Here is an idea for you to start a new activity at Cypris: Reading movie scripts together. Continue reading to see an example and instructions. You can copy and paste this text in a notecard to use for your activity. It’s a great way to practice reading, pronunciation, and have fun at the same too!
Reader’s Theater Circle
By Professor Merryman
Today we are going to practice reading, timing, and intonation. Read the script with others in your group. One person is the director. It is their responsibility to make sure everyone reads their part well. Help each other with word and phrase meaning. Write down the words and phrases you have learned. At the end of the reading, the director will review the new words and phrases learned during the reading.
Why not start your own Reader’s Theater Circle. Here are some websites to help you find scripts:
http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/
http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=carrick/index.html
http://www.literacyconnections.com/ReadersTheater.php
=========
SCRIPT #1
=========
The Animal Trainer
Parts (3): Narrator Animal Trainer Lion
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Narrator: Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to Ringling Brother’s renouned lion training act. May I
direct your attention to the center ring.
Trainer: And now, ladies and gentlemen, I shall do my famous lion act! OK, Joe, open the cage
door.
Narrator: Joe, the circus animal handler opens a cage door at the edge of the ring and out leaps a
full grown lion.
Lion: [Leaping out of the cage] Just watch and see how well I have this trainer trained!
Trainer: OK, Leo, up on your stand!
Lion: [To audience] Now watch me make him crack his whip. [sit on chair]
Trainer: [Cracks whip] All the way up, Leo… All the way up.
Lion: Now watch him bow to everyone. [stand on chair]
Trainer: [Bowing to the audience] Thank you. Thank you. And now for my next trick. [Cracks whip
again.]
Lion: [To audience while getting off chair] Want to see him turn in circles? keep your
eyes open!
Narrator: The trainer takes the chair and holds it between himself and the lion while cracking
his whip. [take chair and wear it] He turns in a small circle and Leo walks in a wide circle around the ring.
Trainer: That’s it, Leo, around the cage. There you go! [Keeps Leo at the end of the whip,
turning around with him.]
Lion: [To audience] You haven’t seen anything yet! Now I’ll have him put his head in my mouth.
Trainer: And now, ladies and gentlemen, I shall do my greatest act. Leo will open his mouth, and
I shall very bravely put my head inside.
Narrator: Leo opens his mouth wide and the trainer turns his head sideways and places it between
the lion’s teeth. Then he quickly removes it again.
Lion: Well, enough of this. I’m ready for my dinner.
Trainer: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. [Bowing all around] Open the door, Joe,
and give Leo a good meal tonight. In you go, Leo. In you go. Good job.
Lion: [Turns head back to audience as he climbs back into the cage]I sure have that trainer
well trained, don’t I?
==Vocabulary
[Write Here]
==Questions for discussion:
What can we learn from this?
Are animals just laughing at us?
Are circuses bad?
=========
SCRIPT #2
=========
The Ant And The Grasshopper
An Aesop’s Fable
Scripted by Lisa Blau
Parts (5): Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Ant Grasshopper
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Narrator 1: On a beautiful summer day, a grasshopper sat and sang a sweet song. [Grasshopper sings]
Narrator 2: The grasshopper saw an ant working hard carrying grain to his house.
Grasshopper: Look at that silly ant. All day long he works hard and never enjoys the sunshine.
Narrator 3: The grasshopper laughed at the ant and then he continued his song. [Grasshopper sings] He basked in the warm sun all summer long without a care in the world.
Narrator 1: As summer turned to autumn the grasshopper continued to sing his song and enjoy the sunshine. [Grasshopper sings] The ant, on the other hand, continued to gather food and store it in his house.
Narrator 2: When winter came, the cold winds blew hard and the snow covered the meadow with a thick blanket of white.
Narrator 3: The grasshopper tried to find food, but of course he found nothing.
Narrator 1: It didn’t take long for the grasshopper to knock on the ant’s door and beg…
Grasshopper: Please help me! I have nothing to eat! I shall starve without your help.
Ant: My dear Mr. Grasshopper, all summer long I worked hard carrying food to my home while you played in the sunshine. I will not share my food with someone who is so lazy.
Grasshopper: I was busy singing my song. I was making beautiful music. What should I do now?
Narrator 2: The ant thought for a moment and then said…
Ant: I suggest you dance.
Narrator 3: And the moral of this fable is…
Ant: You must do the work before you take the time to play.
All: The End.
==Vocabulary
[Write Here]
==Questions for discussion:
Are ants smart?
Do grasshoppers like to sing?
What’s more important, work or play?
===========
SCRIPT #3
===========
The Bad Kangaroo
by Arthur Lobel
Parts(5): Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Mr. Kangaroo Mrs. Kangaroo
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Narrator 1: There was once a small kangaroo who was bad in school.
Narrator 2: He put thumbtacks on the teacher’s chair.
Narrator 3: He set off firecrackers in the lavatory and spread glue on the doorknobs.
Principal: Your behavior is impossible! I am going to see your parents. I will tell them what a problem you are.
Narrator 1: Said the principal, who went to see Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo.
Narrator 2: He sat down in a living room chair.
Principal: Ouch! There’s a thumbtack in this chair.
Narrator 3: cried the Principal.
Mr. Kangaroo: Yes, I know.
Narrator 1: Said Mr. Kangaroo
Mr. Kangaroo: I enjoy putting thumbtacks in chairs.
Narrator 2: A spitball hit the principal on the nose. [make a spitball sound]
Mrs. Kangaroo: Forgive me. But I can never resist throwing those things.
Narrator 3: Said Mrs. Kangaroo.
Narrator 1: There was a loud booming sound from the bathroom. [make a boom sound]
Mr. Kangaroo: Keep calm.
Narrator 2: Said Mr. Kangaroo to the principal.
Mr. Kangaroo: The firecrackers that we keep in the medicine chest have just exploded. We love
the noise.
Narrator 3: The principal rushed for the front door. In an instant he was stuck to the doorknob.
Mrs Kangaroo: Pull hard. There are little globs of glue on all of our doorknobs.
Narrator 1: said Mrs. Kangaroo.
Narrator 2: The principal pulled himself free. He dashed out of the house and ran off down
the street.
Mr. Kangaroo: Such a nice person!
Narrator 3: Said Mr. Kangaroo.
Mr. Kangaroo: I wonder why he left so quickly.
Narrator 1: Mrs. Kangaroo said,
Mrs. Kangaroo: No doubt he had another appointment. Never mind. Supper is ready.
Narrator 2: Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo and their son enjoyed their evening meal. After the dessert,
they all threw spitballs at each other across the dining-room table.
Narrator 1, 2, 3 (together) Moral: A child’s conduct will reflect the ways of its parents.
==Vocabulary
[Write Here]
==Questions for discussion:
What can we learn from this?
Should parents be held responsible for their child’s actions?
Are kangaroos though of as naughty animals?
===========
SCRIPT #4
===========
Belling The Cat
Adapted by Lisa Blau
Parts (6) Mouse Leader Gray Mouse Brown Mouse Wise Old Mouse Narrator 1 Narrator 2
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Narrator 1: Once upon a time, many little mice lived in a cozy house.
Narrator 2: One day, a big cat came to live in the house.
Narrator 1: The cat chased the mice. The mice were very, very scared.
Mouse Leader: We have a problem.
Narrator 2: The mouse leader told all the mice.
Mouse Leader: I am tired of being chased by that big mean cat day and night.
Gray Mouse: But what can we do?
Narrator 1: Asked the gray mouse.
Brown Mouse: We must come up with a plan.
Gray Mouse: What a great idea. What will we do?
Brown Mouse: We can wait until the cat falls asleep. Then we can tie a bell around the cat’s neck. When the cat tries to chase us, the bell will ring and we can run away.
Brown Mouse: This is a fabulous plan! Let’s tie the bell around the cat’s neck.
Wise Old Mouse: And who will tie the bell around the cat’s neck?
Narrator 2: Asked the wise old mouse.
Narrator 1: No one wanted to be the one to try.
Narrator 2: The mice were much too scared.
Wise Old Mouse: And that is why mice are still chased and caught by cats to this very day.
==Vocabulary
[Write Here]
==Questions for discussion:
How did the wise mouse become wise?
What would you do in this situation?
What can we learn from this?
