Dramallama U – Adapting Children’s Books
Contributing Educator: Karen Kidd
Adapting Children’s Books: This unit allows students to explore various aspects of the creative process as they transform a children’s book into a staged production for young audiences. The overarching goal is to provide an experience that allows creative choice-making throughout each aspect of the performance process as they take a story from an idea to a fully realized performance experience. Students will have the opportunity to explore a number of children’s books and select one to adapt into a play as they move step-by-step through the script writing process. Based on staged readings of the scripts, the class will then select plays to produce. The culminating project is a play that can be performed for the class or for an invited audience of elementary students. To prepare for this, students, in production groups, will immerse themselves in the design process as they bring their sets, costumes, and acting visions to life. This unit is aligned with the National Core Arts Standards for Theatre and is written as a high school level unit.
Lesson Plans Included: 8
Materials: Lesson Slides and Google Doc Printable Resources are included to help guide your work and support student learning.
Grade Levels: High School
Lesson Plan Topics
- Children’s Books Survey - Find One Suitable for Developing (TH:Cr2-II.b, TH:Pr4.1.I.a.)
- Story Mapping - Script Structure and Development (TH:Cr1.1.I.c., TH:Cr2-III.b)
- Design Concepts - Develop and Identify Through Lines (TH:Pr5.1.I.b., TH:Re8.1.I.c)
- Staged Readings - All Scripts Shared with the Class (TH: Re7.1.I.a.)
- Producing the Play - Sets and Costumes (TH:Pr5.1.II.b.)
- Producing the Play Props - Identify, Assemble, and Build (TH:Pr5.1.I.b.)
- Producing the Play - Process Drama Activities (TH:Pr6.1.II.a., TH:Re9.1.I.c.)
- Performing the Plays - For and With Young Audiences (TH:Pr5.1.II.a., TH:Pr6.1.I.a)
