Playing and pretending together
Students step into make-believe with classmates. They take on simple roles like a parent, a pet, or a shopkeeper, and use their bodies and voices to bring those characters to life.
What does a student learn in
This is the year make-believe becomes a first taste of theatre. Students turn their own ideas and everyday experiences into short pretend scenes, trying on characters, voices, and simple movements. They also watch classmates perform and start saying what they noticed and what it made them feel. By spring, students can act out a short story or scene in front of the class and talk about what happened.
- Pretend play
- Acting out stories
- Character and voice
- Watching performances
- Talking about plays
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Making up small stories
Students start inventing their own scenes from a picture, a prop, or a story they know. They decide who the characters are, where the scene happens, and what happens next.
- 3
Sharing scenes with an audience
Students practice a short scene and perform it for the class. They learn to face the audience, speak so others can hear, and stay in their part from start to finish.
- 4
Watching and talking about plays
Students watch classmates perform and notice what they liked, what felt funny or sad, and what the story was about. They begin connecting plays to their own lives and the people around them.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students draw on things they know and moments they remember to build a character or act out a story.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Stories and plays come from real places, times, and communities. Students notice how a song, costume, or character connects to where and when a story happened.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students draw on things they know and moments they remember to build a character or act out a story. | TH:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Stories and plays come from real places, times, and communities. Students notice how a song, costume, or character connects to where and when a story happened. | TH:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for a character or a short scene. They use their imagination to decide who a character is and what that character might do.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students act out a simple story or scene by deciding what their character does and says. They make basic choices, like where to stand or how to move, to bring the idea to life.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students pick a favorite story or character idea they have been acting out and practice it until it feels just right. They learn that creative work gets better the more you work on it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for a character or a short scene. They use their imagination to decide who a character is and what that character might do. | TH:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students act out a simple story or scene by deciding what their character does and says. They make basic choices, like where to stand or how to move, to bring the idea to life. | TH:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students pick a favorite story or character idea they have been acting out and practice it until it feels just right. They learn that creative work gets better the more you work on it. | TH:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a character or scene to act out and practice showing it to an audience. The focus is on picking something they can perform and making deliberate choices about how to present it.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and polish a short performance until it's ready to share with others.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students use movement, voice, and simple props to share a story or feeling with an audience. The performance itself is how they communicate the idea.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a character or scene to act out and practice showing it to an audience. The focus is on picking something they can perform and making deliberate choices about how to present it. | TH:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and polish a short performance until it's ready to share with others. | TH:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students use movement, voice, and simple props to share a story or feeling with an audience. The performance itself is how they communicate the idea. | TH:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a short performance and talk about what they noticed, such as what the characters did or how the story felt.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a short play or puppet show and say what they think it means or how it made them feel. They explain why the story or characters matter to them.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a short performance or scene and say what they liked, what was hard to follow, and why. They practice using simple reasons to explain what worked and what did not.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a short performance and talk about what they noticed, such as what the characters did or how the story felt. | TH:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a short play or puppet show and say what they think it means or how it made them feel. They explain why the story or characters matter to them. | TH:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a short performance or scene and say what they liked, what was hard to follow, and why. They practice using simple reasons to explain what worked and what did not. | TH:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does theatre look like for a five-year-old?
Theatre at this age is mostly pretend play with a purpose. Students act out short stories, take on character voices, and use their bodies to show feelings like happy, scared, or sleepy. There are no scripts to memorize and no big performances to worry about.
How can I support theatre learning at home?
Act out favorite picture books together. Take turns being different characters, change your voice, and ask questions like what would the wolf do next or how does the bunny feel right now. Ten minutes of pretend play counts.
How should I sequence theatre across the year?
Start with imagination and body work, such as moving like animals or weather. Move into character and voice in the middle of the year. Save short story dramatizations and simple sharing for the spring once students are comfortable being watched.
Does my child need to perform on a stage?
No. Most of the work happens in the classroom in small groups or as a whole class. Sharing might mean acting out a scene for classmates on the rug, not a formal show with costumes and an audience.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Watching as an audience is the hardest part. Students want to join in or talk while others perform. Plan to practice audience behavior often, and revisit how to give a kind comment about what a classmate did well.
What if my child is shy about acting in front of others?
Shy students can still grow a lot through theatre. Pair acting with a stuffed animal or puppet, or let students act alongside a friend instead of alone. The goal is taking on a character, not being loud or being on a stage.
How do I know students are ready for first grade theatre?
By spring, students should be able to pretend to be a character with a different voice or walk, act out a short scene from a familiar story, and watch a classmate perform without interrupting. They should also be able to say one thing they liked about a scene.
How does theatre connect to other things students are learning?
Acting out stories builds vocabulary, listening, and memory for what happens first, next, and last. Students also practice sharing, taking turns, and reading faces and tone, which helps with reading and friendships.