreign currency; or ahalf burnt candle.
You will also need to use clues that areeasy for you to find or place. Some ofthe clues should be able to be pickedup and examined.
4. Create a cast list of characters.(Remember that each character needsto be played by a member of yourgroup so don’t create too many
characters!) Try to ensure they havereasons for being in or near thelocation. Decide which character will bethe sleuth—will they be someone whoenjoys playing detective or will yourscript include an actual police officer?
5. Develop dossiers for each of yoursuspects, with some detail of theirbackground. Useful suspects couldinclude a courier, an estate agent withalternative plans for the area, or aformer owner.
6. Decide who is the culprit, and refineyour plot. Make sure you havedeveloped the character of eachsuspect; it helps to see the mysteryfrom their viewpoint. Look at motiveopportunity and method.
You could make your plot moresophisticated by including thepossibility that more than one suspectis working together.
7. Construct a timetable. This will helpyou plan where each suspect is at agiven time. Design a practical way ofkeeping tabs on suspects’ moves. (Forexample you could have a map of allthe rooms and entrances, with pinsrepresenting each character, showingtheir positions.
8. Using your site, present yourWhodunnit? to the rest of the class.Each suspect in your group shouldpresent the mystery from their point ofview. Allow your audience time toexamine the site and clues before yoursleuth presents their conclusion as towhodunnit!
Whodunnit task card
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