Author: Nick Mawson
Nicholas Mawson has been teaching and leading in K-12 Drama and Theatre in the Geelong area for over a decade. He has a wealth of experience teaching primary Drama across a range of curriculums. Nicholas is working towards a PhD candidature where he hopes to focus on cultivating creativity in the Drama classroom.
Year Level
Primary 4-6
Learning Areas
Drama
English
Geography
Critical and Creative Thinking
Sustainability Areas
Earth’s resources
Ecosystems
Human impact
Worldviews
Responsible design
Futuring
Habitats
Pollution
Focus Question
How do unsustainable practices affect culture, the economy, environment and society?
Workshop Description
‘Unless’ is a process drama developed for upper primary students (Year 4-6). It places the students at the centre of the narrative as both the indigenous and invasive species of the Truffula Vale. They are required to think critically about the impacts of the Onceler’s actions and develop creative solutions for an imagined sustainable future. It uses drama pedagogy as an approach to explore the cross-curricular priority of Sustainability and can be connected as a transdisciplinary approach to exploring the humanities.
Timeframe
9 activities + 3 extension activities. Each activity will take approximately 30-45 minutes.
Resources
- The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (including print-outs of some sections)
- Teacher-in-role costume signifiers:
- Police style hat for the Security Guard
- Green gloves for the Onceler
- Brown coat/jacket for the Lorax
- Chairs (at least 4)
- Calm music to inspire contemplation and concentration, e.g. ‘Funeral for a Tree’ (Spotify|Apple Music)
- Camera
- Postcard templates (see PDFs)
- Truffula Vale role cards
- Letter to the editor template
- Writing materials