I've used role plays, Shakespeare and Reader's Theater to bring drama into my classroom. Performances appeal to all learners: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Additionally, performing a text incorporates several excellent fluency and comprehension strategies. The rehearsing and rereading that go into preparing to perform improve fluency. The time students spend studying the text in order to know what is going on and how to deliver their lines require students to make inferences, define vocabulary, monitor for understanding, etc.
Click on the cover page above to see a lesson I've used to bring performances into the classroom. It is designed to have students choose ten lines from one of their favorite poems to perform and break down for the class. There are handouts for them to go through beforehand that include activities in several reading strategies: visualizing, summarizing, monitoring, making connections, etc. There is a graphic organizer to helps them break down the tone and theme. There is a simple checklist rubric at the end for grading. It is designed for poetry, but can be easily adapted for any dramatic text. At just $2, it is a great value.
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