Featuring 20 plays, this reproducible book offers a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach to teaching U.S. history. Drama and humor (geared towards elementary and middle school students) make key historical events come alive while developing a range of student skills, including historic thinking, literacy, and dramatic and oral presentation.
From the Jamestown settlement and the invention of the telephone to the Little Rock school crisis and events of the 1990's, these high-interest plays effectively engage students by appealing to a broad range of learning styles. The flexible format requires no teacher preparation and lets you involve your class in each play in a variety of ways—students can read the play independently as homework, recite it as a group during class time, or break into small groups to stage a performance for their classmates. (The plays have parts for 6-30 students, although they can be easily adapted for smaller class sizes.)
An ideal supplement to any U.S. history textbook, 20 Plays for U.S. History Classes offers a hands-on, creative way to explore key historic issues and encourance active student participation in the classroom.