5 Guided Reading Play Scripts (plus quizzes) based on Unit 19 Tudor Exploration – written by Sue Russell.
This set of guided reading play scripts is one of a collection, based on Units 6 – 20 of the UK Key Stage II History Curriculum; also available – collection of class plays, again based on these units. For complete list including play scripts for USA curriculum, visit www.plays-r-ussell.com
Unit 19 The Tudor Explorers
Play 1 Tudor Explorers
Speakers:
Christopher Columbus John Cabot Martin Frobisher
Richard Chancellor Ferdinand Magellan Sir Francis Drake

Play 2: Drake’s Round the World Voyage
Speakers:
Sir Francis Drake Captain Thomas Doughty
Sailor 1 Sailor 2
Sailor 3 Sailor 4

Play 3: Raleigh’s Roanoke Settlement – Plight of Native Americans
2 parts - Part 2 can be used as a link with PSHCE Unit 5 Living in a Diverse World – examining the plight of Native Americans.
Speakers:
Part 1 Sir Walter Raleigh Sir John White
Settler 1 Settler 2
Indian 1 Indian 2
Part 2 Indian 1 Indian 2 Indian 3
Indian 4 Indian 5 Indian 6

Play 4: Anglo-Spanish Hostilities – Introduction to Slavery
Link with PSHCE Unit 5: Living in a Diverse World , looking at origins of slave trade – starting point for discussion on racial prejudice
Speakers:
Sir Francis Drake
Queen Elizabeth 1st
King Phillip II (of Spain)
Sir John Hawkins
Slave
Sailor

Play 5: The Slave Trade – Discussion on Racism (incl. Martin Luther King)
Link with PSHCE Unit 5 Living in a Diverse World.
Slave trade and its consequences for their African ancestors.
including discussion around keywords: discrimination, segregation, prejudice, racism.
Plus R.E. link to key figure in racial equality struggle– Martin Luther King
Speakers:
John Hawkins
Slave
Martin Luther King
White American Child (Maisie)
Black American Child (Joel)
Teacher

This set of 5 guided reading play scripts on ‘Tudor Explorers” employs 6 speakers each. Thus for a class of 30, there are 5 groups of 6 children. (For a smaller class size, a mini play may be dropped or the speakers re-allocated). Each 'mini play' comes with a quiz - an excellent assessment tool and means of focusing attention on actual learning content. I describe these plays as guided reading play scripts or readers' theater, as the scripts can be read as opposed to memorized, with no props.
I have written a set of guided reading play scripts to ‘compliment’ every ‘traditional’ class play I have written. Along with coverage of the UK History Key Stage II curriculum and most of the USA Social Studies curriculum at Elementary and Middle School level, I have also written guided reading play scripts and class plays for other subjects such as Citizenship Skills (PSHCE), Science and Geography.
The focus of these ‘mini plays’ is more on reading than performing, which is why I refer to them as ‘Readers Theater’ and I see them as a wonderful classroom resource, delivering the curriculum via role play. I have used this format with classes I have taught and know first-hand how well this innovative form of teaching works. For the complete collection of guided reading play scripts I have written (and traditional class plays), visit my website www.plays-r-ussell.com
Please note: 30 minutes teaching time is very approximate, depending on time spent on reading and answering quiz questions.

Tudor Explorers guided reading play scripts by Sue Russell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.