Theatre As A Weapon Boal

Amsterdam International Community Theatre as a Weapon: Boal
School Jeanette (Netty) Foley, Tara (Tara) van Gastel, Anabel Hull
IB MYP Drama (MYP4) AA 1
Summary
Theatre as a Weapon: Boal
Subject Year Start date Duration

Drama MYP4 Week 1, December 14 weeks
Description
In this unit students will explore the work of Boal, and apply some of his theory and techniques to their own performance work
designed to make a difference and impact the world around them.
Key and Related Concepts
Key Concepts
Key
Concepts Definition
Change is a conversion, transformation, or movement from one form, state or value to another. Inquiry into the
concept of change involves understanding and evaluating causes, processes and consequences.
Change
Related Concept(s)
Boundaries
Other Related Concepts
We have chosen Boundaries as the concept of breaking boundaries is integral to Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed in terms of
'spect-actors', the anti-model/forum and other related methods of expressing messages of resolution, freedom and peace.
Inquiry
Conceptual Understanding
Students will understand that theatre can be a 'weapon', when used to promote change and break boundaries.
Global Context
Global Context Explorations to develop
Power and privilege, Imagining a hopeful future, Inequality, Peace and conflict management
Fairness and
Amsterdam International Community School

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Global Context Explorations to develop
development
Identify a specific global context exploration.
Students are engaged in this inquiry in order to explore the ways in which Theatre can be used as an agent for change, a voice
for the oppressed and as a 'weapon of peace'. As a part of this they will explore themes related to Fairness and Development
(specifically imagining a hopeful future) using the Key Concept of Change to break the boundaries and promote thoughtful self
expression. This should lead to being more Open Minded, will involve Risk Taking and will also encompass Communication
as an ATL focus. Service opportunities are possible; for example devising a piece of Forum theatre specifically for a Group 7
primary audience; and then taking that show into the classroom with the primary students as spect-actors.
Statement of Inquiry
Self expression becomes an agent of change, through breaking boundaries to collaboratively imagine a hopeful
and fairer future.
Inquiry Questions
Type Inquiry Questions
Factual How has Theatre of the Oppressed been used to promote Fairness and Development and
Change in different times and places (F)
Conceptual In which ways could you use Forum Theatre effectively to break boundaries and promoting
positive change through your own performance work? How can we empower an audience to
make change?
Debatable Do theatre makers have a responsibility to promote positive change through their work? Should
we really use theatre as a 'weapon' ?
Curriculum
MYP subject group objective(s)
A: Knowing and understanding
i. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the art form studied, including concepts, processes, and the use of
subject-specific terminology
ii. demonstrate an understanding of the role of the art form in original or displaced contexts
iii. use acquired knowledge to purposefully inform artistic decisions in the process of creating artwork
B: Developing skills

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i. demonstrate the acquisition and development of the skills and techniques of the art form studied
ii. demonstrate the application of skills and techniques to create, perform and/or present art
C: Thinking creatively
i. develop a feasible, clear, imaginative and coherent artistic intention
ii. demonstrate a range and depth of creative-thinking behaviours
iii. demonstrate the exploration of ideas to shape artistic intention through to a point of realization
D: Responding
i. construct meaning and transfer learning to new settings
ii. create an artistic response which intends to reflect or impact on the world around them
iii. critique the artwork of self and others
Content (topics, knowledge, skills)
- Factual and conceptual: Exploration of set texts including 'of mice and men', 'the tempest', 'A dolls house', 'fallout' and
'belong'.
- Factual and procedural: Exploration of theatre practitioners and their work; Laban efforts, Lecoq seven levels of tension,
Stanislavski's emotional recall and Brecht's gestus and breaking the fourth wall.
- Conceptual: theatre video links for the Donmar warehouse performance of The Tempest as well as articles about the perception
of women and minorities in performance scripts.
All of the above will give students the knowledge through exploration, to be able to coem to a conclusion about the statement
of inquiry.
Skills
• Summative 1: analytical skills and the ability to decifer information and formulate ideas
• Summative 2: Performance skills listed below
• Emotional Recall by practice and understanding
• Breaking the fourth wall
• facial expression, body language, use of voice, pitch, tone, diction, movement
• Stage types
• Creativity
ATL Skills
ATL skills
Description
The ATL primary focus for this unit is Communication. Throughout each lesson students practice many of these skills without
always realising it and we would like to develop this so it becomes more of a conscious action. The focus will be on:
i) Give and recieve meaningful feedback

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ii) Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teacher
iii) Use a variety of speaking techniques to communicate with a variety of audiences
The formative task will be to write feedback for another student on their anti-model script. This feedback should include positives
and areas for development and be focused and constructive. This will also allow students a 'practice run' before writing their
summative critiques at the end of the unit.
The secondary ATL focus is Social, with an emphasis on i) Working Collaboratively with others - Practice Empathy
Communication
- I. Communication skills
Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction
Give and receive meaningful feedback
Use a variety of speaking techniques to communicate with a variety of audiences
Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers
Social
- II. Collaboration skills
Working effectively with others
Practise empathy
Developing IB Learners
IB Learner Profile
Risk-takers (Courageous)
Reflective
Inquirers
Open-minded
Description

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Inquirers
Students will need to lead their own Inquiry into Boal to understand how his contexts affected his work, but also how
others have taken his theory and method to make it relevant to their own needs alongside their specific target audience/
issue of oppression
Risk Takers:
Students will have to take many artistic risks using Theatre of the Oppressed/Forum Theatre, including the ability to improvise
spontaneously based on input and direction from the audience. They may also take risks in choosing the issue of Oppression
they want to explore, and in communicating a clear message for change.
Open Minded
In Forum Theatre, students should be open-minded to the issue, but also to the opinions and ideas of the audience and the
spect-actors. Judgement should be suspended until all sides of the conflict/oppression have been explored.
Reflective
Students will regularly reflect on their own work and the work of others, as an integral part of each lesson but
also for a focussed ATL specific formative task.
Integration
International Mindedness
Students will explore the work of Boal; himself a Brazilian theatre practitioner and activist. Through studying his personal
contexts, students will also learn a little about the military dictatorship, during which Boal himself was imprisoned and
tortured. They will also explore how his work has been used in different times and places to fight oppression including by
companies in the UK, India and Kenya. This will enable students to engage with issues of global importance, such as women's
rights, and analyse different cultural perspectives on oppression. This is a Global Citizenship unit.
Academic Integrity
We discuss regularly academic honesty with students. They are aware of the department and school expectations and have
access to documentation from the IBO and the relevant AICS policies., as well as Library sessions. Any original work (e.g.
research papers) are submitted via Turnitin and in-text citation and a full bibliography must always be provided.
https://aics.espritscholen.nl/...
Connections
Language Development
We will support the language development of students through the exploration of academic sources and visual media, live

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performance and interactive group planning time. The unit comprises both written and performance tasks, and students will
also explore forms of non-verbal communication. The group will also explore the concept of theatre as a language of its own,
that can communicate in unique ways that transcend language barriers.
Students develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills through primary tasks of research and performance. Their language
needs to be concise and clear to communicate their research or performance message, and it is through the process that they
develop these skills.
In this unit, students must create a performance for a wider community. As a result, their language use should be empathetic,
clear and varied, where appropriate, to ensure they effectively communicated the message,
Information Communication Technology
There are many opportunities for the development of the use of information literacy and ICT throughout this unit. Students are
actively encouraged to explore a variety of digital and non digital sources/programmes/formats in both creating and presenting
work, allowing students to communicate creatively in the ways that work the best for them. Some students opt to write research
essays but others prefer to make a short video, or audio record their responses. We work to avoid matching formats and
therefore tools with tasks. An action to extend is to create formal 'coaching' moments for sharing these diverse practices.
Students are also regularly reminded to 'take personal responsibility for their use of technology' when working with devices.
Furthermore, the technical requirements of performance (lighting, sound, visuals) require expertise and acquired skills to be used
effectively. Students will, where relevant, develop these skills throughout the unit.
Service as Action
Many elements of this unit allow for meaningful exploration of one or more Service learning outcomes, e.g. Collaboration and
Ethics. One area of inquiry within the unit is the use of Theatre of the Oppressed as a peaceful weapon for change.
This year we will pilot a scheme whereby students choose a particular target community group to work with (e.g. a Primary class,
or a refugee centre, or LGBTQA+ members of the school community) They will work closely with this community in order to tell
their stories, and also take their final performances back to that target audience so they can share in the experience. We are
working with the Service Coordinator in order to formalise this approach, and aim to make this a fully integrated Service unit by
22/23.
Assessment
Formative Assessment
Students will have several formative assessments during this unit, in-order to help build skill development across the assessment
criteria. These formative assessments allow for a more scaffolded approach to final summative pieces, and develop ATL social
skills and guide students to be inquirers, effective communicators and principled students in a safe, engaging environment.

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The first focus will be on creating a creative thinking process journal page whilst students first start to plan their summative
performances They will follow some guided exercises, and hand the final page in for verbal feedback. This is to prepare for
summative assessment of 'Process' including creative thinking (Ciii).
The second will take the form of work in progress checks, whereby students perform to the class and teacher and recieve
feedback for further development. This is to prepare for the summative assessment of 'Performance' and happens often (Bii).
Summative Assessment
JAN TO_Ai, Aii, Diii_Research
31 Summative Summative Process Checkpoint 15/17 Students Monday at 8:30 PM
Instructions, Boal, Research/Response Ai, Aii, Diii Jan 17, 2022
MAR TO_Aiii, Bi, Bii, Ci, Cii, Ciii, Dii,_end point check
Please note that this task has been updated.
Today you need to submit
i) A video of your performance to the target audience (Bii, Dii)
ii) 3 process journal entries plus video evidence to show skill development, application of research/knowledge and
creative thinking (Aiii, Bi, Cii, Ciii)
iii) Your final artistic intention, plus any drafts (Ci)
The following week you will upload the Commentary/Reflections. Guiding questions will be provided asap.
The details can be found in the attachment. Your teacher will explain the task in class. Good luck!
Boal__Process_Performance_Critique_Aiii__Bi__Ci__Cii__Ciii__Di.pdf Jan 24, 2022
APR TO_Unit End Point - Commentary (Di/Diii)

4 Summative 14/17 Students Monday at 8:30 PM
Guiding Questions:
13_Boal_21_22_w_b_28th_March.pdf Mar 21, 2022
As communicated earlier via Managebac you will have a week's extension for the Commentary only (Di/Diii) as you

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will not have lesson time on the 28th as previously promised.
FEB TO_Ai, Aii, Diii_Research

2 Summative Summative Process Checkpoint 15/18 Students Wednesday at 8:30 PM
MAR TO_Aiii, Bi, Bii, Ci, Cii, Ciii, Dii,_end point check
30 Summative Summative Process Checkpoint 15/18 Students Wednesday at 8:30 PM
Please note that this task has been updated.
Today you need to submit
i) A video of your performance to the target audience (Bii, Dii)
ii) 3 process journal entries plus video evidence to show skill development, application of research/knowledge and
creative thinking (Aiii, Bi, Cii, Ciii)
iii) Your final artistic intention, plus any drafts (Ci)
The following week you will upload the Commentary/Reflections. Guiding questions will be provided asap.
The details can be found in the attachment. Your teacher will explain the task in class. Good luck!

6 Summative 16/18 Students Wednesday at 8:30 PM
Guiding Questions:
FEB TO_Ai, Aii, Diii_Research

8 Summative Summative Process Checkpoint 15/22 Students Tuesday at 3:00 PM

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MAR TO_ Ci, Cii,_end point check

This assessment was updated to reflect a change in assessment criteria on the 6th April.

5 Summative 19/22 Students Tuesday at 8:30 PM
Guiding Questions:
MYP Assessment Criteria
5/8 A: Knowing and understanding 6/8 B: Developing skills
5/8 C: Thinking creatively 6/8 D: Responding
Description
Peer and Self-assessment
Students take part in peer and self assessment on an ongoing and regular basis. They are encouraged to watch and support
each other by giving constructive and thoughtful feedback at regular stages throughout the devising process and after the
performances, where they will take part in a feedback session and write a structured formative self reflection, assessing their
own progress against criterion B, Developing Skills. Opportunities for peer reflection are frequent, and the group dynamic allows
for continued evaluation of work. All the above practices are linked explicitly with the chosen ATL, 'Communication'.
Communication
• I. Communication skills
◦ Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction
◦ Give and receive meaningful feedback
◦ Use a variety of speaking techniques to communicate with a variety of audiences
◦ Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers

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Standardization and Moderation
Teachers create task sheets collaboratively prior to sharing with students, ensuring rubrics, scaffolding and task-specific
clarification are clear. Moderation of a cross section of written tasks is done, and where possible, moderation of final
performance pieces by 2 or more Drama teachers.
Learning Experiences
Prior Learning Experiences
The prior learning experience for this cohort was quite limited, because of the carousel teaching structure in MYP1-3. So far in
MYP4, students have studied African Theatre, with a focus on visual artistry and cultural expression. Many skills from previous
units are fully transferable (see list below), and students are already familiar with the structure of Performing Arts (research
component, performance component and a process portfolio/journal).
- Exploration of original and displaced contexts in terms of practitioner/genre or play text. (all units)
- Performance skills; use of body language, gesture, movement, voice (all units)
- Creative thinking skills/behaviours/tasks (all units)
-Communication skills including reflection, performance and written tasks (all units)
-An understanding of the many purposes of Theatre (all units)
Learning Experiences and Teaching Strategies

Students will explore Verbatim theatre through teacher and artist-led workshops, practical activities, group work and
independent research. They will learn through a range of activities designed to address a variety of learning preferences
including visual (videos, images, slides) aural (videos, discussions, verbal instructions) kinaesthetic (practical exercises, warm-
ups, learning through doing etc.).Teaching strategies for this unit include inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction,
interactive learning (short presentations, feedback session and discussions), cooperative learning (e.g. 'jigsaw' inquiry tasks)
home learning, integrated technology (use of video and other media) and active learning (practical explorations).

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week 49
Inquiry and intro. Watch Boal interview. TO and Forum Theatre.
Week 50
Response and practical, exploring Boal’s contexts. Set research task (Section on TO/Forum Theatre, section on Boal’s
context, plus displaced context, plus critique of Rising) Watch Rising anti model.
Week 2
Research/response and practical. Watch Rising Forum.
Week 3
Research task and practical. Start creative planning for their own anti-models.
Week 4
Research due (Ai, Aii, Diii) Set performance task
Week 5
Workshop process and development. Identify topic and target audience.
Week 6
Process work. Skill Development Entry ~1 must include evidence of Ci.
Week 7
Process work. Skill Development Entry ~2 must include evidence of Aiii informed by Di - application of research informed
by Inquiry)
Week 8 - Half term
Week 9 -Process work. Skill Development Entry ~3 must include evidence of Cii leading to Ciii - creative thinking used
to translate artistic intention into performance.
Week 10Process Work/final rehearsals
Week 11Product (BiI, Ciii, Dii)
Week 12Finalise Commentary and Process
Week 13Commentary - critique on self and others (Diii)Process work due (Aiii, Bi, Ci, Di)
Student Expectations
Students have access to all necessary information through Managebac, and Google Classroom. They are provided with course
outlines in advance, and all key assessment dates are already posted on MB. There is usually a google slide presentation for
each lesson which is posted on Classroom before the lesson starts.
Their teacher will fully explain every summative task before the work is officially 'set'. Students will see, and have full access
to rubrics, task specific clarifications and (where possible/relevant) examples of good work. Guiding questions and suggested
frameworks will be discussed/provided. Practical techniques will be modelled either by the class teacher or through the use of
videos and other relevant materials.

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Feedback
Feedback is an essential element of every Arts course, and used regularly to support and enhance student learning throughout
a unit. Structured feedback opportunities are provided through all the formative and summative tasks, Informal feedback occurs
naturally throughout each lesson, between students and between teacher and students. End of unit student feedback, visiting
artist feedback and teacher feedback is also used to help develop the unit further.
Feedback is also integral to the peer and self-assessment opportunities in this unit, and is also a key aspect of our main ATL
focus for this unit, Communication, particularly the strands as listed below.
Communication
• I. Communication skills
◦ Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction
◦ Give and receive meaningful feedback
◦ Use a variety of speaking techniques to communicate with a variety of audiences
◦ Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers
Differentiation
Each lesson is designed using a combination of learning strategies including practical, written and visual examples and activities
to support all learning strengths.
Task specific clarifications are provided for general use by all students, and we discuss as well as read these. Examples of good
work are shown wherever possible. Guiding questions are always provided, and we include 'inspiration' examples that are visual
and video/audio when working with techniques specific to the artform.
As standard, students have flexibility as to how they record their knowledge, skill development, processes and creativity. This
can be through writing, video, audio, presentations, animations etc, in order to support preferred learning and communication
styles.
Moderated (including extension) tasks and activities have been developed for particular ILN/EAL students, based on IEPs and
other school information.
Groups are mostly teacher selected and students are expected to work with different people for each task, to enhance the
development of communication, collaborative and leadership skills, and ensuring a range of strengths within each grouping.

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Stream & Resources
Resources
Anabel Hull
Posted 1 file on Nov 12, 2020 at 4:59 PM
Theatre as a Weapon: Summative Assessment (Home Learning Version)
_Making_a_Difference__Summative_Assessment.pdf
200 KB PDF Document

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Amsterdam International Community Theatre as a Weapon: Boal

IB MYP Drama (MYP4) AA 1