An Australian story inspires a traveling reader's theater
After reading the Australian-based story "Crocodile and Ghost Bat Have a Hullabaloo" to my second-grade students, we created a Reader's Theater. I started with sequencing questions like, "What happened in the beginning of the story?" and "What happened next?" Then I gave them only three tasks: make the ears and nose, then wear a sign that names the animal. I encouraged them to memorize their parts, but it was okay if they read them. The students took their theater "on the road" to other classes and were a big hit.
Reader's Theater
Hullaballoo: An Australian Folk Tale
Characters:
Crocodile
Ghost Bat
Red Kangaroo
Narrator
Namarrkun
Narrator: One time at twilight, Red Kangaroo told all the animals to come to a party.
Red Kangaroo: Come at twilight because some animals sleep during the day and some sleep at night.
Narrator: The animals came at twilight because the crocodiles don't like to meet at night and bats don't like to meet during the day.
Red Kangaroo: All animals come on! Everyone please sit down and enjoy all the yummy food!
Narrator: All the animals sat at the table and enjoyed the food. They were talking, eating and having a great time. Until?
Crocodile: Please pass the stew, Ghost Bat.
Narrator: Ghost Bat did not hear Crocodile.
Crocodile: PLEASE PASS THE STEW, GHOST BAT!
Ghost Bat: Oops, I am sorry. I didn't hear you.
Crocodile: I find that hard to believe.
Narrator: Ghost Bat was getting angry and wanted to say something that hurt Crocodile's feelings.
Ghost Bat: At least I don't let my food rot before I eat it.
Narrator: Now that was not the best thing to say, because right then, at that very moment, everyone at the table starting taking sides. Some were quarreling and thinking Ghost Bat was right and Crocodile should apologize and some other daytime animals were thinking Crocodile was right and Ghost Bat was really being a mean bat. Everyone was yelling and a big HULLABALOO was started!
Namarrkun: Stop fighting!
Narrator: Namarrkun is the thunder and lightning. He throws lightning to the ground. His voice is loud and all the animals are afraid of him.
Namarrkun: Stop name-calling. Stop pushing. Stop kicking. Stop the hullabaloo or I will make lightning.
Narrator: Namarrkun was even angrier. The animals went and hid in the forest because they didn't want to be shocked.
Namarrkun: Animals, while you are hiding you need to think about how you were acting towards each other. You were not nice to each other.
Narrator: Now anytime you hear thunder and lightning, you will remember not to make a hullabaloo anymore.
Paige Lomas
Columbus Elementary School
McMinnville, Ore.
