Today's Classroom Activities :

Putting on a Classroom Performance

Quick Stick Puppets
Reading/Art After reading a story aloud, allow children time to use paper, crayons and imaginations to create pictures of the story's characters. Attach each picture to the top of a craft stick and have the children use these puppets to act out and/or retell the story.

Staged in a Second
Reading/Drama Lay a large, empty cardboard box on its side. Cut out the center of the bottom leaving a frame about 4" wide. Spray paint the entire box. Cut off the flaps and leave just enough of the edge to allow the box frame to stand on its own on a desk or table. You have a ready-made puppet theatre. Make sock puppets, paper puppets on crafts sticks or use purchased puppets. Have students act out the stories they are reading and writing.

In addition to everything else, teachers have to be great performers. This music teacher shares some of her best material for keeping students engaged in What a Performance!