The Seaside - Drama Keystage 3

1. Discuss pupils own experience of living by the beach. Were there any times when they got into trouble, e.g., swam out of their depth?

2. Read the section The Beaches.

Class sit as an audience with the performance space in front of them and then one by one they get up and start miming an action that someone might be doing on the beach. The aim is to create a beach setting on a hot, lazy summer's day. Encourage the pupils to think about the different types of people there would be e.g., ice- cream sellers and to join in mimes with other people. (suitable for Year 7)

• Extension - Teacher count down to a freak tidal wave, hitting the beach. The ten second countdown should be in slow motion. How do the people on the beach react? (suitable for Year 7)
• Further extension - read The Piers and recreate this setting. You may want to get the students to make some of the slot-machines and stalls with their bodies, in small groups, first, and include these. Also, as a challenge, give the whole class one minute to recreate building of the pier as they know it (including fairground rides!). (suitable for able Year 7 and year 8)

3. Read the quotes on the cinemas from "Kiss me quick".

In groups, pupils create a two minute silent movie. Possible titles could be, 'The Donkey Race' or 'The Tide Comes In'. Incorporate suitable tense piano music, whilst they are preparing and performing. If possible, slow them an example of silent movie from Laurel and Hardy, first. (suitable for Year 7)

• Extension - Pupils write subtitle captions on large paper, or cards to be held up at appropriate points, describing what is happening in the scene.

4. Read the quote about 'Putting up the holiday children'. Ask pupils to think of a time when they felt worried or sad about leaving a parent (if they can't think of anything recent, then it could be the first day of school). In groups, pupils rehearse a 'goodbye scene' of some children having to leave their home and parents in London. (suitable for Year 7 and Year 8)

• Extension - Pupils write a diary entry about how they feel after arriving in a strange new house and place. What was their arrival at their new home like? What happened? Who was there and what were they like? How do they feel? What do they miss? What are they worried about and hoping for? (suitable for Year 7 and Year 8)
• Further extension - in groups, students read each other's diary entries out. They choose one and devise scenes that illustrate what is described in it. They then create a piece of narrative theatre with one person reading out the diary entry as a monologue and the others acting out the scenes. The narration should be broken up with the scenes, not run at the same time. Use space and freezes to separate the narrator from the scenes. (suitable for able Year 8 and year 9)