Dancing Scarecrow Drama Script

Introduction & Hook (5 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going on an exciting adventure with a very special scarecrow. Take a look at our first slide Dancing Scarecrow Drama Slide Deck!"

"Before we dive into our story, I want you to think for a moment. What comes to mind when you hear the word 'scarecrow'? What do they do?"
(Pause for student responses.)

"And what about dancing? What does it mean to dance? What kinds of things can dance?"
(Pause for student responses.)

"Great ideas! Scarecrows are usually still, standing in fields, right? But what if a scarecrow decided to dance? Our story today is all about a dancing scarecrow!"

Read Aloud: The Dancing Scarecrow (15 minutes)

"Now, I'm going to read you the book, 'The Dancing Scarecrow.' As I read, I want you to pay close attention to the scarecrow. How does he move? How does he feel? What happens to him? Listen carefully!"

(Read the book aloud, using expressive voices for different characters and pausing at key moments to show illustrations.)

Discussion & Character Exploration (10 minutes)

"Wow, what a wonderful story! Let's talk about it. Look at our slide again Dancing Scarecrow Drama Slide Deck."

"First, who was the main character in our story?"
(Guide students to identify the scarecrow.)

"What were some of the important things that happened to the dancing scarecrow? Can you remember any key events?"
(Allow students to share plot points.)

"How do you think the scarecrow felt throughout the story? Did his feelings change? When was he happy? When might he have been a little lonely or sad?"
(Encourage discussion about emotions.)

"This is an interesting question: What do you think makes a scarecrow dance? Not just in the story, but imagine if a real scarecrow started dancing! What might make that happen?"
(Encourage imaginative responses.)

Puppet Introduction & Instructions (5 minutes)

"You've done a fantastic job thinking about our dancing scarecrow! Now, it's your turn to bring a dancing scarecrow to life! Take a look at the next slide Dancing Scarecrow Drama Slide Deck."

"Today, we're going to create our very own articulated scarecrow puppets. 'Articulated' means they'll have moving parts – arms and legs that can swing and sway, just like our dancing scarecrow!"
(Show a quick example of an articulated puppet if you have one, or demonstrate with your hands how the joints will move.)

"Each of you will get a Scarecrow Puppet Template and some other materials. We'll follow the steps on our next slide Dancing Scarecrow Drama Slide Deck and in your Dancing Scarecrow Puppet Activity Guide to build them."

Scarecrow Puppet Creation Activity (20 minutes)

"Alright, let's get started! Remember our steps: first, carefully cut out all the pieces from your template. Then, you'll get to be creative and decorate your scarecrow body, head, arms, and legs. Think about what kind of clothes or colors your dancing scarecrow might have!"
(Circulate and assist students with cutting and decorating.)

"Once your pieces are decorated, you'll use these special brass fasteners to connect the arms and legs to the body. These will be like the scarecrow's joints, allowing them to move! Your Dancing Scarecrow Puppet Activity Guide has clear pictures to help you."

(Provide individual help as needed, demonstrating how to use the fasteners.)

Dramatic Play & Cool Down (5 minutes)

"Fantastic work, everyone! Look at all these amazing dancing scarecrows!"

"Now for the fun part! Let's make our scarecrows dance! I'm going to play some music, and I want you to hold your scarecrow and make it dance in different ways. Show me how it might twirl, jump, or sway!"
(Play upbeat instrumental music and encourage free dramatic play.)

(After the music fades.)

"That was wonderful! How did making and dancing with your puppet help you understand the story of 'The Dancing Scarecrow' even better? What part of creating your scarecrow did you enjoy the most?"
(Facilitate a brief share-out.)

Cool Down: My Dancing Scarecrow (Ongoing)

"To wrap up our lesson, I have a short Cool Down: My Dancing Scarecrow worksheet for you. It will give you a chance to draw your scarecrow and write about its dance. You can complete this individually at your desks."

(Distribute the cool down worksheet.)

Dancing Scarecrow Puppet Activity Guide

Follow these steps to create your very own dancing scarecrow puppet!

Materials You Will Need:

• Scarecrow Puppet Template
• Construction paper or cardstock (if tracing)
• Scissors
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Brass fasteners (brads) - you will need 4 per puppet
• Glue or tape (optional, for extra decorations)

Instructions:

Step 1: Get Your Pieces Ready

• Carefully cut out all the parts from your Scarecrow Puppet Template: the body, head, two arms, and two legs.
• If you want to make your scarecrow extra strong, you can trace these pieces onto construction paper or cardstock and cut them out again.

Step 2: Decorate Your Scarecrow!

• Use your crayons, markers, or colored pencils to decorate each part of your scarecrow.
• Think about what colors a scarecrow might have. What kind of clothes? Does it have patches? A hat? A friendly face or a silly one?
• Be creative! Make your scarecrow unique.

Step 3: Punch the Holes

• You will see small circles on your scarecrow's body, arms, and legs. These are where you will make the holes for your brass fasteners.
• Carefully use the tip of a pencil or a small hole punch (if your teacher provides one) to make a small hole in the center of each circle. Ask for help if you need it!

Step 4: Assemble the Arms

• Take one arm piece. Line up the hole at the top of the arm with one of the upper holes on the scarecrow's body.
• Push a brass fastener through both holes. Open the two prongs of the fastener on the back to secure the arm to the body. Make sure it's not too tight so the arm can swing.
• Repeat this for the other arm.

Step 5: Assemble the Legs

• Take one leg piece. Line up the hole at the top of the leg with one of the lower holes on the scarecrow's body.
• Push a brass fastener through both holes. Open the two prongs of the fastener on the back to secure the leg to the body. Again, make sure it's loose enough to swing.
• Repeat this for the other leg.

Step 6: Make Your Scarecrow Dance!

• Once all the parts are attached, hold your scarecrow by its body.
• Move its arms and legs! Make it jump, twirl, and sway. Imagine the music it would dance to!
• You've made your very own dancing scarecrow!

Scarecrow Puppet Template

Instructions: Carefully cut out all the scarecrow body parts. Decorate them, then use brass fasteners to connect the arms and legs to the main body at the marked circles. Make sure the connections are loose enough for your scarecrow to dance!

Scarecrow Head

• Draw a circle or an oval for the head. Add a face, hat, and any details you like! (Suggest approx. 4-5 inches in diameter)
• Mark a small circle at the bottom of the head where it will connect to the body. (This will be the top center of the body.)

Scarecrow Body

• Draw a rectangle or a slightly tapered shape for the scarecrow's body. (Suggest approx. 6-8 inches tall and 4-5 inches wide)
• Mark two small circles on each side near the top for the arm connections.
• Mark two small circles on each side near the bottom for the leg connections.

Scarecrow Arms (x2)

• Draw two identical arm shapes. These can be simple rectangles or slightly curved. (Suggest approx. 5-6 inches long)
• Mark a small circle at one end of each arm to connect to the body.

Scarecrow Legs (x2)

• Draw two identical leg shapes. These can also be simple rectangles or slightly curved. (Suggest approx. 6-7 inches long)
• Mark a small circle at one end of each leg to connect to the body.

Cool Down: My Dancing Scarecrow

Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________

1. Draw Your Dancing Scarecrow!

Draw a picture of the scarecrow puppet you created. Show it in a fun dancing pose!

2. About My Dancing Scarecrow

• What is one thing you like about your scarecrow puppet?
  
  
  
  

• If your scarecrow could dance to any song, what kind of song would it be?
  
  
  
  

• What did you learn about the story "The Dancing Scarecrow" by making your puppet?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• What was the most challenging part of making your puppet, and how did you solve it?