Objectives

• Analyse how Kelly uses Phil's silence and stillness in Act One to construct a model of cold, amoral leadership.
• Analyse how Kelly uses Leah's monologues across Acts One and Two to dramatise guilt, desperation, and the need for human connection.
• Explain how Kelly structures the group's complicity — from the original cover-up to Cathy's murder of Adam — to show the escalation of moral collapse across Acts Two and Three.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds quotation, names dramatic technique, and links to context (mid-2000s moral panic about feral youth).
• Evaluate how Kelly's ending in Act Four — Phil alone, Leah replaced, each member broken — refuses easy moral resolution and forces the audience to judge.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Phil's Plan: Cold Leadership and the Cover-Up in Act One

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On a sticky note, jot down a single word that captures what makes a leader. Next, note a word that reflects your impression of Phil based on what you’ve learned so far. Prepare to discuss the differences between these two words. For now, keep quiet — this is a silent exercise.

   Teacher input

   Model close reading on the Act One scene where Phil, quietly munching on crisps, finally breaks his silence to outline the cover-up plan — planting the dead man's DNA from the bin bag to frame an imaginary stranger. Highlight how Kelly withholds Phil's speech for maximum effect: his first substantial lines focus on logistics rather than comfort or remorse. Illustrate for students how stage directions ('Phil eats. Silence.') serve as a dramatic technique, making Phil's stillness a source of power. Briefly connect to the context: Kelly wrote this during a moral panic about teenage gang leaders — Phil intentionally subverts the typical image of a leader.

   Independent task

   Students will annotate the same passage from Act One (Phil's cover-up speech) independently. They need to identify: (1) a moment of silence or stage direction and explain how it impacts the audience; (2) a word or phrase Phil uses that highlights his lack of morals; (3) a sentence connecting Phil's characterization to Kelly's context. They should present their findings as three labeled bullet points — these will be collected and assessed for the accuracy of quotations and the quality of their comments on effects.

   Exit ticket

   Phil's silence in Act One suggests that he prefers to exert control over the situation, indicating a leader who values power and authority.

2. Lesson 2: Leah's Voice: Monologue, Guilt, and Desperation in Acts One and Two

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read Leah's opening monologue from Act One (the speech about bonobos and happiness) silently. Underline every question she asks. Count them. Then, consider: what might motivate a playwright to have a character pose so many unanswered questions?

   Teacher input

   Model how to read a dramatic monologue for subtext using Leah's Act Two speech where she expresses feeling 'nothing' and asks Phil for a response — which he fails to provide. Show students that Leah's speeches serve not only as characterisation but also as structural counterpoint: each time Phil chooses silence, Leah talks more. Demonstrate the technique of tracking what a character desires versus what they actually receive, using the stage direction 'Phil eats' as the response to every emotional appeal. Introduce the concept of 'dramatic irony' — the audience understands that Phil will never fulfill Leah's needs.

   Independent task

   Students can select either Leah's Act One bonobo monologue or her Act Two 'nothing' speech to craft a complete analytical paragraph following this structure: point — quotation — technique — effect — context link. The paragraph should identify at least one dramatic technique (such as monologue, stage direction, silence, or direct address) and relate Leah's sense of desperation to the play's themes of guilt or the need for human connection. Once completed, paragraphs will be submitted.

   Exit ticket

   In Act Two, Leah is asking Phil for emotional support and reassurance about their relationship. Kelly ensures Leah never gets it because she wants to maintain control over Phil and prevent Leah from getting too close to him.

3. Lesson 3: Escalation and Complicity: How the Group Fractures in Acts Two and Three

   60 min · ch. 2, 3

   Do now

   Take a look at this list of characters: Mark, Jan, Danny, Lou, Brian, Richard, Cathy. Rank them from the one you think is most responsible for what happened to Adam to the one you believe is least responsible. You have three minutes to do this. There’s no definitive right answer — just be prepared to explain your choices.

   Teacher input

   Model a comparative reading of two moments: (1) Act Two — the group's relief when the postman is arrested, highlighting how Kelly illustrates collective moral failure through quick, overlapping dialogue and shared laughter; (2) Act Three — Phil's command to Cathy to kill Adam, and Cathy's prompt, cheerful consent. Show students how Kelly employs Cathy's readiness — her lack of hesitation — as the play's most unsettling development. Demonstrate how to analyze dramatic structure: the cover-up in Act One necessitated a lie; by Act Three, it escalates to murder. The audience is drawn in because they have followed the rationale behind each progression.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing a comparative paragraph: how does Kelly depict the group’s moral decline differently in Act Two (the postman’s arrest) and Act Three (Phil’s order to Cathy)? They should include quotes from both acts, identify a structural or language technique used in each, and conclude with a statement about the emotions Kelly aims to evoke in the audience at each moment. The assessment will focus on the quality of the comparison and the accuracy of the technique labeling.

   Exit ticket

   Cathy's cheerful agreement to kill Adam is more disturbing than if she had hesitated because it reflects a chilling acceptance of violence within the group, highlighting Kelly's concerns about how far they've strayed from their original values.

4. Lesson 4: Power and Its Cost: Richard's Report and the Aftermath in Act Four

   60 min · ch. 4

   Do now

   Read Richard's final speech in Act Four, where he shares updates on each group member: Brian is on medication, Danny has dropped out, Cathy is being dangerously reckless, and Phil is left alone. Take a moment to write down which character's fate surprises you the most and explain why. You have three minutes of silence to reflect.

   Teacher input

   Model how to read Richard's Act Four report as a dramatic device — Kelly doesn’t depict the aftermath directly; instead, she conveys it through Richard, a character who has mostly remained passive. Demonstrate to students that this choice is intentional: by having Richard serve as the narrator, Kelly distances the audience from the consequences, making the ending feel clinical and inevitable rather than emotional. Illustrate how to analyze form: Kelly employs the structure of a report (lists, past tense, lack of emotion) to reflect Phil's own coldness — the play concludes in the same tone it began. Quote the stage direction that illustrates Phil alone, eating, and unreachable.

   Independent task

   Students will compose a complete analytical paragraph discussing how Kelly uses Act Four to illustrate the consequences of Phil's leadership. They should include quotes from Richard's report and the final stage direction, mention at least one structural technique (such as cyclical structure, dramatic report, or stage direction), connect their analysis to the theme of power or despair, and conclude with a sentence reflecting the impact on the audience. This work will be collected and graded.

   Exit ticket

   Kelly ends the play with Phil eating alone instead of featuring Cathy, Brian, or Danny to emphasize his isolation and the dynamics of power. This choice highlights how power can leave individuals feeling alone, even amidst others.

5. Lesson 5: Writing Under Pressure: Timed Essay on Moral Collapse Across the Whole Play

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4

   Do now

   Without opening the play, jot down three quotes that you can recall — one from Phil, one from Leah, and one from any other character. If you can't remember the exact phrasing, just note the moment and the act. This is meant to jog your memory, not to serve as a test.

   Teacher input

   Model the opening paragraph of a timed essay in response to the question: 'How does Kelly present the collapse of morality in DNA?' On the board, clearly state a thesis that mentions Phil, Cathy, and the structure of the play. Include an embedded quotation from Act One regarding Phil's cover-up plan, label the technique used, comment on its effect, and add a one-sentence context link to the mid-2000s moral panic surrounding feral youth. Emphasize that the introduction should not simply retell the plot but rather make a compelling argument. Spend five minutes on this, then allow students to begin their writing.

   Independent task

   Students will write a timed essay (about 45 minutes) addressing the question: 'How does Kelly illustrate the breakdown of morality in DNA? Discuss: Phil's leadership; Leah's reaction; the group's complicity; and the ending.' They need to reference all four acts, include at least four quotations, identify dramatic techniques, and connect to context at least once. Essays will be collected at the end of the lesson as the final assessment piece.

   Exit ticket

   Underline the sentence in your essay that you believe presents the strongest argument. Next to it, write one word that explains why it is effective.

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket Lesson 1 — checks whether students can connect Phil's silence to the concept of control, not just describe it as 'mysterious' or 'weird'.
• Annotated passage Lesson 1 — checks accuracy of quotation selection and whether effect comments go beyond surface ('it shows he is cold') to dramatic function.
• Analytical paragraph Lesson 2 — checks whether students can name a dramatic technique (monologue, stage direction, silence) and link it to Leah's emotional state and the theme of guilt.
• Comparative paragraph Lesson 3 — checks whether students can track structural escalation across two acts and avoid plot summary in favour of technique analysis.
• Analytical paragraph Lesson 4 — checks whether students can write about form (Richard's report as dramatic device, cyclical structure) rather than only character.
• Underlined sentence exit ticket Lesson 5 — checks metacognitive awareness: can students identify their own strongest analytical move?

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
• 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
• RL.11-12.6 — analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant
• W.11-12.1 — write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant evidence

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about a literary text and supports it with evidence
• Character (CHR-1) — analyse how complex characters develop over the course of a text and interact with other characters to advance the plot or develop a theme
• Structure (STR-1) — analyse how an author's structural choices contribute to the meaning of a literary work
• Figurative Language and Literary Devices (FIG-1) — explain the function of a specific literary device in a text
• Contextual Connections (CC-1) — connect a literary work to its historical, cultural, or authorial context

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; use quotation and close reference to support interpretations
• AO2 — analyse language, form and structure and the effects created, using appropriate subject terminology
• AO3 — demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received