5th Grade Drama

Overview

In fifth grade, students complete two major projects that explore bringing imagined stories to life on stage and on film. To do so, students explore playwriting and filmmaking.

Current Project: In pairs or small groups, student playwrights write short plays. Throughout the process they explore plot structure, play script format, stage direction, and character development. The project culminates with in-class performances of their work.

World Building

With their playwriting partners, playwrights created a model of the imagined world their original plays will take place in.

Character Design

With their playwriting partners, playwrights created life size models of their main characters including key details that shape their personalities: fear, wish, quirk, etc. 

Playwriting

After completing their prewriting design activities, playwrights dive into writing their short plays. Along the way, they are encouraged to act out moments in the script drafts to see if it sounds and feels like what they were aiming for.

Rehearsal

After writing their short plays, playwrights collaboratively stage their plays and direct their peers.

Playwriting Reflections

Throughout the playwriting process, playwrights were asked to reflect on their work. Below are a few snippets of their reflections.

What part of your play are you most proud of? 

I am proud of the teamwork my partner and I had while writing, building and creating the characters for the play.

I am just proud that I wrote my first play because I have never made a play before.

I am proud of how we made our play come to life.

What is something you learned while writing your play?

That it is actually kind of hard to make completely new universes but if you work together anything is possible.

I learned that I really like writing with my friends!

You can make the play as funny as you want.

Writing with a friend is better than working by myself. 

I like writing my own story and then acting it out.