Year 5 Drama Brings Dreamtime Stories to Life
There is something extraordinary about watching a story unfold on stage, especially when it is brought to life by ten-year-olds. This term, Year 5 students took part in a Drama project that not only built their performance skills, but also deepened their appreciation for storytelling and First Nations culture.
Choosing and Adapting Dreamtime Stories
The project centred on Dreamtime stories, a significant part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral tradition. As a class, students explored a variety of stories including The Corroboree Frog, The Cunning Crow, How the Birds Got Their Colours, and The Seven Sisters. Each student then chose the story that resonated most with them, forming small groups to adapt their chosen narrative into a short play.
Bringing Stories to the Stage
The process was rich in collaboration. Students worked together to design props, choose costumes, create movement sequences and experiment with sound. Each group had the opportunity to take creative ownership of their performance, interpreting their story in a way that felt both respectful and imaginative.
Beyond Performance: Learning Through Drama
While performance was a major focus, the learning went far beyond the stage. Students developed an appreciation for the cultural significance of Dreamtime stories and the role they play in sharing knowledge and values. They also strengthened their communication and group decision-making skills throughout the project
A Teacher’s Perspective
Year 5 Drama Teacher, Marissa Gangemi, shared her reflections on the experience.
“What I loved most was watching the students take ownership of their chosen stories and bring them to life with such creativity and respect. It was particularly rewarding to see the thoughtful ways they interpreted the cultural elements and worked together to create meaningful performances. Their enthusiasm for the stories and their willingness to explore deeper themes really stood out.”
Student Voices
The performances offered a window into how the arts can nurture both personal growth and social understanding. Students stepped into new roles, built confidence in speaking to an audience, and discovered the power of drama to express ideas and emotion.
Here is what some of the students had to say:
Jess: “I enjoyed how we learnt about different stories and we all had the opportunity to show our emotions through acting. This is very powerful.”
Clare: “I liked how we were able to add in our own words to express the story and use costume design to bring it to life.”
Celebrating Student Growth
Drama in Year 5 is a journey of creativity, confidence and collaboration. Through storytelling, our students are learning how to connect with others, understand different perspectives and express themselves in new and powerful ways.
- CreativeLearning, CulturalEducation, DreamtimeStories, Featured, FirstNationsCulture, JuniorSchoolArts, OralStorytelling, StudentPerformance, Year5Drama
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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