Black History Month Skit and Readers Theater Play with Script 4th and 5th Grade

Are you looking for an exciting Black History Month skit or readers theater play that connects with kids using pop culture, has a script with a variety of roles for all students, and teaches history in an engaging way? Then this it!

Readers theater = better reading comprehension!

There is no better way to teach students critical reading skills than with reader's theater. As they perform and learn about the various historical heroes, students will improve their skills by:

- connecting with the text

- learning new vocabulary words

- practicing phonics and phonological awareness

- and comprehending what the text is saying and its deeper meanings.

When the theater stops, the learning doesn't!

This resource now includes multiple-choice and short-response comprehension questions with the answer key. As students rehearse and read through the play, check their comprehension with the questions provided!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "It was the highlight of the event with kiddos showcasing their talents. We followed the instruction provided on how to put the resource together." – Evelyn E.

This short play explores a child's dream where he/she is visited by African-American heroes such as James Armistead Lafayette, a Revolutionary War spy, and Phillis Wheatley, the first published Black American. These heroes of the past explain how they have inspired and made the success of modern Black heroes such as Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama possible.

Kid-friendly, entertaining dialogue with pop-culture references!

This play mixes pop-culture topics such as superheroes, YouTube, and other engaging themes into the characters' dialogue to keep the performance fresh and engaging. (Imagine a comicbook writer giving a 10 year old a lesson in superhero history.) This script works well as a Black History Month play for an assembly or classroom read aloud. With a fun and easy-to-use script, you, your cast, and your audience are in for an awesome time!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Used this resource for our third grader's annual Black History Month program. It was a hit! Love the experience and information it gave myself, my students, and their families. Will use again next year!" – Angela L.

If musicals and rap songs are more your speed, check out the rap-opera, musical version of this play here!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I used this in combination with the rap version. It was perfect!" – Rosemary E.

The 12 characters in this play include:

Child - 10-year-old, African-American student

Mom - Child’s mother who encourages him/her to study his/her history

Katherine Johnson - NASA mathematician who helped with the success of the Apollo Moon Landing

George Washington Carver - botanist and chemist

Colin Powell - first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the U.S. Army

James Armistead Lafayette - Revolutionary War spy who obtained secrets from the British military

Barack Obama - first African-American president of the United States

Douglas Wilder - first elected African-American governor in the United States

Christopher Priest - first Black comicbook editor who made the Black Panther superhero "cool"

Phillis Wheatley - first published African-American and accomplished poet

Oprah Winfrey - first Black female billionaire

Maggie Walker - first Black female bank president and accomplished business owner

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a great resource for our 4th graders for our Black History Program. It was engaging and relevant and easy to include everyone and make props for. Highly recommend." – Jaime G.

This play, titled "Black History Heroes: Then and Now," includes:

- a table of contents

- character dialogue

- tips and ideas on how to use the script

- a simple map of stage directions for understanding the characters' blocking

- a full character list with brief descriptions of each Black hero's notable successes

- 10 multiple-choice and 10 short-response comprehension questions with the answer key

The run time for this production is ten to fifteen minutes and is a one-act play.

*Bonus Virtual-Theater Option!*

A virtual-theater, how to guide is also included to allow your students to record a virtual performance and share it with your audience in a digital format if needed.

Theater is never canceled!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "My administrator was observing my virtual instruction and noted how excited my learners were with this activity." – Alexis M.

Get this play now if you want to hook your audience!

*Note: You may record a performance of this play to display or share digitally. When doing so, you must include "script by Rap Opera for Kids" in the title or description of your uploaded video where possible. Thank you!

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