Reader's Theatre: Tall Tales Gr. 4-6


Book Description

Our Tall Tales unit is a unique way of introducing students to some of the most interesting characters in the world. The tall tales genre was popularized in North America in the 1820's. Readers Theatre is a unique and fresh way of introducing students to a number of delightful plays that have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. They can also serve as a useful tool for developing a student's oral reading and comprehension skills. Readers Theatre calls upon the students to utilize their voices, facial expressions, and hand gestures to interpret the characters in the scripts. This Theatre & Folktales lesson provides a teacher and student section with a variety of scripts, creative writing activities, crossword, word search and answer key to create a well-rounded lesson plan.




Readers' Theater: Tall Tales


Book Description

Readers theater is a powerful tool for developing reading fluency. The scripts are designed for a range of reading levels. Students have opportunities to read individually, in pairs, and as a group. The scripts do not require costumes, props, or scenery.




The Legend of Lightning Larry


Book Description

"One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf." -- San Francisco Examiner No outlaw could draw as fast as Lightning Larry. But what really terrified those bad men was that peculiar gun of his. It didn't shoot bullets. It shot light. And Larry always aimed for the heart. Can Larry save the town of Brimstone from Evil-Eye McNeevil's outlaw gang? Find out in this rip-roaring original tale of a gunfighter with a huge smile and a hankering for lemonade. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "STORIES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Toni Goffe is the British illustrator of numerous well-loved children's books and is a winner of the 1993 Gold Medallion Book Award. He is also illustrator of Aaron's "The Legend of Slappy Hooper." ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf; girls will probably like the story too . . . The language is perfect, [with] the right dose of silliness to make both parents and children chuckle . . . The illustrations are ideal." -- Cindi Rose, San Francisco Examiner, Aug. 20, 2012 "A tall-tale superhero for our time. . . . A readaloud that could lighten up classes well up in the elementary grades." -- Kirkus Reviews, Mar. 1, 1993 "Pass out the bandanas and dig out the spittoon. Read this story in an old-timer's voice, and everyone will have a good time." -- Chris Sherman, American Library Association Booklist, Mar. 1, 1993 "Move over, Wyatt Earp. Make room for a cowboy of a different caliber. A wide age range of listeners will request this one again and again." -- School Library Journal, Nov. 1993 "A rib-tickler. . . . Kids will enjoy acting this out as readers theatre." -- Jan Lieberman, TNT, Spring 1993 "Lovely. . . . Should reach the tickly bone of youngsters." -- Storyline, June 1993 "Perfect for telling or reading out loud." -- Katy Rydell, Stories, Spring 1993 "My class loved this story. Great to use when introducing tall tales." -- D. Peccianti, Reviews of All Resources (Monterey Peninsula United School District) "Introduces one amazing cowpoke. . . . Will have young listeners laughing out loud and asking you to 'read it again.'" -- Smithsonian, Nov. 1993 "Told in the spirited language of a true yarn-spinner, this is a rollicking picture book to warm the heart of just about everyone." -- Kids' Line, Summer 1993




Molly Pitcher


Book Description

Act out the story of Molly Pitcher, a tough, smart, and brave soldier's wife who fights in his place during the Revolutionary War! Featuring roles with differentiated reading levels, this Reader's Theater script supports differentiation and English language learner strategies, allowing all students to participate and confidently build reading fluency, whether they are struggling with reading or are proficient. By performing with their peers, students will practice reading aloud, interacting cooperatively, reading aloud, and using expressive voices and gestures to tell this inspiring tale! At the end of the story, students can recite a poem and sing a song for additional fluency practice. This colorful, leveled script connects to popular children's literature and is the perfect tool to get all students to participate in an engaging activity, making them enjoy practicing fluency.




Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett


Book Description

On the day she is born this amazing baby proudly announces she can out-talk, out-grin, out-scream, out-swim, and out-run any baby in Kentucky. Within a few years Sally is off to the frontier, where she stuns a hungry grizzly bear, makes a lasso out of six rattlesnakes, and is more than a match for the mighty Mike Fink. And when Sally Ann rescues Davy Crockett from a pair of ferocious eagles, even her hornet's-nest bonnet and skunk perfume don't stop him from proposing marriage. You won't find Sally Ann in any history book, but that hasn't kept her from becoming an authentic American frontier legend and the unforgettable heroine of Steven Kellogg's most delightfully rip-roaring tall tale.




Davy Crockett


Book Description

Act out the story of Davy Crockett, the legendary frontiersman, with this engaging Reader's Theater script! The roles in this script correspond with different reading levels, allowing teachers to use differentiation and English language learner strategies to assign specific roles to students, accommodating all reading levels. This dynamic activity allows all students to participate in this activity, gaining confidence in their reading fluency and feeling successful! Through performance, students will practice important skills like reading aloud, interacting cooperatively, and using expressive voices and gestures. Additionally, students can recite a poem or sing a catchy song about Davy Crockett to continue practicing fluency at the end of the story. By connecting to popular children's literature in a lively way and enabling active participation, this script makes rereading an enjoyable and engaging activity. This colorful, leveled script is the perfect tool to get all students to participate and build fluency.




The Three Billy Goats Gruff


Book Description

The three billy goats outsmart the hungry troll who lives under the bridge.




Annie Oakley


Book Description

Act out the story of Annie Oakley, the legendary cowgirl and star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, with this engaging Reader's Theater script! With leveled roles, this script allows teachers to apply differentiation and English language learner strategies into instruction, encouraging all students to engage in the activity. All students can participate, gain confidence in their reading fluency, and feel successful, regardless of their reading ability! Students will practice reading aloud, using expressive voices and gestures, and interacting cooperatively by performing this story with their peers. When the story is over, students can also practice fluency with the additional poem and catchy song. This colorful, leveled script connects to popular children's literature in an engaging way, making reading and rereading an enjoyable activity. This script is the perfect tool to get all students to participate and enjoy practicing fluency.




Love That Dog


Book Description

This is an utterly original and completely beguiling prose novel about a boy who has to write a poem, and then another, and then even more. Soon the little boy is writing about all sorts of things he has not really come to terms with, and astounding things start to happen.




America's Tallest Tales


Book Description

WHAT IT IS: This fun and hilarious musical play helps you teach the standards while bringing your classroom to life! Easy-to-do play comes with script, audio CD, and teacher's guide. NO music or drama experience is required¿you don't have to sing or play a note! Go big and perform on stage, keep it simple with a classroom performance, or simply do reader's theater in class. No fancy sets, costumes, or performance spaces are needed, so it's all up to you! Flexible casting for 8-40 students and permission to edit the script and songs make it easy to tailor the play to the needs of your class and community. Your purchase of one copy per teacher includes permission to photocopy the script for students. /// WHAT IT TEACHES: "America's Tallest Tales" takes kids on a delightful journey featuring the stars of America's folktales, including Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed, Annie Christmas, Bess Call, and many more. 25 minutes; grades 2-6. /// SYNOPSIS: Babe the Blue Ox is missing, and Paul Bunyan will stop at nothing to find him. He teams up with Bess Call, the strong-armed heroine of the Adirondacks, on a quest to find his beloved companion. /// WHAT IT DOES: "America's Tallest Tales" is a great complement to your curriculum resources in language arts. And, like all Bad Wolf Press plays, this show can be used to improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, performance and speaking skills, class camaraderie and teamwork, and school engagement and parental involvement¿all while enabling students to be part of a truly fun and creative experience they will never forget!