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Dramatic play is already familiar to children as one of the main ways in which they learn before starting school. Imaginative thought, role play and make-believe are inbuilt skills which drama games and strategies tap into. Why not use drama when it enables children to internalise their understanding of subjects and topics through active and fun engagement with their peers?
About The Book
Drop of a Hat: Drama Lessons, Games and Activities is for any teacher who wants to bring the primary curriculum to life through drama and creativity. Each lesson is based on a story, poem or theme and divided into bite-sized sections. If you’re looking for a quick fix, just choose a couple of activities. If you’re new to drama, there’s a section at the back describing the games and strategies in detail.
You’ll find approaches for using drama to raise standards in literacy and to explore stories, characters and themes. Topics covered include global warming, looking after pets, dealing with bullying and exploring issues around refugees. There are over a dozen activities for using Drama in Science as well as a lively introduction to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
These drama games and strategies are extremely adaptable and can be applied to so many subjects and themes. You’ll discover a myriad of ideas you can pick up and use — at the Drop of a Hat.
What’s inside
Lesson Plans
Beautiful Illustrations
Activity Sheets and Cards
Directory of Games and Strategies
Drama Across the Curriculum
Drama for Literacy
Review from Kirsty Yuill, Lycée International of Valbonne , France
“Drop of a Hat has inspired me to try some new activities this term. So tomorrow I will start new units of work in primary, with ‘Caring for Pets’ and ‘3D pictures’ then ‘Bullying’ later in the week. I love ‘The Lost and Found Cat’, which I will use at a later date (I think I will adapt it for a secondary school class). Hit the Headliners and YouTubers will also be making an appearance in my classes. I have similar activities that I know and use but as I say, it is lovely to have them neatly organised in a large format book with photocopiable resources. I have already used The King’s Sentence this year, very suitable for our masked kids, extending their physical expression.
Love the pictures by John Shelley too, they invite you to colour them in, I even grabbed a felt tip and did a bit of Titania.
All in all, I love it and it has given me the much-needed boost to return after the break.”
About the author
David Farmer is an award-winning online course designer, freelance theatre director and drama consultant. He has developed these drama games and techniques through decades of workshops with children, teachers and arts practitioners across the world. This is his fifth book on drama teaching and he also shares ideas through his website at www.dramaresource.com.