Year 9

Introduction
In Year 9 Drama is an important part of the balanced arts curriculum and is taught as a discrete arts subject. The teaching in Year 9 builds on that in Year 8. In Year 9 the emphasis is increasingly on the choices the students make for themselves when deciding how to interpret texts, develop ideas and explore situations through performance.

Curriculum organisation
In Year 9 students receive one period of Drama per week and are taught in mixed ability form groups.  The main course book used is ‘Complete Drama’ published by Pearson.
Independent Study
Homework will be set by the Drama teacher at appropriate points during the course. Homework will usually be of approximately forty-five minute’s duration. Should homework take longer than this then additional time will be given (e.g. a 90 minute homework will be given two weeks for completion).

Assessment and reporting
National Curriculum levels are given for individual assessments and reviewed with the pupils on a termly basis.  Individual subject teachers will set appropriate assessment tasks throughout the course. However, standard assessments are made during the course of the year, details of which are contained in the curriculum outline below. Assessment is a planned part of every lesson, and self-assessment is part of every pupil’s normal pattern of working in drama.  A baseline assessment of all Year 9 pupils is conducted at the beginning of the autumn term.  This will help your child’s Drama teacher to accurately monitor your child’s development throughout the year and to set appropriate and meaningful goals for them.

The Drama levels at Jumeirah College are based on the Arts Council for England Document ‘Drama In Schools’ and are further informed by the National Curriculum for England framework teaching objectives for Drama within English.  The main strands are:

1. Making & Group work
Making (or creating) in drama involves working alone or with others to shape ideas into actions and exploring the conventions, resources and techniques of drama with increasing confidence.
2. Performing
Within the context of educational drama ‘performing’ does not necessarily mean taking part in a public performance. Performing refers to the work of a class, group or individual exploring, preparing and sharing ideas through enactment.
3. Responding
Responding to drama involves pupils in reflecting on their own experience
                  of drama, using appropriate subject specific terminology.

In the U.K. the average Year 9 student is on a level 5

Year Nine Course Description

The Year Nine course is taught as three schemes of work, each lasting approximately one term.

Term One Sample Scheme Of work

War Unit
Melodrama

Standard Assessment 1: Baseline assessment

By the end of term1 pupils should be able to convey action, character, atmosphere and tension when devising  plays;

Term Two Sample Scheme Of work

Page To Stage
Exploring & performing scripted Drama

Standard Assessment 2: Preparing an annotated text for performance

By the end of term2 pupils should be able to:
• Convey action, character, atmosphere and tension when performing plays and use a range of drama techniques, including work in role, to explore issues, ideas and meanings, e.g. by playing out hypotheses, by changing perspectives;

Term Three Sample Scheme Of work

Twentieth Century Drama

Standard Assessment 3: Writing in role

By the end of term3 pupils should be able to:
• recognise, evaluate and extend the skills and techniques they have developed through drama;
• write critical evaluations of performances they have seen or in which they have participated, identifying the contributions of the writer, director and actors.

By the end of Year 9 pupils should be confidently experimenting with the following conventions and concepts:

• still image
• thought tracking,
• role play
• hot-seating,
• teacher-in-role
• space and levels
• symbolism
• marking the moment
• cross cutting
• narration
• abstract theatre
• physical theatre
• forum theatre
• experimentation with dramatic form

Extension opportunity: Trinity Guildhall Grade examinations in Speech & Drama
 

Extra-curricular Opportunities

• Students are able to participate in the annual whole school show either as performers or in a technical capacity.

• Students are able to participate in lower school Trinity Drama club

• Theatre visits are organised when appropriate pieces of theatre are staged locally.

Useful websites:

www.novaline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm

www.gradesaver.com

www.theatrehistory.com