This process drama is based on the story The Snail and The Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. It was originally written to enhance the engagement of students with additional needs in literacy including reading, writing and comprehension. It is also intended to develop the self-confidence, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration skills of the young people involved.
- Book: Donaldson, J. and Scheffler, A. (2003) The Snail and the Whale. London: Macmillan Children’s Books.
- Snail Tentacles and Eyes: Constructed using ping pong balls, pipe cleaners and head bands.
- An insect / bug / creepy crawly card: Insects / bugs / creepy crawlies could include spiders, caterpillars, butterflies, bees, worms, flies, crickets etc. There should be a matching pair for each card in play.
- A large cut out of a whale tail and small cut out snails with tape or blue tac to stick them onto the tail.
- Material for water.
- A skipping rope.
- Thinking hats - made out of paper.
- Butcher’s paper.
- White board marker.
1.Warm up - Life boats: Begin the workshop with a game of lifeboats. Newspaper is spread on the floor around the room. Students are told the following, “Today we are going to go on a journey on the ocean. I want you to imagine that the carpet is the sea and the newspaper are vessels - boats and ships. The sun is out and it is time for a dip, but beware…sharks swim near to here. If I see a shark, I will let you know. Jump on a boat and you will be safe… but please don’t forget to save your mates.” Music is played as the students swim around the space. The teacher calls out SHARK at different points, stopping the music. The students must jump on the boats and make sure their team mates are safe. As the game progresses the teacher removes various boats forcing more students to work together to stay safe. You may chose to make this an elimination game or you may be a very forgiving shark!
2. Contract - As the students are new to Drama, begin by establishing the guidelines for today’s workshop. Each student can contribute a rule or thought to the verbal class contract. (Eg. Today we will listen to each others ideas.) These points should come from the students themselves - not from the teacher. Also, use this moment to let the students know that you will be playing characters at different points in the workshop. You will clearly indicate this by changing your clothing or adding an accessory. Giving them a heads up saves confusion!
3. Creepy Crawlies - Each student choses a creepy crawly card. The student must embody the creepy crawly through their body and movement. Without speaking they must find their partner by observing each other’s portrayal of the creepy crawly. Once they think they have found their partner they reveal their cards. If their card is different they must begin searching once again until the correct partner is found. Students are taken through a Think, Pair, Share process with their partners around the question - If you could be a creepy crawly what would you be and why? Give them a moment to think of a response. Then ask them to share what they would be with their partner encouraging them to listen to each other and ask questions. Come back into a whole group sitting in a circle. One by one each student shares their partners ideas. (Eg. Tom wants to be a spider as he loves to climb and hang upside down from very high places.) After each student shares the idea the teacher declares each creepy crawly out loud adding an action. (Eg. The teacher says, “Tom the Spider” and uses her hands to show a spider climbing a web.) The students repeat the words and actions of the teacher,
4. Sam the Snail - This activity requires the teacher in role as Sam the Snail. Begin, “If I was a creepy crawly I would be a snail so I could travel the world on the back of a whale.” As you do this, place on your tentacles and sit on a black box that will act as your rock. Transform into Sam the snail. Another teacher or student able to read could read the first two lines of the story to introduce you, alternatively you could read them as you transform into character. “Sam’s my name. I have been a snail for (pauses to think) as long as I can remember… and well everything has been the same for as long as I can remember. But, I am very happy to meet all of you creepy crawlies like (insert students names in here Eg. Tom the spider…). I am sure you want to know more about being a snail. So ask me as many questions as you like. I would be very happy to answer them.” Students begin to question Sam the snail. The teacher improvises telling the students about life as a snail and his dreams to travel the world. Some facts about snails that may assist you in this process include:
- Snails hibernate during the cooler months.
- Snail live long lives up to 25 years old.
- Snails leave a trail of mucus behind them to stop friction against the surface they are moving on. This allows them to climb up walls and around corners.
- Snails travel slowly at around 1.3 cm per second. Snails are one of the slowest animals on earth.
- Snails are generally nocturnal.
- They eat various types of plants.
- Snails can lift up to 10 times their body weight.
- Most land snails have two sets of tentacles. They can see, but they can’t hear.
Sam takes final questions and thanks the other creepy crawlies for taking the time to get to know him. The teacher, or assisting teacher or student can read the remainder of page 1 of the book as the steps out of role.
5. The Snail Community - Students are shown the picture of all the snails on the black rock on page 2 of the story. The teacher (or assisting teacher) reads the first four lines of page 2 introducing the other snails. The teacher says, “I wonder what else the other snails thought about Sam’s dream to travel the world. Let’s find out.” Each student chooses pre-made tentacles and are asked to draw their eyes on. Once this is done they should place on their tentacles and take on the body of a snail. Begin moving silent through the space in a snail like manner. Slowly encourage them to find their snail voice and ask them to greet each other as they pass on by. Eventually ask them to find another snail to introduce themselves to. They must have a conversation with the other snail about Sam’s dream to travel around the world. After they have discussed their opinions on Sam’s dream they come back into the circle. The teacher steps into role again, this time as a news reporter for The Daily Trail. “Gale Snail here, reporting from the smooth rock for The Daily Trail. I am joined today by a community of snails that are outraged by the large dreams of Sam Snail, the snail that wants to travel around the world on a whale. Let’s hear what some of his snail family and friends have to say.” Gale interviews the snails one by one asking their opinion and feelings regarding Sam’s dreams to travel. “You heard it first here folks. Sam Snail encouraged NOT to sail.” Teacher finishes reading page and shows the students Sam’s message on the rock, “Lift wanted around the world.” (You can show them the page from the book or write it on the whiteboard.)
6. Catch the Whale - Read the page about the arrival of the whale. (You may wish to do this activity outside depending on your space.) Place the whale tale on one end of the room. Divide students up into teams giving each team member a snail cut out. Lay the water (material) on the floor and spread out the skipping rope. (If the space isn’t big enough to skip students could roll in their imaginary shells instead.) You are creating an obstacle course. Students must slide on their belly, dive under the water (crawl underneath the material), skip through the wave (skipping rope) and run to the whale tail where they place their snail. They must then return the same way and tag their team member. The first team to get all their snails on the tail are the winners. Cheer on each student until all are finished. At the end of the game ask the students how they felt when they finally made it to the whale. Ask them to close their eyes and imagine that they are Sam and they have just climbed onto the whale. You can play ocean sound effects if you like. How do they feel? What does the whale feel like? What can they hear? What can they smell? What can they see? Guide them step by step through the experience of being on the whale. Slowly get them to open their eyes. Ask them to tell the group one thing they saw, felt, heard, or smelt on the whale. Write these sentences on butcher’s paper / or a whiteboard to refer back to later.
7. Postcards - Roll out butcher’s paper on the floor. Give students textas or pencils and ask them to gather around the paper. Put on some appropriate music (appropriate for sailing on a whale!) and ask students to begin to draw all the things the snail might have seen on his journey on the whale and all the places that the snail might have visited on the back of the whale. Give them about 5 minutes of quiet drawing. Once they have finished, discuss some of the images they have draw. (Eg. What is this? It is an iceberg. Where do you think the snail saw the icicle? Someone has drawn a monkey. What exotic land did he travel to in order to see a monkey?) After the discussion break the students into groups of three or four. Each group needs to use the images as stimulus to create a postcard image (tableaux) with their bodies depicting a place the snail may have visited. The place could be a country such as Africa or an environment like a tropical island. The teacher explains to each student that when they are tapped on the head in their frozen position they must say what they are. (Eg. I am a monkey that lives in a tree on the tropical island near Africa.) The teacher becomes Sam the snail again and slowly goes through the postcards discovering the elements of each image and responding appropriately. When each card has been explored Sam pretends to write a message back to the snails in the community on an imaginary postcard, “Dear Friends and Family, This is the sea… (read from the book) … I feel so small. Love, Sam the Snail, with the itchy foot. xxx”
8. The Whale - Begin this section by reading the page starting “But then came the day, The whale lost his way…(through to)…’I must not fail,’ This is the tide, slipping away….” Place the picture of the beached whale in the centre of the circle. Play some whale music. Layer this song with the words from the book “And this is the whale lying beached in the bay… (through to)…’I must not fail’, Said the tiny snail.” When the song has finished ask the students to think about how the whale must have felt in this moment and how the snail must have felt. Ask them to chose either the whale or the snail and show the emotion this animal would be feeling through a frozen position. Tell the students that when you tap them on the head and they are to say the emotion they are expressing. Write the emotions on the whiteboard / butcher’s paper. Discuss this process. Ask the students what they think the snail might do next? Do you think he can save the whale?
9. Hero Snail - Read the section of the book beginning with “This is the bell on the school in the bay…. (through to)…A silvery trail saying…” Write the words ‘Save the Whale’ on the board. Teacher moves into role this time as Miss Hail the teacher at the school visited by the snail. “Well children this is a surprise… lucky for the whale that this cute little snail visited our school - “The School of Environmental Learning”. Children grab your thinking hats!” Hand out the thinking hats to the students. “Right, we need to figure out how to help this beached whale. Has anyone saved a whale before? Never mind. You are the smartest students in the country. I am sure we can come up with a plan. (Teacher divides students into teams.) In your teams you are going to act out for us your plan for saving the whale. You have 5 minutes thinking time. Go!” Students begin to come up with their plans to act out to the class. The teacher, still in role, moves around side-coaching the process. When they are done the teacher calls them to attention and each group acts out their plan for saving the whale. The teacher is flabbergasted at the wonderful ideas of each group, writing them up on the board for the students to see. Well we have no time to waste. Let’s get to it.
10. Saving the Whale - The teacher transitions out of role. She reads, “These are the children… (through to)…keep the whale cool.” Explain to the children that you want them to go about miming their plans to rescue the whale. They only speak when Gale Snail speaks with them. Transition to Gale Snail. “Gale Snail here reporting from the shore and what a remarkable sight we have here today. Beached on this shore is the whale, famously known for transporting a snail. Children from The School of Environmental Learning (home of the smartest students in the country) have come down to the beach to see if they can assist in ensuring the whale is returned safely to the ocean. Let’s speak to some of them now. (Gail the Snail interviews the students as they go about their work. She asks questions such as ‘Exactly what is your plan to save the whale?’ ‘How did you know the whale was in need of help?’ , ‘What will happen if your plan doesn’t work today?’) Well folks… we will keep you updated as the day prog… wait a moment…. This is the tide coming across the bay, And these are the villagers shouting “Hooray!’ As the whale and the snail travel safely away….” Transition out of Gale.
11. The Return - Students are asked to get their tentacles and become the community of snails again. Waiting, in a frozen position for the snail on the rock. Explain to the students that they can see the whale and the snail returning to the rock. They are in conversation with each other about Sam and his adventures. What are they thinking? What are they feeling? What will they say to Sam when he returns? When the teacher moves near them they come to life and their conversation and thoughts are overheard. The teacher moves around the space until all students have an opportunity to articulate their thoughts. The students are asked to sit as she reads, “Back to the dock…saved the life of the humpback whale.” Ask the students to close their eyes. Talk them through the following - “Imagine you are Sam the Snail, travelling back home on the top of a whale. Your friends and family wait for you, How do you feel happy or blue? I want you now to become Sam the Snail. When you open you eyes you are Sam. One by one I am going to speak to each Sam and ask you to tell us one thing you have learnt from your journey on the back of the whale. Think about what that thing might be, get ready, open your eyes, share with me.” Students open their eyes and each tell you one thing that they learnt from travelling on the back of a whale. You may write these thoughts down on the whiteboard or butcher’s paper. When they are done, read them the remainder of the book.
12. The Full Story - Students are now going to engage with the full story in one go. You may invite an audience to watch and listen if you wish. Draw symbols on the board and explain to the students that when you point to a symbol they will act out their part. Symbols will correlate with the following:
- Snail Community interview with Gale the Snail
- Their feelings of catching the whale
- Their postcards of Sam’s travels
- The frozen emotions when the whale becomes beached
- Their plans to save the whale
- Shouting hooray
- Their thoughts as the Snail Community on Sam’s return
The teacher will read out what they learnt from sailing on the back of the whale. As you read add numbers 1-8 into moments in your story. If you have a teacher assistant they could read the story and you could play Sam and Gale.
13. Today I learnt… - This is an opportunity for the students to analyse the text. Sit the students in a circle. One by one ask the students what they have learnt from the story of The Snail and The Whale.
14. Evaluation - Students evaluate the day by vocalising some thoughts from the workshop. Encourage students to tell you what they liked; what they found difficult; what they would like you to do differently next time. Congratulate them for their participation!
Follow-up Writing Tasks:
Postcards: Students create their own postcards from Sam to the snails back on the rock. They could draw the picture they created with their bodies earlier.
Whale Emergency Plan: Students recall their time at The School of Environmental Learning. They create a whale emergency plan for the rescue of future beached whales.
Travel Brochure: Students create a travel brochure for snails enticing them to travel the world on the back of the whale.
News-Report: Write a news-report as Gail Snail for the local paper documenting the amazing rescue of the whale by the local school children.
Whale's Perspective: Students write the story from the perspective of the whale. As a starting point ask them why the whale stopped for the snail?
Snail / Whale Table: Students research information about whales and snails. They could write up this information in a table noting the similarities and differences between the two creatures. This could even extend into a science lesson on classification.
Some of the music I used to enhance this workshop included:
- Disney's Little Mermaid, Under the Sea.
- The Soundtrack from Whale Rider, Paikea's Whale.
- Enya, Sail Away.
- Jimmy Parbuckle and The James Craig Reelers, The Whale.
- Survivor, Eye of the Tiger. (For the relay activity)
- Cirque du Soleil, The Cockroach Dance.