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Choosing the Topic
The teacher welcomes the students to the second drama class of the
year. He says that, as most of them know, they will have lots of
opportunity as the year progresses to discuss their drama work and
to choose what their dramas will be about. He says that because he
wants to get a sense of how they work within dramatic situations
and because there are some students in the class for whom doing
dramas is a new experience, he has taken the liberty of choosing a
topic and structuring a drama with which to begin the year. He
tells them that this drama contains a mystery and an investigation
and he asks them if they are willing to go along with it. The
students agree.
(Teacher
Note)
The teacher says they will now begin to work. He suggests
they
rearrange the furniture in the room so that their chairs are set in
a circle. (Note)
He says he will leave the room momentarily and when he
returns, he will do so in role; that is, as someone else. He tells
them that, from what he says, they will know who he is and where
they are. He says that as they begin to accept the fiction, each of
them should be able to identify a role for themselves and to feel
comfortable enough to participate in role. He asks them if they
are ready to begin and tells them that he will return in just a few
seconds. As he leaves the room, he turns the first blank page on
a flip chart just outside the circle of chairs to reveal the
following:
Help Wanted: Reputable detective agency seeks
experienced private investigators. Interested persons are
asked to write Box 1009, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S9S 1F3.
Please provide resum‚, including detailed employment record
and three references.
(Note)
Because most
Working Within the Drama
Students and Teacher in Role/Meeting -- Whole Group
The students will:
.
The teacher in role(Note)
enters the room, welcomes those present and
introduces himself as the owner and chief investigator of the
detective agency. He says he is certain that they have recognized
the "Help Wanted" ad on the chart as the one to which each had
recently responded. He says it was he who placed the ad in papers
across the country and that he was both surprised and pleased to
receive so many excellent applications. He says that those present
have submitted such sterling resumés that they have all been
short-listed. He says that, as he had explained to each one of
them on the telephone, this meeting had been arranged so that he
could meet with them face-to-face and find out a little more about
them and their past experiences as investigators.
(Note)
He says
that he
does not want to discuss the case with them until he is certain
that they are the people he will work with, and that if they are
ready to jump a few hurdles in that direction, they should waste no
time and get on with it. He asks if there are any questions or
comments to this point.(Note)
One student in role comments that she has
been out of work for six months and would like to get on with the
assignment as soon as possible. She asks whether they couldn't
have some indication of what the case is about now, just to get
them thinking about it. Another students says that, while working
on his last job, he had developed a disguise which had proved
instrumental in the breaking of the case. He asks whether a
disguise might come in handy this time. The teacher in role asks
these students and the others to be patient. He repeats that he
cannot discuss particulars of the case until he is sure about them
so they had better get on with the interviews and some skill-
testing tasks.(Note)
Reflection/Out of Role -
The students will:
(Note)
Out of role,
(Note)
the students and teacher discuss the opening
episode
of the drama. One student says that because her grade five class
did quite a few dramas, it was easy to get involved with this one.
She says that she is quite curious to learn the details of this
case. Another says that when they were in grade four some of them
had done a detective drama about the discovery of an old pirate
treasure.(Note)
That drama had been developed from a story and he hoped
this wasn't the same one. One of the students who had never worked
within a dramatic context before says that it was quite interesting
to watch the teacher pretending to be someone else and that she
didn't really understand what she was supposed to do until some of
the other students said something. She says it is kind of fun and
she wonders what is going to happen next.
(Note)
Writing in Role --
The students will:
As the bell is about to ring, the teacher says that the drama will
continue next period with the interviews and the skill-testing
tasks that he had mentioned when in role. He refers to the "Help
Wanted" ad on the chart. He reminds the students that each of them
submitted an application that included three letters of reference.
He asks whether they understand what that means. Following a
brief discussion to clarify the definition and intent of a letter
of reference, a homework assignment is given.(Note)
Students
will come
to the next drama class with a letter of reference written in role
as someone for whom each had previously worked on a successful
case. The letter will make clear the nature of that case, briefly
outline the chain of events which led to its successful conclusion
and, finally, describe why this investigator should be hired by
the detective agency. The teacher, when asked, agrees to come up
with such a letter as well.(Note)
Brainstorming --
The students will:
As the next drama class beings, the students are again asked to arrange their chairs in a circle. Joining the circle, the teacher welcomes the students and asks them to keep their letters of reference, but to have them handy. He says that the drama will continue as promised but before they resume, he wonders whether it wouldn't be a good idea to spend a few minutes talking about the qualities, skills and abilities that an individual who is a successful investigator might possess. He asks the students to think quietly about these for a moment. He moves his chair out of the circle and replaces it with the flip chart. The students brainstorm a list of the attributes of a good investigator:
The teacher compliments the students on their list and comments
that he expects they will find some of these suggestions reflected
in the letter-writing they prepared for today's class. First, it
is time to resume the drama.(Note)
Concentration
The students will:
(Note) The teacher in role welcomes the students in role back to the agency and tells them it is time, as promised, to attempt a few skill-testing tasks.
He asks the applicants to observe the actions he makes and to imitate them.(Note) He claps his hands twice, slaps his knees twice (right hand to right knee and left hand to left knee simultaneously) and snaps thumb and forefinger of each hand one after the other, creating a six-beat pattern that he repeats over and over again. He observes them closely and maintains the rhythmic pattern until everyone has successfully joined in. He ceases the rhythm. Those who were observing him carefully also stop, while others continue until the movement and sound fade out unevenly. The teacher in role reminds them that they were meant to observe him and to imitate his action and his absence of action! He says that they will try again and this time he will change the pattern as they go along. If they are observing him carefully, they should be able to alter their actions at almost the same instant that he alters his and to stop at almost the same instant as he stops. He again leads the group, altering his actions twice. This time the group is somewhat more successful in altering their actions and becoming still at the same time as the teacher in role. The teacher in role now asks for a volunteer. The volunteer is told that he or she will be asked to leave the room, and when requested to return, will observe those in the circle in order to identify which person is leading and altering the action. As the volunteer exits, one of the others is asked to lead the group in a series of rhythmic actions. The group is asked to observe the leader and to alter their actions as the leader does. They are asked, however, not to stare directly at the leader but rather to be somewhat surreptitious in their observation in order to attempt to dupe the volunteer who awaits in the hall. The volunteer is invited to return to the room and is asked to observe the group and identify the leader. This is repeated several times with new volunteers and leaders. The group then has an opportunity to talk about this game and to express their thinking about their ability to concentrate and to make observations.
The students in role are now asked to take pencils and paper and to write the numbers one through twenty down the side of the page. These are set under their chairs. The teacher in role leaves the circle and returns immediately carrying a large tray covered with a cloth. He explains that twenty small objects have been set on the tray. In a moment, he will remove the cloth and each of them will carefully and quietly observe the array of objects.(Note) He asks them to please not touch the objects or make any comments or ask any questions about the items. If there is something on the tray that they are unable to identify by name, they are simply to describe it when it is time to list what they can recall from their study of the objects. He tells them that after sixty seconds he will cover the tray with the cloth and they will individually record as many items as they can recall. They will have as much time as necessary to complete the task and they are to do their own work. He asks whether there are any questions. As there are none, he unveils the objects and watches the second hand on the classroom clock. When sixty seconds have passed, the tray of objects is covered and removed from the centre of the circle. The students quietly begin to compile their lists.
Within five minutes, the students have stalled. No one has been able to recall all twenty items. They compare lists in partners. Those who still do not have a complete list work in groups of four. The game comes to a successful conclusion.
The teacher in role tells them that, while these tasks may appear quite simple, he is able to observe them at work and is quite impressed by how well they are doing. He says he is very close to making a decision as to which of them he'll hire but first he must make a careful consideration of the letters of reference.
Sharing Writing in Role -- Individual and Pairs
The students will:
The teacher asks the students to bring their letters to the
circle.
As the students return to the circle, the teacher asks them whether
they would now like to read their own letter of reference to the
others or whether they would first like to read and discuss it with
a partner and then present it to the others.(Note)
The
students say that
they would like to read and discuss with a partner first. They
choose their own partners and set to work.(Note)
After about ten
The next period
(Note)
Meeting/Teacher in Role
The students will:
The teacher in role says that he had no idea that he would receive so many excellent applications and that, if they are still interested in working with him, he would like to have them all.(Note) He says he had not intended to hire so many investigators to assist him with this case but he has been provided with a large budget and he believes that with so many well-qualified people on the case, they should be able to get to the bottom of it more quickly. He asks whether they are interested in the job. Some indicate that they are, others say that they would like to withhold their decision until they know what the case is about.
The teacher in role says he was very pleased to note that many of
the letters of reference had spoken about honesty and
trustworthiness. He says what he is about to tell them is of the
utmost confidence. Not only is it possible that a person's life is
in danger, but he is lead to believe that although the police
investigation has come up against a lot of dead ends and has slowed
down in the last couple of months, it is nonetheless still
underway.(Note)
He says the
Brainstorming/Out of Role
The students will:
The teacher first asks the students whether they think it is
necessary for the rock star mentioned in the drama to be
identified. There is unanimous agreement. The teacher next asks
whether the rock star could be an imaginary one for whom they could
create a persona or whether they would prefer to decide that the
person in question is an actual star. All but two of the students
want the rock star to be one they actually know about.(Note)
The teacher
says they had better decide who that will be and asks them to
call
out suggestions as he records them on chart paper. The students
come up with the following names:
The teacher asks
whether they think they can reach a consensus on which of these stars to include in the drama. One of the students says she chooses Michael Jackson because he actually has disappeared and it would be interesting for the class to investigate the disappearance at the same time as a real-life investigation was taking place. Another student says she chooses Bryan Adams because she has seen him in concert and she thinks they should choose a Canadian. Another says Billy Ray is her favourite singer and she'd like an excuse to learn more about him. One of the boys says Axl Rose would definitely be the best choice because Axl is a sort of "bad boy" of rock and roll and it would be fun to imagine all of the reasons why he might disappear. As each suggestion is expressed, the other students nod or shake their heads, applaud or "boo and hiss" in response. The teacher intervenes by suggesting that perhaps this decision should be put to a vote. The students agree. The first vote, carried out by a show of hands, results in a tie between Bryan Adams and Axl Rose. The tie-breaking vote that follows results in Bryan Adam's winning by a slim majority and being declared the subject of the students' drama. The teacher says he hopes they will all participate willingly and eagerly in the drama, even though Bryan Adams was not everyone's first choice. He says he is looking forward to resuming the drama next period.
Meeting/Students and Teacher in Role -- Whole Group
The drama resumes
as the teacher in role welcomes the group back with the comment that he is certain that they all have been doing a good deal of thinking about Bryan Adams' disappearance since last he saw them. He says before they continue he must confirm that they are all interested in pursuing this case with him. Everyone says that they are. One of the boys says that he would like to get on with it as he thinks he already has a lead. The teacher in role says he agrees that they should begin planning the investigation immediately, but before they do he would like to tell them what other information he has. He reminds them that they have been hired by Adams' agent(Note) and the management of Saskatchewan Place and that he was told that the police investigation, which includes both local police and the RCMP with input from the FBI, is presently at a standstill. He says he learned from newspaper reports and from what he was told by those who approached him to take on the case that the star disappeared from his dressing room at Sask. Place, apparently without a trace. He had been seen leaving his Saskatoon hotel, had been driven to Sask. Place in a hired limo and had been safely escorted by his personal bodyguards to his dressing room. When he was paged to make his way to the stage, he was no where to be found. The teacher in role says it isn't a great deal to go on and asks whether they have questions or suggestions.