The Lion and the Mouse - page.reallygoodstuff.compage.reallygoodstuff.com/pdfs/303926.pdf · 7)...

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #303916B

Congratulations on your purchase of the Really GoodStuff® Really Good Readers’ Theater. This guide will helpyou prepare students to perform a Readers' Theaterleveled text.

This Really Good Stuff® product includes:• Really Good Readers’ Theater Book Set:

The Lion and the Mouse (a play with four roles)Guided Reading Level: I, DRA Level: 16

• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide

Color-Coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a different typecolor. Give readers theirown Readers' Theater booksand remind them of theirparts' colors. (“Narrator 1,you'll be red, Narrator 2,you'll be green,” and so on.)

The Art of Presenting Readers’ Theater IntroductionReaders' Theater provides a fun, simple way to improvechildren's oral reading skills. Performing these short playshelps students build fluency and expression in their oralreading. The process of rehearsing and performingmotivates students and makes reading more enjoyable.Encourage children to practice their lines at school withfellow cast members and at home with their families.Children can improve their reading comprehension as theyread and reread the text.

These short plays can help struggling readers gainconfidence and/or give capable readers chances to stepinto the limelight. Either way, children's reading skillsimprove. Since costumes and props are unnecessary,these colorfully illustrated Readers' Theater books are allyou need to stage your play. Note that children shouldnot be expected to memorize their parts. Instead,encourage them to relax into the reading and have fun.

Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be new

to them—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play,the Lion and the Mouse have the longest parts. Each Narrator's part is less than half as long as each starring role.• If you have a larger group and you want to be sure that

everyone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Lion 1 might read pages 1-6,and Lion 2 might read pages 7-12.

• Pairs, small groups, or the whole class might read partschorally. For example, a pair of children might read eachNarrator's part in unison.

• You may wish to have students form groups of four tosix performers. The groups can perform the same playor different ones.

Getting To Know the ScriptTo help students gain confidence in reading their parts,have them spend a few days working with the script.

Day 1: Building Background and Preparing To Read1. Tell students that they will read a play based on a

tale by a storyteller named Aesop. Inform them thatsome people think Aesop lived about 2600 years agoin Greece. Every tale by Aesop has a moral, or lesson,in it. Tales that teach morals are sometimes calledfables. Most of Aesop's fables have animalcharacters. However, they teach lessons aboutpeople's lives and behavior. Explain that in this play,“The Lion and the Mouse,” two very differentcharacters help each other and become friends. Sincesome children are probably unfamiliar with the tale,you may wish to read aloud one of the followingpicture books adapted from Aesop's fable:

• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney.Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009

• The Lion and the Mouse by Bernadette Watts. Ingram Publishing Services, 2007

2. Pass out the The Lion and the Mouse books andlead students on a “picture walk” through theillustrations to preview the script. Encouragevolunteers to briefly describe the two characters andthe story events as shown in the pictures.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize dramatic, humorous, andserious moments in the script.

4. Ask the students how they liked the play, and how itseems the same and different from other version(s)

The Lion and the Mouse

All activity guides can be found online:

Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator 1 (red type)Narrator 2(green type)Lion (blue type)Mouse (orange type)

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #303916B-0210

they've read or heard. Ask what lesson or messagethis Aesop's fable might teach.

Days 2 and 3: Learning Vocabulary and Rehearsing1. Go over the following words and any other vocabulary

that your students might find challenging:

Vocabulary• jungle (pp. 1 and 9) a warm, wet, thick forest.

(Animals like monkeys, snakes, and parrots live ina jungle.)

• how dare you (p. 1) it was bad of you; why did you.(“How dare you break my favorite toy!” yelled mysister.)

• Your Majesty (most pp.) my ruler, whom I respect. (“I will brush your hair, Your Majesty,” said thequeen's maid.)

• disturb (pp. 2 and 3) bother; interrupt; mistakenlyawaken. (Please don't disturb your baby brother whilehe is napping.)

• mighty (pp. 4, 5, 7, and 12) very strong. (The mightygiant could yank up tall trees by their roots.)

• make a deal (pp. 4, 7, and 12) agree to a plan thathelps each person. (I'll make a deal with you. You domy chores for me today, and I'll do yours for youtomorrow.)

• weak (pp. 5, 7, and 12) not strong at all. (When I wassick, I felt almost too weak to get out of bed.)

• strength (p. 6) strong muscles; force. (Do you haveenough strength to lift this heavy box?)

• tickled by (p. 7) found [something or someone] funny. (I was tickled by the funny story you told.)

• scurried (p. 8) ran very quickly and lightly. (Themouse scurried into its hole to escape the cat.)

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script. Onepartner might read Narrator 1 and the Lion's part,while the other reads Narrator 2 and the Mouse. Thenpartners can swap roles and read the play again.

3. Listen to pairs' readings, offering suggestions andmodeling lines as needed. Help readers work on pace,expression, and intonation. Show how to bring outthe characters' personalities by using various tonesof voice.

Discuss emotions that readers might need toconvey. For example, the Mouse should seem veryscared on pages 1-3. He should start to seem lessscared on page 4, when he proposes his “deal” to theLion. Model hand gestures, facial expressions, andmovements that might bring the characters to life.

Have students read slowly and clearly and atappropriate volume. Model correct interpretation ofpunctuation marks. Make sure each partner haspracticed every part in the script at least twice.

Days 4 and 5: Assigning Parts, Rehearsing, andPerforming1. Assign parts and provide time for “companies” to

rehearse. (see Assigning Parts).2. Have students perform their play(s). If students are

going to perform for an audience, such as families oranother class, plan this in advance.

Practice and Performance Reminders1. Practice repeatedly. Students should practice reading

the scripts repeatedly. As they become more and morefamiliar with the lines over a few days, they will gainconfidence, have fun, and read more expressively.

2. Discuss performance elements. Use practice time as an opportunity to review the elements discussed inGetting To Know the Script. Help students with theirvocal expression, body language, volume, and pacing.Help choral readers to read in unison.

3. Command respect. Discuss the standards ofbehavior that you expect during rehearsals andperformances. Talk about how readers might handleunexpected events during performances. For example,readers who make mistakes should reread the lastfew words and continue.

4. Discuss staging details. Tell children not to covertheir faces with their books. Ask them to look up fromtime to time and make eye contact with audiencemembers. Plan how you would like students to standor sit “onstage.” Model quiet page turning. Rehearseways to introduce and conclude the performance.

5. Modify as necessary. Some students are shy, othersare very expressive, and so on. Tell students that youmay find it necessary to switch parts once you beginrehearsing. If some students are too nervous toperform alone, have them read in pairs.

Readers’ Theater JournalHave students keep a journal telling what it is like toperform Readers' Theater. Students might write whatthey like or dislike about the performances, keep noteson performance tips, and so on. You might challengestudents to write their own plays inspired by Readers'Theater. Set aside time for students who want toperform with a group the scripts they've written.

The Lion and the Mouse


Congratulations on your purchase of the Really GoodStuff® Really Good Readers’ Theater. This guide will helpyou prepare a group of students to perform a Readers’Theater leveled text.


Little Red Cap (a play with five speaking roles)Guided Reading Level: I-J, DRA Level: 16-18


Color-coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a different typecolor. Give readers their ownReaders' Theater books andremind them of their parts'colors. (“Narrators, you'll bered, Mother, you'll be green,”and so on.)


These short plays can help struggling readers gainconfidence and/or give capable readers chances to stepinto the limelight. Either way, children's reading skillsimprove. Since costumes and props are unnecessary, these colorfully illustrated Readers' Theater books are allyou need to stage your play. Note that children shouldnot be expected to memorize their parts. Instead,encourage them to relax into the reading and have fun.

Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be new to

them—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play,Little Red Cap and the Wolf have the longest parts, whilethe Mother has the shortest one. The Narrator andGrandmother have fewer lines than the two stars, butmore than the Mother has. If students are acting outthe play as well as reading it, you may wish to assign thenonspeaking role of the Brave Man who saves the day(see page 12).

• If you have a larger group and you want to be sure thateveryone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Little Red Cap 1 might readpages 1-6, and Little Red Cap 2 might read pages 7-12.

• Pairs, small groups, or the whole class might read partschorally. For example, a pair of children might read theNarrator's part in unison.

• You may wish to have students form groups of five orsix performers. The groups can perform the same playor different ones.


Day 1: Building Background and Preparing To Read1. Tell students that they will read a play based on the

folktale “Little Red Riding Hood.” Explain that thisplay is titled “Little Red Cap,” and that it tells thetale in just one of many ways. For instance, it isprobably a little different from “Little Red RidingHood” picture books they may have read. If somestudents are unfamiliar with the tale, you may wishto read aloud one of the following picture booksadapted from the story by the Brothers Grimm:• Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman.

Holiday House, 1987• Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2007• Red Riding Hood by James Marshall.

Penguin Books, 19932. Pass out the Little Red Cap books and have students

go on a “picture walk” through the illustrations topreview the script. Encourage volunteers to list andbriefly describe the characters. Have others tell whathappens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize serious, humorous, anddramatic moments in the script.

Little Red Cap


Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator (red type)Mother (green type)Little Red Cap (blue type)Wolf (orange type)Grandmother (purple type)Brave Man(nonspeaking role)


4. Ask the students how they liked the play, and howit seems the same and different from otherversions they've read or heard. Ask what lesson ormessage the tale might teach.



Vocabulary• goodies (pp. 1, 8, and 12) good things to eat and drink.

(At the movies I love to eat goodies like popcorn.)• strangers (pp. 2, 3, and 4) people we don't know.

(Never talk to strangers if your family isn't with you.)• came upon (p. 2) met. (As I was walking to school I

came upon Danny.)• supposed to (p. 4) usually or normally should. (In

summer, the weather is supposed to be hot.)• normal (p. 4) ordinary or usual; not odd or strange. (A

normal dog barks when strangers come to the door.)• evil (p. 8) bad or mean on purpose. (The robber had an

evil plan to steal the old lady's purse.)• belonging to (p. 8) owned by. (The store belonging to

my uncle is on Main Street.)• or ELSE! (p. 9) or something bad will happen to you.

(My sister said not to come into her room or ELSE!) • burst in (p. 12) came in suddenly; forced a door open.

(My brother burst into the room with somesurprising news.)

• rescued (p. 12) saved. (Workers rescued lost petsafter the big fire.)

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script.One partner might read Little Red Cap's and theNarrator's parts, while the other reads theremaining roles. Then partners can swap roles andread the play again.


Discuss emotions that readers might need to convey.For example, Little Red Cap should seem distrustfulof the Wolf at first, but she should show that shetrusts and likes him after he explains that he is not“strange.” Model hand gestures, facial expressions,and movements that might bring the characters tolife. Have students read slowly and clearly and at

appropriate volume. Model correct interpretation ofpunctuation marks. Make sure each partner haspracticed every part in the script at least twice.


rehearse. (See Assigning Parts).2. Have students perform their play(s). If students are




2. Discuss performance elements. Use practice time as an opportunity to review the elements discussedin Getting To Know the Script. Help students withtheir vocal expression, body language, volume, andpacing. Help choral readers to read in unison.

3. Command respect. Discuss the standards of behaviorthat you expect during rehearsals and performances.Talk about how readers might handle unexpected eventsduring performances. For example, readers who makemistakes should reread the last few words and continue.




Little Red Cap


Congratulations on your purchase of the Really GoodStuff® Really Good Readers’ Theater. This guide will helpyou prepare students to perform a Readers’ Theaterleveled text.


Anansi and the Talking Melon (a play with six roles)Guided Reading Level: I-J, DRA Level: 16-18


Color-Coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a differenttype color. Give readerstheir own Readers'Theater books and remindthem of their parts'colors. (“Narrator 1, you'llbe red, Narrator 2, you'llbe green,” and so on.)



Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be

new to them—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play,Anansi and the two Narrators have the longest parts,while the King and Hippo have the shortest ones.Elephant has fewer lines than Anansi, but more than theKing or Hippo have. • If you have a larger group and you want to be sure that

everyone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Anansi 1 might read pages 1-4, and Anansi 2 might read pages 5-12. (Anansi has nolines on pages 7-11.)


• You may wish to have students form groups of sixperformers. The groups can perform the same play ordifferent ones.


Day 1: Building Background and Preparing To Read1. Tell students that they will read a play based on an

African folktale about Anansi the Spider. Explain thatAnansi is a character who appears in many Africantales. Like clever foxes, rabbits, and coyotes in othertraditional tales, Anansi is a trickster. He is smartand sassy, and he likes to play tricks or pranks onothers. Inform students that in this tale, Anansitricks other characters into believing that fruits,such as melons and bananas, can talk. Since moststudents are probably unfamiliar with the tale, youmay wish to read aloud this picture book adaptedfrom the African tale:

• Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric A. Kimmel. Holiday House, 1995

2. Pass out the Anansi and the Talking Melon booksand lead students on a “picture walk” through theillustrations to preview the script. Encouragevolunteers to list and briefly describe the charactersand story events. Explain that the picture on page 3shows Anansi inside a hollowed-out cantaloupe. He isfatter than he was on page 2 because he has eatenalmost the whole melon—everything except themelon's tough rind.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize humorous and dramaticmoments in the script.

4. Ask students how they liked the play, and how it

Anansi and the Talking Melon


Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator 1 (red type)Narrator 2 (green type)Anansi the Spider(blue type)Elephant (orange type)Hippo (purple type)King Monkey (light blue type)


seems the same and different from other version(s)they've read or heard. Ask what lesson or message thetale might teach.



Vocabulary • ripe ready to eat. (This peach isn't ripe yet. It is still

hard and green.)• meanwhile (p. 3) at the same time that [another

event] was happening. (I took a bath and got dressed for school. Meanwhile, Dad was cooking breakfast.)

• amazing (pp. 7 and 9) surprising and wonderful. (Mycousin's dance performance was really amazing.)

• presented (p. 8) proudly and respectfully gave or showed [something to someone]. (On Grandma's birthday, Dad presented to her a beautiful bouquet of flowers.)

• command (pp. 9 and 10) to order [someone to dosomething]; an order. (“I command you to get out ofmy room,” my sister said. I obeyed her command.)

• obey/disobey (p. 10) to do/not do what you're told.(Mom said, “Please obey Dad and me when we tell youto do something. It is not OK to disobey yourparents.”)

• surrounded (p. 11) had [people or things] all aroundyou. (Surrounded by her friends, Ana opened herbirthday gifts.)

• troublemakers (p. 12) those who like to play tricks ormake trouble for others. (One or two troublemakers inclass can make it hard for their classmates to payattention.)

• warned (p. 12) let other(s) know that something badmight happen. (Dad warned me to look both waysbefore crossing.)

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script. Onepartner might read the parts of Anansi and Narrator1, while the other reads the remaining roles. Thenpartners can swap roles and read the play again.


Discuss emotions that readers might need to convey.For example, the King should seem excited about thetalking melon at first, but he should grow angrier andangrier as the melon continues to disobey his

commands to speak. Model hand gestures, facialexpressions, and movements that might bring thecharacters to life. Have students read slowly andclearly and at appropriate volume. Model correctinterpretation of punctuation marks. Make sure eachpartner has practiced every part in the script atleast twice.











Anansi and the Talking Melon




A Pair of Silly Cats (a play with seven roles) Guided Reading Level: I, DRA Level: 16


Color-Coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a differenttype color. Give readerstheir own Readers'Theater books and remindthem of their parts'colors. (“Narrator 1, you'llbe red, Narrator 2, you'llbe green,” and so on.)



Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence

• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be new tothem—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play, thethree Narrators and the two cats, Choko and Toru, havethe longest parts, while the Woodcutter has theshortest one. The Wise Monkey has fewer lines than thecats have, but more than the Woodcutter has.• If you have a larger group and you want to be sure that

everyone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Choko 1 might read pages 3-7,and Choko 2 might read pages 8-12.





Japanese folktale about two cats who live outdoorsand hunt for food together. Explain that this play istitled “A Pair of Silly Cats.” Since most children areprobably unfamiliar with the tale, you may wish toread aloud the following picture book adapted fromthe traditional Japanese tale:• Two Foolish Cats by Yoshiko Uchida. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1987

2. Pass out the A Pair of Silly Cats books and havestudents go on a “picture walk” through theillustrations to preview the script. Encouragevolunteers to list and briefly describe the characters.You may also wish to show students a balance scaleand demonstrate how it compares two items'weights.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize humorous and seriousmoments in the script.

4. Ask the students how they liked the play, and how itseems the same and different from other version(s)they've read or heard. Ask what lesson or messagethe tale might teach.

A Pair of Silly Cats


Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator 1 (red type)Narrator 2 (green type)Narrator 3 (blue type)Choko (orange type)Toru (purple type)Woodcutter (light blue type)Wise Monkey (brown type)




Vocabulary• plenty (p. 1) more than enough. (Mom bought plenty

of snacks and drinks for my party.)• nearby (p. 2) near; close by. (My dog barks when

she smells a squirrel nearby.)• starving (p. 3) very hungry. (I had no breakfast,

so I was starving by lunchtime.)• cottage (p. 3) a little house. (Red Riding Hood's

grandma lived in a small cottage.)• extra (pp. 4 and 5) additional; more than you need.

(Ana had an extra pencil, so I borrowed it.)• squash (p. 7) smash or crush. (Don't sit on that

bag—you'll squash the bananas in it.)• divide evenly (p. 8) split up so that everyone gets the

same amount. (Dad will divide the cake evenly intoeight slices.)

• settle your argument (p. 9) help arguers figure outwhat is right or fair. (Mom can settle your argument.She will say that no one can have seconds untileveryone has had a first serving.)

• set of scales (p. 9) a machine that compares twothings' weights. (The set of scales told us which rockwas heavier.)

• equal share (p. 9) same amount/ Everyone got anequal share of hot cereal.

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script. Onepartner might read Narrators 1 and 3, plus Choko'spart, while the other reads Narrator 2, Toru, theWoodcutter, and the Wise Monkey. Then partners canswap roles and read the play again.


Discuss emotions that readers might need toconvey. For example, the two cats should seem angryat each other as they argue over the rice cakes.When they decide to let the Wise Monkey settletheir argument, they should seem calmer and lessmad at each other. Model hand gestures, facialexpressions, and movements that might bring thecharacters to life. Have students read slowly andclearly and at appropriate volume. Model correct

interpretation of punctuation marks. Make sure eachpartner has practiced every part in the script atleast twice.











A Pair of Silly Cats




Who Is Queen of the Forest? (a play with six roles)Guided Reading Level: H-I, DRA Level: 14-16


Color-coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a different typecolor. Give readers theirown Readers' Theater booksand remind them of theirparts' colors. (“Narrator 1,you'll be red, Narrator 2,you'll be green,” and so on.)



Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be new to

them—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play, theTiger and the Fox have the longest parts, while each ofthe four Narrators has a part that is about half thelength of each starring role. • If you have a larger group and you want to be sure that

everyone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Tiger 1 might read pages 1-6,and Tiger 2 might read pages 7-12.


• You may wish to have students form groups of six ormore performers. The groups can perform the sameplay or different ones.

Getting To Know the ScriptStudents spend a few days working with the script,allowing them to gain confidence in reading their parts.


folktale from India. Explain that one main character isa fox. Like foxes in many other traditional tales, thisfox is clever. When a much larger, fiercer animal—ahuge Bengal tiger—catches the fox, the fox tricksthe tiger into letting her go instead of eating her. Ifpossible, show students India's location on a worldmap. You might also display photos of wild creaturesthat appear in the tale. These include Bengal tigersand their cubs, as well as native Indian foxes, deer,monkeys, and water buffaloes. The NationalGeographic Society's web site is a good source. Pointout that in most of India (which is about one-thirdthe size of the United States), the weather is veryhot most of the time. To cool off, creatures such aswater buffaloes and elephants often immersethemselves in ponds, rivers, and lakes.

2. Pass out the Who Is Queen of the Forest? books andlead students on a “picture walk” through theillustrations to preview the script. Encouragevolunteers to list and briefly describe the charactersand story events. Explain that the pictures on pages3, 5, and 8 show the mother tiger's thoughts abouther two cubs. She is imagining how big, strong, andfierce they are compared to the little fox. However,the cubs themselves are not characters in the play.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize humorous and dramaticmoments in the script.

Who Is Queen of the Forest?


Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator 1 (red type)Narrator 2 (green type)Tiger (blue type)Narrator 3 (orange type)Fox (purple type)Narrator 4(light blue type)


4. Ask students how they liked the play. Ask whatlesson or message the tale might teach.



Vocabulary• clever (p. 1) smart; able to think fast and well. (My

cat is too clever. He has figured out how to open theback door.)

• pounced (p. 1) jumped [usually on top of something,to catch it]. (My cat pounced, pinning his toy mouseto the floor.)

• huge (p. 1) very big; gigantic. (An elephant looks hugewhen you stand right next to it.)

• delicious (p. 2) tasty; yummy. (Peanut butter and jellytaste delicious together.)

• twice (pp. 3, 5, and 8) two times. (Our dog is morethan twice the size of our cat.)

• terrified (pp. 4, 7, and 10) very, very scared. (I wasterrified when I saw and heard the rattlesnake.)

• amazed (pp. 5, 7, and 11) very surprised; veryimpressed. (After my cousin's play, I felt amazed byher acting talent.)

• fierce (p. 6) strong and dangerous; able and willing tofight. (Even wild squirrels can be fierce. Stay awayfrom them!)

• galloped (p. 11) ran fast. (The wild horses gallopedaway to escape the wolves.)

• rumbled (p. 11) made a loud, deep, booming noise. (Atrash truck rumbled down the street and woke me up.)

• Your Majesty (p. 12) my ruler, whom I respect. (“I'll bringyou some tea, Your Majesty,” said the king's maid.)

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script. Onepartner might read the parts of the Tiger, Narrator 1,and Narrator 3, while the other reads the Fox's roleand those of Narrators 2 and 4. Then partners canswap roles and read the play again.

3. Listen to pairs' readings, offering suggestions andmodeling lines as needed. Help readers work on pace,expression, and intonation. Show how to bring out thecharacters' personalities by using various tones of voice.

Discuss emotions that readers might need to convey. Forexample, the Tiger should seem amused by or even scornfulof the Fox when the smaller animal first announces thatshe is the queen of the forest. As the play goes on,though, the Tiger should seem more and more impressedby the Fox. By the end of play, the Tiger should seemcompletely in awe of the tiny animal and completely

convinced that the Fox is queen. Model hand gestures,facial expressions, and movements that might bring thecharacters to life. Have students read slowly and clearlyand at appropriate volume. Model correct interpretation ofpunctuation marks. Make sure each partner has practicedevery part in the script at least twice.


rehearse. (see Assigning Parts).2. Have students, perform their play(s). If students are









Who Is Queen of the Forest?




A Big, Quiet House (a play with six roles) GuidedReading Level: I, DRA Level: 16


Color-coded RolesEach role in the playappears in a different typecolor. Give readers theirown Readers' Theaterbooks and remind them oftheir parts' colors.(“Narrator 1, you'll be red,Narrator 2, you'll be green,”and so on.)



Benefits of Readers’ TheaterReaders' Theater provides both reluctant and eager readerswith opportunities to:• Read together in front of an audience• Build vocabulary and connect to school curriculum• Read parts individually or chorally• Gain experience with cooperative learning• Improve performance skills and self-confidence

• Gain appreciation of a literary form that may be new tothem—the play.

Assigning PartsBefore you assign parts, read the play and matchstudents' abilities with roles. Note that in this play,Ruben's part is about twice as long as everyone else's.Sarah's part and those of Narrators 1 and 2 are slightlylonger than Narrator 3's role or that of the WiseWoman. • If you have a larger group and you want to be sure that

everyone has a part to play, you might divide longerroles in two. For example, Ruben 1 might read pages 2-5, and Ruben 2 might read pages 6-12.




Day 1: Building Background and Preparing To Read1. Tell students that they will read a play based on an

Eastern European folktale that was originally told inYiddish, a language that most Jewish Europeanscould speak about a hundred years ago. Since mostchildren are probably unfamiliar with the tale, you maywish to read aloud the following picture book adaptedfrom the traditional Yiddish tale:• A Big, Quiet House by Heather Forest. August House LittleFolk, 1996

2. Pass out the A Big Quiet House books and havestudents go on a “picture walk” through theillustrations to preview the script. Encouragevolunteers to list and briefly describe the humancharacters, animals, and story events.

3. Direct students to page 1. As students follow alongsilently, read aloud the script. Model creative use ofvocal expression. Emphasize humorous and seriousmoments in the script.

4. Ask the students how they liked the play, and how itseems the same and different from other version(s)they've read or heard. Ask what lesson or messagethe tale might teach.

A Big, Quiet House


Characters(in order of appearance)Narrator 1 (red type)Narrator 2 (green type)Ruben (blue type)Sarah (orange type)Narrator 3 (purple type)Wise Woman (aqua type)




Vocabulary• peace and quiet (pp. 2, 3, 4, and 7) stillness;

calmness. (Dad had to wait until my party was overto get some peace and quiet.)

• complaining (pp. 2, 3, and 4) whining; listing reasonsfor unhappiness. (Please stop complaining about theweather. It will probably stop raining soon.)

• dawn (pp. 3 and 5) early morning; sunrise; about 5 am.(Let's go to bed early. We have to wake up at dawn.)

• wise (pp. 4, 10, and 12) smart; good at problemsolving. (Grandma is a wise woman who always givesgood advice.)

• a dozen (pp. 5 and 7) twelve. (Dad bought a dozeneggs, some milk, and a loaf of bread.)

• flock (pp. 6 and 7) a group of animals who livetogether. (There are about twenty goats in thefarmer's flock.)

• herd (pp. 6 and 9) to move a group of animals andkeep them together. (The dog will herd the cows intothe barn.)

• dying for (p. 7) wanting very, very much. (It was so hotthat I was dying for a cold drink.)

• shooed (p. 11) chased; herded. (Mom shooed the catsoff her bed so she could change the sheets.)

• hooves (p. 9) hard foot coverings. (Their hooves helpanimals like cows and deer to walk on hard, rockyground.)

2. Have students form pairs to practice the script. Onepartner might read Ruben's part along with those ofNarrators 1 and 3. The other might read the parts ofSarah, Narrator 2, and the Wise Woman. Thenpartners can swap roles and read the play again.


Discuss emotions that readers might need to convey.For example, the married couple should seemirritated with each other as they argue about theirsmall, noisy house. When Ruben goes back to theWise Woman to complain that her plan is notworking, he should seem desperately angry, since shehas made things much worse instead of better.

Model hand gestures, facial expressions, andmovements that might bring the characters to life.Have students read slowly and clearly and atappropriate volume. Model correct interpretation ofpunctuation marks. Make sure each partner haspracticed every part in the script at least twice.











A Big, Quiet House

The Lion and the Mouse - page.reallygoodstuff.compage.reallygoodstuff.com/pdfs/303926.pdf · 7)...

Documents

Transcript of The Lion and the Mouse - page.reallygoodstuff.compage.reallygoodstuff.com/pdfs/303926.pdf · 7)...