Bertha's Secret Battle by John Coldwell, adapted by David Calcutt
Next steps: look again at these texts, and others, and discuss how playscripts are different from stories.
Ideas | |
| 1. | Ask pupils how the playscript's layout differs from a story. Together, list differences between stories and plays. Start by answering these questions about plays: Are there chapters? Where can we find out about setting? How should it be read? |
| 2. | Scan the text for stage directions in italics. Read some of them and notice that they set the scene and tell characters what to do. Ask pupils to suggest why character names are in bold in these passages. |
| 3. | Choose a few paragraphs of stage directions, e.g. in Scene 6, to read aloud. Notice tense and the short phrases. Ask pupils to rewrite them in the past tense and using sentences. Read some aloud. Notice that they now sound like a story. |
| 4. | Ask a group to present the play to the class. Afterwards, discuss whether pupils prefer listening to a story or a play. Which do they prefer reading? How are they the same? How are they different? |
Series:
TreeTops Playscripts
Reading Stage:
TreeTops Stage 11
Book Band:
KS2 Y3 (P4) Brown