Write your own...
reader's theater day!
DIRECTIONS:
You have all either participated or watched a Reader's Theater, so now it's time for you to write your own. Please keep in mind that writing a script is way more challenging than just reading a script! So, if you don't get to the "presentation" portion of today's lesson...DO NOT PANIC...I repeat...DO NOT PANIC!!!!
Focus on writing an great historical script with entertaining sound effects and gestures. Hopefully you will all get to the practicing stage of the lesson, but if you run short on time, we can present them next class.
WRITE/PLAN: You can write about ANY topic we have covered in history class so far this year. That means you can write a Reader's Theater play about any historical topic you learned about from the start of the year through today.
Things to Remember:
PLANNING/RESOURCES: I've including a Graphic Organizer to help you get started...feel free to use it as a guide to help you write your script!
You have all either participated or watched a Reader's Theater, so now it's time for you to write your own. Please keep in mind that writing a script is way more challenging than just reading a script! So, if you don't get to the "presentation" portion of today's lesson...DO NOT PANIC...I repeat...DO NOT PANIC!!!!
Focus on writing an great historical script with entertaining sound effects and gestures. Hopefully you will all get to the practicing stage of the lesson, but if you run short on time, we can present them next class.
WRITE/PLAN: You can write about ANY topic we have covered in history class so far this year. That means you can write a Reader's Theater play about any historical topic you learned about from the start of the year through today.
Things to Remember:
- Students can have more than one part if necessary
- You can create a narrator...a speaker who "leads" the play
- Don't forget, some of your lines can be "ALL SPEAK" where everyone speaks at the same time. This is great for emphasizing important lines or key facts in your script.
- You can choose to have more than one person speak or give a sound effect at the same time. This helps create variation in your script!
PLANNING/RESOURCES: I've including a Graphic Organizer to help you get started...feel free to use it as a guide to help you write your script!
- Click Here for Google Doc version of Graphic Organizer
- Click on the file below to Download Graphic Organizer
readerstheaterplaywritinggraphicorganizer.pdf | |
File Size: | 40 kb |
File Type: |
GUIDELINES:
TIME:
Google Docs/Printing:
PRESENTATION: ONLY IF YOU HAVE TIME!!!!!
OPTION 1 - IF ALL GROUPS ARE READY TO PRESENT THEIR PLAYS...
Each group should have another classmate from the audience record your readers theater presentation. They can use Quicktime on their Macs to record it. Go to Quicktime > New MOVIE Recording > make sure the internal microphone is enabled, and turn the mac to record the presentation. I will collect the videos in Schoology when I get back to school. You do not need to turn the videos in today...just save them on your desktop!
OPTION 2 - IF ALL THE GROUPS ARE NOT READY TO PRESENT THEIR PLAYS, BUT YOU ARE...
Record your own group! Using Quicktime, create a "New Movie Recording" of your group presenting your Reader's Theater. You are not performing for anyone else...you are simply "presenting" your play to the computer...as it films you! Feel free to record in the team room or in another quiet place to make sure you don't have any sound interference. Again, I will collect the videos in Schoology when I get back to school. You do not need to turn the videos in today...just save them on your desktop!
- Groups of 3-4
- 1 - 1 1/2 pages MAX (remember...you only have one class period)
- Content must be Historically Accurate
- Your group will write your script & present your Reader's Theater for the class
- Must include Gestures
- Must include Sound Effects
- Don't forget, some of your lines can be "ALL SPEAK" where everyone in your group speaks at the same time
TIME:
- 70 minutes - Write and practice your script...you can take more time if needed
- 20 minutes - Present your script
Google Docs/Printing:
- You can type up your script in Google Docs...don't forget to share it with all your group members so that everyone can work on the same document at the same time.
- Don't forget to share your Google Doc with me too...but PLEASE uncheck the "notify by email" option before you share it! ([email protected])
- You do NOT need to memorize your script. You can print in the library (ask for a pass) OR have the substitute log on to my desktop with one of your logins and print all the scripts from there. (ask Mrs. Benedick if you need help printing)
PRESENTATION: ONLY IF YOU HAVE TIME!!!!!
OPTION 1 - IF ALL GROUPS ARE READY TO PRESENT THEIR PLAYS...
Each group should have another classmate from the audience record your readers theater presentation. They can use Quicktime on their Macs to record it. Go to Quicktime > New MOVIE Recording > make sure the internal microphone is enabled, and turn the mac to record the presentation. I will collect the videos in Schoology when I get back to school. You do not need to turn the videos in today...just save them on your desktop!
OPTION 2 - IF ALL THE GROUPS ARE NOT READY TO PRESENT THEIR PLAYS, BUT YOU ARE...
Record your own group! Using Quicktime, create a "New Movie Recording" of your group presenting your Reader's Theater. You are not performing for anyone else...you are simply "presenting" your play to the computer...as it films you! Feel free to record in the team room or in another quiet place to make sure you don't have any sound interference. Again, I will collect the videos in Schoology when I get back to school. You do not need to turn the videos in today...just save them on your desktop!
STill need help getting started?
Here's a video of 4th grade students presenting a Reader's Theater that they wrote themselves! Granted it took them a lot longer than one class to write it!!! Please note: You do NOT need props for your play!!!!