The 7/7 bombings

These activities using the 7/7 London bombings as a stimuli can form two lessons, or, with the extension activities, a longer scheme. It can work for Year 9, or for GCSE groups. At KS3 or KS4, use of this scheme will develop both students’ Drama skills and their wider social skills while extending their understanding of a socially and historically important event.

This scheme provides an opportunity to address Islamophobia. This can be highly sensitive and therefore anyone leading these activities should ensure they know their group and establish clear boundaries for the sharing of ideas and practical work. It can work very well with cross-curricular links to History, RE and PSHE. The activities afford both practical and discussion opportunities for the students and can work effectively for mixed or setted ability teaching.

Learning objectives

By the end of this unit of work all students will:

• Have developed their social skills, including group work
• Have developed their speaking and listening skills
• Have developed their understanding of the 7/7 bombings as a historical event
• Have developed their opinions and understanding of issues surrounding Islamophobia
• Have developed their use of forum theatre as an exploratory strategy and means for exploring sensitive and controversial topics.

By the end of this scheme some students will:

• Have developed their characterisation in performance skills
• Have developed their ability to work using physical theatre and non-naturalistic drama techniques.

Number of lessons: 2