Primary 03 – Teachers Learn ETD

Primary Course 03

You should find lots of material here from which to make lesson plans
in preparation for the Production of the Play.

The Girl Who Missed Christmas

Description:
Use expressions: “How are you?” “I’m fine.” Identify people and what they do and ask about family and friends. Answer question: “What is it?” Name and number objects. Sing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Use the Phonics Practice. If one of your students sends us a very good picture, illustrating the play, we shall give you a copy of the full script of The Girl Who Missed Christmas to perform at school.

Course Objectives:
At the end of the session the student will be able to:

Revise the sound of letters /I/ /i/ /J/ /j/ /K/ /k/ /L/ /l/ /M/ /m/ and /N/ /n/ correctly.
Name some words that begin with I, J, K, L, M, N.
Name some words that have the sound I.
Use some expression: “How are you?” “I’m fine’
Show and appreciate the value of respect and congeniality.
Identify people and ask about family and friends.
Answer question: “What is it? Identify and name/ enumerate objects.
Identify people and what they do.
Ask what an object is.
Play the drama part of the story of “The Girl Who Missed Christmas” together.
Use vocabulary correctly.
Have fun.

Materials:
MP3 player, speaker, recorder (if you want to make an audio recording), microphone, printable flashcards, Wall chart of Alphabet (you can find many printable ones online).

Tips:
The teacher will need a lot of energy and variety of approach, as small children get very easily bored.

Units:

Warm up
Letters
Drama Story
Christmas
Phonics
The casts
The Script
Vocabulary

Unit 1

Warm Up Song and Greetings and Namings

Warm Up Song

Have the children stand in a large circle.

Then ask the children if they know where their head is.
After they all say yes, then repeat the step asking if they know where their shoulders, knees and toes are.
After doing this and they are familiar with the parts of the body begin to sing the song… “Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes… (as you sing the words they touch that part of their body). This is a great way to stretch out and this gives them an understanding of their body.

“Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes
Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes
And eyes, and ears and mouth and nose
Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes
Knees and toes
March, march, march, and let us all march.

March, march, march, and get your body charged
Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes
And eyes, and ears and mouth and nose
Head shoulders knees and toes
knees and toes Knees and toes
Jump, jump, jump, let’s all jump.
Jump, jump, jump, and let your muscles pump.
Punch, punch, punch, let’s all punch.
Punch, punch, punch, have a hearty munch.
Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes

Jump, jump, jump, let’s all jump.
Jump, jump, jump, and let your muscles pump.
Punch, punch, punch, let’s all punch.
Punch, punch, punch, have a hearty munch.
Head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes.

Unit 2

Alphabet Revision

Revise /I/ and /i/ /J/ /j/ /K/ /k/ /L/ /l/ /M/ /m/ and /N/ /n/

Learn words: Igloo, ice cream. ink, India, iron, dish, finger, mice.

Learn words: juice, jug, jet, jelly, jacket.

Learn words: kite, key, keyboard, kettle, kangaroo.

Learn words: leaf, lollipops, lemon, lion, ladder.

Learn words: moon, milk, mirror, music.

Learn words: nuts, night, nest, net, nurse.

Bring two volunteers to the front of the classroom.
Present the letter words. Teacher says each letter’s name with facial expression and body language. Students repeat.
Present the wall chart or draw/write on the board.
Teacher makes gesture to indicate big letters. Students repeat.
Repeat with small letters.
Teacher encourages them to imitate her body language and facial expression.
the students into two. Let each group say the words and point to the words by pointing to the correct alphabet.
Show a picture of a family. Introduce Mother, Father, Brother, etc.
at different part of family flashcard. “Who’s she?” “She’s my mother/sister.” “She’s Tony’s sister, mother” “Who’s he?” “He’s my father/brother”.
Enumerate objects: Get questions and answer, e.g. “How many hands do you have” “I have two hands” How many toes does she have?” She has ten toes.” Let them make up and answer questions.
Give the students flash cards with pictures and words: bed, blanket, cushion, stick, leaves, bone, fairy, doll, model house, – see below.
the children how to mime using movement and sound – lie down and pull up a blanket or cushion over your head.
You can mime writing notes with a paper and pencil.
You can mime children asking Santa for presents.
Also get each child to choose a partner and arrange her/him in positions and moving them to do the above.
Get a pair of students to demonstrate to the class. Let them take it in turns to do this.
Get the students participating as soon as possible?
The students can look at their flashcards to guess the answer.
They can ask questions for a “yes” or “no” answer.

Unit 3

Drama Story

A. Practice.

There are 9 speaking parts and Marmalade the dog who barks.
There are also stage hands. See chart below.
Who wants to be the two narrators who guide the action?
Who wants to be Joe, Mother, Father, Marmalade the dog, friend 1, and friend 2?
Who would like to be Santa?
Who would like to be stage hands?
Who would like to help with the costumes, for example Santa’s? – see flashcard below.
Who would like to make or collect the props?
Practice saying the words in the Phonics Practice

B. Rehearsal

Drama has rehearsal and performance and is a good way for the children to cooperate, become confident have fun and learn English.

Teacher prompts students to pull faces at each other and say “Boo!”
To crawl onto the stage like a dog and bark.
To play hide and seek with very few props to hide behind
To practice throwing a stick and a bone to Marmalade the dog who catches them and brings them back
To make bits of coloured paper that look like leaves and scatter them onto the stage.
To make the sound effect of somebody running downstair

Unit 4

Christmas

You can copy and print the flashcards and the script for the students.
If you don’t have enough students they can double or treble parts and other jobs. You can work this out.
Or if you have too many students you can form them into groups and appoint assistant directors to yourself to help direct each group.
the children to improvise and modify.
This should give them confidence and spontaneity.
See: “SANTA APPEARS WITH NATALIE’S FRIENDS AT THE SIDE OF THE STAGE, MIMING TALKING WITH THEM.”
You can have a go at helping the children to write dialogue for the friends and Santa.
For example with the teacher’s help and inspiration a child could improvise: “I want a football for Christmas, please” and Father Christmas can reply: “I will bring you a football. You have been a good boy”

Unit 5

Phonics Practice

Practice saying the words in the Phonics Practice. These words are underlined in the script (below).

Unit 6

The Cast

Then they can have fun role playing different characters by themselves or with their family. Consult with producer or school teachers to see how you can help with the production by working with your child to create props, record sound effects and music.

CAST	PROPS	SOUND EFFECTS	BACK DROP
Narrator 1	Bed	Running downstairs	Bedroom
Narrator 2	Stick thrown to Marmalade		Kitchen
Natalie	Blanket		Trees and rising sun
Dad	bone thrown to Marmalade
Mum	Leaves thrown onto stage
Joe	Cushion
Marmalade	Paper and pencil for writing
Santa	Joe’s toys
Rudolph	Dad’s book
Friend 1	Wrapping paper
Friend 2
Stage hands

Unit 7

The Drama Script

Listen to the play being read

SCENE 1	THERE IS A BED ON THE STAGE WITH A BLANKET AND A CUSHION
NATALIE’S BEDROOM	THE TWO NARRATORS AND NATALIE ENTER
NARRATOR 1:	Once upon a time there was a little girl called Natalie.
NARRATOR 2:	She was six.
NARRATOR 1	She lived in a house in a nice street.
	JOE WALKS ONTO THE STAGE.
	HE AND NATALIE PULL FACES AT EACH OTHER
JOE:	Boo!
NATALIE:	Boo!
NARRATOR 2:	She had a little brother called Joe.
	(THE BOY OR GIRL, WHO IS MARMALADE THE DOG, CRAWLS ONTO THE STAGE)
MARMALADE:	Woof! Woof!
NARRATOR 1:	And a dog called Marmalade.
NARRATOR 2:	And most of the time Natalie was happy.
NARRATOR 1:	She had some good friends.
	(TWO FRIENDS OF NATALIE’S ENTER THE STAGE. THEY PLAY WITH NATALIE.)
FRIEND 1	Let’s play hide and seek
NATALIE:	Good idea!
FRIEND 2:	You two hide
	FRIEND 1 AND NATALIE HIDE WHILE FRIEND 2 CLOSES HER EYES
NATALIE:	I’m ready
FRIEND 1:	Me too.
FRIEND 2:	Coming!
	FRIEND 2 SEARCHES. NATALIE CAN”T STOP GIGGLING AND FRIEND 2 FINDS HER
FRIEND 2:	Found you!
FRIEND 1:	Let’s play with Marmalade!
NATALIE:	Okay!
	THEN THEY PLAY WITH MARMALADE. NATALIE HAS A STICK TO THROW TO MARMALADE
NATALIE:	Marmalade fetch!
MARMALADE:	(CHASING) Woof! Woof!
	MARMALADE CATCHES IT.
	FRIEND 2 PRODUCES A BONE AND THROWS IT TO MARMALADE.
FRIEND 2:	Catch this bone.
	MARMALADE DROPS THE STICK AND CHASES THE BONE
	(THE FRIENDS LEAVE WITH MARMALADE WHO CARRIES AWAY THE BONE. THEN NATALIE PLAYS WITH JOE)
NARRATOR 2:	She even played with Joe, when he wasn’t being annoying.
	(THEY PLAY TOGETHER. THINK OF A GAME THEY CAN PLAY TOGETHER. THEN JOE LEAVES. NATALIE GETS INTO BED)
NARRATOR 1:	But there was one thing Natalie didn’t like –
NARRATOR 2:	Getting up.
	(NATALIE IS FAST ASLEEP. DAD ENTERS THE ROOM)
NARRATOR 1:	Every morning her Dad would come into the room and say:
DAD:	Come on Natalie. It’s time to get up.
	NATALIE PULLS THE BLANKET OVER HER HEAD
NATALIE:	Just one more minute.
DAD:	Now, now! You’ll be late for school.
NATALIE:	Just one tiny minute, please.
DAD:	(SHOUTS) Now Natalie.
NATALIE	(MOANING) It’s so warm in bed.
NARRATOR 2:	And so it went on every morning.
	(MUM AND MARMALADE ENTER)
MUM:	(SHOUTS) Get up Natalie!
MARMALADE:	Woof! Woof!
	JOE ENTERS AND MAKES FACES AT HER
JOE:	Yah boo! Lazy bones!
MUM:	(SHOUTS AGAIN) I said Natalie, Get up!!!
MARMALADE:	(LOUDER) Woof! Woof!
	NATALIE PULLS THE COVER OVER HER HEAD. EVERYBODY LEAVES HER EXCEPT DAD.
NARRATOR 1:	Natalie really, really hated getting up in the morning.
DAD:	You know, Natalie, One day you are going to miss something really important, because you stay in bed too long.
	DAD LEAVES TOO
NARRATOR 2:	As it happened something very important was about to happen.
NARRATOR 1:	The nights were getting longer.
	SCATTER LEAVES ONTO THE STAGE
NARRATOR 2:	And the leaves were falling from the trees
NARRATOR 1:	And soon Natalie was getting excited,
NARRATOR 2	Because it was getting close to Christmas;
NARRATOR 1:	And she had so many different things she had asked for.
	NATALIE SITS UP, TAKES PAPER AND PENCIL AND WRITES.
NARRATOR 2:	She wanted a fairy costume with wings and a crown and a wand.
NARRATOR 1:	and a doll who cried real tears
NARRATOR 2:	And a model house with furniture.
NARRATOR 1:	And lots and lots and lots of things.
NARRATOR 2:	Of course she had to rehearse for the school play,
NARRATOR 1:	except she nearly missed it because she was sleeping in.
NARRATOR 2:	Santa asked her friends what they wanted for Christmas
	SANTA APPEARS WITH NATALIE’S FRIENDS AT THE SIDE OF THE STAGE, MIMING TALKING WITH THEM.
	BUT NATALIE STAYS IN BED.
NARRATOR 1:	And she had to go and see Santa in the grotto,
NARRATOR 2:	but she missed that as well,
NARRATOR 1:	Because she didn’t want to get out of bed.
	SANTA AND THE CHILDREN LEAVE. NATALIE REMAINS IN BED
	MUM ENTERS
MUM:	I just don’t know what to do about all this sleeping.
NATALIE:	If I want to stay in bed why shouldn’t I?
	SHE PULLS THE BLANKET MORE OVER HER HEAD. MUM LEAVES
NARRATOR 1:	Finally Christmas Eve arrived.
	NATALIE JUMPS UP AND DANCES AROUND IN EXCITEMENT. NATALIE THEN GETS BACK INTO BED. SHE TOSSES AND TURNS IN BED.
NARRATOR 2:	She found it really hard to get to sleep.
NARRATOR 1:	She wanted to stay awake and see if she could really see Santa.
NARRATOR 2	But in the end she went to sleep and slept and slept and slept.
	DAD CALLS
DAD:	Natalie! Natalie!
	(NATALIE PUTS THE CUSHION OVER HER EARS)
NARRATOR 1:	Finally she decided she had been in bed so long that it was getting boring.
	NATALIE TAKES AWAY THE CUSHION AND SITS UP
NATALIE:	Wow! It’s Christmas! I’m so excited.
	SHE LOOKS AT THE END OF THE BED.
	Where’s my stocking? Where has Santa left my toys?
	SHE JUMPS OUT OF BED AND RUNS OFF STAGE DOWNSTAIRS. WE HEAR THE SOUND EFFECT OF SOMEBODY RUNNING DOWNSTAIRS. STAGE HANDS REMOVE THE BED, BLANKET AND CUSHION.
NARRATOR 2:	This is the end of Scene 1.
NARRATOR 1:	Please wait for Scene 2 and don’t go away.
NARRATOR 2:	Find out whether Natalie gets her presents.
	The End

The Complete Play, Homework and Other Advice

The teacher gives the students rewards, perhaps an English through Drama certificate. For their homework please ask the students to draw their own pictures of Natalie, Marmalade (maybe he should be orange), Joe and her friends. Also let them write and perform their own endings to plays.

Once the students have written and performed their own endings, you can access the completed play at The Complete Girl Who Missed Christmas. You can organise a school or drama club production for families and friends to enjoy.

You can submit your students’ pictures to the English through Drama website. The best pictures will go on the website. If they wish we shall add their name, school and / or country.

We have advice on the use of music in plays and particularly the music of the great classical composers and of film music. Have a listen !