DISCOVER THE ART OF PLAYWRITING
Students will be introduced to the art and technique of playwriting by brainstorming possible emotions, relationships, and storyline extensions based on a familiar fairy tale.
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can contribute ideas to write a short play based on a familiar nursery rhyme.
- I can play a role in acting out an original script.
Essential Questions
- How can we write a short play together based on a familiar nursery rhyme?
Curriculum Standards
Kindergarten:
ELACCKW3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.
ELACCKW5 With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
Grade 1:
ELACC1W3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
ELACC1W5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
ELACC1SL4 Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
Arts Standards
Kindergarten:
TAESK.2 Develop scripts through improvisation and other theatrical methods.
TAK.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
Grade 1:
TA1.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.
TA1.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
Curriculum Standards
Kindergarten:
W.MCC.K.3.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, to tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and to provide a reaction to what happened.
Grade 1:
W.MCC.1.3.1 Explore multiple texts to write narratives that recount two or more sequenced events, include details, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can create scenes and write scripts using story elements and structure.
Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.
Content Vocabulary
Character - A person, an animal, or an object in a story that has human qualities.
Setting - The time and place of a story (when and where).
Plot - A series of related events that form a story.
Arts Vocabulary
Theatre - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama.
Playwriting - The process of writing or composing a script to be performed by actors.
Script - A story written in a format to be acted out, indicating what the characters say and do.
Dialogue - The part of the text that the characters speak aloud to one another.
Line - Words or sentences spoken by an actor.
Stage Directions - Actions or emotions for the actor, usually included in parentheses before or after a line of text.
- Copies (on paper, or on one or more screens) of a familiar nursery rhyme, such as “Jack and Jill”
- Flip chart, white board, or digital blank page for developing class script
Opening/Activating Strategy
Clap-Around
This warm-up exercise helps students connect to one another through collaboration and eye contact.
- Arrange students in a circular formation.
- Have students place their hands on their hips and bend their knees to make sure they are in a neutral position.
- Encourage students to punch with their arms from side to side (not moving feet).
- Begin the process by making eye contact with the first student and then clapping at the same time. Instruct that student to turn to their other neighbor, make eye contact, and clap simultaneously. That student continues the process. Each student, in turn, passes the clap to the next student until the circle is completed.
- Continue striving to keep the clap moving smoothly around the circle multiple times, with participants establishing eye contact and synchronizing the clap as it passes.
Work Session
Nursery Rhyme
- Show students the selected nursery rhyme. Read/recite it together.
- Ask students about the story elements: “Who are the characters? What is the setting? What happens in the plot of the story?” (e.g., Jack and Jill; a hill, during the day; going to get water, then falling down).
Playwriting
- Tell the students that together the class will use a playwriting process to adapt this simple story into a script that the class can act out.
- Ask students what happened first in the story. Ask them to imagine what the characters might have said – this can be imagined, as it likely is not included in the nursery rhyme. Select and write their ideas in script format. (e.g., perhaps their mother said, “Children, we need water!”; Jill said, “Come on, Jack. Let’s go. I have the pail”; and Jack said, “But I’m playing with my toys!” etc.). Elicit enough ideas to fill out a simple scene. Explain that the class is generating dialogue, composed of lines for the individual characters. Option: define, solicit, and include stage directions, of feelings or actions to help the actors know how to play the roles.
- Repeat the process with other segments of the story (e.g., climbing the hill, then tumbling down). Write out the students’ ideas in a way that all can see and follow.
- As appropriate to the story, ask students to imagine what might have happened afterward, and then develop further dialogue for their idea (e.g., Jack and Jill are taken to the hospital).
- Invite volunteers to come to the front to read and act out the script that the class generated. Coach them in using voice and inflection to convey the meaning and emotions of the lines. Prompt with lines as needed for emerging readers. Allow several groups to do readings/performances (after several rounds, the students will be familiar with the script).
Closing Reflection
Ask: “What is playwriting? What is a script? What is dialogue? How did we add ideas to expand and fill out the story? How did we act out our script for the story? How is our script different from the original nursery rhyme?”
Formative
- Students are able to identify key elements of the story.
- Students suggest additional ideas that are suitable to the story.
Summative
The class-generated script contains dramatic elements of character, setting, and plot. Students read and enact the script with enthusiasm and expression.
Acceleration:
Have students work in groups to replicate the process with other familiar nursery rhymes.
Remediation:
In developing the script with students’ ideas, keep the lines short with simple vocabulary and clear emotions.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Ideas contributed and updated by: Susie Spear Purcell and Barry Stewart Mann
Revised and copyright: June 2023 @ ArtsNOW
