Linked to the National Curriculum, MAMMA MIA!’s free teaching resources have been created to enhance your school trip to MAMMA MIA!. Enjoy this either before your trip or back in the classroom to give your students the opportunity to enhance their hands-on learning.
About MAMMA MIA!
Join the fun at MAMMA MIA!, the world’s sunniest, most exhilarating smash-hit musical! Since premiering in London’s West End over 24 years ago, ‘the ultimate feel-good show’ (Classic FM) has thrilled over 65 million people around the world.
Fall in love with the irresistibly funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. The worldwide phenomenon has now been turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.
Whatever age you are, you can’t help but have the time of your life at MAMMA MIA!
Find out more about taking a school trip to MAMMA MIA!
“TAKING OUR STUDENTS TO THE THEATRE IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ENRICH THEIR MUSICAL LIVES”
Edmund Houlston, Head of Music, The Ashcombe School, Dorking
MAMMA MIA!’s Teacher Resources
MAMMA MIA’s free classroom-based learning resources and activities designed for for KS3-KS4 students, explore the story, characters, music and include worksheets. They also have GCSE Drama specific lesson plans and activities.
The teaching resource has been broken down into two sections; Introductory Unit and The Drama Unit.
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Introduction Unit
The Introductory Unit is designed to explore the story, characters, and music of the show. It consists of two 40-50 minute sessions and includes four worksheets.
The Introductory Unit covers objectives in English, History, Music and Media Studies, and can be addressed in any class where you have scope to study the production. These lesson plans are designed as a starting point for curriculum based activities for students in Key Stage 4; however all activities can be adjusted to suit Key Stage 3 students.
Session 1: The Story & Characters of MAMMA MIA!
In this section sessions are designed to introduce your students to the story and characters in the musical, and look at how the songs are used.
This will be a valuable introduction to the show if carried out before your trip to the theatre, helping to prepare students for seeing the musical.
In contrast you may choose to study these sessions after your students have seen the musical and explore the characters and music in more detail.
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Session 2: The Use of ABBA Songs in MAMMA MIA!
The session is devoted to considering four ABBA songs used in the show. Students are asked to think about the meanings suggested in the lyrics and the meanings they might have if sung by the characters considered in the previous session.
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Drama Unit
Suggestions are given for six sessions of practical drama, relating to the themes of identity and family, and based on characters and situations from the plot of MAMMA MIA!. They provide a variety of ways of working, suitable for Year 10 or 11 students taking GCSE Drama. These include hot-seating, teacher-directed whole-group work, small-group improvisations and working with drama scripts.
Teachers may wish to select aspects of these sessions and adapt what is suggested to their own preferred ways of working.
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Session 1: Meeting the Characters
Start the session by informing students that you will be working on themes related to MAMMA MIA!, in particular the themes of identity and family.
Students will learn how to analyse the work of live theatre makers by developing an understanding of the plot and characters.
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Session 2: Donna and the Dynamos
This session focuses on exploring Donna’s background, and especially her parents’ disowning of her.
This session will develop student’s knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of dramatic works, including character motivation and interaction.
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Session 3: The Possible Fathers
In this session the focus is on providing students with a chance to build a broader picture of Sophie’s three possible fathers. The session also serves as an introduction to making sense of a drama script.
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Session 4: Growing Up Fatherless
In this session, the focus is on helping students to explore some of the possible repercussions of being brought up by one parent, and of meeting an absent parent for the first time.
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Session 5: Rosie & Tanya
In this session, the focus is on providing students with a chance to build a view of the characters Rosie and Tanya. The session also serves as a further introduction to what is involved in interpreting a drama script.
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Session 6: Sophie’s White Wedding
In this concluding session, the focus is on students using their understanding of the plot and characters, as well as dramatic techniques and conventions to construct a piece of whole group drama: a moment in Sophie’s wedding ceremony.
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Summary
MAMMA MIA!’s free teaching resources provide you and your students with free teaching activities for English, Music and Drama & Theatre Studies and has strong curriculum links to PSHE.
The resources can be used before or after a school trip to the show – helping your students learn more about the story, music, characters and relationships.
MAMMA MIA! is playing at Novello Theatre in London.
MAMMA MIA! makes a brilliant Drama or Music school trip. In addition, schools can take advantage of their school group rate from £17.50 per student for groups of 10+. Plus you can get 1 free teacher ticket with every 10 tickets purchased (11th ticket is free)!
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