NWS Web Sheets Little Soldier - Pearson Education · when a young girl, Dolly, ... Peter Rose...

by Bernard Ashley

Teaching resources

by Mike Royston

2

The Play of Little Soldier

© Harcourt Education Limited, 2006

Contents

Introduction 3

Synopsis 4

Activate Prior learning 5

Activity sheets

� Lesson 1 6

� Lesson 2 8

� Lesson 3 9

� Lesson 4 11

� Lesson 5 12

� Lesson 6 13

� Lesson 7 14

� Lesson 8 16

� Lesson 9 18

� Lesson 10 19

� Lesson 11 22

Teacher’s notes

� Teacher’s notes 23

� Further study areas 27

� Short-term lesson plans 28

� Medium-term lesson plans 40

Teacher’s sheet 3



The Play of Little Soldier by

Bernard Ashley

IntroductionThis Heinemann Play is supported by a 12-lesson study scheme including medium- and

short-term lesson plans and student, teacher and OHT resource sheets. These

resources help students to engage with the play and assist in your planning for close

study of a play.

These resources include a series of self-contained lessons which can be used to

supplement your own teaching plans, or to provide extra support for specific teaching

points. Each activity is individually mapped against the framework and Assessment

objectives. There are also suggestions for further study areas including speaking and

listening, writing, reading and drama activities.

The following pages can be downloaded and printed out as

required. This material may be freely copied for institutional use.

However, this material is copyright and under no circumstances

can copies be offered for sale.

The publisher gratefully acknowledge permission to reproduce

copyright material.

Teacher’s sheet 4



SynopsisKaninda, a 13 year-old African boy, comes from Lasai. The country is torn by a violent

civil war between two tribes, the Yusulu and the Kibu. Kaninda’s family are Kibu. The

play begins with their murder at the hands of Yusulu militia. Kaninda is left an orphan.

He is recruited as a boy soldier into the Kibu rebel army and trained to kill members of

the Yusulu tribe on sight.

When the Yusulu ambush Kaninda’s school in Lasai and shoot the teachers, he is sent

to London and taken in by the Rose family. Peter and Betty Rose belong to God’s Force,

an organisation like the Salvation Army. They are bringing up their 13 year-old daughter,

Laura, to be ‘God’s little soldier’. But Laura seems more interested in her relationship

with Theo, an Afro-Caribbean teenager. He is a member of the Crew, one of two gangs

(the other is the Federation) fighting each other for control of the dockland streets on

the Thames Barrier estate.

Theo and Laura drive a stolen car into Federation ‘territory’. Laura is at the wheel

when a young girl, Dolly, is knocked down and rushed to hospital in a coma. Since Dolly

lives in the part of the Estate controlled by the Federation, their gang leader, 16 year-old

Queen Max, vows revenge against the Crew. Queen Max is also Dolly’s sister. Both gangs

prepare for a showdown in the Millennium Mall shopping centre.

Meanwhile, Kaninda has started Victoria Comprehensive School. There he meets

another ‘new boy’ from Lasai, Faustin, who happens to be a Yusulu. Kaninda tries to kill

him, as he has been trained to do, only the intervention of a teacher saves Faustin.

Kaninda’s fighting prowess has been noticed with interest by the Crew. For the

second time in the play, he is recruited as a ‘little soldier’, this time by Baz, the Crew

gang leader. Kaninda only agrees to join the Crew because they promise to ‘deliver’

Faustin to him after the Millennium Mall showdown.

The showdown duly takes place. It is horrifyingly violent, the two rival gangs

mirroring the brutality of the Yusulu and Kibu tribes in Africa. The fighting is halted by

Betty Rose, but not before her daughter Laura (a member of neither gang) is seriously

injured and hospitalised.

Kaninda, whose only wish is to return to Africa, escapes from the Rose household and

plans to stow away on a ship bound for Mozambique. But first he needs to murder

Faustin. He confronts him in a dockland café. There Faustin surprises Kaninda by

showing no hostility or resistance. Instead, he expresses his view that warfare, either

tribal or gangland, solves nothing. He makes Kaninda realise that, back in Africa, he was

simply being used as a youthful assassin (a ‘little soldier’) by Kibu rebels who cared

nothing for him as a person. The play ends with Kaninda making peace with Faustin. At

last, he wrenches his thoughts away from Africa. He has found a new understanding and

a new home.

Teacher’s sheet 5



Activate prior learningIt is important to help students approach the play in an informed way before reading

begins. The three main areas which need advance preparation to set a context for ThePlay of Little Soldier are:

1 Africa. In the play, an invented African country, Lasai, is embroiled in civil war. This

is tribally-based. Students need to know that African countries like Rwanda and the

Sudan have gone through, and are still experiencing, analagous situations. Extreme

violence and atrocities characterise these conflicts. This is faithfully mirrored in the

play. Some work, therefore, needs to be done to prepare students for the ‘African

dimension’ of The Play of Little Soldier, particularly since it is deeply embedded in

the action and does not immediately explain itself.

2 Inner city gang warfare. Much of the play’s action is centred on a teenage gang

‘war’ in London. This stems from rival claims by two gangs to the ‘ownership’ of

particular areas on a large estate. Students, especially those without experience of

the inner cities, need to be sensitively prepared for this. Newspaper coverage of

incidents like the open warfare in the Millenium Mall shopping centre is

commonplace. This, therefore, provides a helpful resource, especially if it is drawn

from Sunday broadsheets rather than the daily tabloids.

3 Teenage street culture and its language. The play depicts teenage gangs who

control the streets of their ‘territory’. There is a strict hierarchy in each gang and

commonly understood ‘rules of engagement’ – e.g. invasion of one gang’s territory

by the other calls for brutal reprisal and retaliation. The playwright describes this

brutality as ‘shaming’. Nevertheless, he depicts it graphically, in a way that

deliberately reflects the tribal warfare in Africa. Students need to be alerted to this,

as they do to the use of street vernacular and slang. In this edition of the play, a

glossary explains the teenage jargon that is such a striking feature of Bernard

Ashley’s text.

ThemesAlthough The Play of Little Soldier is explicit in its portrayal of violence, it is a highly

moral play. Kaninda, the central character who provides a bridge between the tribal

warfare in Lasai and the gang warfare in London, ends the play by overcoming his

entrenched hatred of the Yusulu.

Kaninda’s counterpart, Faustin N’gensi, is the play’s clear-eyed spokesperson against

the social and political corruption that leads to violence. He is not a sentimental pacifist.

But what he does understand is that the tragedy of Kaninda’s family has simply made

him prey to those who want to perpetuate warfare for political ends:

‘You think I killed your family? You think I blame you for my family? Yusulu, Kibu,

Banyarwamnda, Tutsi, Bakongo – tribal is political, boy. Them and us, you and me,

chiefs and followers. But not really you and me, not us ourselves – it’s the leaders make

it that way.’

Bernard Ashley asks us to ponder on which ‘leaders’, exactly, may have a vested interest

in stoking teenage violence on the street of our inner cities.

OHT 1 6

The Play of Little Soldier Lesson 1


The Play of Little Soldier: Main characters

Main Character Background Age Group/Gang identity

Kaninda Bulumba African (Lasai) 13 Kibu Tribe

Laura Rose Anglo-

Seychellois 13

Theo Julien Barrier Crew

Faustin N’gensi African (Lasai)

Betty Rose God’s Force

Peter Rose English 45

Queen Max Federation Gang

Baz Rosso Anglo-Italian

Snuff Bowditch

Charlie Ty

Sergeant Matu African (Lasai)

Mal Julien –

Lydia Becky –

Gifty 10

Sharon Slater –

Dolly Hedges –

Rene Hedges –

Student sheet 1 7



Four extracts from the early part of the play

Extract 1

QUEEN MAX What you two up to?

SNUFF BOWDITCH Dunno. Might go nicking. Lift a can o’ squirt an’ tag the

Federation F down the town …

CHARLIE TY Yeah, the old F. Spray it over the Barrier Estate. Show that

slick estate what gang’s boss.

Extract 2

THEO Lor, you got more lump than porridge these days.

LAURA Well, with me being a little soldier for the Lord and all

that –

THEO You need a rush of some sort, girl. Pos-it-ive! Some

Thorpe Park skin peeler you want, or I tell you, you’re

gonna turn sour as ol’ puss’s milk.

Extract 3

THEO Well, little Lor! What’s up with you, baby? You had no

shine yesterday an’ you got no shine today!

LAURA Tell me what’s to shine about?

THEO Knowing me, Sis. Rodeo an’ Juliet.

LAURA You mean Romeo.

THEO I mean Rodeo – get off my back! Lighten up!

Extract 4

BAZ ROSSO So tell me what they want on the Barrier.

THEO Dunno, straight up. Could be Ken. Yeah, this African kid.

Gave Charlie Ty a right sortin’ out in school, showed him

up rotten. He’s prime crew,

I tell you. Real sool.

Student sheet 2 8



Act One: selected questions

Staging

� The pre-scene (page 3) is heard but not seen. What do you

think is happening in it?

� They ‘all seem dead’. Which three are dead? Which one

survives?

� Who seems to be responsible for these deaths?

Kaninda

� When Kaninda arrives in London, he goes to live with Peter

and Betty Rose. What organisation do they belong to? Why

do you think they are taking Kaninda into their home?

� How does Kaninada feel about his ‘new home’?

� What evidence is there that Kaninda’s thoughts turn

frequently to his former life in the African country of Lasai?

� Sergeant Matu appears in several ‘flashbacks’. Who is he?

Why do you think Kaninda recalls him so vividly?

The gangs

� Who are the ‘Federation’ and the ‘Crew’?

� How are we shown that they are extremely hostile to each

other?

Dolly

� What causes the accident to Dolly?

� What is she able to tell the police about it?

� How and why does Dolly’s accident stir up strong feelings in

the Federation gang? What do you predict this could lead to?

Lasai

� What are the main differences between Kaninda’s new

school, Victoria Comprehensive, and the school he went to

in Lasai?

� What terrible incident happened at the school in Lasai? Who

caused it?

� How has this incident affected Kaninda?

� When Kaninda finds out about Faustin, the ‘new boy’ who

has also come to Victoria Comprehensive, what happens?

Why?

Laura

� How does Laura react to the car accident she helped

to cause?

� How is her reaction different from Theo’s?

Student sheet 3 9



Act Two: selected questions

Joining the crew

� Why does Kaninda agree to become a member of the

Crew gang? What test does he have to pass in order to

qualify?

� Who helps Kaninda during his test? Does he pass it?

Kaninda

� What is Kaninda’s ‘plan’ in Act Two Scene six?

� What does Laura tell Kaninda about her plan?

� What happens between Kaninda and Faustin in Act

Two Scene eight?

� What does Faustin tell Kaninda about the tribal war in

Lasai between the Kibu and the Yusulu? How does his

attitude to it differ from Kaninda’s?

Baz Rosso

� What is Baz Rosso planning? Why is Kaninda

important to his plans?

� Kaninda agrees to go along with Baz’s plans. Why?

Laura

� How does the Ford Escort’s number plate come into

Laura’s possession?

� How does Laura react to the news that Dolly is

coming out of her coma

and has added the word ‘van’ to ‘white’?

The fight

� During the gang fight in the Millennium Mall (Act Two

Scene fifteen) Kaninda finds himself in charge of the

Crew’s tactics. Whose way of speaking does he imitate

when he is giving orders?

� The playwright puts in a stage direction in Act Two

Scene fifteen which describes the gang fight as

‘shaming’. What do you think are the most ‘shaming’things about it?

� Who ends the gang fight before those who are

fighting intend it to stop?

Student sheet 3 10



Act Two (continued)

Laura

� When Laura is speaking to Theo in Act Two Scene fifteen,

she is deeply relieved. Why? Why do you think she says,

‘We’ve still got to go to the police’?

� How and why does Laura get viciously attacked in Act Two

Scene fifteen?

Kaninda’s changes

� In Act Two Scene seventeen, Kaninda sets out intending to

murder Faustin. What does Faustin tell him that makes

Kaninda change his mind?

� In Act Two Scene nineteen, the playwright’s stage-direction

reads ‘We’re not sure which scene Kaninda is in’. What

point do you think the playwright is making here?

� What does Kaninda learn about ‘tribal war’ from the voice

of Sergeant Matu?

� At the very end of the play, Kaninda changes. What has

Kaninda has finally learned, and who has been responsible

for him learning it?

Student sheet 4 11



Charting Kaninda’s experiences in the play

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Student sheet 5 12



Role-play question sheet

� Why the Crew and the Federation started

fighting their ‘war’ in the first place and have

kept on doing so. What, exactly, have they been

fighting about? Are they going to be able to stop?

� What happened to Laura. Who was to blame?Has her serious injury changed your mind aboutgang fighting?

� The fight at the Millennium Mall. How did

you feel when it was happening? How do you feel

about it now?

OHT 2 13



Journalist’s notes

Answer these questions for your front page story:

� The red Ford Escort was a stolen car. How did it

come to be stolen in the first place and who stole

it? [Act One Scene six].

� Why did the Ford Escort have no number plates?

� Who was in the car when the accident happened?

How did the car come to be in their possession?

� Who was driving? Why will this ‘hit the headlines’?

� Where did the accident happen?

� What is Dolly’s condition in hospital?

[Act One Scene twenty]

Student sheet 6 14



Laura Rose: ‘too good for heaven’?

She is in God’s

Force yet drives in

the car aged 13, with

Theo, without a licence

She wants to go with

Kaninda to Africa and

care for people

in need

OHT 3 15



Scenes in which Laura plays a central part

Act One Scenes six to eight

from THEO Laura! Watcha, Lor (page 10)

to THEO Go on, turn right, down there (page 14)

Act One Scene thirteen

from THEO Well, little Lor (page 24)

to the end.

Act One Scene twenty

Act Two Scene six

Act Two Scene eight

from LAURA Kaninda, I’ve been looking for you (page 63)

to KANINDA It’s here counts, just (page 64)

Act Two Scene eleven

Act Two Scene fifteen

from THEO Lick-spittled (page 84)

to THEO I survive my way, you survive yours (page 86).

Student sheet 7 16



Question Sheet about producing your Scenes

Questions Answers/notes

1 In what ways is Little Soldierdifferent from many other

plays in:

� its use of settings

� its use of scenery

� its changes from scene

to scene?

2 In performing your chosen

scenes, how could you make

use of:

� slides and projections

� flown-in scenery

� props?

3 What style of production would

best suit your chosen scenes in

performance:

� ‘open space’ set

� ‘in the round’

� a traditional platform-

stage set

� some sections done

in mime or tableau

� full realistic costume

or just a few items to

mark out individual

characters ?

OHT 4 17



Scenes to choose from:

� The pre-scene (page 3)

� Act One Scenes five and six, where we

first met the two gangs

� Act One Scenes twelve and fourteen, where

the action includes ‘flashbacks’ to Africa

� Act Two Scenes seventeen to twenty,

which make up the ending of the play

OHT 5 18



Who does the play’s title apply to?

Character A Character B Character C Character D

Kaninda Laura Faustin Queen Max

because because because (or Baz)

because

OHT 6 19



Four Scenes you could choose

Act One Scene fourteen

where we see Kaninda at school first in

London and then in Lasai.

Act Two Scene twowhere Kaninda does his ‘run’ and Laurasaves him from falling into the river.

Act Two Scene twelve

where we see Dolly coming out of her coma.

Act Two Scene seventeen

where Faustin and Kaninda talk about

the tribal war in Lasai and make peace

with one another.

Student sheet 8 20



Three Questions about changing your chosen Scene

1 How will you change the events?

2 Will you keep exactly the same characters or introduce some new ones?

3 How are you going to make your version;

(i) clearly understandable

(ii) dramatic for the audience?

OHT 7 21



Advice for writing your Script

1 The dialogue: you need to make

this realistic.

2 The stage directions: write these in the

same style as Bernard Ashley does.

3 You need to build up your scene to a

climax that will ‘work’ on stage and

grip the audience.

OHT 8 22



How will Laura feel about these events/experiences?

1 Her relationship with Theo.

2 The car accident.

3 Her visit to the hospital to see Dolly.

4 Her relationship with Kaninda, including her plan to go to Africa

with him.

5 The gang fight at the Millennium Mall.

Teacher’s sheet 23



Teacher’s notes referred to in the following12 short-term lesson plans

Lesson 1 Information to contextualise the play before reading begins

� Refer to page 5 of these Support Materials, ‘Activate Prior Learning’, for detailed

information.

� The key areas to cover as you provide a broad context for the play are:

1 The African dimension 2 Inner city gang warfare 3 Teenage street culture and

its language.

� All three areas call for sensitive handling. All involve violence: tribal warfare in Africa

and gang warfare on the London streets. It is vital to stress to students that, sadly,

Little Soldier reflects the realities of the present day – the ongoing tribally-based civil

wars in Rwanda and the Sudan, the murders of Stephen Lawrence and Letitia

Shakespeare, for example. Events such as those Bernard Ashley incorporates into his

play are featured on the TV news every week.

Answers to OHT 1

Main Character Background Age Group/Gang identity

Kaninda Bulumba African (Lasai) 13 Kibu Tribe

Laura Rose Anglo-Seychellois 13 God’s Force

Theo Julien Afro-Caribbean 13 Barrier Crew

Faustin N’gensi African (Lasai) 14 Yusulu Tribe

Betty Rose Seychellois 42 God’s Force

Peter Rose English 45 God’s Force

Queen Max English 16 Federation Gang

Baz Rosso Anglo-Italian 20 Barrier Crew

Snuff Bowditch English 15 Federation Gang

Charlie Ty Anglo-Chinese 16 Federation Gang

Sergeant Matu African (Lasai) 38 Kibu Rebel Army

Mal Julien Afro-Caribbean 32 –

Lydia Becky Afro-Caribbean 33 –

Gifty African (Lasai) 10 Kibu Tribe

Sharon Slater English 12 –

Dolly Hedges English 12 –

Rene Hedges English 28 –




Lesson 65 characteristic features of journalistic writing

Headlines

Look at how they make a strong impression on the reader: dynamic verbs? word-play?

alliteration? bias? provocative language?

First paragraphs

Look at how they incorporate answers to the “wh” questions: brevity? conciseness? ‘the

heart of the matter’? factually orientated? use of proper nouns?

Interviews

Look at how they add detail and human interest to the story: the power of direct

speech? edited version of what interviewees said to suit the story’s angle? emotive

language? two interviewees set against each other to represent opposing viewpoints?

the ‘aaah’ factor?

Language

Look for: exaggeration? emotiveness? opinion presented as fact? strong use of

adjectives/adverbs? short sentences?

Presentational devices

Look for: photo-sensationalism? aggressive typography? function of sub-heads?

juxtaposition of visuals with printed text? misleading captions to photographs?

Lesson 9Suggested answers for entries in Columns 2–4 OHT 5

CHARACTER B – Laura

� She is being brought up by her parents in God’s Force to be ‘God’s little soldier’ (Act

One Scene two): the playwright emphasises the similarity between God’s Force and

the Salvation Army.

� She tries to salve her conscience after causing the accident to Dolly by strenuously

acting out her ‘God’s little soldier’ role – e.g. (i) Act One Scene fifteen, where she is

seen leading the Junior God’s Force ‘shining, fervent, wanting to please God with

her activity for Him’ (ii) Act Two Scene eight, where she is seen planning to go to

Africa as a Christian soldier ‘to do good works for the people’.

� She is a ‘soldier’ for truth in wanting to go to the police and confess her

responsibility for the accident to Dolly (Act One Scene twenty, where she opposes

Theo’s thuggish ‘Here’s to war’ with her determinedly moral response ‘Here’s to

truth’).

CHARACTER C – Faustin

� Like Kaninda, he has been drawn into the Lasain civil war where he has seen a sister

raped and killed by Kabu soldiers (Act Two Scene seventeen). This makes him a

participant in the conflict, however reluctantly: he spends the play trying to find his

other sister, a mental casualty of the war.




� Unlike Kaninda, he is a ‘soldier’ who stands out against war and historic tribal

hatreds (Act Two Scene eight – KANINDA ‘You all enemy, Yusulu’ FAUSTIN ‘I didn’t

start it. You didn’t start it. I’m me, just me. I’m a victim, same as you’).

� At the end of the play, he is a more courageous ‘soldier’ for his cause of peace and

brotherhood than Kaninda is for his cause of vengeful violence (Act Two Scene

seventeen – ‘I don’t hate you. Tribal war did it, not you. War takes us all into its hand

and smashes us on the ground’). The true ‘soldier’ in Faustin condemns those who

ferment violence and war for their own ends and make victims out of innocent

children, as the Kibu rebel army has done in twisting Kaninda’s mind to accept the

role of youthful assassin.

CHARACTER D – Queen Max

� She is a ‘little soldier’ of street fighting. Teenage leader of the Federation gang, she

issues orders for ‘war’ like a military commander: ‘I want these Crew hit and

punished’ (Act One Scene thirteen)

� She plans strategy and leads her ‘troops’ in a way strongly reminiscent of the play’s

professional soldier, Sergeant Matu (Act Two Scene thirteen: ‘[To her troops] We go

to war! For Dolly!’)

� She is not only a violent street soldier; she is also a murderous one (Act Two Scene

fifteen: ‘Kill that Rosso’).

The same points can be made about Queen Max’s counterpart in the Crew, Baz Rosso.

Lesson 10Guidance for presenting/performing the ‘new’ scenes

� The audience for the performance should be the whole class.

� It is obviously better for performances to take place in the drama hall/school theatre

rather than in the classroom.

� Emphasise to students that

– they need to rehearse on their own initiative before the nominated lesson

– the drama itself is the priority, not props, costumes, sound-effects, etc.

� Allow students the choice of working with a script or mounting an improvised (but,

again, a rehearsed) performance.

� Make it clear that you will be conducting a Speaking & Listening Assessment for each

student on the basis of the work they present. It focuses the audience’s attention if

you involve them in this assessment, with brief evaluative comments after each

performance. You could devise an Evaluation Sheet for this purpose, drawing your

criteria from the Framework Objectives for S&L drama-focused tasks.

� If, during performance, any group’s work degenerates merely into ‘fighting’, abort it

immediately. Make clear to the class in advance that you will do this.




Lesson 12The publicity campaign for The Play of Little Soldier in production: some advice

� The basic principle underlying this activity is teamwork. Ensure students take real

responsibility for their work, especially during the Homework/Follow-on stage.

� Equip yourself in advance of the lesson with

– a selection of publicity material from previous school productions (the Drama

Dept is normally willing to loan fliers, posters, rehearsal photographs, etc)

– a good range of professional theatre programmes (Drama Depts will have a stock

of these) for students to browse through.

� The programme The following features of a theatre programme provide stimulus

for suitable media tasks from class members working either individually or in

collaboration:

– a striking and visually informative front cover

– a synopsis of the plot [maximum of 100–120 words]

– producer’s notes

– short pen-portraits of leading cast members with highlights from their theatrical

cv’s/credits

– box adverts from local firms and businesses who have contributed to the

production

One group of students could take overall responsibility for programme design and

production: use DTP. There is opportunity too for the imaginative use of ICT to produce

different sections of the programme.

� Students with well-developed design skills could be responsible for the advertising

posters and fliers, in various shapes and sizes.

� A time-gap of one week to ten days between the lesson and the completion of this

project is ideal. Leave it longer and you risk having the out-of-school work drag on

interminably.




Further Study areasThe following activities provide opportunities for creating interesting and stimulating

activities.

Writing to imagine, explore and entertain.

Imagine that Kaninda returns to Lasai a year or so after the play ends. The tribal war

between the Kibu and the Yusulu is still raging. Write entries in his diary for the week he

spends in the country, visiting some of the places he knew. Use your knowledge of the

play’s African scenes to help you decide what to write.

Year 7: Wr6 Year 8: Wr7 Year 9: Wr5

Drama-focused Speaking & Listening.

On his visit to Lasai (see above) Kaninda meets Sergeant Matu. Act out the conversation

they might have.

Year 7: S&L16 Year 8: S&L15 Year 9: S&L12

Group discussion.

What do you think are the main causes of gang warfare among teenagers, especially in

the inner cities? What, if anything, can be done to bring it under control? Use your

knowledge of Little Soldier to help you form your opinions.

Year 7: S&L1 Year 8: S&L10 Year 9: S&L9

Author’s craft.

One criticism that might be made of Little Soldier is that, with 40 scenes, it is too ‘bitty’

and disjointed. Some would say it is better suited to film or TV than to the stage. Do you

think that this criticism is justified, or would you defend the way the play is written?

Year 7: R15 Year 8: R10 Year 9: R18

Independent research/information writing.

Search the internet to locate facts about one of the civil wars in Africa. What caused it?

What effects has it had on the country’s population and economy? Is there any hope of

it ending? Produce an information leaflet based on your findings for others in your class

to read.

Year 7: R5, Wr11 Year 8: R1, Wr10 Year 9: R2, Wr9

Reading for pleasure

If students have enjoyed this play, they may also enjoy … Hope Springs

Short-term lesson plans 28



Lesson 1 60 minutes

Class: Date: Period:

Lesson coverage: The play’s cast list, Act One Scenes 1 and 2, and contextualising material inTeachers’ Notes page 23.

Lesson aims: 1 To develop awareness of the play’s main characters through a reading for information exercise.

2 To recognise the play’s use of colloquial language and compare it with standard English.

3 To use inference and deduction to speculate about the nature of the play.

Prior learning/ Understanding of the concepts of standard English and dialect.knowledge: Experience of reading inferentially.

Book activity: Keeping Track (1) and (2)

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L1, S&L13, S&L17, R2, R6 R2, R3Year 8: S&L10, S&L16, R1, R3Year 9: S&L11, S&L14, R2, R3

Starter: (20 minutes) To introduce the play, simply tell students at this stage that it has alarge cast. Display OHT 1 (a partly completed Dramatis Personae) on an OHP aswell as distributing it to the class. Direct the class to the List of Characters onpages vi–1. Students scan for information to fill in the blank spaces on theirsheets about the characters’ background, age and group/gang affiliations. Allowno more than 10 minutes for this. Students work by themselves. Challenge themto fill in the sheet with speed and accuracy.

Take feedback. Confirm their answers (see Teaching notes on p23) by makingentries on the OHT. Then lead a brief class discussion predicting the kind of playthis will be. Highlight: 1 the wide range of nationalities 2 the way most characters are associated with tribes and gangs 3 the division of characters into teenagers and adults. What does this lead us to expect? What further clues are given by the play’s titleand the images on the cover of the Heinemann Play?

Introduction/ (30 minutes) Note: for this stage, you will need to have read the Information in Teachers’Development: Notes, page 23. Divide the class into small groups. Distribute Student sheet 1 –

four short pieces of dialogue spoken by the London teenagers. The groups readthese aloud, then decide on standard English equivalents of what is said.

Take feedback from the groups. Ask: what kind of characters are these? where doyou think they live? does their dialect remind you of any TV programmes?

For the rest of this stage, draw on the information in Teachers’ Notes for thislesson to outline to the class the play’s African dimension and the play’s focus oninner-city gang warfare. Use your discretion here; you know your own students.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Read aloud the pre-scene and Scenes 1 and 2. Speculate about whatis happening in them.

Resources required: OHT 1, Student Sheet 1, Teachers’ Notes page 23.

Personal teaching notes:

Lesson 2 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Act One Scenes 3–20.Lesson aims: 1 To read aloud from a playscript intelligibly and expressively.

2 To actively interrogate the text in order to make personal responses tocharacter and theme.

3 To listen attentively to others, modifying personal responses accordingly.

Prior learning/ Experience of reading aloud in class.knowledge: Experience of finding personal relevance in literature.

Book activity: Keeping Track (3)

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L12, S&L15, R8, R12, R14, R18, Wr10, Wr11 R3, R5, R6, Year 8: S&L7, S&L11, S&L16, R5, R10, Wr10 W2, W7Year 9: S&L5, S&L7, S&L14, R6, R11, R12, R14, Wr9

Starter: (10 minutes) Through question-and-answer, briefly recap the knowledge studentsgained about the play in Lesson 1. Then distribute Student sheet 2 – a list ofquestions on Act One to help students keep track as they read. There is space inthe right margin to write answers: these should always be brief.

Introduction/ (45 minutes) Read Act One Scenes 3-20 around the class. Most scenes are short Development: or very short. However, 45 minutes may not allow enough time. If this is the case,

regard Lesson 12 in this sequence as expendable, thus creating an extra lesson toread the text.Use Student sheet 2 at your discretion. It can, of course, provide the basis forwritten homework, in which case it fulfils the function of a Reading Journal.In the course of this lesson’s reading, highlight the following: 1 Kaninda’s African experiences and how they affect him. 2 The personnel of the Crew and Federation gangs (students can

easily get ‘lost’ about this). 3 The causes and consequences of Dolly’s accident 4 Laura’s ‘split’ character.

Plenary: (5 minutes) Ask the class to speculate briefly about whether the Crew andFederation are going to clash – and, if so, what the outcome might be andwhether Laura and Theo are going to be found out.

Homework/ If this option is taken, students make brief notes either on their sheets orFollow-on: in their Reading Journals in answer to the questions.

Resources required: Student Sheet





Lesson 3 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Act Two Scenes 1–20.Lesson aims: 1 To read aloud from a play script intelligibly and expressively.

2 To actively interrogate the text in order to make personal responses tocharacter and theme.

3 To listen attentively to others, modifying personal responses accordingly.

Prior learning/ Experience of reading aloud in class.knowledge: Experience of finding personal relevance in literature.

Book activity: Keeping Track (4)

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L12, S&L15, R8, R12, R14, R18, Wr10, Wr11 R3, R5, R6Year 8: S&L7, S&L11, S&L16, R5, R10, Wr10 W2, W7Year 9: S&L5, S&L7, S&L14, R6, R11, R12, R14, Wr9

Starter: (10 minutes) Through question-and-answer, briefly recap the knowledge studentsgained about the play in Lesson 2. Then distribute Student Sheet 3 – a list ofquestions on Act Two to help students keep track as they read. There is space inthe right margin to write answers: these should always be brief.

Introduction/ (45 minutes) Read Act Two around the class. Most scenes are short or very short.Development: However, 45 minutes may not allow enough time. If this is the case, regard

Lesson 12 in this sequence as expendable, thus creating an extra lesson to readthe text. Use Student sheet 3 at your discretion. It can, of course, provide the basis forwritten homework, in which case it fulfils the function of a Reading Journal.In the course of this lesson’s reading, highlight the following: 1 Laura’s reasons for wanting to join Kaninda when he plans to go

back to Lasai. 2 The reasons why Kaninda joins the Crew gang. 3 The course and outcome of the Millenium Mall gang fight. 4 The reasons why Kaninda changes his mind at the end of the play

about murdering Faustin and returning to Lasai.

Plenary: (5 minutes) Ask students to look back over the play, then jot down one or twosentences saying what they think Bernard Ashley’s purposes were in writing it.

Homework/ If this option is taken, students make brief notes either on their sheets or inFollow-on: their Reading Journals in answer to the questions.

Resources required: Student sheet 3





Lesson 4 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play, focusing on the scenes to which Kaninda is central.Lesson aims: 1 To locate, in a wide-ranging text, material relevant to purpose and to

separate it from that which is not.2 To identify key character traits of Kaninda, relating these to his social and

cultural context.3 To write a recount essay using textual reference, including some quotation.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Experience of selecting from a literature text material for a given task.

Book activity: Activity 1 – Tracing Kaninda’s story and character development in the course ofthe play

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L5, S&L6, R6, R12, Wr16, Wr19 R2, R3, R6, R7Year 8: S&L5, S&L8, S&L11,R6, R10, R13, Wr17, Wr18 W3, W4Year 9: S&L2, S&L7, R6, R11, R12, Wr16, Wr17

Starter: (20 minutes) In class discussion, ask students to identify the key events inKaninda’s life as the play presents it. Follow chronological order, which the textdoes not do. Start with the murder of his family in Lasai, then proceed to his timeas a boy soldier in the Kibu rebel army, then to the ambush of his Lasai school,then to his move to London.

Create a class flow-diagram on the board as students offer responses. Stick strictlyto the ‘facts’ about Kaninda. List a maximum of 10 key events, ensuring that thefinal item is his decision at the end of the play to make peace with Faustin.

Introduction/ (30 minutes) Divide the class into small groups. Distribute Student sheet 4 –Development: a chart for recording Kaninda’s feelings about, and motives for, his experiences/

actions in the play. In their groups, students complete the 3 sentence stems ineach of the 4 columns: twelve in all. Instruct them that they need write no morethan a phrase for each stem. All students fill in their sheets: they will need thesefor the homework task.

After 20 minutes, take brief feedback from the groups. Establish broad classagreement about Kaninda’s feelings and motives.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Ask students to take an overview of Kaninda in the play, reflectingon the ways in which he changes by the end and the main reasons for thechanges in his character and outlook. The play gives clear, unambiguousanswers, but it is important that students internalise them. End by setting thehomework task below.

Homework/ Ask students to write an account of Kaninda’s experiences in Africa, how theseFollow-on: influence his behaviour when he moves to London , and how, by the end of the

play, he throws off the influence of what happened to him in Lasai. They shouldwrite three paragraphs in all and quote from the text to back up the mostimportant points they make.






Lesson 5 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play, with the focus on the gang fight between the Crew and the Lesson aims: Federation at the Millennium Mall.

1 To participate in role-play in a small group.2 To use inference and deduction from reading the play to imagine a

scenario outside it.3 To explore some of the key issues raised in the play: e.g. the reasons for

teenage gang fighting, the problem of serious violence on the streets, the perceptions adult society has of modern youth.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Some experience of taking part in role play.

Book activity: Activity 2 – Group-based role play of ‘peace talks’ between the rival gangs afterthe play ends.

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L15, S&L16, S&L17, R12, R16, Wr11 R1, R3, R5, R7Year 8: S&L14, S&L15, S&L16, R4, R8, Wr16 W1, W2, W5Year 9: S&L10, S&L12, S&L14, R1, R14, Wr9

(Note: Throughout the whole of this lesson students will be in role as members of the two gangs)Starter: (10 minutes) In role as Betty (or Peter) Rose, announce that Laura is still critically ill

in hospital. As her parent, you blame neither gang more than the other. However,the gang warfare must stop. You have arranged a ‘peace talks’ meeting at the God’sForce Citadel. You expect representatives from the Crew and Federation gangs,including their leaders Baz Rosso and Queen Max, to be there. Come out of roleto divide the class into groups of 6–8. They should then allocate parts to themselves:a Baz and a Queen Max, plus equal numbers from the two gangs they lead.

Introduction/ (35 minutes) Allow the groups 15 minutes’ preparation time. Distribute StudentDevelopment: sheet 5 – a role play question sheet asking gang members to reflect on their ‘war’

as it is presented in the play. They should use this to plan what they will say atthe Citadel meeting though they should not write a full script. The questions arevery specific; students should plan equally specific responses. It is helpful, thoughnot essential, for students to spend this preparation time in role. Planning thenbecomes a genuine ‘rehearsal’. Work with individual students who find difficultyin recalling clearly the relevant events in the play and projecting themselves intotheir allocated character. Then start the role-play proper. Allow 20 minutes. Goround the groups discreetly, prompting them if their exchanges ‘dry up’, ensuringthat students remain in role and seeing that the exchanges do not become over-heated. Take the opportunity to make Speaking and Listening assessments.

Plenary: (15 minutes) Go back into role as Betty (or Peter) Rose. Ask the gang-leader roleplayers in each group to report in turn what they have decided, and why. Otherrole players may offer brief comments but keep the focus on those enacting Bazand Queen Max.

Homework/ If this option is taken, students write a summary account of what was said in Follow-up: their group in the form of ‘minutes’. These should be written in a formal style,

using the third-person.






Lesson 6 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Act One Scene 20 and earlier parts of the play.Lesson aims: 1 To make notes based on the text with speed and accuracy.

2 To analyse the structural and stylistic conventions of a newspaper report.3 To plan and write a front page story for a local newspaper.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of the play up to and including Act One Scene 20knowledge: Some experience of journalistic writing

Book activity: Activity 3 – Planning and writing a newspaper report about the accident to Dolly.

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L4, R4, R8, Wr1, Wr10, Wr11 R1, R3,Year 8: S&L10, R3, R6, Wr1, Wr2, Wr7 W1, W6Year 9: S&L6, R2, R3, Wr4, Wr9, Wr12

Starter: (15 minutes) Tell the class their task for this lesson and the homework thatfollows from it: in role as journalists on The Thames Reach Gazette, to plan andwrite a front page story about Dolly’s accident and what caused it. Studentsshould assume the journalists know the whole story, including facts about thetheft of the car and why Laura came to be driving it.

Display OHT 2 (you could also distribute it to the class). Students supplyanswers to the questions on it. As they do so, they make notes – brief but clearlyfocused. Remind them that, as journalists, they need to gather information for astory quickly and accurately.

Introduction: (20 minutes) Distribute photocopies of a report from your local paper involvingcrime. Analyse with the class its use of the following: the headline, the firstparagraph, interviews, language and presentational devices. A list of promptquestions about journalistic writing can be found in Teachers’ Notes, pages 23–4.

Development: (20 minutes) In pairs, students plan the report they will write for The ThamesReach Gazette. During this stage they should decide (a) whether to reproduce theheadline quoted in Act One Scene 20 or make up their own (b) who to interview(Rene Hodges? The police officer investigating the case?) (c) which ‘angle’ orslant they will give the story (d) whether to write in a sensational style or in amore measured way. Write (a) to (d) on the board. End this stage by asking thepairs to draft between them the report’s opening paragraph (no more than 2 or 3sentences).

Plenary: (5 minutes) Use this to set the homework task below. Emphasise the importanceof consciously shaping the reader’s response to events as well as describing themand using presentational devices to enhance the desired impact on the reader.

Homework/ Ask students to use the work they have done in this lesson to write a front page Follow-on: story for The Thames Reach Gazette about the accident to Dolly. If possible, they

should produce their final version on computer and make full use of presentationaldevices such as clever headlines, columns, photographs and captions.

Resources required: Photocopies of a local newspaper report, OHT 2, Teachers’ Notes, pages 23–4.





Lesson 7 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play, with the focus on scenes to which Laura is central.Lesson aims: 1 To examine a complex character in detail by a close reading of the text.

2 To make diagrammatic notes to develop an understanding of the way the playwright presents a character.

3 To weigh up two sides of a question and reach a personal conclusion about it.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Experience of responding personally to character in a play on both page and

stage.

Book activity: Activity 4 – Profiling the character of Laura and formulating a personal viewabout her

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L5, S&L16, S&L17, R12, R18, Wr9, Wr14 R2, R3, R6Year 8: S&L10, S&L11, S&L16, R3, R10, R13, Wr16, Wr17 W2, W3, W4Year 9: S&L2, S&L9, S&L14, R3, R5, R14, Wr13, Wr17

Starter: (10 minutes) Establish with the class that differing views can be taken of Laura.At times in the play, she states a genuine wish to be ‘God’s soldier’. At othertimes, she gets herself into serious trouble and behaves in ways that would shockher parents in God’s Force.

The main aim of this lesson is for students to examine Laura’s behaviour in detailand reach their own conclusions about her. Distribute Student sheet 6 – a partlycompleted character-gram for Laura. In the course of the lesson, students will fillin the four empty segments to show how far they agree with Theo who describesher in the play’s final scene as ‘too good for heaven’.

Introduction: (20 minutes) Display OHT 3 – a list of scenes or extracts from scenes in whichLaura plays a leading part. In pairs, students read these aloud with as muchexpression as possible, as if performing on stage. The same person always readsLaura. Their partner should read Theo, Kaninda etc. There are never more thantwo characters speaking.

Development: (20 minutes) Divide the class into small groups. Students draw on their readingsin the introduction stage to discuss their view of Laura (too good for heaven?)and make entries on their character-gram. Support individuals in formulating apersonal viewpoint and resisting the temptation simply to accede to others’opinions.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Lead a summative discussion about whether, on balance, theplaywright presents Laura in a good or bad light, or somewhere in between. Endby taking a class vote: on the evidence of the play, would she go to heaven if shewere to die of her injuries?

Homework/ If this option is taken, students use their character-grams to write a personal Follow-on: profile of Laura. They should cite specific evidence from the scenes they have

read in this lesson.

Resources required: Student sheet 6, OHT 3





Lesson 8 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play.Lesson aims: 1 To become familiar with some conventions of staging a play and the

terminology relating to this.2 To work in role as a producer, envisaging scenes from the play in performance.3 To write to explain, inform and advise about key aspects of staging in the

form of production notes.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Familiarity with the basics of staging a play.

Book activity: Activity 5 – In role as the play’s producer, writing production notes for aperformance of 2 or 3 scenes

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L1, S&L5, S&L13, R4, R5, Wr11, Wr13 R4, R5, R6, R7Year 8: S&L4, S&L11, S&L16, R3, R10, Wr1, Wr10 W2, W3Year 9: S&L4, S&L5, S&L10, R2, R3, Wr4, Wr9, Wr12

Starter: (10 minutes) Read with the class Bernard Ashley’s Note on staging the play (page v). Clarify the terminology: ‘gobos’, ‘slides’, ‘projected’, ‘flown in’, ‘prop’.Then tell students their task for this lesson is to consider how two or threespecified scenes should be staged and, in role as the producer, to writeproduction notes on them.

Introduction: (25 minutes) Distribute Student sheet 7 – a question sheet about the possibleproduction style of The Play of Little Soldier. Work through the questions with theclass and have them make brief notes in the space provided on their sheet.Ensure that the basic concepts of staging are secure. You may need to reiteratepoints about scenery, scene changes, set, mime, tableau etc. This stage givesstrong opportunity for students’ own viewpoints: take full advantage of this.

Development: (20 minutes) Ask students to work in pairs. Display OHT 4 on an OHP – a list ofscenes from which students must choose two or three for writing theirproduction notes.Allow pairs to choose their scenes and draw on their work in the introductionstage to begin noting down production features. Write these 5 headings on theboard: (1) Scenery (2) Slides and Projections (3) Costumes (4) On-stage grouping of characters (5) Any other points. Studentsuse these headings as they work. Advise them that they are writing notes, sobullet-pointing and ‘pseudo-sentences’ will be fine.

Plenary: (5 minutes) Use this to set the homework task below. Emphasise that this is noteasy. Give generous praise for good work in the lesson and encourage students tobuild on this in the homework. End by reminding them that their productionsnotes do not include ‘telling the actors how to speak their lines’.

Homework / Ask students to write production notes for the scenes they chose in the lesson. Follow-on: Their notes should describe how the scenes will be presented on stage and explain

briefly their reasons for presenting them in a certain way.

Resources required: Student Sheet 7, OHT 4





Lesson 9 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play.Lesson aims: 1 To relate the play’s title to the major characters in it.

2 To read inferentially and make deductions from the text.3 To write a formal literature essay, observing its structural and stylistic

conventions.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Familiarity with the conventions of a literature essay.

Book activity: Activity 6 – Considering how the play’s title applies to its characters and themes

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L1, S&L5, S&L13, R14, R15, Wr16, Wr19 R1, R2, R5, R6, R7Year 8: S&L1, S&L10, R4, R10, R13, Wr13, Wr18 W1, W2, W3, W4, W5Year 9: S&L2, S&L5, S&L9, R2, R6, Wr2, Wr16

Starter: (15 minutes) Write the names of four characters on the board: Kaninda, Laura,Faustin and Queen Max (or Baz). Give students 3 minutes to decide whichcharacter is the ‘Little Soldier’ or which characters are the Little Soldiers.Take responses. Challenge students to justify their choices. Establish with theclass that all the listed characters have some claim to be considered differentkinds of ‘little soldier’.

Introduction: (15 minutes) Show OHT 5 on an OHP – a chart for noting how the play’s title canapply to all 4 characters. The main purpose here is for students to put forwardreasons and cite evidence. Take responses from the class for Character A,Kaninda, and enter in column 1 at least three bullet-points. Tell students thatbefore you make any entries they must convince you their points are valid byquoting evidence from the play.

Development: (20 minutes) Divide the class into small groups and distribute OHT 5 (which youshould display on an OHT for the rest of the lesson). In their groups, studentsfollow your model from the Introduction stage and make entries in the remainingthree columns as they discuss the characters in turn. Emphasise that they mustmake at least two entries in each column. Work with groups or individuals whohave difficulty in recalling the play well enough to make text-based decisions andthinking laterally. A list of relevant points to enter in Columns two to four can befound in Teachers’ Notes, page 24.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Begin by setting the homework task below. Through question-and-answer, revise the main conventions of a literature essay: (a) planning andstructuring in response to the precise wording of the essay title (b) supportingkey points by reference and/or quotation (c) working towards a balancedconclusion (d) using a formal, third-person style.

Homework/ Ask students to: Explain why you think Bernard Ashley chose Little Soldier as theFollow-on: title of his play. How does it apply to several of the characters, though in different

ways? Use evidence and quotation from the text to back up the points you make.

Resources required: OHT 5, Teachers’ Notes, page 24





Lesson 10 60 minutes


Lesson coverage: Whole play.Lesson aims: 1 To collaborate with a partner on a creative drama-based task.

2 To assume the role of playwright and invent plot, dialogue and stage directions for one new scene based on the play.

3 To enact, as on stage, the newly-scripted scene to an audience of peers.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Some experience of writing dialogue for drama and acting to an audience.

Book activity: Activity 7 – Reformulating one scene from the play by imagining it has a differentoutcome

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L16, S&L17, S&L19, R6, R8, Wr6, Wr7 R3Year 8: S&L10, S&L11, S&L14, R10, R16, Wr6, Wr7 W1, W5, W7Year 9: S&L10, S&L12, S&L14, R6, R14, Wr5, Wr11

Starter: (20 minutes) Explain to students their task is to work with a partner, to select ascene from the play and imagine it takes a different course, to script analternative version of this scene and to perform the new scene to another pairduring a lesson in the near future.

Then display OHT 6 on an OHP – a list of four scenes the pairs might choose. Tell them they can either pick one scene from the list or select a scene fromelsewhere in the play. Allow them 10 minutes to choose. Then take brief feedback:which scene have they chosen and why? Discreetly persuade any pairs who havechosen totally inappropriately to think again.

Introduction/ (35 minutes) Keep the class in pairs. Distribute Student sheet 8 – a list of threeDevelopment: questions they need to answer before they begin scripting. Allow them 10

minutes to write brief answers on their sheets. Then display OHT 7 on an OHP –an advice sheet to be followed as scripting proceeds. The advice is very terse.Insist, however, that pairs take note of and follow it: if they do not, their work islikely to be of poor quality. Leave this OHT displayed for the rest of the lesson.

Now move the pairs on to scripting. Work with pairs who ‘finish’ in a fewminutes. Explain why this is an unsatisfactory response to the task and help themrelaunch their efforts.

Plenary: (5 minutes) Use this to nominate a lesson in the near future for the performances.Guidance on setting up and superintending this can be found in Teachers’ Notes,page 25.

Homework/ Students refine their scripts to a point where they are ready for performance.Follow-on: They will need to recruit other students from the class to enact some of the parts

they have written. It is the students’ responsibility to arrange this. The principleof a ‘returned favour’ usually works powerfully.

Resources required: OHT 6, Student sheet 8, OHT 7, Teachers’ Notes page 25







Lesson coverage: Whole play, with the focus on scenes to which Laura is central.Lesson aims: 1 To reflect on the play’s events from the viewpoint of a main character.

2 To project inside a character using a combination of textual knowledge and empathy.

3 To role write a personal letter in a style appropriate to the character.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Experience of writing empathetically.

Book activity: Activity 8 – In role as Laura, writing a confidential letter to her parents reflectingon her experiences in the play.

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L12, S&L14, R6, R9, Wr6, Wr12 R2, R3, R7Year 8: S&L5, S&L7, R5, R10, Wr5, Wr7 W1, W3, W7Year 9: S&L5, S&L7, R6, R11, Wr1, Wr5

Starter: (20 minutes) In role as Theo, announce to the class that Laura is still in hospitalbut on the road to recovery. She came close to death; however, she is nowthought to be out of danger. She has no brain damage. Come out of role to reviewwith the class how Laura will now, looking back, feel about her experiencesduring the play. Put the emphasis on ‘feel’. Display OHT 8 on an OHP to helpfocus this discussion.

Introduction/ (30 minutes) Leave OHT 8 displayed. Divide the class into small groups.Development: Students should each take a different bullet-point from the OHT list: allow them

two minutes to arrange this. Then, in role as Laura, they each write oneparagraph of her confidential letter based on their bullet-point. Emphasise thatLaura will be less concerned to tell her parents the facts of what happened to herthan to say what her feelings were at the time and what her feelings are now.

Support individuals who find difficulty in projecting themselves into Laura’scharacter/empathising with her and writing the letter in an appropriate style.

In the last 10 minutes of this stage, ask students to read aloud in their groups theparagraphs they have written. These should follow the order of bullet-points onOHT 8. Each group, therefore, will be able to read and hear the whole of theirversion of Laura’s letter.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Set the homework task below. Lead a brief discussion on the mannerin which Laura’s letter should be written. Emphasise that she is an intelligent 13year-old who feels deeply about things and that she will write in a direct, sincereway and in a straightforward style. End by pointing out that Laura is one of thefew teenage characters in the play who does not use slang.

Homework / Ask students to write, as Laura, a confidential letter from hospital to her parents.Follow-on: ‘She’ should tell them the full truth about the things that happened to her during

the play. Express her honest feelings about these as she looks back now. Sheshould also tell her parents what she has learned from her experiences and whatshe plans to do with her life in the future.

Resources required: OHT 8







Lesson coverage: Whole play and examples of publicity material for a theatrical production.Lesson aims: 1 To collaborate with other students on a media-based assignment.

2 To produce information for a peer audience in a variety of visual and written forms.

3 To plan, and share responsibility for the success of a large-scale class project.

Prior learning/ Pre-reading of whole play.knowledge: Experience of some involvement with a theatrical production, either

on stage or as a member of the support team.

Book activity: N/A

Framework Objectives: Assessment Foci:Year 7: S&L1, S&L10, R1, R3, R5, Wr9, Wr11 R4, R7Year 8: S&L4, S&L12, R2, R7, Wr7, Wr10 W1, W2, W3, W5, W7Year 9: S&L1, S&L10, R1, R4, R7, Wr4, Wr6, Wr7, Wr12

Starter: (20 minutes) Tell the class to imagine that your Drama Dept has decided toperform The Play of Little Soldier as its main school play. The class is responsiblefor publicity, including the programme. You are the Publicity Manager; thestudents are your team.

Mindmap with the whole class what needs to be done. A list of suggested taskscan be found in Teachers’ Notes, page 25. Then allocate the necessary tasks toindividuals, pairs or small groups. Ensure that the talents of your students areappropriately deployed and that everyone in the class takes on some well-defined role/responsibility.

Introduction/ (30 minutes) By themselves, with a partner or in groups, students begin theirDevelopment: tasks. Those working on the programme will benefit from looking at a selection

of theatre programmes (see Resources required below and Teachers’ Notes).Distribute these now. Also distribute examples of posters, fliers and otheradvertising material borrowed from the Drama Dept (see Resources requiredbelow and Teachers’ Notes).

Ensure that all students are productively employed. Act in your role as PublicityManager rather than English teacher. Give guidance and support in this spirit.The main purpose of this Activity is to draw on and develop students’ mediaskills to achieve a media-based outcome.

Plenary: (10 minutes) Lead a review of the work in progress. Nominate a specific lesson,about a week ahead, in which students’ various contributions will be collated,assembled and displayed. Emphasise to students that the responsibility for asuccessful outcome to their project now rests squarely with them.

Homework / Students continue with their allocated tasks, taking these as far as possible byFollow-on: themselves. If they are working in pairs or in a group, they should do their best

to liaise out of lesson time with their partners. Use the concept of a ‘strictdeadline’ at your own discretion. Experience of this Activity suggests that moststudents will commit to completing the project without needing to be coerced.

Resources required: A selection of theatre programmes, a selection of publicity material for previousschool productions, Teachers’ Notes, page 25.





Medium-term study plans 40



4+ 5 6+1 2 3Med

ium

-ter

m s

tud

y p

lan

for

The

Pla

y of

Lit

tle

Sold

ier

by

Ber

nar

d A

shle

y

Cov

erag

eO

bje

ctiv

es a

nd

les

son

ou

tcom

esA

sses

smen

t fo

ciR

ead

ing

thro

ugh

th

e p

lay

Wee

k o

f st

ud

y: 1

The

pla

y’s

cast

-lis

tan

d A

ct O

ne S

cene

s1

and

2

Act

One

Sce

nes

3–20

Act

Tw

o Sc

enes

1–2

0

R2,

R3

R3,

R5,

R6

W2,

W7

R3,

R5,

R6

W2,

W7

Act

One

Sce

nes

1 an

d 2

Act

One

Sce

nes

3–20

Act

Tw

o Sc

enes

1–2

0

Who

le p

lay:

foc

uson

sce

nes

to w

hich

Kan

ind

a is

cen

tral

Who

le p

lay:

foc

uson

the

gang

fig

ht a

tth

e M

illen

nium

Mal

l

Act

One

Sce

ne 2

0an

d e

arlie

r pa

rts

ofth

e pl

ay

To lo

cate

in th

e te

xt in

form

atio

n re

leva

nt to

pur

pose

.To

iden

tify

key

cha

ract

er tr

aits

of

a m

ain

char

acte

r.To

wri

te a

rec

ount

ess

ay in

clud

ing

refe

renc

e an

d q

uota

tion

.

To p

arti

cipa

te in

a g

roup

rol

e pl

ay.

To u

se in

fere

nce

and

ded

ucti

on to

inte

rpre

t the

text

.To

exp

lore

som

e of

the

mai

n so

cial

issu

es r

aise

d in

the

play

.

To m

ake

text

-bas

ed n

otes

wit

h sp

eed

and

acc

urac

y.To

ana

lyse

the

stru

ctur

al a

nd s

tylis

tic

conv

enti

ons

of a

new

spap

er r

epor

t.To

pla

n an

d w

rite

a f

ront

pag

e ne

wsp

aper

sto

ry.

R2,

R3,

R6,

R7

W3,

W4

R1,

R3,

R5,

R7

W1,

W2,

W5

R1,

R3

W1,

W6

Wee

k o

f st

ud

y: 2

+ I

ndic

ates

sug

gest

ed w

ritt

en h

omew

ork

whe

re th

is is

inte

gral

to th

e le

arni

ng a

chie

ved

in th

e le

sson

To d

evel

op a

war

enes

s of

the

mai

n ch

arac

ters

by

read

ing

infe

rent

ially

for

info

rmat

ion.

To a

naly

se th

e d

iffe

renc

es b

etw

een

collo

quia

l spe

ech

and

stan

dar

d E

nglis

h.To

spe

cula

te a

bout

the

natu

re o

f th

e pl

ay.

To r

ead

alo

ud in

telli

gibl

y an

d e

xpre

ssiv

ely.

To r

espo

nd p

erso

nally

to c

hara

cter

and

them

e by

act

ivel

yin

terr

ogat

ing

the

text

.To

list

en to

oth

ers,

mod

ifyi

ng p

erso

nal r

espo

nses

acc

ord

ingl

y.

To r

ead

alo

ud in

telli

gibl

y an

d e

xpre

ssiv

ely.

To r

espo

nd p

erso

nally

to c

hara

cter

and

them

e by

act

ivel

yin

terr

ogat

ing

the

text

.To

list

en to

oth

ers,

mod

ifyi

ng p

erso

nal r

espo

nses

acc

ord

ingl

y.

Lesson

Medium-term study plans 41



10 11+

12

Lesson 8 9Med

ium

-ter

m s

tud

y p

lan

for

The

Pla

y of

Lit

tle

Sold

ier

by

Ber

nar

d A

shle

y

Cov

erag

eO

bje

ctiv

es a

nd

les

son

ou

tcom

esA

sses

smen

t fo

ciR

ead

ing

thro

ugh

th

e p

lay

Wee

k o

f st

ud

y: 3

Who

le p

lay:

foc

us o

nsc

enes

to w

hich

Lau

ra is

cen

tral

Who

le p

lay

Who

le p

lay

R2,

R3,

R6

W2,

W3,

W4

R4,

R5,

R6,

R7

W2,

W3

R1,

R2,

R5,

R6,

R7

W2,

W3,

W4,

W5

Who

le p

lay

Who

le p

lay:

foc

uson

sce

nes

to w

hich

Lau

ra is

cen

tral

Who

le p

lay

and

publ

icit

y m

ater

ial

for

a pr

oduc

tion

and

thea

tre

prog

ram

mes

To c

olla

bora

te w

ith

a pa

rtne

r on

a c

reat

ive

dra

ma-

base

d ta

sk.

To in

vent

plo

t, ch

arac

ter

and

sta

ge d

irec

tion

s fo

r a

dra

mat

icsc

ene.

To a

ct to

an

aud

ienc

e of

pee

rs.

To r

efle

ct o

n th

e pl

ay’s

eve

nts

from

the

view

poin

t of

a m

ain

char

acte

r.To

pro

ject

insi

de

a ch

arac

ter

usin

g a

com

bina

tion

of

text

ual

know

led

ge a

nd e

mpa

thy.

To r

ole

wri

te a

lett

er in

a s

tyle

app

ropr

iate

to th

e ch

arac

ter.

To c

olla

bora

te w

ith

othe

rs o

n a

med

ia-b

ased

ass

ignm

ent

To p

rod

uce

info

rmat

ion

for

peer

s in

a v

arie

ty o

f vi

sual

and

wri

tten

for

ms.

To h

elp

plan

, and

sha

re r

espo

nsib

ility

for

, a la

rge-

scal

e cl

ass

proj

ect.

R3

W1,

W5,

W7

R2,

R3,

R7

W1,

W3,

W7

R4,

R7

W1,

W2,

W3,

W5,

W7

Wee

k o

f st

ud

y: 4

+ I

ndic

ates

sug

gest

ed w

ritt

en h

omew

ork

whe

re th

is is

inte

gral

to th

e le

arni

ng a

chie

ved

in th

e le

sson

To e

xam

ine

a co

mpl

ex c

hara

cter

by

usin

g cl

ose

text

ual

anal

ysis

.To

mak

e d

iagr

amm

atic

not

es to

dev

elop

und

erst

and

ing

of a

char

acte

r.To

wei

gh u

p tw

o si

des

of

a qu

esti

on a

nd r

each

a p

erso

nal

conc

lusi

on.

To b

ecom

e fa

mili

ar w

ith

som

e co

nven

tion

s of

sta

ging

a p

lay.

To w

ork

in r

ole

as a

pro

duc

er.

To w

rite

to e

xpla

in, i

nfor

m a

nd a

dvi

se.

To r

elat

e th

e pl

ay’s

titl

e to

its

char

acte

rs a

nd th

emes

.To

rea

d in

fere

ntia

lly a

nd m

ake

ded

ucti

ons

from

the

text

.To

wri

te a

for

mal

lite

ratu

re e

ssay

usi

ng a

ppro

pria

te s

truc

tura

lan

d s

tylis

tic

conv

enti

ons.

7

NWS Web Sheets Little Soldier - Pearson Education · when a young girl, Dolly, ... Peter Rose...

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