Asia Education Foundation

Camel Journeys

cover image: Drama Unit: Camel Journeys

Life in rural Mongolia is the focus of this unit. Students will create characters and scenes in response to a performance brief that asks them to recreate aspects of a child’s life in a traditional Mongolian family. They will investigate the lifestyle of these families through screen-based, print and audio material. During their research and performances, students will identify and present traditional and contemporary aspects of life in Mongolia, while exploring the effect globalisation and urbanisation can have on a culture.

 


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Index

Unit Overview

Stage of schooling

Upper Primary

Learning focus

Drama and Music

Elaborations

  • Dr3 Students create or enact short drama sequences that explore the traditions and customs of peoples within or from a country in Asia.
  • Dr3.1 Students enact, in costume, a daily ritual in order to explore the role of beliefs about well being in Australian and Asian contexts.
  • Dr3.3, Da3.3, Mu3.3 Students collaborate in the design, development and presentation of a short performance using selected aspects of traditional Asian theatrical forms.

Focus question

  • What is life like for children in Mongolia?
  • How can Australian children use drama to communicate their perceptions about lifestyles in Mongolia?

Overview

Students develop understandings of aspects of life in rural Mongolia. They create characters and scenes in response to a performance brief that asks them to recreate aspects of a child's life in a Mongolian family with a traditional lifestyle. They investigate the lifestyle of these families using screen-based, print and audio stimulus material. Through their research and performance, students identify and present traditional and contemporary aspects of life in Mongolia. They have opportunities to explore the impact of globalisation and urbanisation on a culture.

Duration

This unit may be completed intensively over 1-2 weeks or spread over a number of weekly blocks. An intensive block might suit delivery in the main classroom whereas weekly blocks might suit delivery by a specialist teacher. The unit may be expanded to link with other learning areas such as Music, Humanities/SOSE (Geography), Civics, Values and English.

Note to teachers

The Performance Brief (Resource sheet 1) is central to this unit. Discuss, and if necessary, refine the brief with students before beginning other activities.

The brief in Resource sheet 1 is a sample and can be adapted to suit:

  • the amount of available time
  • delivery mode, for example general or specialist setting
  • students' level of drama experience
  • chosen performance context or space, for example classroom, open day, school assembly
  • mode of providing instructions to students about required drama elements, processes and performance skills.

Details need to be added before the students begin work. These can be decided by the students, the teacher or through discussion. These details include:

  • format for recording journal
  • group size
  • available time, research tools, performance space, how many and which aspects are to be shown in the dramatisation
  • use of specific drama elements, processes, performance skills, costumes, props, music and other stagecraft like multimedia projections.

Resources

  • Byambasuren, Davaa and Luigi, Falorni, The Story of the Weeping Camel DVD, Magna Pacific, 2004 (Australian release) Rated PG.
  • Atlases
  • Travel guides
  • Books of photographs