Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

My name's Mrs. Riley, and I'll be teaching you today.

In our lesson today, we're focusing on reading and performing a script based on the book "Charlotte's Web".

So I hope you've got your acting skills ready.

Let's get started.

The outcome of today's lesson is to read and respond to a play script based on "Charlotte's Web" and perform it in front of an audience.

These are our keywords for today's lesson, so they're going to be really important.

Let's start by practising saying each one aloud.

My turn, your turn.

Are you ready? Play.

Play script conventions.

Performance techniques.

Well done.

A play is a written text intended to be performed in front of an audience that is divided into scenes of dialogue and action.

Play script conventions are rules that are followed by playwrights to write play scripts that are clear and easy to follow.

So if you were going to write a play, you would write something down to be performed in front of an audience and you would follow play script conventions, so like rules that you follow when you write a play.

And finally, performance techniques are the ways that the actor uses their body, voice, and facial expressions to bring a character to life in a play.

So today we have three learning cycles.

We are going to first read and respond to a play script.

Then, we'll do some rehearsal.

And finally, we will do a performance.

But let's start off by reading and responding to a play script.

We know that plays are written texts that are performed by actors in front of an audience.

Plays take time to prepare, rehearse, and bring to life.

Could you discuss, who is involved in preparing a play ready for performance? Who is involved in preparing a play ready for performance? Could you discuss this with your partner? Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

So all these people are involved in preparing a play.

Actors act and speak as characters.

A director tells the actors what to do, where to stand, how to speak, and how to move.

And a stage crew creates the set, props, costumes, sound, and lighting.

So if you are putting on a play, you have to make the stage have different perhaps there might be different backgrounds, there might be different props you need to get.

You need to sort out all the costumes, the lighting, the sound effects.

So we just might go and see a play and only see the actors, but actually there's been a really big team of people helping to put that play on stage.

So could you match the person's job to what they do? The jobs are, you have an actor, a director, and a stage crew member.

And the jobs, what they do are, one of these people tells the actors where to stand, how to speak, and how to move.

One of these people helps to create the set, props, costume, sound, or lighting.

And one of these people acts and speaks as a character in a play.

Perhaps you could draw invisible lines in the air to match these jobs up with what they do.

Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

Let's look at the answers.

So an actor acts and speaks as a character in a play.

The director tells the actors where to stand, how to speak, and how to move.

And the stage crew member helps to create the set, props, costume, sound, or lighting.

We know that the way a play is written in a play script is different from how a writer tells a story in a book.

Playwrights use play script conventions.

These are like rules they follow to make the script organised, clear, and easy to follow.

Let's fill this box with play script conventions that you might already know.

So there's a title.

There are scenes.

There are scene headings.

There's dialogue and action.

There's the character's name, so who says what line.

And there are stage directions, that might be something like a rumble of thunder is heard in the distance.

The title of the play is just like a book's title, and the scenes are a bit like the chapters.

Let's check your understanding.

Is Lucas correct, and why? So it says here, Scene 3: Plop Talks to His Mother, and Lucas says, "This play script convention is called a scene heading.

It tells us what the scene is about." Could you pause the video and discuss, is Lucas correct and why? Okay, well done.

Let's come back together.

You are right.

Lucas is correct.

So lots of dialogue and action happen in one scene.

Here's an example of a line from a scene.

It says, "Plop: thoughtfully, I met some people today and they all said nice things about the dark." So this is the character's name, Plop.

It tells the actor it's their line.

So if I was in this play and I was Plop, I know when I see this line that that's my turn to speak.

This is a stage direction and it tells the actor how to act.

So if I'm Plop, I'm not going to say the word thoughtfully, but I'm going to read that stage direction, and that tells me how I need to say this line.

He says it thoughtfully like he's thinking it through.

And then finally we have the dialogue, which is the words the character says.

So if I was Plop, I know it's my time to speak, I know I need to say it thoughtfully, so here I go.

I met some people today and they all said nice things about the dark.

Do you agree with Jacob or Sofia, and why? So here's the line.

It's Plop's turn to speak.

Here's the stage direction: smiling more confidently now.

Sorry, smiling, more confidently now.

And the line is, "I think I'm starting to like the dark too now, Mum." So Sofia says, "I'd say this line really quietly and shyly, almost in a whisper to Mum." Jacob says, "If I were playing Plop, I'd have my shoulders back, my chest puffed out, and I'd speak loudly.

I think feeling confident means looking confident too." So who do you agree with and why? Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

Jacob has read the stage direction more carefully than Sofia here because the stage direction is smiling, more confident now and he says that he'd act confidently, whereas Sofia says that she would say it in a quiet, shy voice.

So reading those stage directions is really important if you're an actor.

And actors use performance techniques, that was one of our key words, performance techniques, to bring a character to life.

Performance techniques are learned, practised, and developed.

So could you discuss now, think about a time you've been preparing for a play or an assembly at school.

What can you use to make your lines come to life? Pause the video and discuss that now.

Okay, well done.

So you could use your voice to bring your lines to life, your body movements, and your facial expressions.

And what's important to learn here is that performance techniques are something we can all learn.

So you might think you are either just born a good actor or a bad actor, but in fact we all have the potential to act really well.

We just have to think about these performance techniques.

So voice is very important.

It must be loud enough so the audience can hear every word without being shouty.

It must have the right tone for the right dialogue.

If the character feels sad, the actor's voice must sound sad.

It must have good intonation, and this just means how the voice rise and falls.

The body can also do so many things.

The face can make the right expressions for the dialogue.

The hands can make gestures that can match the dialogue.

And of course, the body can move around the stage too.

So I'm going to read some dialogue, practising using my voice and body, and then it will be your turn in a second to do the same thing.

So for a second, let's switch roles, and you are going to be the teacher and I'm going to be the pupil, and you can see how I get on with this task.

So here's the line, Mrs. Barn Owl, that's who I'm going to be.

And it says the stage directions proudly and that the line is, "That's my brave little owl.

Come on, it's time to fly." So I'll read the stage direction carefully.

I'll check any punctuation that might help me, and I'll think about how I want the dialogue to sound.

Okay, and finally, I'll prepare my body before I speak.

So I'll read the stage direction carefully.

Proudly, okay, so Mrs. Barn Owl is feeling really proud of her little baby owl.

I'll check any punctuation.

That's my brave little owl.

Come on, it's time to fly.

Now there's an exclamation mark there, so I might kind of sound excited at that bit.

And then think about how I want the dialogue to sound.

So she's feeling proud and it's saying it's time to fly, so quite happy and excited.

And I'll prepare my body before I speak.

So I'm going to sit confidently.

I would normally be standing up if I was acting.

And I'm going to make sure I'm not slouching or looking to the ground.

Okay, here I go.

That's my brave little owl.

Come on, it's time to fly.

Okay, so there was my acting skills.

What do you think? Ooh, maybe I can improve a little bit.

So now it's your turn.

So now this is what you are going to say.

So again, you are not actually Mrs. Barn Owl, you are now Plop.

Very confident now, Plop says, "I think the dark is just super." So you are going to use this line of dialogue.

Read the stage direction carefully.

You are going to check any punctuation that might help you.

Think about how you want the dialogue to sound.

And prepare your body before you speak.

Pause the video and off you go.

Okay, well done.

Wow, you really brought that line of dialogue to life using your voice and your body and facial expressions.

And I love the way you made Plop sound so excited in that line.

So it's now time for your task.

For this task, you are going to read the first scene of the play script based on "Charlotte's Web".

So we've been doing a little bit about Plop from "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark", but now we're switching to what we are mainly looking at today, "Charlotte's Web".

So this is in the additional materials, and you are just reading the first scene.

So when you get to Scene 2, you need to stop.

You are going to work in a group of six.

How many in a group? That's right, six.

One of you is going to read the setting and the stage directions.

And these are all in italics, which means it's slanted.

The other five of you read as Fern, Wilbur, Cow, Sheep, and Goose.

So you're going to be one of those characters.

Just read Scene 1.

Remember to use the stage directions and punctuations just like we did a second ago to help you.

And you are just focusing on your voice at this stage because you'll be sitting in your group.

So don't worry about standing up.

So in your groups of six, could you now read through Scene 1, using your voices to help you bring the lines of dialogue to life.

Pause the video now.

Okay, brilliant.

Well done.

Let's come back together.

Now let's check we read loudly, clearly, and expressively enough.

Could your group hear every word you said? And did you follow the stage direction that was written before your line? Perhaps you could pause the video and just take a moment to reflect on what you think you did really well and maybe something that you think you could do even better next time.

Okay, well done.

So we're now going to look at our second learning cycle, rehearsing a play script.

You've had a first read of the play script for today's lesson.

It's based on "Charlotte's Web" by E.

B.

White.

Wilbur in this story is a young pig who makes friends with a wise spider named Charlotte in a farm yard.

The farmer wants to slaughter Wilbur to turn him into meat.

To help save him, Charlotte spins words like "some pig" into her web to make Wilbur look like a genius, miraculous pig.

This gets lots of attention.

People from all around come to see the web.

Because of the attention on Wilbur, the farmer decides not to kill him.

Charlotte sadly does die at the end of the story.

Wilbur survives, and he forever looks after her spider children, knowing that she saved his life.

So there's a little summary of what happens in this story.

So let's check your understanding.

What do you think is the main message in the book "Charlotte's Web"? A, we should try to trick people around us; B, we should always look after our friends; C, we should not do things for ourselves; or D, we should only ever do things for ourselves.

Pause the video and choose your answer.

Okay, well done.

The main message is B.

We should always look after our friends.

Charlotte looks after Wilbur, and in turn, Wilbur looks after Charlotte's babies.

You know that a big team of people get a play ready to perform.

This team includes the director, the actors, and the stage crew.

The time spent preparing a play is called the rehearsal time.

This is when actors practise and develop their performance techniques in role as their character, with the help of the director of course.

Is Andeep correct? "From the first read-through of the script to when the play is about to be performed, the actors don't change their performance that much.

I think reading the words expressively is the most important thing.

The other techniques don't need to be practised before the performance." Pause the video and discuss whether you think Andeep is correct or not, and why.

Okay, well done.

Andeep is not correct.

When they first read a script, actors are just getting to know their character's dialogue.

During the rehearsal time, they practise many performance techniques, like how to say each line, what they'll do with their body, and how they'll move around the stage.

So quite often plays are practised or rehearsed for about two or three months, and every day they'll keep changing and improving their performance.

So it's now time for your second task, and you are now going to rehearse the whole play script based on "Charlotte's Web".

So you are not going to stop when you get to Scene 2, you are going to rehearse the whole thing.

There is one director part, and this time there are eight speaking parts, which means you are going to be in groups of nine.

How many in a group? Nine, that's right.

You're going to decide who will get to be the director.

Maybe it could be somebody different to who was the director last time.

And you're going to decide who is going to read each of the eight speaking parts.

And I know you'll do this in a really grownup way and not take too much time because it doesn't really matter, does it? We're all going to get to do something and we're all going to get to perform.

So the director is going to watch the actors as they rehearse.

Your job is to improve the actors' first attempts with clear suggestions of how they can improve.

For example, you might say, "Can you say that again but a bit louder?" Or, "Do you think you could say that again but a bit slower?" Or, "Perhaps when you say that to Wilbur, you could look at the character rather than looking at your script." So you're going to give suggestions.

And actors, you are going to say each line in character and make eye contact with the person you are speaking to, the character you're speaking to.

Make sure you are showing your performance techniques, using your voice, your facial expressions, and your body.

So it's time for this task to begin.

Good luck.

Enjoy acting or directing.

Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

Let's come back together.

I hope you enjoyed rehearsing together.

So let's check we rehearsed well in a team.

Director, whoever was the director, have a bit of a moment to think, do you think you gave helpful suggestions for how the actors could improve? And actors just have a think, did you use your voice, facial expressions, and your body to bring your character to life? And did you listen to any instructions given by the director? Pause the video and just take a moment to reflect.

Okay, well done.

So we're now going to move to our final learning cycle.

We've thought a little bit about what is in a play script.

We've rehearsed a play script from "Charlotte's Web".

And now we're going to have a chance to actually perform.

So you've rehearsed the whole play script in your groups of nine, and now it's time to perform.

Performing to an audience means feeling well prepared.

You should now feel well prepared because you've completed your rehearsal.

So hopefully you all know what character you are and you all know your lines.

Maybe you might even remember them off by heart.

So try to remember that the audience is there to enjoy it.

It's completely normal to feel a bit nervous, and actually nerves can help improve your performance, because when we feel nervous, adrenaline goes through our body, which can help to make us even more alert and even better at our performance.

Now if you forget a line, don't worry.

Just have another look at the play script and just say it again.

Most importantly, try to have fun whilst you perform.

So before we start, let's just read these two statements by Jacob and Aisha and have a think who we agree with and why.

Jacob says, "I love performing.

I've really been practising my performance techniques.

And whilst I still find it a bit awkward to know what to do with my body, I'm getting good at using my face." Aisha says, "I've always found performing and speaking in front of an audience hard, but practising the performance techniques definitely helps me." So this isn't a case of someone's right and someone's wrong, it's just more, I suppose, who do you agree with? Are you a bit more like Jacob? Do you love performing? Or you are a bit more like Aisha? Do you find it a bit more difficult? Pause the video and share your thoughts with your partner now.

Okay, well done.

So you all have said different responses, and that's fine.

There's no right or wrong answer.

We all feel differently about performing.

Just remember that if we use our performance techniques, we can all have a really good go at it.

So it's time for your final task, and you are now going to perform the play based on "Charlotte's Web".

Each group of nine will perform one scene of the play or the whole of the play, whichever your group prefers.

The rest of the class and any adults are the audience.

You need to find a space in your classroom or the school hall that can become a stage.

The director can sit at the side of the stage and watch closely.

Think of any feedback you will give to the actors.

Actors, have a go at saying some, or, if you can, all of your lines from memory.

And audience, you need to watch carefully so you are ready to give the performers feedback, and don't forget to clap at the end of the performance.

So could just the first group have a go at performing either Scene 1 or the whole of the play? And once you've finished acting, then we'll come back together and we'll go through some feedback before the other groups respond.

So for now, could you pause the video while just the first group performs to the audience? Okay, lovely.

Well done.

So let's have a think about some feedback now.

So the first group has performed and now it's time to respond and share feedback.

So in the audience, I want you to now share at least three positive points of feedback for the first group.

You can share more if you have them.

And then you could suggest one thing that could be improved for next time.

So perhaps while you are all sitting there in the audience, have a little think, all think of something that you think they did really well and something you think they can improve.

And then each group, the first group who acted and the director, I want you to share one thing you think that you rehearsed really well, that went really well in the performance and one thing that you maybe hadn't prepared for.

So perhaps the group who are performing could just choose three people to give something that they loved about the performance and one person to give some feedback some things they could improve.

And then you could share with the audience something you think you did really well, and one of you could share something that you hadn't prepared for.

Do that and then pause the video.

Sorry, pause the video and do that and then we'll come back together again.

Okay, well done, well done for giving each other that feedback.

It's a really important part of learning and performing.

So now it's time for the other groups to perform as well.

So each group, just as we've just done, is going to perform in front of the audience, and then afterwards the audience will give some feedback, and the actors and director will also give some feedback.

And then once everyone has performed, we can come back together.

Pause the video now, and enjoy performing.

Okay, well done.

I hope you all feel really proud of yourselves for performing in front of an audience.

So let's summarise what we've learned today.

We've learned that plays are written in script format with certain play script conventions in place.

We've learned that play script conventions make a script organised, clear, and easy to follow.

Actors learn, practise, and develop performance techniques.

Performance techniques involve how an actor uses their face, body, gestures, and movement.

Rehearsing and preparing a play for a performance takes a big team of people and lots of time.

So hopefully you can use these skills if you are performing in the future, or if you are watching a performance, perhaps you might have a think about how the actors are using their performance techniques.

Thank you so much for all your hard work today, and I'll see you for more learning another time.