Mini Classroom Musicals - Tales Retold in Script and Songs by Betsy Lee Bailey
Some of the best teaching is done through story telling. Folktales, fables and fairy tales have been told and retold for centuries. They have been told simply as entertainment as well as presenting an important lesson to be learned. Sometimes the lesson or moral is obvious, but usually, the lessons are subtle and have many layers of meaning. That's why these tales have such timeless appeal. Folktales from cultures around the world can help broaden our understanding of different times and places. Besides, these tales are pure entertainment!
Included in this series are stories from Germany, Norway, ancient Greece, and Renaissance England with more to come. Because these stories have been used by teachers for generations to teach practical lessons in literature, language arts and writing, I thought it would be good to include Lesson Plans with ideas to support the Common Core Objectives for ELA (Elementary Language Arts). Music and Drama teachers will like the musical styles and acting technique activities. Home Schoolers will like having the whole package for use as a fun Co-op Enrichment Activity. Art and coloring activities are included, as well.
Included in this series are stories from Germany, Norway, ancient Greece, and Renaissance England with more to come. Because these stories have been used by teachers for generations to teach practical lessons in literature, language arts and writing, I thought it would be good to include Lesson Plans with ideas to support the Common Core Objectives for ELA (Elementary Language Arts). Music and Drama teachers will like the musical styles and acting technique activities. Home Schoolers will like having the whole package for use as a fun Co-op Enrichment Activity. Art and coloring activities are included, as well.
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Each 15 minute Mini-Musical is designed to be performed in a variety of ways - from Readers Theater to an In-Class Presentation to part of a Chorus Concert or a Drama Class Recital. The shows will appeal most to the middle to upper Elementary Grades 2-5 primarily, but may, with work, be presented by the younger grades, too. Sets and Costuming may be as simple or elaborate as time and budget allow. The songs are catchy and designed to evoke the historical time period and culture of each story. Acting Games, simple movement (choreography), puppetry, and playing rhythm instruments add to the whole experience of putting on these shows. It may take up to 10 hours of teaching sessions to mount one of these Mini-Musicals depending on how many of the Activities you choose to use.
Break a leg!
"The Tale of the Ants and the Grasshopper" is another short production that may be performed as an in-class show. Costumes may be very simple such as black knit pants and black T-shirts for the Ants and something green for the Grasshopper. Extra students can be more ants. Don't forget to make black or green feelers out of pipe cleaners. Scenery may be very simple. I have used a screen, a large painted cardboard box, or a painted set suggesting an ant hill. It just needs to be large enough for the ants to hide behind. One production group had the kids paint their own scenery and props (large seeds, flowers, snowflakes and leaves.)
This little show is quick to produce with only three songs and two dances. The Ants' lines may be spread out over more actors. The strongest singer/dancer should be the Grasshopper. Very fun show.
This little show is quick to produce with only three songs and two dances. The Ants' lines may be spread out over more actors. The strongest singer/dancer should be the Grasshopper. Very fun show.