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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year pretend play turns into shared storytelling on purpose. Students invent characters, make up short scenes with a partner, and practice using their voice and body to show how someone feels. They also watch classmates perform and talk about what they noticed. By spring, they can act out a simple story with a clear beginning, middle, and end in front of the class.

  • Pretend play
  • Making characters
  • Acting out stories
  • Watching performances
  • Voice and body
Source: Delaware Delaware Content 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

    Imagining characters and stories

    Students start the year by inventing characters, settings, and short story ideas. They draw on favorite books and their own lives to come up with people to play and places to pretend.

  2. 2

    Building scenes together

    Students take their ideas and turn them into short scenes with a partner or small group. They practice agreeing on what happens, who plays which part, and how the scene ends.

  3. 3

    Voice, body, and acting choices

    Students try out different voices, faces, and movements to bring a character to life. They practice the same scene a few times and pick the version that feels clearest for an audience.

  4. 4

    Sharing work with an audience

    Students perform short scenes for classmates and talk about what the story means. They learn to focus on stage, speak up, and stay in character from start to finish.

  5. 5

    Watching and talking about theatre

    Students watch classmates and other performances and share what they noticed. They learn to say what worked, ask questions about a character, and connect a story to their own world.

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 from their own life to a character or story in a play. A memory, a feeling, or a person they know can shape the choices they make when acting or creating theatre.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    TH:Cn11.1

    Students connect a play or performance to the world around it, asking questions like where this story comes from or why people told it. That curiosity helps the work mean more.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr1.1

    Students come up with ideas for a character or a short scene, then decide what that character wants and how they move or speak.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    TH:Cr2.1

    Students take a story idea and shape it into a short scene, deciding who the characters are, what they want, and what happens next.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    TH:Cr3.1

    Students revisit a short scene or character choice and make at least one change to improve it before sharing it with others.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    TH:Pr4.1

    Students choose a character or short scene to perform and practice showing that character's feelings through their voice and body.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    TH:Pr5.1

    Students practice their lines, movement, and voice so a performance gets better each time they rehearse it.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    TH:Pr6.1

    Students perform a short scene or story in front of others and make choices, like how to move or speak, to show what the piece is about.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    TH:Re7.1

    Students look at a short performance or scene and describe 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 scene or puppet show and say what they think the performer was trying to show. They explain why a character seemed happy, scared, or excited based on what they saw and heard.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    TH:Re9.1

    Students look at a scene or performance and say what worked and why, using simple reasons like "the actor spoke loudly enough to hear" or "the story made sense."

Common Questions
  • What does theatre look like for students this year?

    Students play characters, act out short stories, and make up scenes with classmates. A lot of the work happens through pretend play, simple props, and acting out feelings. The focus is on imagination and working together, not memorizing lines for a big show.

  • How can I help my child practice theatre at home?

    Act out a favorite picture book together. Take turns playing different characters and try out funny voices, big movements, or different feelings. Even five minutes of pretend play after reading builds the same skills students use in class.

  • Does my child need to be outgoing or talented to do well?

    No. Theatre at this age is about trying things out, not performing perfectly. Quiet students can join through movement, drawing scenes, or working in a small group before sharing with the class.

  • What should students be able to do by the end of the year?

    Students should be able to invent a character, act out a short scene with a beginning and end, and share what a scene was about after watching it. They should also be able to say one thing they liked and one thing they would change.

  • How do I sequence theatre across the year?

    Start with imagination games and character work, then move into short scenes built from familiar stories. Save original student-made scenes and simple sharing for the back half of the year, once students are comfortable working in pairs and small groups.

  • What skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Staying in character and listening to a scene partner are the hardest parts at this age. Build in short, repeated practice with freeze games, mirror games, and call-and-response warmups before asking for longer scenes.

  • How is theatre connected to reading and writing?

    Acting out a story helps students understand characters, settings, and what happens first, next, and last. Parents can lean into this by asking what a character wanted or how a character felt during a bedtime story.

  • How do I give feedback on student scenes without crushing them?

    Use a simple two-part response: name one thing the scene showed clearly, then ask one question about a choice the actors made. Model this early so students copy the pattern when responding to classmates.