Setting

Nursery Rhymes and Songs

Nursery Rhymes and Songs Nursery Rhymes and Songs

Nursery Rhymes and Songs Nursery Rhymes and Songs

B E N C H M A R K E D U C A T I O N C O M P A N Y

Learning ObjectivesLISTENING/SPEAKING• Participate in rhymes, conversations, and discussions• Present dramatic interpretations of plays

GENRE AND AUTHOR STUDY• Learn about nursery rhymes and traditional songs• Identify features of “fractured” classics and plays

COMPREHENSION• Use prior knowledge to anticipate meaning and makesense of texts• Respond through talk, movement, music, art, drama,and writing to a variety of stories and poems in waysthat reflect understanding and interpretation• Make text-to-text connections• Analyze character, setting, and plot

FLUENCY• Build fluency through repeated readings

T E AC H E R’ S G U I D E

Reading Levels Student Reading Characteristics

A/1 to B/2

C/3 to C/4

D/5 to D/6

E/7 to E/8

F/9 and up

Emergent Level• Developing concepts about print• Relies on direct text-to-picture support for cross-checking and monitoring• Needs predictable language patterns• Beginning to recognize basic sight wordsEmergent Level• Recognizes the link between known letters and related sounds• Needs picture/text support• Needs some supportive language patterns• Knows some basic sight wordsEmergent/Early Level• Needs some picture/text supports• Searches through words in a left-to-right sequence and blends letters into sounds• Able to read varied print placement• Developing control of many basic sight wordsEmergent/Early Level• Uses known words and patterns to check on reading• Becoming faster at noticing errors and initiating multiple attempts for problem solving• Relies less on patterned predictable text• Reads high-frequency words quickly, fluently, and automaticallyEarly/Early Fluent Level• Has full control of beginning reading strategies• Able to read longer, more complex texts• Has large core of frequently used words

Week at a GlanceDay One: Build Background and

Introduce Original Text

Day Two: Read Aloud the Script

Day Three: Choral-Read the Script

Day Four: Rehearse the Script

Day Five: Perform, Assess, andReflect

©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.ISBN: 978-1-60859-221-0

READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

• Explain to students that throughout the weekthey will be reading a new version of a familiarrhyme or song as a group. • Say: A new version is called an adaptation.Writers change parts of the story in an adaptation. They may change the characters.They may change what happens, too.Sometimes writers change the story into aplay by writing a script.• Tell students that at the end of the week theywill perform a reader’s theater adaptation ofthe original rhyme or song. • Say:We will perform a script in front of an audience. Some of you will get to be characters from the script. You will not haveto remember your lines like actors in moviesor on TV shows, though. Instead, you will readyour parts out loud while the rest of the classwatches and listens.• Remind students that the play they will bereading is [title], an adaptation of [originalrhyme or song]. Discuss the following:• If the characters in the original couldtalk, what would they say?• How would you sound if you were[character]?• What might your body language look like?

Begin each lesson with a shared reading of theoriginal text found on the inside front cover ofeach book.

Day One

Build Background andIntroduce Original Text• Display the Big Book on an easel or use theE-Resources CD-ROM to display the bookon a whiteboard.• Ask students if they are familiar with theoriginal nursery rhyme or song on which thescript is based.• Discuss the story line, characters, and rhymeor song setting.• Invite volunteers to recite the original for the class.• Read aloud the original rhyme or song, orplay the modeled reading on the audio CD.• Ask students to echo-read the rhyme or songwith you one line at a time.• Have students choral-read the entire rhymeor song for repeated reading practice.• Invite one or two individual students toreread the original to the group.• Discuss the original rhyme or song andcreate an anchor chart such as the examplebelow.

Sample Anchor Chart

Story Map

Characters

Setting

Problem

Solution

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©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS3

Day Two Day Three

Read Aloud the Script Preview the Script • Display the Big Book on an easel or use theE-Resources CD-ROM to display the bookon a whiteboard.• Say: Yesterday we read [title of original rhymeor song]. Today we will read a script called[title of adaptation].• Read aloud the title page including the titleand author, cast of characters, and setting.• Invite students to explore the layout, text,and illustrations.• Point out the color coding of the characters’names and the image icons.• Explain how a script is written and read.• Discuss the anchor chart of the original and go over the concept of an adaptation.Ask: If you were to write a new version of this rhyme or song, what would it include?

Model-Read the Script• Introduce the script by giving a brief summaryof the adaptation, including the characters,setting, and key events.• Set a purpose for reading and listening.• Introduce the Picture Words, Sight Words,and Enrichment Words (pages 2–3 of eachscript) so the students can hear/say/discussthem before the first reading of the script.• Have students listen and follow along as youread the script aloud to model fluency andexpression, or have students listen to theaudio CD.

Discuss the Script• Discuss the script and summarize the keyevents. • Identify each character and his or herimportance in the script. • Invite student-partners to discuss the questions on the inside back cover and then share their answers with the group.

Choral-Read the ScriptChoral-Read the Script• Revisit the script and choral-read it as agroup. Offer suggestions for expression, voice, and characterization for each part.

Assign Roles• Hand out the small-book scripts and assignindividual parts. (Use “Tips for Assigning Rolesto Students” below.) • Discuss with students where their parts are found in the script (character images,color coding of character names), how theircharacters would feel, how their voices wouldsound as they read, and the body languagethey would use to reflect understanding andinterpretation of the text.

Repeated Reading of the Script• Reread the script allowing individuals anopportunity to practice reading their partswith the support of the group.

Fluency PromptsBe sure to model, think aloud, and provideguided and independent practice along withfeedback related to the following fluency skills:• Speed and pacing• Pausing• Inflection and intonation• Phrasing• Expression

See the Overview for a detailed list of promptsthat you can use.

Tips for Assigning Roles to StudentsTo match character roles and students appropriately, consider the text difficultylevel of each role and the beginning readingcharacteristics of your students. Use thechart on the first page to match the readinglevel with each role in the script.

Character roles and reading levels for eachscript are provided on the “Titles, Characters,and Reading Levels” lists on pages 5–8 of this guide. Note that one part in each scriptis for an Early/Fluent reader (level F/9 andup). This part, often the Narrator, should beread by a teacher or other fluent reader.

Rehearse the Script• Choose a grouping from the chart below andallow sufficient time for repeated reading andpracticing of the assigned parts of the script.• Discuss and model rehearsal expectations inadvance.• Make character puppets. (See the E-ResourcesCD-ROM or Reproducible Activities forDifferentiated Instruction book.)

Literacy Connections• Compare and contrast the adaptation to theoriginal nursery rhyme or song. Using sharedwriting, create a Venn diagram to record thekey points of the discussion.• Create a new adaptation of the original storythrough shared or interactive writing lessons.Illustrate and publish the new version as abook or wall mural.• Create a wall mural of the original nurseryrhyme or song through shared or interactivewriting lessons. Have students illustrate andlabel the characters and key components ofthe mural.• Refer to the E-Resources CD-ROM orReproducible Activities for DifferentiatedInstruction book for additional script-specificliteracy lessons and take-home activities.

©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Perform, Assess, and ReflectPerform the Script• Invite students to perform the script for an audience such as members of the class, students from other classes, school staffmembers, or parents.

Assess and Reflect• Use a piece of chart paper to create a three-column reflection chart. Include a column forreflection questions, and columns to answeryes or no in response. Use the following questions to guide the group’s assessment of their performance, or use the assessmentBLM in the Overview. Place a check in theappropriate column noting their responses.• Did we make our reading sound smoothlike talking?• Did we make our characters sound and feellike real people (or animals/objects) withfeelings?• Did we act out our parts with our voicesand body language?• Were our parts at “just right” reading levels?• Did we practice our reading many timesbefore performing?

• Discuss ways to improve future performancesbased on the self-assessment and reflections.

Assessment TipInformal Observations• Record anecdotal notes that focus on howstudents are developing fluency skills andon their performance.

Day Four Day Five

READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS

Grouping Rehearsal Reading Practice

Small group withteacher

Partners

Individual conference with teacher

Individual practicewith the audio CD

Choose a small group of students towork with. Allow students to rereadthe script aloud and practice readingwith a group. Provide additional modeling and support as needed.

Allow students to revisit the scriptwith a partner. First, students shouldreread their parts together, chorally,then practice reading each of theirparts.

Support individual students throughchoral-reading, echo-reading, and bylistening to them read independently.Provide prompting, modeling, andfeedback as needed.

Allow students to practice rereadingthe script along with the audio CD.

Content ConnectionsExtend learning with hands-on activities thatconnect the scripts to Science, Social Studies,and Math themes. See the Overview for a listof content connection activities.

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READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Baa Baa Black Sheep Sells Her Wool• Wool Buyer 1 (C/3–4)• Wool Buyer 2 (C/3–4)• Wool Buyer 3 (D/5–6)• Ed the Shepherd (E/7–8)• Baa Baa Black Sheep (E/7–8)• Narrator (J/18)

Bear Goes Over the Mountain• Bees* (C/3–4)• Birds* (C/3–4)• Trees* (C/3–4)• Bear (D/5–6)• Narrator (F/9–10)

Brother John, Wake Up!• Kim (A/1–B/2)• Tom (C/3–4)• Bells (C/3–4)• John (D/5–6)• Mike (E/7–8)

Hickory Dickory Dock;or, Go, Mouse, Go!• Fan 1 (A/1–B/2)• Fan 2 (C/3–4)• Fan 3 (C/3–4)• Clock (D/5–6)• Mouse (E/7–8)• Narrator (I/15–16)

Humpty Dumpty’s Fall• Horses* (A/1–B/2)• Person 1 (A/1–B/2)• Men* (C/3–4)• Person 2 (C/3–4)• Humpty Dumpty (C/3–4)• King (D/5–6)• Person 3 (D/5–6)• Narrator (E/7–8)

Hunting We Will Go• Hunter 2 (A/1–B/2)• Hunter 3 (C/3–4)• Rabbit (C/3–4)• Fox (D/5–6)• Hunter 1 (F/9–10)

*choral part

Itsy Bitsy Spider Climbs Again• Spider 1 (A/1–B/2)• Spider 2 (A/1–B/2)• Itsy Spider (C/3–4)• Water Spout (D/5–6)• Narrator (J/18)

Jack and Jill Play on the Hill• Birdy 1 (A/1–B/2)• Birdy 2 (C/3–4)• Jack (D/5–6)• Jill (D/5–6)• Narrator (H/13–14)

Little Boy Blue, Where Are You?• Cow (C/3–4)• Sheep (C/3–4)• Farmer 2 (D/5–6)• Farmer 4 (D/5–6)• Farmer 3 (E/7–8)• Farmer 1 (H/13–14)

Looking for the Muffin Man• Boy (C/3–4)• Man (D/5–6)• Woman (D/5–6)• Girl (E/7–8)• Narrator (G/11–12)

Lunch with Little Miss Muffet• Ant (A/1–B/2)• Spider (C/3–4)• Little Miss Muffet (D/5–6)• Curds and Whey* (E/7–8)• Narrator (F/9–10)

Mary Has a Little Lamb• Lamb (A/1–B/2)• Child 1 (C/3–4)• Child 2 (C/3–4)• Teacher (D/5–6)• Mary (E/7–8)• Narrator (H/13–14)

TTiittlleess,, CChhaarraacctteerrss,, aanndd RReeaaddiinngg LLeevveellss ((SSeett AA))

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READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Old MacDonald’s Noisy Farm• Mrs. MacDonald (A/1–B/2)• Old MacDonald (C/3–4)• Chorus of Animals* (D/5–6)• Narrator (H/13–14)

Old Mother Hubbard’sHungry Family• Cat (C/3–4)• Dog (C/3–4)• Father Hubbard (C/3–4)• Mother Hubbard (D/5–6)• Narrator (J/18)

One Raining, Pouring Morning• Ann (C/3–4)• Dad (C/3–4)• Ted (C/3–4)• Grandpa (D/5–6)• Mom (F/9–10)

One Silly Hey Diddle Day• Cat (A/1–B/2)• Fiddle (A/1–B/2)• Cow (C/3–4)• Dog (C/3–4)• Dish (C/3–4)• Moon (D/5–6)• Spoon (D/5–6)• Narrator (G/11–12)

Party Time with Old King Cole• Pipe (C/3–4)• Fiddler 1 (C/3–4)• Fiddler 2 (C/3–4)• Fiddler 3 (D/5–6)• Old King Cole (E/7–8)• Narrator (J/18)

Peter Piper Picks andPickles Peppers• Green Pepper (C/3–4)• Red Pepper (C/3–4)• Peter Piper (D/5–6)• Yellow Pepper (E/7–8)• Narrator (H/13–14)

*choral part

Sing a Song of Sixpence,the King’s Special Pie• Blackbirds* (A/1–B/2)• Prince (C/3–4)• Princess (C/3–4)• Queen (D/5–6)• Baker (E/7–8)• King (E/7–8)• Narrator (J/18)

This Little Pig, That Little Pig• Pig 5 (A/1–B/2)• Pig 2 (C/3–4)• Pig 4 (D/5–6)• Pig 1 (E/7–8)• Pig 3 (E/7–8)• Narrator (G/11–12)

Tim Rows a Boat Gently Downthe Stream• Friend 3 (A/1–B/2)• Friend 1 (C/3–4)• Friend 2 (C/3–4)• Tim (C/3–4)• Dad (D/5–6)• Narrator (I/15–16)

Where Has My Little Dog Gone?• Dog (A/1–B/2)• Boy (D/5–6)• Girl (D/5–6)• Man (D/5–6)• Woman (D/5–6)• Narrator (F/9–10)

Wishing on a Bright Star• Maria (D/5–6)• Sam (D/5–6)• Dad (E/7–8)• Mom (E/7–8)• Narrator (I/15–16)

Working on the Railroad• Dinah the Train (A/1–B/2)• Worker 1 (C/3–4)• Worker 2 (C/3–4)• Worker 3 (D/5–6)• Captain (G/11–12)

TTiittlleess,, CChhaarraacctteerrss,, aanndd RReeaaddiinngg LLeevveellss ((SSeett AA))

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READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

A Baby Bumblebee for MommyMommy (D/6)Mr. Ruiz (E/7)Mrs. Chan (E/7)Susie (E/8)Narrator (H/14)

Baby Gets a CakeBaby (C/4)Cake (C/4)Oven (D/5)Mrs. Jones (D/6)Baker (F/9)

Bingo, Come Home!Granny (A/1)Gramps (B/2)Farmhand 1 (C/3)Farmhand 2 (C/3)Farmer Brown (G/12)

Chuck, Woodchuck, Chuck!Cat (D/5)Fans* (D/6)Fox (D/7)Woodchuck (E/7)TV Host 2 (E/8)TV Host 1 (I/16)

Hot Cross Buns for EveryoneJoe (C/3)Amy (C/3)Tom (C/4)Sara (C/4)Bun Seller 1 (D/6)Bun Seller 2 (E/8)

Jack B. Nimble JumpsFans* (C/3)Announcer 2 (C/4)Jack (E/7)Coach (E/8)Announcer 1 (I/16)

*choral part

The Jumping MonkeysMonkey 3 (B/2)Monkey 4 (C/3)Monkey 2 (C/4)Monkey 1 (D/5)Monkey 5 (E/8)Mama (G/12)

Lazy Mary Gets UpKitty (D/4)Father (D/5)Auntie (D/6)Mary (D/6)Mother (E/7)Fido (F/9)

The Little Girl with the CurlSally (C/3)Teacher (D/5)Dad (D/6)Mom (E/7)Narrator (H/13)

Little Jack Horner Eats PieJill (C/3)Miss Muffet (C/3)Peter (D/5)Jack (D/6)Mary (D/6)Teacher (I/16)

London Bridge Has Fallen DownPerson 1 (A/1)Person 4 (D/5)Queen (D/6)Person 2 (E/7)Person 3 (E/8)Narrator (H/14)

Mary’s Garden: How Does It Grow?Ed (C/4)Cockle Shells* (D/5)Silver Bells* (D/5)Maids* (E/7)Mary (E/8)Anna (I/15)

TTiittlleess,, CChhaarraacctteerrss,, aanndd RReeaaddiinngg LLeevveellss ((SSeett BB))

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READER’S THEATER NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS ©2009 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Miss Mary Mack and the Jumping Elephants Friends* (C/4)Elephants* (D/5)Bess (D/6)Mary (E/8)Narrator (I/16)

The Old Gray Mare IS What She Used to BeFilly (B/2)Colt 1 (C/4)Mare (D/6)Colt 2 (E/7)Trainer (I/16)

Pease Porridge, Please!Kim (D/6)Jen (D/6)Tim (E/7)Will (E/7)Lunch Lady (F/10)

Peter Pumpkin Eater Loses His AppetitePumpkin 1 (C/3)Pumpkin 2 (C/3)Pumpkin 3 (C/4)Penny (D/5)Peter (E/8)Narrator (G/12)

Pies for Simple SimonBerry Pie (D/5)Cherry Pie (D/5)Peachy Pie (D/6)Pieman (D/6)Simon (E/8)Narrator (F/10)

The Purple Cow Child 1 (A/1)Child 2 (C/3)Child 4 (C/3)Child 5 (C/4)Child 3 (D/6)Purple Cow (E/8)Teacher (H/14)

*choral part

Red Roses, Blue Violets, and . . . ?Student 2 (B/2)Student 3 (C/3)Student 4 (D/5)Student 1 (E/7)Teacher (H/13)

Run, Three Blind Mice!Edna, the Farmer’s Wife (D/5)Mouse 1 (D/6)Mouse 2 (E/7)Mouse 3 (E/8)Narrator (I/16)

Tim’s Head, Shoulders, Knees, and ToesMouth (C/4)Nose (C/4)Eyes* (D/5)Tim (D/5)Ears* (D/6)Knees* (D/6)Toes* (D/6)Shoulders* (E/7)Head (E/8)Narrator (F/10)

The Twinkling StarsDad (A/1)Mom (B/2)Boy (D/5)Girl (E/7)Stars* (E/8)Narrator (H/14)

Where Are Bo Peep’s Sheep?Woodcutter (D/5)Farmer (D/6)Shepherd (E/7)Bo Peep (E/8)Narrator (H/13)

The Woman Who Lived in a ShoeChild 2 (B/2)Child 1 (C/4)Other Children* (C/4)Child 3 (D/5)Mom (G/12)

TTiittlleess,, CChhaarraacctteerrss,, aanndd RReeaaddiinngg LLeevveellss ((SSeett BB))

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