Objectives

• Analyse how Dennis Kelly uses Phil's silence and strategic speech in Act One and Act Two to construct a model of cold, coercive leadership.
• Explain how Kelly structures the field scenes — Phil eating, Leah talking — to dramatise the power imbalance between the two characters across all four acts.
• Trace how Cathy's language and behaviour shift from Act Two to Act Four to show the moral cost of the group's decision to protect their secret.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds a quotation from the play and comments on Kelly's dramatic choices, including form and structure.
• Evaluate how Kelly refuses easy moral resolution in Act Four, using the fates of Brian, Danny, Richard and Leah to argue a sustained interpretation.
• Construct a full analytical essay that sustains a line of argument about power, guilt or complicity across at least three of the four acts.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Phil Takes Control: Leadership and Silence in Act One

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   If my friend group found itself in a tough situation after doing something terrible, I would want a level-headed and empathetic leader. I’d look for someone who remains calm under pressure, communicates clearly, and can motivate others to take responsibility while finding a way to make things right.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the field scene in Act One where Phil is sitting and eating a waffle while Leah gives her lengthy speech about bonobos and happiness. Think through what Kelly is achieving by not giving Phil any lines for most of the scene: annotate the stage direction 'Phil eats' on the board and discuss what the audience observes versus what Leah requires in that moment. Highlight Leah's line 'Say something, Phil' and demonstrate how Phil's lack of response serves as a dramatic choice — Kelly employs silence strategically, illustrating that Phil holds the emotional power in every scene he occupies without needing to say a word.

   Independent task

   Revisit the scene in Act One where the group approaches Phil for a plan following Adam's fall. Write an analytical paragraph of at least 120 words discussing the type of leader Phil embodies at this moment. Include at least one direct quotation from this scene and reflect on Kelly's choice of form—specifically, the brevity of Phil's lines in contrast to those of the other characters. Conclude your paragraph by linking Phil's actions to a broader concept of power.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining why Kelly gives Phil so few lines in Act One, and what effect that formal choice has on the audience's understanding of who holds power in the group.

2. Lesson 2: Framing an Innocent Man: Complicity and the Cover-Up in Act Two

   55 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read the following stage direction from Act Two aloud: the group listens as Phil explains the plan to plant the dead man's DNA. Before the lesson starts, jot down a word that captures each character's essence at this moment — Mark, Leah, Cathy, Brian — and be prepared to share your thoughts.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of Act Two, where Phil tells the group to use the DNA from the bin bag to frame a fictional stranger. Pay special attention to the moment Leah says, "We could just tell the truth," and observe how Phil completely ignores her. On the board, annotate how Kelly structures this exchange: Leah's moral objection is presented as a complete, reasoned sentence, while Phil's response is just a single-word redirect. Illustrate for students how this difference in sentence length highlights the power dynamic — Kelly uses form to demonstrate that moral arguments hold no weight in Phil's world.

   Independent task

   Write two analytical paragraphs — each at least 100 words — responding to this question: how does Kelly use the cover-up plan in Act Two to show that the group has already crossed a moral line? Your first paragraph must focus on Phil's language and how Kelly uses short, imperative sentences to show his control. Your second paragraph must focus on Leah's response and what her longer, more hesitant sentences reveal about her moral awareness. Embed at least one quotation in each paragraph and comment on what Kelly's structural choices — the contrast in speech length — contribute to meaning.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain what the arrest of the innocent postman at the end of Act Two reveals about the group's collective moral state, and identify one specific dramatic technique Kelly uses to make this moment land with an audience.

3. Lesson 3: Cathy's Transformation: Violence and Amorality in Act Three

   55 min · ch. 3

   Do now

   Without looking at the play, rank these five characters from the most morally responsible to the least morally responsible for what has happened so far: Phil, Cathy, Leah, Brian, Danny. Provide one sentence justifying your top choice and one for your bottom choice.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the Act Three scene where Adam is found alive in the woods, and instead of confessing, Phil tells Cathy to silence him. Pay particular attention to Cathy's reaction—she agrees immediately—and note how Kelly removes any emotional nuance from her reply: there’s no pause, no question, and no visible conflict. Contrast this with Cathy's earlier dialogue in Act Two, where she still asks questions. Demonstrate to students how Kelly’s use of direct language in Act Three highlights Cathy's moral shift: she has transitioned from a character seeking approval to one who embraces violence as part of her identity.

   Independent task

   In Act Three, Kelly illustrates the profound impact of group dynamics on individual morality through Cathy's language and behavior. When Phil instructs Cathy about Adam, her response reveals a chilling acceptance of their group's wrongdoing: "I’ll make sure he knows what he’s supposed to do." The phrase "make sure" signifies her willingness to enforce conformity, indicating that her sense of right and wrong has been overshadowed by the group's expectations. This shift in Cathy’s language reflects a transformation in her identity; she no longer relies on her moral compass but rather aligns herself with the group's corrupt values. Instead of questioning Phil's orders, she internalizes them, suggesting that her identity has been reshaped by the normalization of unethical behavior within the group. Consequently, Cathy's character embodies the theme of identity as she becomes a product of her environment, illustrating how external influences can erode personal integrity and lead to complicity in wrongdoing.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence identifying the single most important word or phrase Kelly gives Cathy in Act Three, and explain in a further sentence why that linguistic choice is more disturbing than anything Cathy does physically on stage.

4. Lesson 4: Aftermath and Silence: The Cost of Complicity in Act Four

   55 min · ch. 1, 4

   Do now

   Read Richard's speech in Act Four where he discusses what has happened to each member of the group — Brian is on medication, Danny has dropped out, Cathy has become reckless, and Leah is gone. Note which character's fate you find most unsettling and write one sentence explaining why.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of the final field scene in Act Four where Phil is eating again, this time with Jan beside him instead of Leah, while Richard attempts to engage him in conversation. Highlight the structural echo: Kelly revisits the same visual image — Phil, food, silence, and a companion — yet everything surrounding it has shifted. Demonstrate to students that this repetition with variation is a purposeful formal choice: the audience recognizes the familiar staging but senses its emptiness. Phil's silence at the end doesn’t signify strength; it represents a void. Show how to analyze structure by examining the field scenes throughout all four acts as a connected sequence rather than as separate moments.

   Independent task

   Write two analytical paragraphs — each at least 100 words — responding to this question: how does Kelly use the repeated image of Phil eating in silence across Act One and Act Four to show what his leadership has cost him? Your first paragraph should analyze the Act One field scene and explore what Phil's silence conveys about power. Your second paragraph should analyze the Act Four field scene and discuss how the same image now conveys a completely different message. Be sure to embed at least one quotation or stage direction from each act and use the word 'structure' or 'structural' at least once in your response.

   Exit ticket

   Write two full sentences explaining why Kelly chooses to end the play with Phil alone and silent rather than showing the audience what happened to Adam or to Leah — what does this formal decision force the audience to confront?

5. Lesson 5: Sustained Argument: Power and Complicity Across All Four Acts

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4

   Do now

   Examine this essay question: 'How does Dennis Kelly depict the risks of following a strong leader in DNA?' Take four minutes to compose a one-sentence thesis—your clear, defendable response to that question—drawing on evidence from at least three of the four acts. Avoid starting with 'In this essay I will…'; get straight to your argument.

   Teacher input

   Model the introduction and first body paragraph for the essay question displayed on the board, using the Act One field scene as the key evidence. Think aloud about how to transition smoothly from quotation to commentary to context in one continuous analytical flow: begin with Phil's silence, discuss how Kelly's choice of minimal dialogue impacts the scene, and then expand the discussion to the play's context — the mid-2000s moral panic regarding feral youth and the debate over whether maintaining order justifies moral compromise. Emphasize to students that a strong paragraph doesn't merely recount events; it argues what Kelly aims to achieve and why.

   Independent task

   Write a complete analytical essay of 500–700 words in response to this question: "How does Dennis Kelly present the dangers of following a powerful leader in DNA?" Your essay should include an introduction that presents a clear and debatable thesis. Be sure to include at least three body paragraphs, each focusing on a different act (you must reference Acts One, Three, and Four as a minimum). Your conclusion should move beyond restating your introduction and instead reflect on the unresolved issues that Kelly leaves open. Incorporate at least five direct quotations from the play — ensuring one comes from a field scene, one from Cathy in Act Three, and one from a stage direction — and provide commentary on the specific language or form of each quotation. Avoid retelling the plot; every sentence should support your argument.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your thesis sentence from your introduction. In one further sentence, identify one piece of evidence from your essay that most strongly supports that thesis, and explain in a second sentence why you chose it over the other evidence you used.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can identify silence as a deliberate formal choice rather than an absence of content, and connect it to the concept of power.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students can name a specific dramatic technique Kelly uses and link it to the group's collective moral state, not just to individual characters.
• Lesson 3 independent paragraph: checks whether students can move from quotation to language comment to thematic connection in a single, unbroken analytical movement about Cathy in Act Three.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: checks whether students understand structural repetition as a deliberate authorial choice — that the repeated field scene image carries different meaning in Act Four — rather than treating it as coincidence.
• Lesson 5 thesis sentence from the do-now: checks whether students can formulate an arguable, text-specific claim before they begin drafting, giving the teacher a basis for targeted intervention during the writing period.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama, including where a story is set, how the action is ordered, and how the characters are introduced and developed.
• RL.11-12.5 — analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.1 — write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — make a defensible claim about a literary text that can be supported by textual evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — explain the function of specific words and phrases in a literary text, including connotative meanings.
• Character (CHR-1) — explain the function of a character, including their relationship to other characters and their role in the development of the narrative.
• Structure (STR-1) — explain the function of structure in a text, including how an author sequences events and repeats images or motifs to create meaning.
• Narrator and Speaker (NAR-1) — explain how an author's choices about point of view, narrative distance, and dramatic form contribute to the overall effect of a text.

AQA

• AO1 — read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO4 — use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Edexcel

• AO1 — read, understand and respond to texts, developing an informed personal response and using textual references to support interpretations.
• AO2 — analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO3 — demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which texts are written and received.

Eduqas

• AO1 — read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response with textual references.
• AO2 — analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.