Dracula Oxford Playscript Play adaptation by David Calcutt KS3 SOW

A comprehensive 20 lesson KS3 unit exploring Dracula, the Oxford Playscript play adaptation by David Calcutt. Students develop their understanding of the play through close reading, building key skills whilst exploring the Gothic genre.

The unit begins by introducing students to Dracula and the skills needed to read and interpret the play, before exploring key contextual ideas surrounding Victorian England, the Gothic and the supernatural. Students then work through the play chronologically, developing their understanding of the plot, characters and themes through a wide range of activities and questions.

**Students develop their ability to:**
Read and understand a play adaptation of a classic Gothic text
Make inferences and deductions from a range of sources
Develop secure knowledge of plot, characters and key events
Analyse characterisation and relationships
Explore Gothic conventions and techniques
Analyse language and dramatic techniques
Explore how tension, suspense and atmosphere are created
Examine themes and ideas within the play
Use quotations as evidence in analytical responses
Explore the influence of Victorian context on the text
Understand the origins and development of vampire mythology
Compare ideas across the play and Bram Stoker’s original novel
Develop analytical and evaluative responses
Apply their understanding through creative writing

**What’s Included?**
20 ready to teach KS3 lessons
Lessons numbered in sequence through the play
A range of activities for every Act and scene
At least 10 comprehension questions for each scene
Retrieval and recap activities linked to previous lessons
Repeat questions to reinforce key knowledge
An introduction to reading Dracula focusing on inference and deduction
Context lessons on Victorian England and the supernatural
A context lesson exploring the origins of vampires
Context worksheets and comprehension activities
A range of activities exploring Gothic conventions
Extracts from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to support contextual understanding
Annotated quotations and language analysis
Analytical and discussion questions
Creative writing activities, including a task inspired by the arrival of the Demeter
2 assessment activities with dedicated preparation lessons, including 1 reading assessment and 1 writing assessment
Reflection and plenary activities for every lesson