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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year pretend play becomes the start of real theatre. Students step into characters, use their voices and bodies to tell simple stories, and try out ideas with classmates. They watch a short scene or puppet show and talk about what happened and how it made them feel. By spring, students can take on a role in a story, share it with the class, and say what they liked about a friend's performance.

  • Pretend play
  • Acting out stories
  • Character and voice
  • Watching performances
  • Sharing with classmates
Source: Illinois Illinois Learning 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

    Pretend play and big ideas

    Students step into pretend roles and try out characters from their own lives, like a parent making dinner or a doctor checking ears. Expect plenty of dress-up, props, and stories sparked by what they already know.

  2. 2

    Building stories together

    Students start shaping their pretend play into little stories with a beginning, middle, and end. They add details, name what is happening, and work with classmates to build a scene everyone understands.

  3. 3

    Sharing a scene with others

    Students practice showing their stories to a small audience, often family or classmates. They learn to speak up, take turns, and use voice and movement so people watching can follow along.

  4. 4

    Watching and talking about plays

    Students watch stories acted out by classmates, teachers, or in videos and books, then talk about what they noticed. They share what they liked, what surprised them, and what the story reminded them of.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Pre-Kindergarten.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

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    Students connect things they know and things they've done to their pretend play and storytelling. A memory, a feeling, or a moment from real life becomes part of the story they act out.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

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    Students connect stories and characters from plays or pretend play to their own lives and the world around them. They begin to notice how art reflects what people do, feel, and care about.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

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    Students make up their own characters and stories through play, pretend, and imagination. This is where creative thinking in theatre begins.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

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    Students act out a simple story or idea, then try it a different way to see what works better.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

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    Students pick a favorite way to act out a story or play, then practice it until it feels right.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

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    Students choose a character or moment from a story to act out, deciding how to move and speak to bring it to life for an audience.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

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    Students practice a short performance, like a song or a simple scene, more than once to get it right before showing it to others.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

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    Students act out a character or story for an audience, using their voice, face, and body to show what the moment means.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

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    Students look at a short play or puppet show and talk about what they noticed, like a funny moment or a loud sound.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

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    Students look at a short play or puppet show and say what they think the characters feel or want. They put the story into their own words.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

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    Students look at a drawing, a puppet, or a short performance and say what they liked and why. They start learning that opinions need a reason behind them.

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

    At this stage, theatre is mostly dramatic play. Students pretend to be animals, parents, doctors, or characters from a story. They use their voice, body, and simple props to act out ideas, and they watch each other play and talk about what they saw.

  • How can I support pretend play at home?

    Join in when students start a make-believe game and ask simple questions like who they are, where they are, and what happens next. A box, a blanket, and a few hats are enough. Ten minutes of pretend cooking, doctor, or shopkeeper play counts.

  • Is my child supposed to memorise lines or perform on a stage?

    No. Students at this age are not expected to memorise scripts or perform a polished show. The focus is on inventing characters, telling a short story through play, and sharing it with a small group like family or classmates.

  • How should I plan theatre across the year?

    Start with simple character play and acting out familiar stories like The Three Little Pigs. Move toward students inventing their own short scenes, adding props or costumes, and sharing them with classmates. End the year with small group performances and short conversations about what worked.

  • How do students connect theatre to their own lives?

    Students draw on what they know. They act out a trip to the store, a visit to the doctor, or a story from home. Asking about a recent experience and turning it into a quick scene helps students see that their lives are worth telling.

  • What does it mean for students to respond to a performance?

    After watching a scene or a story acted out, students say what they noticed, who the characters were, and how the characters felt. The point is noticing and talking, not critiquing. A few short questions after pretend play count as responding.

  • Which parts of theatre usually need the most practice?

    Refining and sharing work is the hardest piece. Students can invent wild ideas, but holding onto one idea long enough to act it out for someone else takes practice. Build in short rehearsals and small audiences so students get used to finishing a scene.

  • How do I know students are ready for kindergarten theatre?

    By the end of the year, students should be able to take on a pretend role, stay in it for a few minutes, and act out a simple story with others. They should also be able to watch a short scene and say something about the characters or what happened.