Student+Task


 * The Night's Watch Home Page**

To produce an authentic learning experience introducing students to literary analysis and genres To provide a safe environment for students to explore issues and workshop coping skills/problem solving to deal with those issues
 * Aim:** For students to complete the dramatisation of a text on the class reading list


 * Introduction:** The aim of this activity is to engage children in several cross curricular subjects by bringing them to life through drama and storytelling. Although this task is specifically English and Drama focused, teachers are encouraged to help students select a text which will allow for further engagement on issues students may personally face (bullying, family problems, discrimination) or those of concern to the wider community (environment, etc), thus allowing students a space in which to explore their feelings and develop coping strategies.

Once students are confident that they understand what is required of them they should be put into small groups and choose the text they will adapt. It is recommended that groups contain no more than fouur students so that all students have an opportunity to be involved in the work and the final reading. Over the following four weeks students will adapt their chosen text to a play script to be read out in class. Towards the end of this period each group's work can be "work-shopped" with the wider class and suggestions for improvements included. The final two weeks will be allocated to the reading and recording of their finished script/scripts. Students will upload videos of the work-shopping and final reading of their texts to a class Facebook page, dvd copies may also be made to take home or send to relatives. http://www.facebook.com/
 * Task:** Over the first four weeks of the term teachers should introduce students to the different literary genres especially focusing on the conventions of a dramatic text and those of short stories/novels. It maybe helpful for students to see an adapted version of a text that they are familiar with. Morris Gleitzman's website offers several of his popular books for young readers in a play format and the teacher may like to have one of these plus the original story on hand for students to compare.

This activity is projected to run over a term. It maybe extended over another term and fully produced as a play for the school or the student's families. The document below offers guidance for the complete process from selecting and adapting a text to the technical aspects of staging a production. This will involve the students designing and making costumes and sets, and offers an opportunity to explore further visual literacy issues as students investigate non-verbal communication through the symbolic aspects of colour, texture, sound and costume.