This document outlines a unit plan for a 4th grade drama unit lasting 3-4 weeks. The unit aims to teach students about drama and its connection to literature. Students will work in groups to adapt a novel into a dramatic performance using props and assigned character roles. They will also read a novel and compare it to the film adaptation, identifying differences. Rubrics are provided to assess students' oral communication, application of skills, self-reflection, and script writing abilities through these performance tasks.

1. Title of Unit:
Drama, Drama, Drama!
Grade: 4
Content Area:
Language Arts/Reading
Time Frame:
3 – 4 weeks
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS
Established Goals:
Information Literacy Standard:
The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to
society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to
pursue and generate information.
Georgia Performance Standard:
ELA4LSV1 The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-
student, and group verbal interactions.
a. Initiates new topics in addition to responding to adult-initiated topics.
b. Asks relevant questions.
c. Responds to questions with appropriate information.
d. Uses language cues to indicate different levels of certainty or hypothesizing
(e.g., “What if. . .”; “Very likely. . .”; “I’m unsure whether. . .”).
e. Confirms understanding by paraphrasing the adult’s directions or suggestions.
f. Displays appropriate turn-taking behaviors.
g. Actively solicits another person’s comments or opinions.
h. Offers own opinion forcefully without domineering.
i. Responds appropriately to comments and questions.
j. Volunteers contributions and responds when directly solicited by teacher or
discussion leader.
k. Gives reasons in support of opinions expressed.
l. Clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so; asks
classmates for similar expansions.
ELA4LSV2 The student listens to and views various forms of text and media
in order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and
understand ideas.
When delivering or responding to presentations, the student:
a. Shapes information to achieve a particular purpose and to appeal to the
interests and background knowledge of audience members.
b. Uses notes, multimedia, or other memory aids to structure the presentation.
c. Engages the audience with appropriate verbal cues and eye contact.
d. Projects a sense of individuality and personality in selecting and organizing
content and in delivery.
e. Shapes content and organization according to criteria
ELA4R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of
a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and

2. informational texts.
For literary texts, the student identifies the characteristics of various genres
and produces evidence of reading that:
a. Relates theme in works of fiction to personal experience.
b. Identifies and analyzes the elements of plot, character, and setting in stories
read, written, viewed, or performed.
c. Identifies the speaker of a poem or story.
d. Identifies sensory details and figurative language.
e. Identifies and shows the relevance of foreshadowing clues.
f. Makes judgments and inferences about setting, characters, and events and
supports them with elaborating and convincing evidence from the text.
g. Identifies similarities and differences between the characters or events and
theme in a literary work and the actual experiences in an author’s life.
h. Identifies themes and lessons in folktales, tall tales, and fables.
i. Identifies rhyme and rhythm, repetition, similes, and sensory images in poems.
For informational texts, the student reads and comprehends in order to
develop understanding and expertise and produces evidence of reading that:
a. Locates facts that answer the reader’s questions.
b. Identifies and uses knowledge of common textual features (e.g., paragraphs,
topic sentences, concluding sentences, glossary).
c. Identifies and uses knowledge of common graphic features (e.g., charts, maps,
diagrams, illustrations).
d. Identifies and uses knowledge of common organizational structures (e.g.,
chronological order, cause and effect).
e. Distinguishes cause from effect in context.
f. Summarizes main ideas and supporting details.
g. Makes perceptive and well-developed connections.
h. Distinguishes fact from opinion or fiction.
STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Performance Tasks:
TASK 1 – Students will work as a
group to perform an “adaptation” of a
selected text for the enjoyment of a
selected audience. Students will select
a scene from their novel, or create a
paraphrased version of the entire
piece. As a group, students must
decide how best to present their
selection in a dramatic form. (Facet 2,
3, 5, and 6)
TASK 2 – As a class read, students will
Other Evidence:
• Writing scripts – students will be
assessed as a group on their ability
to successfully write a meaningful,
flowing script, which demonstrates
their knowledge of their assigned
novel
• Assigning characters amongst group,
creating props, and creativity –
groups will be assessed on their
ability to distribute work equally
among group members
• Vocabulary – plot, climax,

3. read a selected text then watch the
movie production of the same text –
identifying the differences (Facet 1, 3
and 4)
characters, drama, etc. – students
will be assessed by a multiple
choice/short answer quiz focused on
the vocabulary words from this unit
TASK 1
Goal
• Your task is to work as a group to perform an “adaptation” of a selected
text for the enjoyment of a selected audience.
Role
• You and your group are playwrights/movie producers.
Audience
• Your target audience is your classmates and I. (If you chose, we will also
have a parent’s night, where your parents can be the audience!)
Situation
• The challenge involves you and your group taking a whole book and
summarizing it into a production in which you will present in a dramatic
form.
Product, Performance, and Purpose
• You will use the novel that you have been reading in your small groups as
your selected text for this production. You need to develop a clear and
summarized version of your novel so that the audience can determine the
storyline of your text based on your production. The purpose of this is to
work as a group to successfully express different novels to your audience.
Standards and Criteria for Success
• Your work will be judged by a rubric which will be completed by myself, as
well as a peer-evaluation, in which your group members will evaluate your
effort.
Within this task, students will address the following facets:
2. Interpret: by using assigned novels, students will interpret important parts
of the text in order to decide which parts should be included in their
production
3. Application: by enacting or creating, rehearsing, and presenting drama
productions based on novels; extending understanding of text based on
their own knowledge
5. Empathy: by relating to the characters in students’ assigned novels, and
by “becoming” those characters in their roles
6. Self-Knowledge: by completing a self assessment and receiving feedback
from other group member’s evaluations

4. TASK 1 RUBRIC
LEVEL ONE LEVEL TWO LEVEL THREE LEVEL FOUR
ORAL COMMUNICATION:
Use a variety of appropriate visual aids
to support or enhance oral
presentations, with limited
effectiveness.
Use a variety of appropriate
visual aids to
support or enhance
oral presentations,
with some
effectiveness.
Use a variety of
appropriate visual
aids to support or
enhance oral
presentations, with
considerable
effectiveness.
Use a variety of appropriate visual aids
to support or enhance oral
presentations, with a high
degree of effectiveness.
APPLICATION
Enact or create, rehearse, and present
drama works based on novels, with
limited effectiveness. (Effectiveness
of group as a whole throughout
process)
Enact or create, rehearse,
and present drama based
on novels, with some
effectiveness.
Enact or create, rehearse,
and present drama based
on novels, with
considerable
effectiveness.
Enact or create, rehearse, and present
drama based on novels, with a high
degree of effectiveness.
COMMUNICATION/THINKING
Describe and reflect, orally and
in writing, on their response to
their own and others’ work in
drama with limited
effectiveness (Self-evaluation)
Describe and reflect, orally
and in writing, on
their response to
their own and
others’ work in
drama with some
effectiveness.
Describe and reflect, orally
and in writing, on their
response to their own and
others’ work in drama with
considerable
effectiveness.
Describe and reflect, orally and in
writing, on their response to their own
and others’ work in drama with a high
degree of effectiveness.
KNOWLEDGE
Demonstrate awareness of audience
when writing in role, and use the
appropriate language, tone of voice,
gestures, and body movements when
speaking as a character in a drama,
with limited effectiveness. (Use of
voice, gestures, body movements,
etc. as character)
Demonstrate awareness of
audience when writing in
role, and use the
appropriate language, tone
of voice, gestures, and body
movements when speaking
as a character in a drama,
with some effectiveness.
Demonstrate awareness of
audience when writing in
role, and use the
appropriate language, tone
of voice, gestures, and
body movements when
speaking as a character in
a drama, with considerable
effectiveness.
Demonstrate awareness of audience
when writing in role, and use the
appropriate language, tone of voice,
gestures, and body movements when
speaking as a character in a drama,
with a high degree of effectiveness.
READING
Extend understanding of texts by
connecting the ideas in them to their
own knowledge, experience, and
insights, to other familiar texts, and to
the world around them, with limited
effectiveness. (Connectedness to
original text)
Extend understanding of
texts by connecting the
ideas in them to their own
knowledge, experience, and
insights, to other familiar
texts, and to the world
around them, with some
effectiveness.
Extend understanding of
texts by connecting the
ideas in them to their own
knowledge, experience,
and insights, to other
familiar texts, and to the
world around them, with
considerable
effectiveness.
Extend understanding of texts by
connecting the ideas in them to their
own knowledge, experience, and
insights, to other familiar texts, and to
the world around them, with a high
degree of effectiveness.
WRITING
Write longer and more complex texts
using a variety of forms with
limited effectiveness. (Script
writing)
Write longer and more
complex texts using a
variety of forms with some
effectiveness.
Write longer and more
complex texts using a
variety of forms with
considerable
effectiveness.
Write longer and more complex texts
using a variety of forms with a high
degree of effectiveness.
TASK 2
For this task, students will read Where the Red Fern Grows as a class read.
After we have finished with the book, we will discuss the major parts, review the
story line, and then watch the movie version of the book. After the movie, the
students will be assessed on the differences that they found between the book
and the movie. The assessment will be short answer/essay, and can be done on
notebook paper. The instructions will be for the students to identify five major
differences between the book and the movie. Each answer should be 5-7
sentences long. The assessment will be graded using the following rubric:

5. TASK 2 RUBRIC
*Each, individual answer will be graded using this rubric, meaning that each
question is worth 20 points – overall points available on assessment is 100
points.
x 5 = ____
Within this task, students will address the following facets:
1. Explanation: by explaining differences between text and movies using
their own words
2. Perspective: by comparing and contrasting the author’s text and the
movie’s production
SELF-ASSESSMENT
NAME: _______________________
In the space below, write your personal observations about the following:
1. What I learned about myself while doing this assignment:
2. What I learned about others in my group:
3. What I learned about creating and performing a drama presentation like this
(strengths, weaknesses):
4. What I’d do differently next time:
5. What I was most proud of:
6. What I was most embarrassed by:
0 1 2 3 4
The student
provided no
answer to the
question.
Difference
stated is not
found in book
or movie, no
connection
made, 1-2
sentences, >6
grammatical
errors
Difference is
stated, but is a
very minor
difference, little
connection
made, 3
sentences, 4-5
grammatical
errors
Difference is
stated, mild
connection
made between
book and
movie, 4
sentences, 3
grammatical
errors
Difference is
clearly stated,
evidence that
student sees a
connection,
5-7 sentences,
very little
grammatical
errors

6. SELF-EVALUATION
Rate yourself and your group members CONFIDENTIALLY here, giving each
person level that you feel they deserve. No one will see your scoring but me.
SCALE:
1 – Never worked or helped with the group.
2 – Did some work, but not very much work with the group. Did not help much.
3 – Sometimes worked with the group and helped.
4 – Almost always worked with the group and helped.
5 – Always worked with the group and was always helping.
List group members’ names, and rate them:
NAME RATE
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
Now, rate yourself: ______
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Where is it going?
To have students understand WHERE this unit is headed and WHY we are
focusing on this topic, they will begin by thinking about what is important about
literature, theater, and dramatic productions.
Some of the essential questions are as follows:
• Where have I seen drama?
• What do we get from seeing a production?
• How do literature and drama relate?
• Why is drama important in literature?
• What are the different aspects in drama?
• What are strategies that actors use to reach their audience?

7. • What parts do you include in a dramatic production?
• How do you determine character parts?
• What is drama?
• How can you turn text into a performance?
• How do you determine the setting of a story? The plot? The characters?
The climax?
• How do you use personality to enhance your audience’s ability to get the
full idea of your presentation?
• How do you assign characters from a text to individuals within the group?
Expectations –
• In order for students to fully understand the concepts that will be taught,
they will engage in several activities over the course of the unit. These will
include but will not be limited to: working in groups to plan a dramatic
presentation based on a book of their choice (experimental window),
participating in a class read of Where the Red Fern Grows, watching the
theatrical version and making comparisons and contrasts between the
book and the movie (narrative window), learning vocabulary associated
with literary/theatrical productions, completing a K-W-L chart to
demonstrate what they know, want to know, and have learned, and
students will also have practice writing scripts based on their book choices.
Relevance and Value –
• Students will have a better respect for literature and its connection to
dramatic performances
• Drama supports creativity in students – especially when working in groups
to plan a performance, as each student draws ideas off of another
• Helps to promote and develop speaking skills, collaboration skills, social
skills, helps to develop personality
• Helps to develop strategies for memorization
• Comprehension of literature works are influenced due to dramatic
performance
• Promotes tolerance, empathy, ability to see from different perspectives
Diagnosis –
• Students will be given an opportunity to complete a K-W-L chart to present
information that they may know, want to know, and eventually, students will
complete information that they learn during the unit.
• The students will be given a pre-test with some open ended questions
about connecting literature and drama. This will help me to see which
students have a better grasp on the overall concept.
• Students will have ample amounts of time to work together in groups to
complete planning for their dramatic productions.

8. Hooking and Holding
To hook the students onto the concepts and topics that will be presented in the
unit, we will take a field trip to a professional theatrical production of a book that
we will be reading as a class. By having a “real-life” performance in front of their
eyes, students will be quick to make connections to the literature that we have
read, finding similarities and differences (aesthetic window). They will also be
likely to gather ideas and have a desire to do something similar to this in our very
own classroom.
To keep the students holding on to the topic, I will make sure that the students
know that they are free to do what ever they may want to do in order to make their
group dramatic presentations spectacular. With the students having open range
of their ideas and creativity, they are likely to go on, and on, and on.
Explore, Experience, and Equip
In order for students to make these connections and to grasp the goals of the unit,
they will have to make the connections within themselves. Therefore, there is lots
of room for exploration and experience in this unit. Students will be given
opportunities to find literature works that they have read and will be asked to
compare them to the theatrical productions that accompany the text. With lots of
opportunities for this, students are more likely to make the connections and meet
the goals for this unit.
In addition to the student’s independent work and exploration, I will also teach
them with some direct instruction. The main topics that I will cover through direct
instruction would be vocabulary terms, providing examples of role-playing
characters from text, and offering help and suggestions for how to write and
format a dramatic script. Students will be using word processors, such as
Microsoft Word to produce a script for their group production. I will also offer any
help that the students need during the planning and rehearsing stages of their
dramatic group productions.
To help portray this direct instruction, I will present the students with a video
podcast which will not only explain the main assignment, but it will also provide
students with the dos and don’ts of creating a dramatic production. This video
podcast will be the primary method for presenting the information to my students.
Students will also be able to access the internet to find suggestions or gain
assistance for ideas to help develop their group performances. With this,
students may find informative text, articles, or even video clips of professional or
novice group productions. Students may use www.google.com,
www.youtube.com, www.teachertube.com, or any other specific links that relate to
the formation of the students’ dramatic production.

9. To successfully perform, the students will have to know how to and be able to do
the following:
• Successfully present the meaning of a selected text to an audience.
• Identify different types of genres in literature.
• Identify the plot, characters, setting, and other story elements of literature.
• Speak/perform clearly in front of an audience.
• The importance of using personality when presenting text to an audience.
• How to “become the character” when presenting information to an
audience.
• How to effectively work in group settings.
• How to create a well developed script.
Rethink, Rehearse, Revise and Refine
The overall lesson that will encompass this unit will require much time for the
students to rethink, rehearse, and revise and refine their work. Due to the primary
assignment in this unit being a dramatic production, most of the time will be spent
on reflecting, rethinking, and revising students’ work.
Students will rethink on:
• The assignment of characters within their groups
• The procedure of writing a script
• How closely the literature relates to the text
• What ways theatrical productions match up to and don’t match up to its
literature version
• The vocabulary that is presented throughout this unit
Students will rehearse:
• Their scripts – for homework and during group work time
• As the practice for their group production
• During a final dress rehearsal
• The similarities and differences found between literature and dramatic
productions
Students will revise or refine:
• Their scripts as they practice and rehearse
• Their ideas about connections between literature and performances
• Their answers to their pretest, after the unit has been completed
• PEER PRODUCTIONS: Based on the reviews that they get from the other
members of the class on days that performances are presented for
feedback from peers

10. Exhibit and Evaluate
This unit requires a large amount of exhibiting performances and evaluating
groups’ work. There will be many situations in which students will have peer
review sessions or individual, self-assessments. (logical window)
During the peer assessments, groups will take turns presenting a “rough draft” of
their presentation, while the remainder of the class judges and offers advice to the
presenting group. Here is an example of some questions on a peer review form:
1. What were some of the things that you liked about the group’s
performance?
2. What are some specific things that this group can change to better the
production?
3. Give an overall score for the group’s performance on a scale from one to
ten. (One being terrible and ten being excellent.)
Students will also use this self-evaluation to evaluate their performance and their
groups’ performance:
SELF-ASSESSMENT
NAME: _______________________
In the space below, write your personal observations about the following:
1. What I learned about myself while doing this assignment:
2. What I learned about others in my group
3. What I learned about creating and performing a drama presentation like this
(strengths, weaknesses):
4. What I’d do differently next time:
5. What I was most proud of:
6. What I was most embarrassed by:
SELF-EVALUATION

11. Rate yourself and your group members CONFIDENTIALLY here, giving each
person level that you feel they deserve. No one will see your scoring but me.
SCALE:
1 – Never worked or helped with the group.
2 – Did some work, but not very much work with the group. Did not help much.
3 – Sometimes worked with the group and helped.
4 – Almost always worked with the group and helped.
5 – Always worked with the group and was always helping.
List group members’ names, and rate them:
NAME RATE
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
___________________ ______
Now, rate yourself: ______
Tailor to Students
To reach the diversity of the students in my classroom, I would implement several
different methods of instruction in order to reach the difference in learning
abilities. In stage one, I identified the differences in my students. The differences
include students with ADHD, students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD),
and gifted students. Some of the methods I would use include:
To implement diversity among students:
Students will have a choice as to what work of literature they would like to read
and design a script for. The books that groups will be allowed to choose from, will
come from a list of books that I have created. All of these books will have
engaging plots and will focus on a diverse topic. This way, all students will be
forced to have a perception of another race and culture during their reading and
planning for performance. (foundational window)
For ADHD students:
Allow these students to move around freely during work time within groups. With

12. these students I would not force them to sit in a seat, but rather stand and work
with their groups so that they were not confined.
For EBD students:
These students will be closely monitored to make sure that they stay on task and
have equal opportunities to work with their group. These students will be given
strict instructions and will have a reward plan for group working days in which they
participate in a well behaved manner.
For GIFTED students:
Gifted students will be given the option to express their creativity by designing
props for their assigning groups. Gifted students will also have the option of
finding and assigning music to go along with group’s presentations. This
openness for creativity strongly encourages the gifted thinker.
Organize the Learning
See calendar on next page –

13. MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Continue reading the
book, Where the Red
Fern Grows
summarize each
chapter after reading –
have students
visualize the text in
their minds
Finish reading the
book, Where the Red
Fern Grows
summarize each
chapter after reading –
have students
visualize the text in
their minds
As a class, watch the
movie, Where the Red
Fern Grows – discuss
some of the
differences and
similarities between
the book and movie
Assess students on
the comparisons and
contrasts that they
found between Where
the Red Fern Grows –
book and movie – (see
assessment below)
Class field trip to
watch the theatrical
performance of a book
that we have recently
read as a class.
Discuss vocabulary
found in dramatic
productions
Discuss findings from
field trip. Ask students
how the performance
made them feel? Did
they have the same
visualizations? Etc…
(Pre-Assessment)
Split students into
groups. Discuss the
performance and
make connections
between literature and
drama. Explain the
assignment (group
drama performance)
using a video podcast.
Work in groups –
groups chose book
from book list. Assign
characters, develop
main ideas from text to
include in performance
Work in groups –
being work on script –
remind students to
only pick key points in
text, make sure
characters are
chosen, work as a
group effort
Work in groups –
continue to work on
scripts (teacher will
monitor and offer help
to struggling groups)
Work in groups –
continue work on
scripts. Groups who
have finished scripts
may start on props or
other “performance
extras”
First PEER
PRODUCTION – each
group will present
what they have so far.
Rest of class will fill
out peer review
questions for feedback
Groups take feedback
and revise scripts,
characters, props,
make necessary
changes. Later in day
we will have another
PEER PRODUCTION
Get feed back from 2nd
peer production –
review, revise, and
rehearse based on
feedback – DRESS
REHEARSAL at end
of day
Final productions for
groups – after all
groups have
presented, students
will complete the self-
assessment/evaluation
(mentioned earlier)

14. Task 1: Book vs. Movie
(designed for high to middle ability students)
For this task, students will read Where the Red Fern Grows as a class read.
After we have finished with the book, we will discuss the major parts, review the
story line, and then watch the movie version of the book. After the movie, the
students will be assessed on the differences that they found between the book
and the movie. The assessment will be short answer/essay, and can be done on
notebook paper. The instructions will be for the students to identify five major
differences between the book and the movie. Each answer should be 5-7
sentences long. The assessment will be graded using the following rubric:
TASK 1 RUBRIC
*Each, individual answer will be graded using this rubric, meaning that each
question is worth 20 points – overall points available on assessment is 100
points.
x 5 = ____
Task 1: Book vs. Movie
Alteration
(designed for lower ability students)
To alter this assignment to fit the needs for lower ability students, the task would
change from students having to identify 3 differences or similarities, versus the
original task, which called for students to identify 5 differences or similarities.
This way, the assignment would not change so much, and it would remind fair
between all students.
0 1 2 3 4
The student
provided no
answer to the
question.
Difference
stated is not
found in book
or movie, no
connection
made, 1-2
sentences, >6
grammatical
errors
Difference is
stated, but is a
very minor
difference, little
connection
made, 3
sentences, 4-5
grammatical
errors
Difference is
stated, mild
connection
made between
book and
movie, 4
sentences, 3
grammatical
errors
Difference is
clearly stated,
evidence that
student sees a
connection,
5-7 sentences,
very little
grammatical
errors

15. Task 2: K-W-L
(designed for all students)
Complete a K-W-L chart based on what you know and for now, what you’d like to
know. We will complete the “What I LEARNED” column after the unit.
K
(What I KNOW…)
W
(What I WANT to know…)
L
(What I LEARNED…)
Task 3: Web of Ideas
Students can use this model to design a web of their ideas about the
relationships between drama and literature. For lower students, stick with the
design below. Higher students should try to add more “bubbles” to the web to
develop more ideas about the connections that they find.

16. HOW ARE
DRAMA
AND
LITERATUR
E
RELATED?