Component I: Favorite Stories (Primary Level)
Component II – Original Stories (Primary Level)
Component III – Individual Story/Dramatization (Intermediate Level)
Component IV: Impromptu Dramatizations (Primary/Intermediate Levels)
Component V: Living History (Intermediate Level)
Component VI: "(Teacher’s Name)’s ___________Grade Review" (Primary/Intermediate Levels)

Students will demonstrate an understanding of story elements by creating a dramatization based on selected stories, including setting, characters, events, problems/solutions.

1. Select and read a story/book, either a new selection or an old favorite.
2. Discuss the story elements – characters, setting(s), events, problems/solutions – so that the students "know" the story well.
3. Plan together how this story might "look" when acted out as a play.
4. Divide the class into smaller groups for the role-playing.

1. Review the story selected – bringing the story/book for a quick review would be helpful.
2. If the students have experience in role-play and dramatization a story may be selected from the museum collection and the pre-activities conducted as part of the museum program. Be sure the museum staff is made aware of this prior to your visit.
3. Assign role if that has not been done in pre-activities.
4. Plan and act out the story.
5. Discuss the "play" and differences noted between it and the actual story, generating possible reasons for the differences, e.g. time, materials available.

1. Review characters, settings and events from story dramatized at the museum.
2. Make a drawing of a story character or scene.
3. Each small group can choose/be assigned a specific scene to create a cartoon or mural depicting the story dramatized.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic components of story writing by creating a story and dramatization of it, in whole class or small group settings.

Pre-visit Activities:

1. Brainstorms ideas to create an original story, including characters, settings, and problem-solution events.
2. Write the story as a class project, using chart paper or a story board.
3. Plan and begin drawings of key components of the story – characters, settings, etc.
4. Begin initial planning for dramatization of the story –
   • assigning characters
   • determining events to be acted out
   • planning any costuming that may be needed

   Note: Providing a copy of the story to KNS staff prior to your visit will allow us to help prepare costuming and other props/materials that may be helpful for your dramatization.

   Museum Activities:

   1. Review the story to be dramatized by reading or telling the story.
   2. Set the stage and prepare costuming.
   3. Perform the dramatization.
   4. Conduct a group evaluation of the performance.

   Post-activities:

   1. Review the characters, settings and events dramatized at the museum.
   2. Make drawings of story characters or scenes from the story.
   3. Small groups can choose/be assigned specific scenes to illustrate as a story cartoon or mural.

   Note: Video-taping the performance at the museum might assist students in reviewing, evaluating and creating new artifacts pertaining to the story performance.

   Alternative Focus:

   Divide the class into small groups, having each create their own story for dramatization. Then follow the steps, as outlined above, for each group.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of story elements and the writing process by creating their own individual stories and preparing them for dramatization.

Pre-visit activities:

1. Brainstorm story ideas, or provide a pre-selected theme.
2. Review story elements and structure, following your district guidelines.
3. Have students complete stories and share with classmates.
4. Have the class select representative stories for dramatization at the museum.
5. Divide the class into small groups, each assigned to a particular story (or all assigned the same story).
6. Each group plans their dramatization of the story selected, included assigning characters, planning/creating props and materials, developing specialized costuming. Be sure all items are brought to the museum on the day of your visit.

Museum Activities:

1. Review each story prior to its dramatization, through a reading or retelling.
2. Prepare stage area and costuming.
3. Perform the dramatization.
4. Conduct a group evaluation of the performance.

Note: In any play production, the class can be the audience in a whole-group setting and parents may be invited to attend as audience.

Post-visit Activities:

1. Review the production and compare the dramatization to the written story.
2. Keep a journal about the entire story-dramatization experience.
3. If the play was video-taped, analyze/evaluate the production.
4. Re-create the drama at school for other classes.

Note: This activity can be modified to incorporate small group stories or even a class story if you choose. The pre, museum and post-activities will remain essentially the same, with pre-activity # 4 eliminated as each group will prepare and act out its own story.

Students will develop and enhance critical thinking skills by brainstorming various problem situations, discussing possible solutions, then planning and role-playing selected situations. Students will also explore a variety of community roles and occupations, creating role-playing dramatizations.

Pre-visit Activities:

1. Provide opportunities for students to discuss situations, events, problems, activities of interest to themselves.
2. Practice consensus-building and compromise, enabling students to come to agreement concerning selected hypothetical problem situations.

Museum Activities:

1. Role-play a "problem" situation from the following list, or suggests one of its own.

• Avoiding strangers
• Resolving arguments with friends, parents, teachers
• Resisting substance abuse – drugs, alcohol, tobacco
• Meeting new friends
• Witnessing an accident, fire or crime

• Discuss the problem and brainstorm solutions
• Select a consensus solution and plan how to act it out
• Choose volunteers to role-play the situation
• Evaluate the performance and choose new volunteers

1. Community Helper Role-Play

• Brainstorm list of people/jobs under the category of "community helpers" – police officers, firefighters, teachers, emergency technicians, etc.
• From selected "helpers" list discuss roles they play in the community
• Discuss situations calling for specific "helper" involvement
• Plan a role-play illustrating a specific situation and act it out
• Discuss the role-play and brainstorm alternative actions/solutions and let volunteers act them out, comparing results

1. Game: "If I was a _____________________"

• Brainstorm a variety of careers/occupations
• From a selected list discuss what specific careers/occupations might involve
• Let volunteers role-play specific careers/occupations
• Evaluate performances, looking for positive attributes and additional suggestions

1. Game: "What Am I?"

• Follow the same steps as Activity #3, with volunteers not telling the career/occupation they are role-playing
• Audience can try to guess the occupation from the role-play
• Evaluate, discussing clues in the role-play and suggestions for other possible clues not thought of

Post-visit Activities:

1. Use problem/solution brainstorms to create written advice columns for students to describe specific problems and provide solutions.
2. Generate a list of community helpers, review what they do for the community, and write letters thanking them for their help in making the community better/safer.
3. Schedule guest speakers to visit the class to explain their particular careers/occupations and compare with museum role-plays.
4. Create occupational self-portraits

• Students select a particular occupation previously discussed or role-played
• Provide enlarged photographs of student faces and have students draw themselves in the selected occupations, either as a portrait or in an action scene

Component V: Living History (Intermediate Level)

Students will research key historical figures studied across the curriculum and demonstrate an understanding of their important contributions through biographical role-plays.

Pre-visit Activities:

1. Brainstorm important people studied across the curriculum and generate lists of their contributions and interesting facts about their lives.
2. Have each student or small group select a particular individual, research in more depth, and prepare a biographical sketch.
3. Plan a dramatization about the individual selected –

• Biographical monologue
• Role-play of important life events
• "Who Am I?" with appropriate costuming and clues from biographical information

Museum Activities:

1. Act out dramatizations prepared in pre-visit activities.
2. Evaluate performances

Post-visit Activities:

1. Prepare written reports about individuals studied.
2. Create a fictional story with your "important person" and you as main characters.
3. Create a "Wall of Fame" with illustrations of important people studied