Junk, by Melvin Burgess, adapted for stage by John Retallack

This scheme of work is for KS3, aimed primarily at Year 9. Drugs are and will remain a controversial issue. As teachers we are only too aware that with many points of contention, not tackling them leads to bigger problems than facing them head-on. That said, this is a sensitive subject and care does need to be taken when exploring Junk. Part of the appeal of the novel is that it does not just scream ‘No, no, no!’ from the start. It explores the reasons people start to take drugs and why they continue to take them despite the dire consequences. It tackles the fact that people like drugs, people enjoy drugs and people want to take drugs, before exploring the downwards spiral. Obviously care must be taken when exploring the ‘good’ side of drugs.

Learning objectives:

• To use improvisation to explore the relationship between Tar and Gemma before they are affected by drugs
• To explore Tar’s relationship with his mother using internal monologue
• To explore the concept of the perfect partner through abstract performance styles such as tableaux
• To continue to explore the concept of the perfect partner through abstract performance styles multiple characterisation and choral voice
• To continue to explore the concept of the perfect partner through abstract performance styles including dream and nightmare sequences
• To use abstract dialogue to explore how addiction can take over someone’s entire life
• To retell the story in four scenes using the variety of drama techniques explored in this unit as well as students’ own ideas

Number of lessons: 7