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Scheme of work on climate change in Drama 

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Scheme of work on climate change in Drama 

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Subject: Drama
Topic: “Earth in Crisis: Voices for Change”
Key Stage: KS3 (Year 7)
Duration: (can be split into 3–5 lessons over a term)

Skills & Knowledge: Devising, narration, physical theatre, storytelling

Location: Outdoors (around school site, on school field).

Context: Suburban school

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Land in Crisis – Exploring Climate Change through Verbatim Theatre

LO:

Understand Verbatim Theatre

Explore how drama can raise awareness about climate change

Use real voices and physical theatre to create a short climate-themed scene

Activities:

What Is Verbatim Theatre?

Define it together: “Verbatim Theatre is a form of documentary theatre that uses the exact words spoken by real people.”

Show a short video clip form the website "acting on climate change"

Questions

Why use real voices in drama?

How does it feel different from fiction?

Task 1 Voice Snippets – Real Stories

Provide students with short verbatim quotes about climate change (can include Greta Thunberg, farmers, schoolchildren)- liberationist pedagogy- focusing on activism and awareness by using verbatim.

In pairs, practice saying the quote aloud with emotion and clarity

Add a still image or movement to accompany the line
Example: One student says “We’ve lost our land to flooding…” while another performs slow, collapsing movement

Task 2 Group Devising – Climate Scene

In small groups, select 3–4 quotes that link together thematically

Develop a short Verbatim performance (1–2 mins) that includes:

A sequence of quotes

Simple physical theatre or stylised movement

A clear message (e.g., warning, empathy, call to action)

Optional Structure:

1. Opening freeze with overlapping quotes

2. Movement sequence showing climate impact (e.g., flood, fire, displacement)

3. Final image with unified line or choral speaking

Share & Reflect

Share a few group performances

Discuss:

How did using real words change the way you performed?

What emotions came through in the scene?

What do we want the audience to feel or do?

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Overview

Pupils will devise a performance based on real stories and imagined futures that address the climate crisis. They will explore environmental themes using Verbatim Theatre and Physical Theatre, culminating in a performance aimed at raising awareness.

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creating set/costume pieces for a performance out of recyclable items such as plastic bottles or cardboard- this could be created in the art lessons to bring into drama

use house points to encourage students to bring in recycling- one point per piece of recycling. Prize for whoever can bring in the most

creating a piece of dance to build into the piece in their PE lesson

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Big question : What Is the world or land to You?

LO:

Understand how land can shape identity and memory

Explore others' stories of land through images and text

Reflect on your own connection to a place

Starter: Class discussion using the "Land Stories" example image as a whole class

Small group reading/discussion of different examples- social constructivist pedagogy to develop understanding through interaction and hearing different opinions

What places are important to us? Why?

Short reflection task: “This land is valuable to me because…” share back each group in discussion

After this we look at putting on stage.

Each student creates a freeze frame that represents their sentence

In small groups (4-5 people), share freeze frames and choose one to develop

Add a narrated line (their sentence) to bring the freeze frame to life

Rehearse saying the line while the freeze frame is held

Performance

Students share their narrated freeze frames with the class

Encourage stillness, clarity of narration, and emotional tone

Plenary (5 mins):

Reflect:

“What did we learn about each other?”

“How can land hold memories and stories?”

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Homework- Lesson 1

Title: "My Connection to the Land"

Task:
Homework Task: My Connection to the Land

Bring in an image that shows your personal connection to the land or nature. This could be:

A photo of a place you love or grew up in

A natural scene that brings you peace or pride

Somewhere that connects to your culture, identity, or memories

Be ready to explain:

What the image shows

Why you chose it

How it connects to you or your identity

How you feel this image might be used in a drama performance about the climate

Purpose:
We will use these images as inspiration to create characters and scenes that reflect personal and emotional connections to the environment. Your image will help shape your voice in our performance.

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Big Question

How do we bring Image to Stage? – Creating Our Own Land Stories

LO:

Use personal images as drama stimuli or have examples if needed

Explore how physicality and voice can communicate memory and place

Begin devising a short group performance

Task

In small groups, students share the image they brought for homework- collaborative pedagogy- working together to start building the piece.

Each student briefly explains:

What the image is

Why this place matters

A memory or feeling it evokes

Freeze Frame Solo Moment

Each student creates a new freeze frame based on their image

Encourage them to use gesture, facial expression, and levels

Group Devising Begins

Groups of 3–4 combine their images into a collective story

Create a short sceneincluding:

Three freeze frames

One or more voiceovers (pupils narrate their lines)

Emotional development (e.g. calm, conflict, resolution)

Support Questions

How can we show a journey through these places?

What links our images together?

How can sound or stillness enhance the meaning?

Peer Sharing & Feedback

Groups show their freeze frame sequence with Narration

Audience offers 2 stars and a wish (what worked well, what to develop next) WWW & EBI

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Homework- Lesson 2

Throughout the week, bring in as many pieces of recycling as possible- these are worth house points and whoever brings in the most will get a prize. You will use your recycling in Art to create pieces of set and costume to accompany your piece of drama, making to the artwork more environmentally friendly- these can reused

In PE, you will create a piece of dance to put into your drama piece, make sure you rehearse at home so you remember for next lesson.

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Final Rehearsal and Performance – Verbatim Climate Theatre

LO:

Use interview quotes to create and perform a piece of Verbatim Theatre exploring climate change or crisis.

Starter

In groups, share the interview quotes collected for homework (family member or friend’s view on climate change or land crisis). -dialogical pedagogy- learning about climate change through the opinions of family and friends through building the script.

Main Task Rehearsal

Include:

Exact words from your interviews

Movement or still images

A clear message or emotional tone

Groups rehearse and refine their piece

Final Performance

Groups perform their final Verbatim pieces to the class

Encourage focus, listening, and respectful attention reinforcing respect and expectations in performance spaces

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Homework- Lesson 3

Now that you have created the physical elements of your performance, you need to think about the vocal.

Throughout the week, at home, interview as many family members, neighbours, friends as possible about their thoughts on climate change. this will form the script for your piece which you will create in your groups in lesson 4.