Learning activities
On this page: Specific learning outcomes | Activity 1: Getting conventional | Activity 2: Writing for radio | Activity 3: From novel to play script
Specific learning outcomes
The following learning outcomes relate to the four drama strands 'developing practical knowledge in drama' (PK), 'developing ideas in drama' (DI), communicating and interpreting in drama' (CI), and 'understanding drama in context' (UC) from The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum.
Students will:
- understand the conventions of radio play script and be able to use them in writing their own radio play
- develop dialogue for a radio play that exposes character and situation
- develop ideas for a radio play using scenes from a novel extract.
Activity 1: Getting conventional
Print out the Template for a radio script, based on extracts from Bow Down Shadrach (Word 45KB)
Annotate the page, highlighting radio play script conventions.
Activity 2: Writing for radio
Print a word version of the table Characters and their characteristics (Word 344KB)
In pairs, choose two of the character types from the list and complete the table – describe what sort of person they are and the information that you want the audience to know about them. Write a short scene between the characters (1–2 minutes long). Read the scene to the class and get feedback about what the audience knows from the scene. Compare what the audience knows and what you intended them to know.
Characters
| A distressed child | A new immigrant | A shopworker |
| A mother | A shopkeeper | A star |
| A police officer | A bank manager | A fan |
| A bank robber | A farmer | A flight attendant |
| A boyfriend | A priest | A terrorist |
| A girlfriend | An employer | A hairstylist |
| Character | Characteristics | What I want to audience to know from the scene |
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Activity 3: From novel to play script
Print out and read the Excerpts from the novel Bow Down Shadrach, by Joy Cowley,(Word 50KB).
Work in pairs to discuss how you might turn the pages into a radio play script.
Consider the following:
- What characters are there? Are they all necessary?
- Where is the scene set? How will you convey this to the listeners?
- What happens in the extract?
- What do you need to tell the audience about what is happening?
- What dialogue will you keep from the novel? What will you need to add in?
Develop a scene for a radio play using radio play script format, see the Template for a radio script, based on extracts from Bow Down Shadrach (Word 45KB).
Use the Scriptwriting checklist (Word 31KB) to ensure you have considered all elements of drama as you develop your script.
Read the scene aloud to make sure that it sounds realistic.
Compare your script version of the extract from the novel with Miriam Smith's script, Extracts from the radio play Bow Down Shadrach – scenes 16 and 16b (Word 70KB).
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