Add a Little Dramatic Play to Learning
Skit Script Ideas
Equation Skit Game
Give groups of students a task card on which is written several mathematical equations and 1 or 2 mathematical terms. The level of difficulty would be determined by the age and ability of those involved. The group must then write and perform a short skit to illustrate the equations in the order they are given on the card. The dialogue must also include the mathematical terms. During the presentation of the skit, the audience must try to observe what is happening and write down all the equations they can find in the storyline as well as note the mathematical terms used. Some equations may be noted that were not given on the card. This can lead to some good discussion after the skit.
SampleTask Card
1+1=2
(2-1)+(1+4)=6
2+4=6
3+3=6 or 6÷2=3
(6-1) + (1+3)=9
9-1+8
8-8=0
even odd
Possible script for this card.
It’s a Numbers Game
Setting: playground
Characters: Susan, Hari, friends
Susan enters carrying soccer ball.
Susan (Calling out) Hey Hari, wanna play soccer?
Hari (Running on stage) Sure, let’s go!
They kick the ball back and forth a few times.
Hari This is boring! We need more people.
Susan O.K. I’ll go find some more people. (Runs off stage)
Hari I hope she finds enough people to make this interesting.
Susan (Returns with 4 more people) Hi Hari. I found 4 more people to
play. So let’s make even teams. Let me see 2 of us plus 4
of them .... so that means teams of 3 each. Bobby and Rae
you’re on Hari’s team.
Two people go over beside Hari
Hari Game on!
They all start playing with the soccer ball , but start getting tired quickly
Hari (Puffing loudly) This is too hard with this many people. We need
more! I see some guys over there, I’m going to see if
they want to play. (Exits and returns quickly with 3 more players)
Susan (Sternly) Hari! That’s no good. You brought 3 more ..... that’s
going to make an odd number for the teams! Well, I know
how to fix it. (Picks up soccer ball and marches away)
Hari Great! Now we have an even number of players, but .........
(To others) Oh well, sorry.
All leave shrugging their shoulders.
Who Invented That?
Skit Sample
A Sticky Problem
The Invention of the Band-Aid
Setting: Early 1900’s era kitchen with table and stove,
Props:
cutting board and knife, vegetables
linen or cotton dish towel pot with lid
roll of surgical tape pot holder
roll of gauze scissors
Josephine Dickson stands at the table chopping vegetables.
She has 3 or 4 fingers wrapped with gauze and tape.
Josephine
(chops a few times and then misses cutting her finger) Ouch! Ouchie, ouch ouch!
(dances around kitchen holding hurt finger) Earl! Earl, I need you!
Earl Dickson runs in
Earl
Oh, Josephine, not again! (pause) As usual, I came prepared.
(shows roll of gauze, tape and scissors) Here, let me wrap some gauze around it.
(unrolls gauze and cuts a short piece, wraps finger) There we are, next some tape.
(pulls out a strip of surgical tape, cuts and wraps around gauze)
This process should be exaggerated to make the point of how awkward it is.
Good., all fixed! You know, it’s a good thing that I work for a company that makes this tape and gauze or we would go bankrupt buying enough for every time you cut yourself!
Josephine
I know, I just seem to be accident prone! (picks up knife to continue chopping)
Earl
Here, let me finish chopping. You go do something safe!
Josephine
Right, thanks. I’ll just check the water to see if it’s ready.
(goes to pick up the lid of the pot on the stove, burns hand, drops l lid on floor)
Ouch! Ouchie, ouch ouch!
(dances around holding hand)
Earl
Good grief, Josephine, nothing is safe for you! Come here and I’ll wrap it up. (exaggerating process again with larger amounts of gauze and tape) Some more gauze
.......lots of tape ......... there you go all done.
Josephine
(appreciatively) Oh, thank you Earl. What would I ever do without you?
Here, let me pick up that lid.
Earl
(a little panicky) Use a pot holder!
Josephine
O.K. (bends down to pick up lid and smacks her head on the table)
Ouch! Ouchie, ouch ouch! (hops around holding head)
Earl
(smacks forehead in exasperation)
Josephine, how can I go off to work and leave you here alone?
Every day I worry while I’m away because you can’t bind up your cuts
and scrapes by yourself.
Josephine
I know. Some days I think I should just stay in bed until you get home.
I’m such a klutz!
Earl
This is silly. It is 1920 after all. You’d think that in this modern era someone
would have come up with a way for a person to cover up their own little wounds!
Josephine
Well isn’t that the kind of thing that your company, Johnson and Johnson, does?
You’re smart, I bet you could figure it out.
Earl
Hmmmm, perhaps. (scratching head) Let me think.
What’s the hardest part about patching yourself up?
Josephine
Well, I can get the gauze wrapped around, but I can’t hold it there,
cut it with the scissors, and get the surgical tape unrolled.
The gauze just falls off before I can tape it on.
It’s simply impossible to do it all with one hand.
Earl
Alright then, let’s start with the tape.
Josephine
Ouch! Ouchie, ouch ouch!
(Earl startled, turns to look at her, thinking she’s hurt again)
Do you know how that tape would feel on a cut?
No. no, I don’t mean to put the tape on the wound yet!
I mean .... let’s cut a piece of the tape first.
(cuts short piece from roll of surgical tape)
Now we need the gauze so the tape doesn’t stick to the sore part.
(cuts a piece of gauze and folds it to make a pad the width of the tape)
So, now we stick this on the tape and it’s ready to go!
(picks it up) Ta-da!
Now, Josephine - try it out, Can you wrap that around your finger by yourself?
Josephine
Let me see. (takes tape, places gauze on finger and wraps tape around it)
It works! That’s so easy!
But I couldn’t make that if I was dripping blood all over the place.
Earl
No, of course not - but what if you could buy them ready made like that?
Josephine
(not impressed)
I think the sticky ends would get all messed up!
Earl
Yes, you’re right.
(taps finger on lips looking around kitchen while thinking)
Eureka! I’ve got it!
(makes another strip of tape with a pad of gauze)
Hand me that tea towel over there.
(cuts out strip of material the size of the tape,
places piece over full length of tape, picks it up and shows Josephine)
See? Now it could go in a box without getting all stuck up and when you need it,
you just pull the covering off the tape and you’re all set to go!
Josephine
I knew you were brilliant Earl! Do you think your company will make them?
Earl
Sure, why not? We just need a catchy name........
Josephine
Well, the tape is a kind of band.
Earl
And it gives you aid ....... it aids you to put it on......
Josephine and Earl
(together)
Band-Aid!
Earl
Perfect! (proudly) I, Earl Dickson, have just invented the Band-Aid!
Josephine
(clapping for him)
Well done Earl! You’ll be famous!
Josephine twirls around with her arms out and hits Earl in the nose.
Earl
(holding nose, hopping around) Ouch! Ouchie, ouch ouch!
Josephine
Sorry! Need a Band-Aid?
CURTAIN
