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Shipwrecked description

I can understand how the theatre used special effects to create a sensory experience.

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New
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Year 7

Shipwrecked description

I can understand how the theatre used special effects to create a sensory experience.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The theatre was a full sensory experience.
  2. The theatre used special effects to simulate battles, injuries and storms.
  3. These special effects added to the mood of the play and made it more realistic for the audience.

Keywords

  • Sensory - Sensory is relating to sensations or the physical senses.

  • Simulate - To simulate something is to imitate the appearance or character or something.

  • Mimic - To mimic means to copy.

  • Mood - The mood of a text is the emotional undertone to it.

  • Chaotic - Something chaotic means something in a state of complete confusion or disorder.

Common misconception

That Shakespearean theatre didn't have special effects.

Although they didn't have access to modern technology, the theatre used many special effects to help make the production more realistic.

If you wanted, you could extend the final activity to allow the students to think about how they might stage the storm or how they could create the special effects using objects in the classroom.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The five senses are: taste, touch, sight, hear, and .
Correct Answer: smell, Smell, smell., Smell.
Q2.
The word 'improper' means .
Something socially acceptable.
Correct answer: Something socially unacceptable.
Something peaceful.
Something loud.
Q3.
A theatre is a place where people go to...
watch a sport.
Correct answer: watch a performance.
see famous art.
Q4.
What does being a Puritan mean?
Someone who enjoys the theatre.
Correct answer: Someone who has strict moral values.
Someone who is against the aristocracy.
Someone who works hard.
Q5.
The purpose of special effects in film, theatre and TV is...
Correct answer: to make it more realistic.
to make the actors feel more comfortable.
to make it look unrealistic
to keep the audience from getting bored
Q6.
Match the emotion with the description.
Correct Answer:Peace,A calm sea

A calm sea

Correct Answer:Panic,A storm

A storm

Correct Answer:Sadness,Rain

Rain

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
To mimic means to...
Correct answer: copy something.
throw something away.
enjoy something.
Q2.
What did Shakespearean theatres use to mimic human blood?
Correct answer: Animal blood.
Red paint.
Red food dye.
Make up.
Q3.
Something chaotic is something...
predictable.
Correct answer: unpredictable.
calm.
angry.
Q4.
Match the special effect with the act.
Correct Answer:Using a blood soaked dummy,A dead body

A dead body

Correct Answer:Using a trap door,A dramatic entrance

A dramatic entrance

Correct Answer:Setting off gunpowder,Cannon fire

Cannon fire

Q5.
The Tempest begins with a...
Correct Answer: storm, Storm, storm., Storm.
Q6.
Which two of the following might they have used to create the effect of a storm in Shakespearean theatre?
Banging coconut shells together.
Correct answer: Throwing water on stage.
Correct answer: Rolling a cannon ball across the stage.
Having people speak slowly and calmly.