Storytelling Instruction

Create a one-act play with one scene that you and your group will perform about (ONE) A new
life on a new planet or (TWO) an adaptation of a children's book or YA novel (part of a chapter).
The script should include the elements of a play: plot, character, setting, conflict, dialogue,
theme, language, stage directions, and style. Overall, the performance should be creative,
convincing, professional, and interesting to watch.

Guide Lines:
One-act play with one scene
Elements of a play
Written in script format
Has a beginning, middle, and end
Must be performed in class or videotaped

Sample Script
Period 2, Group 4
Tommy Pickles, Dexter McPherson lll, Ginger Foutley, Arthur Read, Connie Maheswaran, Lilo Pelekai

The Gooden Curse

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Grandma
Mother
Father
Esther
Greta
Bobby

Scene 1: The Gooden family all sat around the phone in the living room as it was November
10th.
(Greta and Esther held hands balled up on the couch. Bobby’s eyes never left the phone.
Mother bit her nails uncontrollably and father’s knuckles turned white from gripping the
day's paper. Grandma is on the porch drinking her overly sweet tea. Lights Come Up.)

GRANDMA: Each year I have to tell you not to wait for the call. Live your lives

GRANDMA: (Takes a sip of tea) I have for 62 years now. Look at me, lively as a rooster.

MOTHER: (On edge) Uncle Cal was only 45 when he passed two years ago
BOBBY: Cousin Lucy was only 29

EVERYONE EXCEPT GRANDMA: (Nods in agreement)

GRANDMA: (Crossing her arms over her chest) Well, I never believe in the dumb curse. The
Gooden’s are not cursed.

ESTHER: You’d think grandma would take the curse more seriously after what happened with
grandpa (looks around)
GRANDMA: (Raising her voice) Shut that mouth of yours. Your grandpa didn’t believe in that damn
curse either.

GRETA: Yes, he did.

GRANDMA: No, he didn’t.

MOTHER: He just felt guilty about telling you, mom.

GRANDMA: (Walks over to the phone and picks it up)

BOBBY: (Yanks the phone out of her hand ) Don’t do that! Mom and Esther are right, grandpa
believed in the curse, too. He even made dad keep up his ritual of sprinkling holy water around the
house and checking every nook and cranny of this house for hazards, even easily choked on food.

BOBBY: (Sits back down, hangs the phone up with tears in his eyes)

GRANDMA: I am not going to stand here and watch my family fall apart over a curse that started
decades ago over what? A few coincidences that started with some weird fire. No, I won’t have it.

GRANDMA: (Storms into the kitchen)

(One hour passed. The phone begins to ring)

Father: (Picks up the phone. He answers with mhmms. His face goes pale. He hangs up in silence.
Something shocks him out of his trance.)

Father: (Clearing his throat) Um. Grandma Pearl is dead. They said she was already at the hospital to
do lab work when she got electrocuted by one of the hospital buzzers.

(Father sank into his chair. Everyone let out a breath they had been holding since the phone call.)

GRANDMA: (comes slowly around the hall door with tears streaming down her face) My momma!
GRANDMA: (Her face scrunched up in a way that made her look like a child) She should
have known better to go out on November 10th.

Storytelling Rubric

Grades 4 Exceeds 3 Meets 2 Working Towards 1 Below

DIALOGUE Dialogue is written Dialogue is mostly written Dialogue frequently is Dialogue is written entirely
without quotation marks without quotation marks or written in narrative. in narrative.
or “said,” and includes a “said,” and includes a
colon after the colon after the character’s
character’s name in the name in the margin for
margin for every line. every line, but is
occasionally written in
narrative form.

STAGE DIRECTION Stage directions are Stage directions are Stage directions are Stage directions are
written in parenthesis mostly written in frequently not indicated missing and/or they are
and describe the setting parenthesis and describe and/or written within the written within the dialogue
and actions on stage in the setting and the actions dialogue with little detail. with no detail.
detail using on stage with some detail,
abbreviations for stage using abbreviations for
areas. stage areas.

CHARACTERS All characters are Characters are almost all Some characters are Characters are not
well-developed with a well-developed with a well-developed but do not well-developed and/or do
history and visible history and visible include a history and/or not include a history or
connections to the script connections to the script, visible connections to the visible connections to the
but some lack depth. script. script.

ORIGINALITY Script has unique ideas Script has some unique Script has a few unique Script is plagiarized or
for plot points and ideas for plot points and ideas for plot points and uses many unoriginal
creative solutions to solutions to problems. creative solutions to ideas from other scripts or
problems. problems. stories.

GRAMMAR/ Proofread and virtually Somewhat proofread with Not clearly proofread with Not proofread with many
ORGANIZATION error-free of some several grammatical/mechanical
grammatical/mechanical grammatical/mechanical grammatical/mechanical mistakes. The script has
mistakes. The script has mistakes. The beginning, mistakes. The script has no clear beginning,
a clear beginning, middle, and/or end are no clear beginning, middle, or end.
middle, and end. somewhat clear. middle, and/or end.

CHARACTERIZATION Student has created a Student has created a Student has created a Student has created a
rich and interesting unique character to character that is not very character that does not
character to watch and watch and shows an interesting to watch and make sense in the piece
shows a deep understanding of his/her shows little understanding and/or that is stereotypical
understanding of his/her character and the of his/her character and/or and shows no
character and the choices made. the choices made. understanding of his/her
choices made. character and the choices
made.

COMMITMENT Student always takes Student usually takes Student sometimes takes Student rarely takes
his/her work seriously his/her work seriously and his/her work seriously and his/her work seriously and
and is in the moment. is in the moment is in the moment. is in the moment.

CREATIVITY AND Student uses his/her Student uses most of Student sometimes uses Student does not use
EXPRESSION whole body and facial his/her body and facial his/her body and facial his/her body or facial
expressions to perform. expressions to perform. expressions to perform. expressions to perform.
 Student shows emotion Students show some Students rarely show Students do not show
and energy in emotion and energy in emotion or energy in emotion or energy in
performance. Student performance. Student performance. Student performance. Students do
makes imaginative makes imaginative rarely makes not make imaginative
choices in performance. choices in performance. imaginative choices in choices in performance.
performance.

DICTION AND Student is always able to Student is usually able to Student is sometimes able Student is rarely able to
PROJECTION be heard loud and clear be heard loud and clear at to be heard loud and clear be heard loud and clear at
at the back of the room. the back of the room. at the back of the room. the back of the room.