and the SATS test

A drama about the work ethic, and perseverance!

The hare and the tortoise enter. HAROLD THE HARE is wearing floppy ears attached to a hair band. He also has two large cardboard front teeth attached to his upper gum with chewing gum. He has a carrot in his pocket. THERESA TURTLE has a hard plastic shopping basket on her back to represent a shell. There needs to be two test papers already out on two desks, on top of which are two pencils, two rubbers and two sharpeners.

This story can be shown to the children playing these parts before the assembly, so that they can be ready with appropriate mime

It was some years since Harold Hare had done a SATS test, but he was pretty confident that he would cruise through and leave the others far behind.

"I'll beat them all by a whisker", he said, " no need to dangle a carrot in front of me!" (takes one out and nibbles it)

On the other hand, Theresa Turtle had been dreading this moment. She felt like shrinking back into her shell; but no, she was determined to give her all.

"I'll do my very best for 'Miss', she whispered to herself, "I'm so very glad she tortoise."

Harold looked over at Theresa, and gave a toothy grin. (shows his teeth) What a big silly she is," he thought, "she'll soon find herself in the soup."

"Now I hope you've all been listening, and you understand exactly what you have to do! You may start NOW," said the teacher.

Harold hadn't quite heard what the teacher had said, but he knew what to do anyway. He had been there before; he knew it all.

"No panic, no need to sweat!" he told himself. He glanced through the questions- "easy peasy- lemon squeezy."

Theresa knew that she had to be careful, she easily missed things. She was a plodder, but she had gone to bed early the night before, and she was raring to go. "Think carefully, she said, read everything through carefully, just like the 'Miss' said. She would show everyone what she could do, no turning turtle this time.

Harold began throwing points away. He didn't read the questions very carefully, turned over two pages together and generally got himself into a terrible mess!

 He thought he knew which page to end on, and put his pencil down, confident that he was first past the finishing line as usual. After all, all the rest were idiots, slowcoaches, numbskulls, dawks of the first degree!

It was a fine day and the sun was beating down through the windows of the gymnasium. It was warm and Harold felt sleepy.

 He put his large feet up on the desk and had a snooze. (snoozes, with legs up on the desk)

Theresa hurried on, slowly… yes compared with the others. She took time to read the questions carefully. She looked to see how many marks were awarded for each question, so as not to waste too much time; time she could little afford.

She worked so very hard, while Harold took things easy.

She completed the paper with a few minutes to spare, but even then went back to check her answers, and she found one or two silly mistakes and corrected them.

The morning wore on.

Harold eventually opened one eye, then the other. He leaned over to gloat at Theresa who seemed to be struggling furiously; and shock horror! He didn't recognise the pages she was doing!(falls off the chair with shock)

Oh no! he reached for his pencil, and began scribbling like mad! He snapped the point, sharpened it furiously and the sweat began to pour off him.

His nerves were all on edge! Sinews, muscles, skin and fur all taut.

PEEP! "Pencils down now, " commanded the teacher. Your time is up."

Harold slammed his pencil down, panicked and picked it up again!

"I said put your pencil down Harold," said the teacher.(puts it down and tries to pick it up yet again)

"Down! She had to repeat again. And Harold cried out in despair.(throws the pencil down in frustration)

"SATS… all for now," the teacher said, "the test is over. You don't need to worry anymore."

"That's what you think," whispered Harold to himself. "When my mother sees my results, she'll skin me alive! She won’t be a very happy bunny!"

Theresa crawled away tired but happy. After all she had done her very best.

Harold however hopped away hopelessly.

 "Oh keep your 'hare' on," he said to himself. "You've learnt your lesson; you'll do better next time!"