Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Reader Theater--The Sequel



This unit is an extension of Reader's Theater activities. Reader's Theater is a popular instructional approach in which students read a scripted version of a book or story. Readers Theater is characterized by minimal props, costumes, or sets; reading as opposed to memorizing; an inclusive approach to student participation. Readers Theater motivates students for engaging in texts and repeated readings, and improves fluency and comprehension. By adding creative elements of digital audio, you can simultaneously enhance the fluency and comprehension of the students as well as introduce new creative and meaning-making skills. This is an audio play based on a Grimm Tale, The Ungrateful Son.

Ideally, students will get a prose version of the story and then a script in made (typically with the narrator's part divided among many students).

If you want to do this or another Reader's Theater project, here are 5 pieces of music that can work well as background. Letting students vote on a musical selection for the class or choose one for group or individual productions can be a very rewarding experience. It can open up discussions on tone and atmosphere.



The Ungrateful Son—Prose Version
This is the prose version that was used to create the performance script.

A husband and wife were once sitting by the door of their house, and they had a roasted chicken set before them, and were about to eat it together. The husband said, “Mmm. This chicken looks good,” and the wife replied, “Yes, it certainly does.” Soon they heard the sound of a person whistling. The husband said, “Here comes my father down the road, look through the window and see him, let’s hide this chicken in the closet.” There was then the sound of the father’s footsteps and a knock at the door. The father came in and took a drink. The father said, “Thanks for the water. See you soon.” The Father left. The son went to get the roasted chicken from the closet. When he grabbed it, it turned into a giant frog that jumped onto the man’s face. The frog made a loud “RIBBIT.”
The Husband was angry, “What happened to my chicken? What is this frog doing on my face?” The frog made another ribbit sound. The frog stayed on the man’s face forever. If any one wanted to take it off, it looked venomously at the person, as if it would jump on his or her face. No one dared to touch it. When the man walked down the street a neighbor said, “Oh boy, that frog looks pretty mean. I don’t want him on my face. Keep away from me!” And the ungrateful son was forced to feed the frog every day.


The Ungrateful Son—Performance Script

Roles: 12 Narrators, Husband, Wife, Neighbor, Father

Narrator 1: A man and his wife were once sitting by the door of their house.

Narrator 2: And they had a roasted chicken set before them, and were about to eat it together.

Husband: Mmm. This chicken looks good.

Wife: Yes, it certainly does.

[Sound effect: whistling]

Husband: Here comes my father down the road. Look through the window and see him. Let’s hide this chicken in the closet.

[Sound effects: footsteps and knocking at door]

Narrator 3: The father came in and took a drink.

Father: Thanks for the water. See you soon.

Narrator 4: The father left.

Narrator 5: The son went to get the roasted chicken from the closet.

Narrator 6: When he grabbed it, it turned into a giant frog…

Narrator 7: …that jumped on the man’s face.

[Sound effect: frog ribbit]

Husband: What happened to my chicken? What is this frog

(Angry) doing on my face?

[Sound effect: frog ribbit]

Narrator 8: The frog stayed on the man’s face forever.

Narrator 9: If any one wanted to take it off, it looked venomously at the person, as if it would jump 
on his or her face.

Narrator 10: No one dared to touch it.

Narrator 11: When the man walked down the street a neighbor said,

Neighbor: Oh boy, that frog looks pretty mean. I don’t want him on my face. Keep away from me!

Narrator 12: And the ungrateful son was forced to feed the frog every day.

Music Sample Pack for Readers Theater--music and sound effects