Class: 5-9 Date: June 2008

Topic: Humpty-Dumpty Contextual DramaSubject: Drama

Lesson Plan
Content:
In this mini unit, students will explore drama strategies within the context of a common nursery rhyme. Students will piece together the evidence to find what really happened to Humpty Dumpty!
Objectives:
Students will:
  • Accept the dramatic context and assume roles within it.
  • Contribute ideas appropriate to the drama and accept the ideas of others.
  • Develop the ability to use a variety of strategies and processes in dramatic situations.
  • Reflect on individual contributions and the work of the group within dramatic contexts.

Assessment:
  • Participation Rubric
  • Observation
  • Drama Journals
  • Storyboards

3 Components:
Pre-planning:
-Rules and procedures of a drama class. Eg. Believe in the Make-Believe!
Resources and Materials:
  • Sask Evergreen Curriculum - planning, objectives and list of drama strategies
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  • Book: Structuring Drama Works (for more drama strategies)
  • 5 zip lock bags for evidence
  • 5 baseballs
  • 5 pieces of cloth
  • 5 pieces of rope
  • 10 broken egg shells
  • * you can add any materials you want really!
  • Detective glasses/badge
  • Chart paper, markers
  • White gloves
  • Notepads, pencils, pens, newspaper template

Lesson #1: Piecing Together the Evidence
Teacher in Role – teacher comes in with sunglasses and takes on persona of a detective. Addresses group as experts in CSI study.
Role – students are expert crime solvers…each may have a specialization.
Teacher in Role – teacher explains that there has been a terrible tragedy….gathered you, the experts to help solve this crime. Suicide has been ruled out, reason to believe there is a suspect with a motive. This is what we know….Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall….He had a great fall…..all the king’s horses and men could not put him together again. What happened? Why was he even on a wall in the first place?
Unfinished Materials: Give each group of students (groups of 4-5) a zip lock bag of evidence and white gloves (just for effect!) They cannot tamper with the evidence. Students take out objects and discuss and brainstorm how they all fit into the story.
Storyboarding – students draw 6 large squares on chart paper. They must draw what happened in order that led to the fall of Humpty. They must be able to connect all objects and explain how each gives a clue to what happened.
Group Presentation of Evidence – Each group brings up evidence bag and storyboard chart and explains to rest of group their interpretation of what really happened. Students may ask questions.
*optional: Tableaux – students could re-enact the frozen scenes they drew out on storyboard.
Teacher in Role – Thanks the specialists for all their hard work. Will compile evidence and come up with suspect and motive.
Lesson #2:Extra! Extra! Read all About It!
Teacher in Role (Editor of local Kingdom Times newspaper) – “extra, extra! Read all about it! Humpty Dumpty pushed off wall!” This could be just one headline in the Kingdom Times Newspaper. There have been many rumours surrounding the recent fall of Humpty.
Interviews – hand students “notepads” and pens. Half the class will be reporters, the other half will be characters in the Kingdom that will reveal what they know or what they’ve heard. All characters should somehow know Humpty or someone related. Pair and interviewer with a character. Have the reporters ask questions that will help give insight to the recent events. Remember who, what, when, why, where. Talk about truth and stretching the truth. Will they write to make a good story or write the “the truth” even if it isn’t that interesting or dramatic? Will the characters stretch “the truth” based on what they know or what they’ve “heard”
Have students switch roles so that everyone has a chance to be the reporter.
Writing in Role – newspaper headline – students take their notes and put them into a newspaper format. They may take digital photographs of a re-enacted scene for the paper OR draw a picture that enhances their article. (see attached template)
Reading Out Loud – share aloud some of the articles.
Hotseating – compile a list of possible suspects. Have students take turns in the hotseat as that character. Students could be detectives again firing as many questions at the suspect as possible. Teacher may want to demonstrate first how to be in the hotseat.
Lesson #3: Remembering Humpty
Role on the Wall – Who was Humpty? Draw giant egg shape on large chart paper. Students all contribute to this character. Put answers in the egg. Eg. What did he look like, what were his favourite things, friends? Enemies? Favourite foods? Sports? Favourite music? Interests? Worst fear? Hopes and dreams? Family? Etc. (Teacher could take a category and split students into groups and have them develop each area then report back to class as well.)
Ritual – have a memorial for humpty. Teacher places egg shells on nice fabric. Maybe even plays melancholy music.
Role – each student takes on a role of someone who knew humpty. Writes on a card one thing they will miss most about him and in character reads the card and puts it by the egg shells. Eg. “I am Peter, Peter the Pumpkin Eater and I went to school with Humpty. I will always remember….(these can be funny but students should remember they are in role and stay within dramatic context.)
Public Service Announcement – students work together to create a quick PSA so that a tragedy like this doesn’t happen again! Eg. Why Eggs Should Stay off Walls advertisement.