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Learning Standards Standards

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 with their voices and bodies. They share these little performances with classmates and talk about what they noticed in each other's work. By spring, students can act out a simple story in front of the class and say what they liked about a friend's scene.

  • Pretend play
  • Acting out stories
  • Characters
  • Sharing performances
  • Talking about plays
Source: Ohio Ohio's Learning Standards
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. 1

    Pretending and playing together

    Students step into pretend play with classmates. They try on characters, use their voices and bodies to act out simple ideas, and learn that make-believe has a starting place.

  2. 2

    Making up stories

    Students invent short scenes from their own lives, favorite books, and everyday moments. They start to shape a beginning, middle, and end instead of just playing around.

  3. 3

    Practicing a scene

    Students rehearse a scene more than once. They try a line a different way, add a prop or a costume piece, and notice what makes the scene clearer for an audience.

  4. 4

    Sharing and watching

    Students perform short pieces for classmates and watch others perform. They talk about what they liked, what the scene was about, and how it connects to their own lives.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    TH:Cn10.k

    Students connect something from their own life to a story or character in class. That personal connection shapes what they create or perform.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    TH:Cn11.k

    Students connect a story, song, or pretend-play scene to real life by talking about where it comes from or why people made it.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr1.k

    Students come up with ideas for pretend play and short stories they can act out.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr2.k

    Students pick a character and act out a short scene by choosing what that character says and does. This is an early step in building a story from their own ideas.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    TH:Cr3.k

    Students look back at a scene or story they acted out and make at least one change to make it better before sharing it with others.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    TH:Pr4.k

    Students choose which character or story to act out and explain why they picked it.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    TH:Pr5.k

    Students practice a short scene or song until they feel ready to perform it for others.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    TH:Pr6.k

    Students use movement, voice, and facial expressions to share a story or idea with an audience.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    TH:Re7.k

    Students watch a short play or puppet show and talk about what they saw. They notice what the characters did and share what stood out to them.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    TH:Re8.k

    Students look at a short play or puppet show and say what they think it means or how it makes them feel. They explain what the performers were trying to show.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    TH:Re9.k

    Students look at a performance or a scene and say what they liked and why, using a simple idea like "Was it loud enough?" or "Could I tell what the character felt?"

Common Questions
  • What does theatre look like for kindergarten students?

    Most of the year is pretend play with a purpose. Students act out stories, try on characters, use their voices and bodies to show feelings, and share short scenes with classmates. Watching each other and talking about what they saw is part of the work too.

  • How can I help my child with theatre at home?

    Read a picture book together and act out a favorite part. Take turns being different characters and try changing your voice for each one. Ask what the character was feeling and how they could tell. Five minutes of pretend play counts.

  • Does my child need to memorize lines or perform on a stage?

    No. At this age the focus is on imagining, pretending, and showing feelings through voice and body. Any sharing is short, informal, and usually in the classroom.

  • What if my child is shy about acting in front of others?

    Start small at home with puppets, stuffed animals, or acting behind a couch. Let students practice being a character without an audience first. Confidence grows when pretending feels like play, not a test.

  • How should theatre be sequenced across the year?

    Begin with imagination and character work using familiar stories and simple prompts. Move into building short scenes with a beginning, middle, and end. By spring, students can rehearse a small piece, share it, and give kind feedback to classmates.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Staying in character for more than a few seconds and using voice and body on purpose. Students also need repeated practice giving specific feedback instead of just saying a scene was good. Sentence stems help.

  • How do I tie theatre to stories and experiences students already know?

    Pull from read-alouds, family routines, holidays, and playground moments. Acting out a familiar story lets students focus on character and feeling instead of inventing a plot. It also opens conversations about why people in different places and times tell stories.

  • What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

    Students can take on a character, use voice and body to show how that character feels, and share a short scene with classmates. They can also watch a peer's work and say one specific thing they noticed.