Pretend play and big ideas
Students start the year by turning everyday moments and favorite stories into pretend play. They invent characters, settings, and what-if questions that grow into small scenes.
What does a student learn in
This is the year pretend play starts to look like real theatre. Students invent characters, act out short scenes, and use their voice and body to show how someone feels. They also watch classmates perform and talk about what they noticed. By spring, students can plan a simple scene with a partner, perform it for the class, and say what worked.
- Pretend play
- Acting out scenes
- Character voices
- 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
Building a scene together
Students work with classmates to shape their ideas into a short scene with a beginning, middle, and end. They try out voices, movements, and simple props to bring the story to life.
- 3
Rehearsing and sharing
Students practice their scenes and make small changes to help the audience follow along. They share their work with the class and learn how to perform with focus.
- 4
Watching and talking about plays
Students watch scenes and stories performed by others and talk about what they noticed. They share what they liked, what the story meant, and how it connects to their own lives.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect something they know or have lived through to a character or story in a play. That personal connection shapes the choices they make onstage.
-
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students connect a play or story to the world around them, noticing how the time, place, or community it comes from shapes what happens and why characters act the way they do.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something they know or have lived through to a character or story in a play. That personal connection shapes the choices they make onstage. | TH:Cn10.1 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students connect a play or story to the world around them, noticing how the time, place, or community it comes from shapes what happens and why characters act the way they do. | TH:Cn11.1 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for characters, stories, and scenes to act out. This is the imaginative starting point for all the theatre work they create.
-
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take a basic story idea and decide which character says what and where everyone stands. They put the pieces together so the scene makes sense to an audience.
-
Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a short scene or character choice, make at least one change to improve it, and share the finished version with the class.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for characters, stories, and scenes to act out. This is the imaginative starting point for all the theatre work they create. | TH:Cr1.1 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take a basic story idea and decide which character says what and where everyone stands. They put the pieces together so the scene makes sense to an audience. | TH:Cr2.1 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a short scene or character choice, make at least one change to improve it, and share the finished version with the class. | TH:Cr3.1 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick a character or scene to act out and make choices about how to show it, like deciding on a voice, a movement, or a feeling that fits the story.
-
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a scene or short performance multiple times, making small fixes to how they move, speak, or listen on stage until the piece is ready to share with an audience.
-
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students act out a story or scene and make choices, like how loud to speak or how to move, so the audience understands what is happening and how the characters feel.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick a character or scene to act out and make choices about how to show it, like deciding on a voice, a movement, or a feeling that fits the story. | TH:Pr4.1 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a scene or short performance multiple times, making small fixes to how they move, speak, or listen on stage until the piece is ready to share with an audience. | TH:Pr5.1 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students act out a story or scene and make choices, like how loud to speak or how to move, so the audience understands what is happening and how the characters feel. | TH:Pr6.1 |
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 a character did or how the story felt.
-
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a short play or performance and explain what they think it means or how it makes them feel. They practice putting the "why" behind what they see into words.
-
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students say what they liked about a performance and why, using simple reasons like "the character felt real" or "the story was easy to follow."
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a short performance and talk about what they noticed, such as what a character did or how the story felt. | TH:Re7.1 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a short play or performance and explain what they think it means or how it makes them feel. They practice putting the "why" behind what they see into words. | TH:Re8.1 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students say what they liked about a performance and why, using simple reasons like "the character felt real" or "the story was easy to follow." | TH:Re9.1 |