Introduction to using masks
£14.95
This scheme of work is aimed at Years 7 and 8. It links well with the PSHE publication ‘Developing good relationships and respecting differences’ and the dramatic elements in English, including ‘developing drama techniques to explore in role a variety of situations, respond to stimuli, working collaboratively to devise and present … unscripted pieces, which maintain the attention of an audience, developing drama techniques and strategies for anticipating, visualising and problem-solving in different learning contexts, and reflecting on and evaluating their own presentations and those of others.’
Resources
You will need the Trestle Theatre Company’s basic mask set, teacher’s pack and support video. The company sells three mask sets: basic, intermediate and advanced. Each box contains eight different masks and extra masks can be bought separately. For this scheme, I use two of the basic mask sets. This scheme is more basic than the ideas suggested by Trestle in their teacher’s pack and support video and would suit schools where timetable constraints only allow students the briefest introduction to the kaleidoscopic world of drama and theatre.
The scheme is fun, instils discipline, enables the shyest of children to hide behind the personality of the mask, and doesn’t require writing scripts or line learning (although homework does require a written response).
Learning objective
- To introduce students to the basic techniques required for acting while wearing a mask
Number of lessons: 8
