GCSE Unit 1

Completing your portfolio

Remember the number of words given is only a maximum and most of your marks will be based on the practical work that you have already done.

If you have any problems writing your portfolio you can contact Mr Wells or Mr Lewis by email.

UNIT 1

TASK 1: The response phase (AO1)

Students should capture on a maximum of two sheets of A4 paper (i.e. four sides, 500 – 1,000 words equivalent) their response to the drama texts presented. This part of the portfolio will focus on the choice of (a) ‘explorative strategies’ and require students to explain how the use of these strategies enhanced their understanding and appreciation of the (d) drama texts being explored. It also requires students to make connections and comparisons between the different drama texts used as stimulus material.

Give your initial response to the stimuli.

Explain what ideas, thoughts and feelings you had and why?

Write about ways you could have explored these ideas, thoughts and feelings using different drama forms.

(You might want to write about the second set of stimuli when you reach them in your account of the work)

Focus on the different exploratory strategies used:

How did each of these exploratory strategies help you to understand and deepen your involvement in the work? Go into detail.
Think about it from a “drama” point of view. What particular aspects of the way we worked helped? How?
What new insights did each strategy help you to find?
How did you use the drama form to explore these insights? Go into detail.
What might you have done given freedom and time?

Below is the marking critera for a top grade student:

Practical

Recognise and articulate a range of connections between texts and compare them in a knowledgeable way.
Clearly focus their ideas and suggestions on aspects of form and structure and they will be shaped with originality.

Portfolio

Present their ideas in ways that clearly demonstrate an understanding of form and structure.

TASK 2: The development phase (AO2)

Students should capture on a maximum of two sheets of A4 paper (i.e. four sides, 500 – 1,000
words equivalent) a section of the workshop that has been developed using (b) the drama
medium and (c) the elements of drama. This part of the portfolio requires students to present the script for a scene or section of the work that has emerged during the workshop process. The script may be presented in a format appropriate to the context of the drama that has been developed. (For example: (a) dialogue with stage directions; (b) a storyboard of the scene; (c) in-role writing). In this part of the unit, students should be able to demonstrate that they can use the medium and elements of drama effectively.

Give a detailed description of your performance piece with pictures or diagrams if appropriate.

Give the script of your monologue or piece of performance.

Annotate your script with detailed accounts of the following elements:

Use of voice
Use of tone, pitch, volume, speed of delivery
Use of accent
Pace
Use of silence and pauses
Use of breath
Use of facial expression
Use of eyes
Use of gesture
Use of movement
Use of body language
Use of muscular tension and relaxation
Use of props
Use of costumes or costume elements
Use of the lighting
Staging and use of space
Use of the other cast members
Use of the audience
The creation of mood, atmosphere and tension
Use of status
Characterisation
Relationship with audience
Your script itself (analyse it like you would a text in English) in terms of:
Diction = Choice of words
Use of repetition
Use of sound (assonance, alliteration, and onomatopoeia)
Use of Imagery (similes and metaphors)
Use of Symbolism
Use of Rhythm
Choice of subject to explore

Below is the marking critera for a top grade student:

Practical

Demonstrate their ability to explore issues and ideas in an expressive, analytical, reflective and personal way.
Experiment creatively with forms, genres, materials and approaches as an integral part of the development process.

Portfolio

Use a suitable structure and style of writing that clearly communicates the ways in which the ideas have been shaped.

TASK 3: The evaluative phase (AO4)

Students should provide an evaluation of the workshop on a maximum of two sheets of A4
paper (i.e. four sides, 500 – 1,000 words equivalent). The evaluation will be a reflection on the
effectiveness of the whole learning process gained through the workshop. Students should
evaluate the work of others in the group as well as their own contribution to the workshop. In
the evaluation, students should recognise the significance of the social, cultural and/or historical
influences on the drama texts and how these have affected their own drama work.

In this section write about:

The effectiveness of the project as a whole:
How well did the drama strategies chosen help to explore the texts?
~ And give a deeper understanding of life / people / the world?
How did you contribute to that effectiveness?
Comment on some of the best contributions by other people (and by me if you like)
Try to comment on the social, cultural and historical contexts that have informed the work:
Evaluate your own work throughout in detail. (See the notes on section 2 for ideas on what to comment on)
Evaluate the final performance piece (your monologue) in detail.
How effective was it?
What could you have done better?
What were you particularly proud of?
Why?
If you had the chance, time, freedom, resources how would you improve your work.
Evaluate some of the other work that people did.
Pick some of the work that you, particularly admired, or found particularly moving, effective or interesting and say why. Comment on it in the same way you evaluated your own work (See the notes on section 2 for ideas on what to comment on)
Finally, conclude by writing a brief statement of how you would extend this work on the texts, if you had the time etc.
Elements of the story you would like to explore and which drama forms you might wish to use.
Questions that you would like answering and the drama forms that you would use to find those answers

Below is the marking critera for a top grade student:

Practical

Show a clear and consistent understanding and appreciation of the ways in which others use the elements and medium of drama in their work, making critical judgements that are informed and well justified.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the drama constructively and objectively making informed judgements about the ways in which the social, cultural and/or historical influences are communicated.

Portfolio

Evaluate the work using an appropriate style of writing that communicates clearly and with almost faultless accuracy.

The portfolio should not exceed six sheets of A4 paper and may include sketches, diagrams and
drawings. Students may use both sides of each sheet of A4 paper or replace any sheet of A4
paper with a sheet of A3. Only one side of A3 may be used. Students may use IT in the
production of the portfolio, but teacher-assessors must be able to authenticate that it is the
student’s own and unaided work.

Click here for the notes to Unit 2

Click here to see an overview of Edexcel's GCSE Drama course

Click here to go to the Edexcel website to download a copy of the specification