‘Changes since 1948’ – world events in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s
5 Guided Reading Play Scripts (plus quizzes) based on Unit 13 Changes Since 1948 – written by Sue Russell. This is a set that covers key figures and events in both Britain and the world arena during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s – including the history of rock music.
(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 )
Play 1 The 1950s
Speakers:
Queen Elizabeth II Martin Luther King
Edmund Hillary Walt Disney
Roger Bannister Elvis

Play 2 The 1960s
Speakers:
Yuri Gagarin
Neil Armstrong
Nelson Mandela
Mick Jagger
John Lennon
Bobby Moore

Play 3 The 1970s
Speakers:
Queen Elizabeth II
Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols)
David Bowie (Spiders from Mars)
Mark Spitz (American Olympic swimmer)
Olga Korbut (Russian Olympic gymnast)
British soldier

Play 4 1980s
Speakers:
Margaret Thatcher (Maggie)
Princess Diana (Diana, formerly Lady Diana Spencer)
Ronald Reagan (Reagan)
Mikhail Gorbachev (Gorbachev)
Bob Geldof (Geldof)
Boy George

Play 5 The 1990s
Speakers
Queen Elizabeth
Tony Blair
John Major
Victoria Beckham
Britney Spears
Robbie Williams

This set of 5 guided reading play scripts on ‘Changes since 1948’ – world events in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s - 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.

World Events from 1950s to 2000 Guided Reading Play Scripts by Sue Russell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.