Why you need to use Black history plays with your students!
Are you looking for an exciting way to connect with your students using pop culture with a variety of options for all students while teaching Black history in an engaging way?
Black History reader’s theater plays are the way to do it!
Reader’s theater = better reading comprehension!
There is no better way to teach students critical reading skills than with reader’s theater. As they perform and learn about the various Black history heroes, students will improve their skills by:
- connecting with the text
- learning new vocabulary words
- practicing phonics and phonological awareness
- and comprehending what the text is saying and its deeper meanings
When the theater stops, the learning doesn’t!
This resource now includes multiple-choice and short-response comprehension questions with the answer key. As students rehearse and read through the play, check their comprehension with the questions provided!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “By far one of the best things I’ve purchased! My struggling readers really worked on their fluency and expression with this resource. They even performed for other grade levels.” – Kelsey J.
You’ve Got Options with these Scripts!
This bundle includes five plays with bonus rap musical versions that can be performed as poems that explore the accomplishments of Black heroes in history while teaching important themes to students. Use one script for a school assembly, the other for an outreach event, another for parental engagement, a youth program, a summer camp, or just be ready all year long because Black history is bigger than February!
Include Your Students’ Talents!
Got actors/actresses, rappers, singers, dancers, artists, or students with other talents in your class? Have them join in by performing their passions while contributing in a meaningful way to the performance! With the bonus musical versions, all students can be included!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I used this in combination with the rap version. It was perfect!” – Rosemary E.
Teach Important Themes with Theater
These plays explore the lives of influential Black Americans such as George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, and DJ Kool Herc who started Hip Hop. These heroes of the past teach important lessons to the children such as the value of teamwork and community as well as the importance of studying history.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My students absolutely loved this script. They had fun acting out the parts and really got into what it was saying.” – Andrea C.
Kid-friendly, Entertaining Dialogue with Pop-culture References!
These plays mix pop-culture topics such as YouTube, superheroes, and other engaging themes into the characters’ dialogue to keep the performances fresh and engaging. (Imagine a comicbook writer giving a 10 year old a lesson on superhero history.) These scripts work well as Black History Month skits for an assembly or a class reader’s theater activities. With fun and easy-to-use scripts, you, your cast, and your audience are in for an awesome time!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It was the highlight of the event with kiddos’ showcasing their talents. We followed the instruction provided on how to put the resource together.” – Evelyn E.
This bundle includes five plays with rap-opera musical versions titled:
- Black History Heroes: Then and Now
- Black History Heroes: Not Alone
- Black History Heroes: Kids Making History
- Black Music History: Hip Hop, Rap, and Jazz
- Black History: Heroes in Action!
All of these plays include:
- a table of contents
- tips and ideas on how to use the script
- character dialogue and stage directions
- a simple map of stage directions for understanding the characters’ blocking
- a full character list with brief descriptions of each Black hero’s notable successes
- 10 multiple-choice and 10 short-response comprehension questions with the answer keys
- A total of 100 questions are in this bundle!
- *Bonus Musical Options!* The musical-script versions with the instrumental and vocal-reference music are included for all plays!
- the “Black History: Heroes in Action” musical play also includes a video with images of the Black heroes and the instrumental music for their songs to display during a performance (MP4)
The run time for each play is ten to fifteen minutes and each play is one act.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I have nothing but great things to say! This resource aligned perfectly with the (state) standards. This was a great way for students to become comfortable with public speaking and reading with expression. The students LOVED it, and they STILL talk about it.” – Rosemary E.
AND Another Bonus: Virtual-Theater Option Included!
A virtual-theater, how-to guide is also included to allow your students to record a virtual performance and share it with your audience in a digital format if needed. Theater is never canceled!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My administrator was observing my virtual instruction and noted how excited my learners were with this activity.” – Alexis M.
Click here to get this bundle now and engage your students and audience during Black History Month and beyond!
*Note: You may record a performance of these plays to display or share digitally. When doing so, you must include “script by Rap Opera for Kids” in the title or description of your uploaded video. Thank you!
You can also to get your INSTANT freebies by clicking here or with the form at the top right!
Thanks for reading! More content coming soon.
Until then,
Happy teaching!