SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS

HOW TO LEAD A SUCCESSFUL CLASS PLAY IN GRADES 1-8

Developed by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

The ‘Class Play’ is a true highlight of each year in the Waldorf grade school for it
is a rich creative and social process for a class. Different than most dramatic
experiences, the end performance is not the key goal. Instead the goals are
multifold, intending to inspire the students and help them in their transformative
unfolding!

Our list of goals includes building:

Interpersonal goals
Exploring, reflecting on, and making sense of life’s moral riddles or what
it means to ‘become human’, cooperating, collaborating, listening, taking
turns, giving and receiving constructive criticism, appreciation and
acceptance, negotiating

Intrapersonal goals
Self-responsibility, self-confidence, courage, adaptability, effectively
handling stress, exploring, reflecting on, and adapting or accepting one’s
own behavior

Academic goals
Understanding story conventions, deepening understanding of
curriculum theme by dramatically exploring fictional or historical
characters

Artistic goals
Articulating clearly, expressively, and confidently, convincingly
portraying a character, combining song, speech and eurythmy in one
performance, costume and set design

Suggestions for Preparing for and Choosing the Class Play

Class plays work so beautifully when the teacher:
• Builds on the children’s innate sense of play and fantasy
• Connects the play to the curriculum of the year, thus building on and
deepening the children’s understanding of what they already know
• Actively involves the children in the learning by encompassing a number
of learning styles and multiple intelligences
• Considers which role is best for each child’s temperamental or
psychosocial needs instead of who is most skilled or who hasn’t had a

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

 leading role. These curative opportunities are crucial to explore. For
example, a shy child could be given a sensitive, compassionate part and a
boisterous, choleric student could be given a loud, aggressive part so that
each more fully experiences their behaviour tendencies or two students
who are having difficulties in the social realm could engage in a similar
dilemma in the play.
• Helps the students see that each part, whether small or large, contributes
to the whole. This unites the group artistically and socially in the short
term and builds healthy life-long social responsibility.

And with those preparations we suggest that, from the very first day of the
school year, you begin musing on the children’s individual needs in relation to
the year’s curriculum content. Consider what the class and individual children
may need to work on temperamentally or as a group and/or which stories have
touched the class deeply. For example, a second grade class might need to learn
more about social inclusion and so the teacher chooses the play about “Kateri,
the Rough-faced Girl”, a Mohawk girl who was made fun of because of the
scarring on her face and who was later admired for her kind deeds.

Often teachers find a play already written and adapt it to meet their desired
goals. Some teachers find that they are inspired to write an original play for
his/her class.

A Developmental Approach to the Class Play from Grade 1 to 8: Changing

Styles and Themes
The style and theme of class plays change over the years to reflect the
developmental capacities of the students in each grade. Be sure to consider your
students’ cognitive and emotional abilities when choosing your play.

Grade 1
The class learns the whole play written in verse through recitation. The children
are too young to hold individual parts or to stand facing an audience alone.
Either individual students or small groups step forward to enact various parts,
then step back to join the class while all speak in chorus. Some schools decide
that the play will only be performed for the parents and the kindergarten classes.
Theme: Fairy tales

Grade 2
The class learns the whole play written in verse. There may be a few individual
roles woven in but most of the play is delivered chorally as a whole class or in
small groups. The students imitate the teacher’s simple gestures and movements
and face the audience while speaking their parts clearly. Some schools decide

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

that the play will be performed for the parents, kindergarten, and first grade
only.
Themes: Stories of saints or fables

Grades 3-5
The class learns the whole play, which is usually in verse form, even though
individual roles are given. The teacher still decides on the blocking, movements
and gestures. The play is usually delivered twice, once to the whole school and a
second time to the parents/wider community in the evening. Sometimes there
are two casts.

Grade 3 Theme: Hebrew legends (Old Testament)

Keep costuming and staging simple.

Grade 4 Theme: Norse myths or state history

Costumes often become a little more detailed as students become more involved
in creating them.

Grade 5 Theme: Ancient myths from India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, or

Greece
Staging often becomes more detailed as students become more involved in
creating the scenes.

Grade 6-8
With each year, the play is longer with several acts and numerous scenes. The
sets, costuming, and make up become even more elaborate as students become
more and more interested in this aspect of play production. Also, the students
engage more actively in blocking, movements and gestures. Two casts become
quite challenging now. The play is often presented 3-4 times, 2 school day
performances and 1-2 evening performances.

Grade 6 Theme: Ancient Rome or Middle Ages

Grade 7 Theme: Age of the Explorers, Renaissance, or Shakespeare
Grade 8 Theme: Shakespearean or modern play

Class Play Timelines

The Class Play is an amazing class community and individual process so it needs
to 'grow' organically. Here is a process suggested to us that we have found most
effective for the play to grow roots, stem, flowers and fruit instead of only
concentrating on the fruit!

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

Notice how the timeline in which the children learn the play is also
developmental in nature hence three different timelines.

GRADES 1-3
8 weeks Tell the story during the usual main lesson story time (unless it has
prior been told already).

Begin teaching the class the play orally just as if learning a poem.
Students repeat after you while standing, one stanza at a time during
speech and movement time of main lesson. Include simple gestures
with the speech work.
3-5 Introduce the songs and music that will be woven into the play.
weeks Practice both the recitation and music during the opening segment of
prior your morning, as transitions between main lesson segments, and
during practice classes as appropriate. Work on enunciation,
inflection, and intent of language and gestures.

For grades 2 and 3, let the students have different roles each time once
they all know all of the play.
2 weeks For grades 2 and 3 create a simple set with a few props. Show the
prior to students the movements and cues and let them practice during one
play practice period per day.

Create a simple set. Put together very simple costumes with parent
help.
Week Practice the play on the set during one practice period each day. Just
of play before the performance practice during 1-2 main lesson periods with
costumes.

In grades 2 and 3, the teacher gives the children their roles on the day
of the play based on temperaments and/or how each student might
benefit from a role. It is done in a low-key fashion to downplay the
importance of ‘starring roles.’ The parents find out when watching the
play.

GRADES 4-6
6-7 Tell the story during the usual main lesson story time (unless it has
weeks been told already).
prior
Begin teaching the class the play orally just as in grades 1-3 or give
the written play to the students to read aloud each time taking
different parts.

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

 Talk about the story, the plot, the funny parts, the sad parts, etc. so
that the class becomes 'friends' with it.

Recite or read the play each day for these two weeks for about 10-15
minutes of main lesson and/or during part of a language arts
practice period.
5 weeks Distribute copies of the written play to each student. Continue
prior reciting or reading during language arts practice periods, working
on enunciation, inflection, intent of language, gestures, etc. Assign
students different roles each time.

Starting in Grade 5 or 6 you could allow the class to choose whom

they think would be best for each role instead of 'trying out' for a role
or saying which role they each want. This is done by giving each
student a list of all of the major roles and asking each one to write
down the person she thinks would be good for each role with the
caveat that she cannot cast herself. On the back of that paper the
student can list the three parts she would like to be considered for.
(We were amazed how the ‘group wisdom’ of the class almost
always matched the casting we were considering.)
You would still choose the roles based on temperaments and how
each student might benefit from a role regardless of the individual
desires of a student.
4 weeks Give out roles to students at dismissal on Friday. This allows each
prior student the opportunity to process the role she has been given and
the opportunity to begin to settle into the role before returning to
school. Assign learning their lines for homework instead of the usual
reading assignment.

Continue practice during practice periods (at least 2-3 per week).

Figure out the stage and blocking. Ask for parent help in gathering
set items and making costumes.
3 weeks Same as Week 4 but now the class works on the stage, blocking each
prior scene.

Beginning 3 weeks prior– Learning Lines Policy:

If a student is not learning her lines at home, call home and ask the
parents to help the student follow through.
Week of Main lesson and all periods after main lesson are devoted to play
play practice on the stage. You could practice a specific scene during a
practice class which is held by another teacher. Ask that teacher to

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

 teach those students that are not in the scene being rehearsed. This
will keep those not engaged on stage in a class. It would be agreed
that only review or other type of activities would be done at this
time– no new learning. Work this out with each teacher in advance
so she will know what to expect during this week.

The last two days prior to the first performance are dress rehearsals
with the class focused entirely on the play. Be sure to have some
assignments that those not involved in a scene can do so that they
are not just wandering around.

GRADES 7-8
10 weeks Share a synopsis of the play with the class orally.
prior
Give the written play to the students to read aloud, taking
different parts.

Talk with the class about the story, the plot, the funny parts, the
sad parts, etc. so that the class becomes 'friends' with it.

Read the play each day for about 10-15 minutes of main lesson
and/or during part of a practice period.
8 weeks Continue reading and becoming friends with the play during at
prior least 1-2 practice periods each week. Work on enunciation,
inflection, intent of language, gestures, etc. Let the students have
different roles each time.

At the end of the week students choose whom they think would
be best for each role instead of 'trying out' for a role or saying
which role they want. The teacher still chooses roles based on
temperaments/how each student might benefit from a role.
6 weeks Give out roles to students at dismissal on Friday. This allows each
prior student the opportunity to process the role she has been given
and the opportunity to begin to settle into the role before
returning to school. Assign learning their lines for homework
instead of the usual reading assignment.

Continue practicing the play during at least 2-3 practice periods

each week. Add in extra practice time as dictated by the length of
the play so that you will have ample time to rehearse lines. Set a
schedule of which scenes will be practiced each week so that
students will know to focus on learning those lines.

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

 Figure out the stage blocking.

Arrange for the students with parent help, as needed, to work on

creating sets, props, and costumes. Work on these items can be
done during art classes, after school, etc.
3 weeks and Same as Week 6 but now the class works on the stage, blocking
2 weeks each scene.
prior
Beginning 3 weeks prior
Learning Lines Policy: If a student is not learning her lines at home,
she must use every recess to work on them until she knows them
by heart. There are always a few students who will help these
stragglers. I also call home and ask the parents to help the student
follow through.

1 week prior Main lesson and all periods after main lesson are devoted to play
and/or week practice on the stage. You could practice a specific scene during a
of play practice class which is held by another teacher. Ask that teacher to
teach those students that are not in the scene being rehearsed.
This will keep those not engaged on stage in a class. It would be
agreed that only review or other type of activities would be done
at this time– no new learning. Work this out with each teacher in
advance so she will know what to expect during this week.

Conduct at least one evening rehearsal if the play will be given on

outside play to work on lighting. Last 3-4 days are dress
rehearsals.
Morning In advance make a plan for breaking down the sets and
after final processing all of the props and costumes. The students should be
performance the main participants here, but some adults will surely be needed
as drivers, etc.

Resources for Teachers: collections of plays:

25 Plays, David Mitchell, Editor

https://www.waldorflibrary.org/books/3/view/52/ebooks/363/25-plays-
ebook

Hawthorne Valley Harvest - A Collection of Plays for the Elementary Grades, William
Ward, Editor

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley

https://www.waldorflibrary.org/books/3/view_bl/120/plays/67/hawthorne-
valley-harvest-a-collection-of-plays-for-the-elementary-grades-
ebook?tab=getmybooksTab&is_show_data=1

Pedagogical Theater Dramaturgy and Performance Practice for the Lower, Middle and
High School, Arthur M. Pittis,
https://www.waldorflibrary.org/books/3/view_bl/52/ebooks/58/pedagogica
l-theatre-ebook?tab=getmybooksTab&is_show_data=1

Let's Do a Play: Eleven Class Plays for Grades 1-5, Colin Price
https://www.waldorflibrary.org/books/3/view/60/third/389/let-s-do-a-play-
eleven-class-plays-for-grades-1-5

Whittle Your Ears, Barbara Dawson Betteridge

https://www.waldorfpublications.org/products/copy-of-whittle-your-ears
This is a collection of poems, songs, and plays grades 1-6.

Roberto Trostli has also written a number of class plays that can be found on line
including a play about Briar Rose for 1st grade and one about Perseus for 5th
grade: http://www.waldorflibrary.org

Created by Patti Connolly and Janet Langley