Pretending and playing along
Students step into make-believe with puppets, dress-up, and props. They try on different characters and use their bodies and voices to show who they are pretending to be.
What does a student learn in
This is the year pretending becomes a craft. Students step into characters, act out simple stories, and use their bodies and voices to show how someone feels. They borrow ideas from books, family, and their own lives, then share short scenes with classmates. By spring, students can take on a role in a make-believe story and tell you who they are pretending to be and why.
- Pretend play
- Acting out stories
- Using voice and body
- Characters and feelings
- Watching and sharing
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
- 2
Making up stories together
Students invent simple stories and act them out with classmates. They add their own ideas, pick what happens next, and connect the play to things they know from home and books.
- 3
Getting a story ready to share
Students practice short scenes and decide what to keep and what to change. They think about how a character should sound or move so the audience understands the story.
- 4
Watching and talking about plays
Students watch each other perform and short stories acted out by others. They talk about what they saw, what they liked, and what the story meant to them.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Pre-Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect their own feelings and memories to the stories and characters they act out in class.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students connect stories and characters in plays to their own lives and the world around them, noticing how what happens onstage reflects real feelings and real situations.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect their own feelings and memories to the stories and characters they act out in class. | TH:Cn10.pk |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students connect stories and characters in plays to their own lives and the world around them, noticing how what happens onstage reflects real feelings and real situations. | TH:Cn11.pk |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students pretend, make up characters, and act out simple stories through imaginative play.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students pick a character to pretend to be and act out a simple story or scene. This is the beginning of learning how to plan and build a performance.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students finish a short play or story by trying it more than once and making small changes until it feels right.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students pretend, make up characters, and act out simple stories through imaginative play. | TH:Cr1.pk |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students pick a character to pretend to be and act out a simple story or scene. This is the beginning of learning how to plan and build a performance. | TH:Cr2.pk |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students finish a short play or story by trying it more than once and making small changes until it feels right. | TH:Cr3.pk |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick a character or story to act out and practice showing it to others.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a song, story, or movement until they can share it with others. Rehearsing helps the performance feel ready.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students use pretend play, costumes, or movement to share a story or feeling with others.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick a character or story to act out and practice showing it to others. | TH:Pr4.pk |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a song, story, or movement until they can share it with others. Rehearsing helps the performance feel ready. | TH:Pr5.pk |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students use pretend play, costumes, or movement to share a story or feeling with others. | TH:Pr6.pk |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look at a short play or puppet show and talk about what they noticed, like a funny moment or a character who seemed scared.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a puppet, a costume, or a short play and say what they think is happening or how a character feels.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a scene or drawing and say what they like and why. They start to notice the difference between "I liked it" and "here is what made it good."
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look at a short play or puppet show and talk about what they noticed, like a funny moment or a character who seemed scared. | TH:Re7.pk |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a puppet, a costume, or a short play and say what they think is happening or how a character feels. | TH:Re8.pk |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a scene or drawing and say what they like and why. They start to notice the difference between "I liked it" and "here is what made it good." | TH:Re9.pk |
Common Questions
What does theatre look like at this age?
At this age, theatre is mostly pretend play. Students act out stories they know, try on different voices, and use props or costumes to become someone else for a few minutes. There are no scripts to memorize and no stage to step onto.
How can I support theatre learning at home?
Play along when students pretend to be a doctor, a dog, or a dragon. Ask questions inside the game, like what their character wants or where they are going. Ten minutes of make-believe a few times a week builds the same skills as a drama class.
Do students need to perform in front of an audience?
No. Performing for family at home or for a few classmates in the room is plenty. The point is sharing an idea with someone watching, not putting on a polished show.
How should I sequence theatre across the year?
Start with simple character play and acting out familiar stories like The Three Bears. Move into making up short scenes together in small groups. By spring, students can plan a beginning and end before they act, and talk about what they saw a classmate do.
What skills usually need the most support?
Listening and responding to a scene partner takes the longest to develop. Many students want to talk over each other or run the whole story themselves. Short turn-taking games and two-person scenes help more than whole-group activities.
How do I tie theatre to stories and real life?
Pick a picture book the class already loves and act out a scene from it. Then ask students if anything like that has happened to them. Connecting a story to a personal memory is exactly what the connecting standards ask for.
How can students respond to a classmate's scene?
Ask simple questions like what the character was feeling, what they noticed, or what they liked. At this age, naming one thing they saw is enough. Avoid asking what was good or bad.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By the end of the year, students can stay in a pretend role for a few minutes, act out a short story with a partner, and say one thing they noticed about a scene they watched. They should also be willing to try out an idea in front of a small group.