The Actor's Toolbox: Body and Face
Exploring how body language and facial expressions can be used to convey character and emotion.
Key Questions
- Explain what your face can tell the audience about what your character is thinking.
- Compare how a character might walk if they are happy versus sad.
- Construct a series of facial expressions to show a character's journey through different emotions.
ACARA Content Descriptions
About This Topic
Imaginary Objects and Places focuses on the art of mime and the use of simple props to build a fictional world. Year 1 students learn how to 'create' objects out of thin air by showing their size, weight, and shape through movement. This topic aligns with ACARA Drama standards that involve using symbols and situations to create dramatic meaning. It encourages students to use their imagination to transform the classroom into any setting imaginable.
This unit is essential for developing abstract thinking and 'belief' in drama. In the Australian context, students might imagine they are in the snowy Australian Alps or the hot, red center. By interacting with 'invisible' objects, they learn to be precise and consistent in their movements. This concept is grasped faster through collaborative 'world-building' and peer-led 'object' games.
Active Learning Ideas
Simulation Game: The Invisible Box
The teacher 'hands' an invisible box to a student. The student must show how heavy or light it is, how big it is, and what is inside (e.g., a fluttering bird or a sticky lolly) using only their hands. They then 'pass' the box to a peer.
Inquiry Circle: Setting the Scene
In small groups, students are given a 'place' (e.g., a beach, a space station). They must use three simple props (e.g., a chair, a hoop, a stick) to represent something in that place. The rest of the class must guess where they are.
Think-Pair-Share: Mime Challenge
Pairs take turns miming an everyday action that involves an object (e.g., brushing teeth, eating a giant sandwich). The partner must identify the 'object' and give one tip on how to make it look 'more real' (e.g., 'Make your hands wider for the sandwich').
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionStudents often 'forget' where they put an invisible object, making it disappear.
What to Teach Instead
The 'Invisible Box' activity emphasizes 'spatial consistency.' By having peers watch and point out when an object 'teleports,' students learn to keep their hands in the same place to maintain the illusion.
Common MisconceptionChildren may think that more props make a better scene.
What to Teach Instead
Through 'Setting the Scene,' students discover that a single hoop can be a portal, a steering wheel, or a puddle. This encourages 'symbolic' thinking, where one thing stands for another, which is a key dramatic skill.
Suggested Methodologies
Ready to teach this topic?
Generate a complete, classroom-ready active learning mission in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'mime' for Year 1?
How do I help students 'see' the imaginary world?
Can we use real props too?
How can active learning help students understand imaginary settings?
More in Characters and Curtains
The Actor's Toolbox: Voice
Developing awareness of how voice can be transformed to become someone else, focusing on pitch, volume, and speed.
2 methodologies
Imaginary Objects and Places
Using mime and simple props to establish a setting and interact with an invisible world.
2 methodologies
Character Development: Who Am I?
Creating simple characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and physical traits.
2 methodologies
Building a Scene Together
Collaborating in small groups to improvise and refine short dramatic sequences.
2 methodologies
Storytelling through Drama
Creating short dramatic narratives using characters, setting, and a simple plot.
2 methodologies