Essence Machines
This activity provides a useful technique for generating physical and aural ideas around a theme. Explain that the group is going to create a "machine" out of themselves. Name a topic and give the participants a few moments to think of a repeating sound and action linked to that theme. For example, if the theme was "shopping" a participant could mime taking money out of a purse to give to a shopkeeper, whilst saying "I'll have two of those, please."
Drama and Literacy: The Nightingale
This lesson shows how drama may be used to enhance storytelling and literacy with Key Stages 1 and 2. It is based on The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen.
Materials Required:
1 Copy of The Nightingale.
2 Chinese music, for example Lotus out of water by Hong Ting from the album Chinese Traditional Zheng Music.
Ten-second objects: Begin the lesson by asking the children to get into small groups. Call out the name of an object and tell the group to make its shape out of their own bodies, while you count down slowly from ten to zero.
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