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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year make-believe becomes the first taste of theatre. Students turn everyday experiences into short pretend stories, take on simple characters, and act out scenes with classmates. They also start watching a story unfold and saying what they noticed or liked about it. By spring, students can act out a familiar story with a clear character and share what the story meant to them.

  • Pretend play
  • Acting out stories
  • Character
  • Story scenes
  • Watching a performance
  • Sharing reactions
Source: Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Core 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 imagining together

    Students step into make-believe with their classmates. They try on characters, use their voices and bodies to become someone else, and turn simple ideas into short pretend scenes.

  2. 2

    Building stories and scenes

    Students help shape little stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end. They suggest who is in the story, where it happens, and what the characters might do next.

  3. 3

    Practicing and sharing work

    Students rehearse a scene or short performance and share it with classmates. They practice speaking clearly, listening for their turn, and showing feelings through movement and voice.

  4. 4

    Watching and talking about theatre

    Students watch performances and talk about what they noticed. They share what a scene reminded them of, what the characters might be feeling, and what they liked about the work.

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 what they know and what they've lived through to the stories and characters they create in drama and play.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    TH:Cn11.k

    Stories and plays come from real places, real times, and real people. Students talk about how the characters, costumes, or stories they see on stage connect to their own lives and communities.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr1.k

    Students make up characters, stories, or scenes using imagination and play. This is the start of learning to create theatre on purpose.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr2.k

    Students act out a short story or scene by deciding what to say, where to move, and what feelings to show. The class works together to make those choices feel real.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    TH:Cr3.k

    Students finish a piece of creative work by making small improvements before sharing it. In theatre, that means trying a scene more than once and changing what isn't working yet.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    TH:Pr4.k

    Students choose which character or story moment to act out and explain why it feels right to them.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    TH:Pr5.k

    Students practice a short scene or song, then try it again to make it better. Rehearsing helps them get ready to perform for an audience.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    TH:Pr6.k

    Students act out a story or character in front of others, using movement and voice to show what the story means.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    TH:Re7.k

    Students look at a short performance or puppet show and say what they noticed. They might name a feeling, a character, or something that happened in the story.

  • 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 why the story or character matters to them.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    TH:Re9.k

    Students look at a short play or puppet show and say what they liked and why. They practice giving a reason for their opinion, not just saying "good" or "bad."

Common Questions
  • What does theatre look like at this age?

    Most of the year is pretend play with a purpose. Students act out stories, take on characters, use their voices and bodies to show feelings, and watch each other perform. It looks a lot like dress-up and story time, with more attention to how a character moves and talks.

  • How can I support theatre at home?

    Read picture books out loud and ask students to act out a favorite part. Try different voices for each character. Five minutes of pretend play after a story goes a long way. Asking how a character felt and why is the same thinking they practice in class.

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

    No. The focus is on imagination, listening, and working with classmates. If there is a performance, it is short and based on a familiar story or song. Memorizing a script is not expected this year.

  • How should I sequence theatre across the year?

    Start with imagination and movement games, then move into character work using familiar stories. Add simple scene-building in the middle of the year, and end with short sharing moments where students perform for each other and give kind feedback.

  • What usually needs the most reteaching?

    Staying in a role for more than a few seconds, and listening while a partner is acting. Short turn-taking games help. So does narrating what students did well after each round, so they hear what focus looks like.

  • My child is shy about performing. Is that a problem?

    Not at all. Plenty of students start the year watching from the edge. Acting out a story at home with a parent or a stuffed animal builds comfort. By spring, most students are willing to try a character in a small group.

  • How do I know students are ready for first grade theatre?

    Students can take on a character with voice and movement, act out a short scene with a partner, and say something they liked about a classmate's work. They connect what happens in a story to something from their own life.