Lesson 5 and 6 ---Reader's Theater

The Surprise Suitcase

This week Melissa showed up with a suitcase filled with surprise props.  Some of the props she had were a viking cape, white gloves, and military helmet.  The students used the props as a spring board for interpreting the 6 big questions.  They discussed what the person who would be wearing the hat might be like.  Then volunteers came forward and put the prop on.  It was amazing what one simple prop will do to help with the transformation of a character.  The students changed their facial expression and body language to match the prop. They had fun with this!




We did a few body warm ups and, as usual, the students got involved right away release tension and warming up our mouths and bodies for some acting.

Body Warm Ups

Then we had the students watch and listen to a story on the smartboard.  It was "The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything".  The students began chanting with the story once they figured out the pattern:  shoes-clomp, shirt-shake, pants-wiggle, gloves-clap, pumpkin-boo  They were laughing and having a good time!

Next, we handed out the reader's theater script for this story and divided the class into two groups.  They were each assigned roles and they practiced their parts.  We spent time discussing the idea that even though most parts were small, it was up to them to make that character come to life.  It was nice that they only had to focus on one small part and do it well.

Mrs. Kneeland checking in on rehearsal

Reader's Theater at it's finest 

After  a week of rehearsing for a few minutes a day, the students performed the reader's theater for Melissa.  They did such a super job practicing dynamic reading and voice projection using expression.  The students watched each other perform and practice being a good audience member.  We shared positive comments with each other about what went well.  Then they asked if they could get the two groups together and do it as one whole group!