Lesson 5 - Experience
Reader’s Theatre
The Grown-Up Scoop
Books Alive! Student Entertainment (BASE) Reader’s Theatre is designed to engage participants in social emotional learning and apply lessons taught through reading and stories.
Creating Your Production
Together create your own version of The Little Creek That Could in its entirety or part. To help you through this process, follow these five steps:
1. Think about a journey you will take. Use VOICE/WORDS, to describe a plan, divided into three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Just a sentence or two will do!
Where does your story begin? (When creek was just a trickle of water? Home to cattails? Home to fish? Creek after the people came?)
Who will be the main characters? (Creek, frogs, turtles, fish, etc.? Migrating birds? Trees? Settlers? People who rebuilt the creek?)
Why are they there? (Creek happy? Creek sad with a problem? Creek being rebuilt?)
2. Next, think about the BODY and the movement /music for the journey:
What will your body be doing in the story? (Winding, curving, sprouting, raining, shimmering?)
Are you reminded of a favorite nature/animal song? A song about responsibility? Will the song have words or be all instrumental?
Will you incorporate musical instruments? (Will you recreate the sound of the rain with rain tubes? Wind sounds? Building/chopping sounds?)
3. Use your IMAGINATION, creating/collecting some props/costumes from around the house/classroom. Go back to your plan, the middle of your journey:
How will you demonstrate your story? (Few presenters or group? Simple/more complex scene?)
Will you gather some items from around the backyard/nature walk areas? House/classroom? (Sieve/strainer to solar/electric, trickling fountain) or make a few things to accent your story? (Animal picture collages? Tin foil creek? Masks? Gardening tools? No littering posters?)
Are you adding dimensions to your story through your five senses? (Taste of fresh water from filtered water pitcher? Sound/rhythm of background music? Smell edible herbal mint?)
4. Now FOCUS:
How are the child(ren) feeling about this endeavor? Why? Are they able to verbalize their favorite thing about this process? What feels easy? Are there problems?
5. PRACTICE: run through your production in full costumes and using all your props.
COOPERATION for your own dress rehearsals: Not all children may want to perform, solo or in a group. All members of a family, classroom, or community can contribute to a performance. Cooperating comes in many forms: gathering props; drawing artwork for scenery, invitations, programs; creating outfits; singing/dancing; providing background sounds; adjusting lighting; distributing flyers; and LISTENING!
Perform!
You’ve created your play, now it’s time to perform it! When your group feels ready, invite an audience. Your audience could be family members, friends, other students/classes, or community members!
