The Arts · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Building a Character from Within

Active learning works because students must embody their ideas to understand them. When Year 5s physically and vocally explore a character, the abstract concepts of motivation and intention become concrete. This approach builds empathy and deepens their analytical skills while keeping engagement high.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9ADR5E01
• AC9ADR5D01

• 20–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 30 min · Whole Class

Role Play: The Hot Seat

One student sits in the 'hot seat' as a character (e.g., a gold prospector or a modern-day student). The rest of the class asks them questions about their life, and the student must answer in character, using a specific voice and posture they have developed.

What does a character's posture tell us about their history and social status?

Facilitation Tip

During The Hot Seat, let students interview the character first before asking them to perform, so they have time to internalize motivation before speaking aloud.

What to look for

Present students with images of people in various postures. Ask them to write down one word describing what the posture communicates about the person's potential history or status. Discuss responses as a class.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 25 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Character Walk

Students experiment with 'leading' from different parts of their body (e.g., leading with the nose, the chest, or the knees). In small groups, they discuss what kind of person walks like that and create a short backstory for their 'new' character.

How does a character's objective change the way they speak to others?

Facilitation Tip

In The Character Walk, model the activity yourself first, demonstrating how small shifts in posture can change the entire impression of a character.

What to look for

Pose a scenario: 'Your character wants to borrow money from a friend they just argued with.' Ask students: 'How would your character's objective (getting the money) change the way they speak and move compared to if they just wanted to apologize?' Facilitate a brief class discussion on objective-driven behavior.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Internal Monologue

Pairs are given a short script. They perform it once normally, then stop and share with each other what their character is 'really' thinking during the silences. They then perform it again, trying to show those 'hidden' thoughts through their facial expressions.

What are the internal thoughts of a character during a moment of silence?

Facilitation Tip

For Internal Monologue, provide sentence starters on the board to guide students who struggle to articulate their character’s inner thoughts.

What to look for

Students write down one character they have recently explored. They then list two specific physical or vocal choices they made to portray that character and explain how each choice communicated something about the character's internal state or background.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with the body and voice before tackling full performances. Research shows that physicality anchors emotional recall and vocal choices, so scaffold from posture to objective. Avoid rushing to costume or props, as these can distract from the internal work. Model your own thinking aloud as you make choices, so students see the process.

Students will move from describing a character to creating one with clear internal logic. Successful work shows posture, voice, and objective working together to reveal a believable stage persona. You’ll see students adjust their choices based on feedback and discussion.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During The Character Walk, watch for students who focus only on costumes or exaggerated movements. Redirect them by asking, 'How does your spine feel right now? What does that say about your confidence?'

  During The Hot Seat, listen for students who describe their character as purely good or bad. Interrupt to ask, 'What does your character want most in this scene? Why does that matter to them?' This pushes them to uncover nuanced motivations.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share