Poetry

Scheme Objective  

• Can demonstrate understanding of a poetic work through drama.• Can improvise and devise a drama from poetry.

Key wordsTeacher in role (as a News Editor). Hot seating.Character.Ballad.

Lesson 1Objectives• Can respond through questioning to character and story.• To know what a ballad is.

•  You are journalists, and you need to make notes.Homework:• Newspaper• To find out what life was like in the 1840’s

It was a Sunday eveningAnd in the April rainThat Charlotte went from our houseAnd never came home again.Her shawl of diamond redcloth,She wore a yellow gown,She carried the green gauze handkerchiefShe bought in Bodmin town.About her throat her necklaceAnd in her purse her pay:The four silver shillingsShe had at Lady Day.In her purse four shillingsAnd in her purse her prideAs she walked out one eveningHer lover at her side.Out beyond the marshesWhere the cattle stand,With her crippled loverLimping at her hand.

The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond by Charles Causley

Details

• We have a missing person. Charlotte Dymond is a young lady of about 18 years. She was last seen walking on Bodmin Moor after church on Lady’s Day. 14th April 1844.

• Witnesses have reported her as being seen walking with a Matthew Weeks.

• She was reported missing by her recent employer Mrs Peters of Penhale Farm after she had failed to return when expected.

• A search was conducted by Mrs Peters of the farm, where she discovered a ladies’ handkerchief in Mr Weeks’ room. Matthew Weeks is a current employee of Mrs Peters, and works as a farm hand.

• Charlotte Dymond and Matthew Weeks are well known in the area and are reported as being romantically involved.

• Thomas Prout is a relative of Mrs Peters and also works on the farm.• Thomas Prout who was planning to move closer to Penhale where both Matthew and Charlotte worked.• It is known that Matthew and Thomas did not get on.• Charlotte had told Mrs Peters that she was meeting Thomas Prout at the Chapel on the evening of the Sunday that she disappeared.• Matthew returned to the farm at 9:30 that evening.• He said he had walked with Charlotte to the edge of the moors and then left her, walking two miles to a neighbouring village to see friends.

Task 2

• Groups of 3.• Take it in turns to hot-seat the following characters. Mrs Peters, Matthew Weeks and Thomas Prout. Questions must be put to the characters by journalists.

N.B. Characters do not have to answer all questions, they do not have to tell the truth.

Breaking News

• Matthew Weeks has run away to Plymouth and is being held by the constable.• He has been unable to account for Charlotte’s

disappearance even though witnesses had recognised the couple from a distance walking on the moor on the day that Charlotte went missing.• On further questioning he has claimed that Charlotte

has found another job in Blisland and is working there.• Use all the information that you have collected to create

a Newspaper article about Charlotte Dymond’s disappearance.

• What is the date of your Newspaper? • What is the name of your Newspaper?• What is the title of your Headline? (Gives a clue to what the

story is about).• Write a paragraph explaining who and what the story is about.

Explain where it is, and when it happened.• Write your interview notes into a paragraph for each character.• Write a paragraph summarising the story and any additional

information. For example, a contact address or name if Charlotte Dymond is found.

Possible resources for historical research.• History resources for life in 1840s: Joseph Arch The Story of his

Life Told by Himself (from page 10).• Internet• Library

Key wordsBuilding characterSpotlightingTeacher in role Lesson 2 Objectives

• To collaborate within a small group.• To improvise typical family life in 1841.• To work with teacher in role to improvise a village of

characters.• To understand and respond to spotlighting.• To respond to spotlighting appropriately. 

Breaking News

• Miss Charlotte Dymond has been found on Bodmin Moor. She has been murdered.

Charlotte walked with MatthewThrough the Sunday mist,Never saw the razorWaiting at his wrist.Charlotte she was gentleBut they found her in the floodHer Sunday beads among the reedsBeaming with her blood.Matthew, where is Charlotte,And wherefore has she flown?For you walked out togetherAnd now are come alone.Why do you not answer,Stand silent as a tree,Your Sunday worsted stockingsAll muddied to the knee?

The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond by Charles Causley

Why do you mend your breast-pleatWith a rusty needle’s threadAnd fall with fears and silent tearsUpon your single bed? Why do you sit so sadlyYour face the colour of clayAnd with a green gauze handkerchiefWipe the sour sweat away? Has she gone to BlislandTo seek an easier place,And is that why your eye won’t dryAnd blinds your bleaching face?

‘Take me home!’ cried Charlotte,‘I lie here in the pit!A red rock rests upon my breastsAnd my naked neck is split!’Her skin was soft as sable,Her eyes were wide as day,Her hair was blacker than the bogThat licked her life away;Her cheeks were made out of honey,Her throat was made of flameWhere all around the razorHad written its red name.

Key wordsPhysicality.Conscience Alley.Character. 

Lesson 3Task 1 Objectives• Can use body to express character• Know how movement, stature and position shows character and feeling.• Can explore character through Conscience Alley.

As Matthew turned at PlymouthAbout the tilting Hoe,The cold and cunning constableUp to him did go:‘I’ve come to take you, Matthew,Unto the magistrate’s door.Come quiet now, you pretty poor boy,And you must know what for.’‘She is as pure,’ cried Matthew,‘As is the early dew,Her only stain it is the painThat round her neck I drew!‘She is as guiltless as the dayShe sprang forth from her mother.The only sin upon her skinIs that she loved another.’

They took him off to Bodmin,They pulled the prison bell,They sent him smartly up to heavenAnd dropped him down to hell.

All through the granite kingdomAnd on its travelling airsAsk which of these two loversThe most deserves your prayers.

And your steel heart search, Stranger,That you may pause and prayFor lovers who come not to bedUpon their wedding day,

But lie upon the moorland Where stands the sacred snowAbove the breathing river,And the salt sea-winds go.

Charles Causley

 KeywordsFreeze frame. Narrator.Devise.

Task 2 Objectives• To select key moments of the ballad.• To devise a freeze frame for each key moment.•  To understand the purpose of a freeze frame.•  To explore the use of Narrator/s in performance of the

ballad.

Character list

• Charlotte Dymond (The student playing Charlotte could also double as the hang man).• Matthew Weeks• The Constable • Thomas Prout and or Mrs Peters (Narrator characters)

Lesson 4Keywords• Devising.• Monologue.• Movement and mime.• Rhythm, pace and tempo.Objectives• To demonstrate an understanding of a poem through drama using monologue, mime, rhythm, pace and tempo.• To build on other people’s ideas when working in groups.• To know and be able to explain a monologue.• To understand how rhythm, pace and tempo is used to create meaning.

When the Nazis came for the communists,I remained silent;I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,I remained silent;I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,I did not speak out;I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,I remained silent;I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,there was no one left to speak out.   Pastor Martin Niemöller 

When the Nazis came for the communists,I remained silent;I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,I remained silent;I was not a social democrat.

1. All very fast.2. All very slow.3. Normal pace and pause for 5 seconds at the end

of every line.4. Normal pace and pause for 5 seconds at the end

of ‘I remained silent’.

Lesson 5

Keywords• Acting• Improvising• Rhythm, pace and tempo.Objectives• To improvise a play inspired by the poem.• To build on other people’s ideas• To understand how rhythm, pace and tempo is used to create meaning.

Lesson 6Performance and evaluation• To understand and contribute to rehearsal. • To perform in front of others• To analyse drama in performance, using appropriate language and theatre vocabulary to suggest improvements• To self-assess own work and assess the work of others (Evaluation)• To set their own targets for learning

Lesson 6Performance and evaluation 

•Can perform to others.•Can evaluate own work and the work of others.•Can show character and story to an audience.•Can communicate a convincing character using words, movement and gesture