What does theatre look like at this age?

Students play pretend with purpose. They act out short scenes, take on characters, use their voice and body to show feelings, and watch each other perform. Most of the work happens through games, story drama, and acting out picture books.

How can I support theatre at home?

Act out favorite stories together. Take turns being different characters and ask what the character wants or how they feel. Five minutes of pretend play after a bedtime story builds the same skills students practice in class.

Does this mean students will perform on a stage?

Not in a formal way. Performing at this age usually means sharing a short scene with classmates, not a big production with costumes and a script. The focus is on trying ideas out loud, not polishing a show.

How should I sequence theatre across the year?

Start with drama games and imitation to build comfort, then move into short story dramatizations where students play characters from familiar books. Save scene-building and sharing for later in the year, once students can stay in a role and respond to a partner.

What usually needs the most reteaching?

Staying in character and listening to a scene partner are the hardest parts. Students often jump out of a role to comment or laugh. Short, repeated practice with clear start and stop signals helps more than long scenes.

My child is shy. Will theatre be a problem?

Shy students often do well because most work happens in pairs or small groups, not solo on a stage. Pretend play, puppets, and group scenes let students join in without being the center of attention.

How can I connect theatre to what students are reading?

Pick a picture book the class already knows and have students act out a scene from it. Ask them to show what a character wants and how they feel. This builds reading comprehension and theatre skills at the same time.

How do I know students are ready for the next grade?

By the end of the year, students can take on a character, stay in a short scene with a partner, and say something specific about a classmate's performance. They can also connect a story to something from their own life.

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

Source: Maryland Maryland College and Career-Ready 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
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.
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

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

TH:Cn10.1

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

TH:Cn11.1

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

Connecting

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

TH:Cn10.1

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

TH:Cn11.1

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

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

TH:Cr1.1

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

TH:Cr2.1

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

TH:Cr3.1

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

Creating

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

TH:Cr1.1

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

TH:Cr2.1

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

TH:Cr3.1

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

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

TH:Pr4.1

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

TH:Pr5.1

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

TH:Pr6.1

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

Performing/Presenting/Producing

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

TH:Pr4.1

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

TH:Pr5.1

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

TH:Pr6.1

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

Perceive and analyze artistic work

TH:Re7.1

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

TH:Re8.1

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

TH:Re9.1

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

Responding

Perceive and analyze artistic work

TH:Re7.1

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

TH:Re8.1

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

TH:Re9.1

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

Common Questions

What does theatre look like at this age?
Students play pretend with purpose. They act out short scenes, take on characters, use their voice and body to show feelings, and watch each other perform. Most of the work happens through games, story drama, and acting out picture books.
How can I support theatre at home?
Act out favorite stories together. Take turns being different characters and ask what the character wants or how they feel. Five minutes of pretend play after a bedtime story builds the same skills students practice in class.
Does this mean students will perform on a stage?
Not in a formal way. Performing at this age usually means sharing a short scene with classmates, not a big production with costumes and a script. The focus is on trying ideas out loud, not polishing a show.
How should I sequence theatre across the year?
Start with drama games and imitation to build comfort, then move into short story dramatizations where students play characters from familiar books. Save scene-building and sharing for later in the year, once students can stay in a role and respond to a partner.
What usually needs the most reteaching?
Staying in character and listening to a scene partner are the hardest parts. Students often jump out of a role to comment or laugh. Short, repeated practice with clear start and stop signals helps more than long scenes.
My child is shy. Will theatre be a problem?
Shy students often do well because most work happens in pairs or small groups, not solo on a stage. Pretend play, puppets, and group scenes let students join in without being the center of attention.
How can I connect theatre to what students are reading?
Pick a picture book the class already knows and have students act out a scene from it. Ask them to show what a character wants and how they feel. This builds reading comprehension and theatre skills at the same time.
How do I know students are ready for the next grade?
By the end of the year, students can take on a character, stay in a short scene with a partner, and say something specific about a classmate's performance. They can also connect a story to something from their own life.