Do you remember the old song "On Top of Spaghetti," based on the tune to the folk song "On Top of Old Smokey"? Children and adults have enjoyed it for many years. The lyrics begin: "On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed..." Yes, it's a silly story, but so fun. "On Top of Spaghetti –Again" adapts the lyrics to a 2-part Choral Readers Theater script or a partner play. Complete with annotated curriculum links for easy lesson plans, "On Top of Spaghetti–Again" Readers Theater provides fun fluency practice for groups of all ages, English Language Learners, and homeschoolers. This is the longer elementary version for grades 3-5. (The shorter version has a readability of grade 2.1.)

TIME: about  2 min. spoken (4 m. sung)      CAST:  2 or 2 choral groups        TONE: light, fun       READABILITY: grade 4.4

Do you remember the old song "On Top of Spaghetti," based on the tune to the folk song "On Top of Old Smokey"? Children and adults have enjoyed it for many years. The lyrics begin: "On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed..." Yes, it's a silly story, but so fun. "On Top of Spaghetti –Again" adapts the lyrics to a 2-part Choral Readers Theater script or a partner play. Complete with annotated curriculum links for easy lesson plans, "On Top of Spaghetti–Again" Readers Theater provides fun fluency practice for groups of all ages, English Language Learners, and homeschoolers. This is the shortened primary version with two font options. (The longer version has a readability of grade 4.4.)

TIME: about 50 seconds       CAST:  2 or 2 choral groups        TONE: light, fun       READABILITY: grade 2.1 (grade 1.1 replacing the reader names "Pasta" and "Sauce" with "A" & "B")

Thank you for caring enough to teach!  Here's a gift Choral Readers Theater script I sent the teachers who shared their email addresses with me, "Three Cheers for Teachers!"  Unlike all our other scripts this one has NO curriculum links, but it does have words to honor teachers who make a difference--like you.
TIME:  less than 2 minutes   CAST:  2- 4+ (Choral Groups?)  TONE:  grateful   READABILITY:  grade 3.9

How do you engage students with the parts of speech?  How do you get them to remember everything?  "The Parts of Speech Poem" Readers Theater script solves your problem. Although this poem has been around for many years with an unknown author, it still provides a concise explanation of the parts of speech with clear examples.  Your students will learn the parts of speech in a dramatic way with repetition to help increase their comprehension of grammar.  In fact, our worksheet (or quiz) and annotated curriculum links will simplify your lesson plans on the parts of speech.  If you teach or review the parts of speech this free Readers Theater script should help your students in grades 2-8.  Two choral versions are included so everyone participates.

TIME:  about a minute     CAST:  2-4+ (choral)   TONE:  educational    READABILITY:  grade 1.2 (think grade 2+)

Would your students enjoy meeting a heroine from Black History?  "Harriet Tubman, Alias Moses:  Joe's Journey (Simplified)" is a true-to-life Readers Theater script from the original biography of Harriet Tubman by Sarah Bradford (1869).  Harriet Tubman told Mrs. Bradford the story of her life, including some of her adventures as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.   Harriet had a strong faith in God and this script is true to her story.  Join an adventurous trip with Harriet Tubman and some escaped slaves–including Joe–in this free Readers Theater script with curriculum links for lesson plans.  This is the Simplified version of our original script.  (The original version has a readability of grade 4.2.)

TIME:  about 9 1/2 minutes  CAST:  8-12  TONE:  somber with joy   READABILITY:  grade 3.4

"Squanto's Squash" jumps into the history of Thanksgiving with Pilgrims, Native Americans, and more. "Squanto's Squash" is available in two flavors: lively, with group participation or calmer, without interruptions.  The longer, livelier version is perfect to engage a younger audience, parents, or a larger group of students.  The short version is appropriate for smaller groups or more mature students who frown on silliness. Complete with a vocabulary list and annotated curriculum links for lesson planning.  (This is the SIMPLIFIED version; the original version has a readability of grade 4.5.)

TIME: 3 1/2 or 6 min  CAST:  7-10+  TONE: light or more serious, your choice!   READABILITY: grade 2.6

Short.  Spunky!  Character building. "The Beaver and the Lumberjack" Readers Theater is adapted from one of Aesop's Fables.  The original Aesop's Fable is known as "The Honest Woodcutter," "The Honest Woodman," "The Golden Axe," "Mercury and the Woodsmen," and more. Part of our character building category,"The Beaver and the Lumberjack" comes with vocabulary and annotated curriculum links for easy lesson plans.  (Updated 2021.)  (Note:  This script is included in our Flexi-Curric™ TPT Store product, "Aesop's Fables Collection, Vol. 1".)

 If you like simple fun for a small groups it should be perfect!  Or, use the script chorally with two groups reading the character parts and the teacher reading the narrator parts.  Although the readability is grade 3, Aesop's Fables are classic, so this script motivates students in grades 2-8.  Use it as a springboard for discussion–even in middle school. 

TIME: 3 minutes    CAST: 2-4 (or 2 choral groups plus narrator)  TONE:  varies (sad and light)   READABILITY: grade 3.3

Sled dogs.  Saving children.  Nonfiction adventure.  "The Great Race" remembers The Great Race of Mercy in 1925 saving Nome, Alaska, from a diphtheria epidemic.  Twenty sled dog teams and their mushers raced a non-stop relay to rush the life-saving antitoxin serum to the doctor in the middle of a winter snowstorm.  This easy script is in our Holidays, Seasons & Events category and comes complete with annotated curriculum links for easy lesson plans, too.  Perfect for those who can read at a first grade level or above, the 2-character script may be used chorally or as a partner play with two font options.  (Note:  This script may be too juvenile for adult learners, but we have other scripts they may like from the same race including "Togo Tales." Use the search box or go to our Store)

TIME:  about 1 minute      CAST:  2 (or 2 choral groups)   TONE:  exciting    READABILITY:  about grade 1

How do you teach about honoring soldiers, veterans, or their memories?  "Sack Lunch Flying (Simplified)" is a free Readers Theater script that will make it easy--both with the touching story and the annotated curriculum links (updated in Jan., 2016) at the end for easy lesson plans.  Perfect for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, and patriotic programs, this script contains links to the stories of veterans, plus an opportunity to write someone in the military.  

TIME:  about 4 minutes  TONE:  serious  CAST:  9  READABILITY:  grade 3.1 because of some 3-4 syllable words (e.g., Afghanistan)

"Squanto's Squash" jumps into the history of Thanksgiving with Pilgrims, Native Americans, and more. "Squanto's Squash" is available in two flavors: lively, with group participation or calmer, without interruptions.  The longer, livelier version is perfect to engage a younger audience, parents, or a larger group of students.  The short version is appropriate for smaller groups or more mature students who frown on silliness. Complete with a vocabulary list and annotated curriculum links for lesson planning.  

TIME: 3 1/2 or 6 min  CAST:  7-10+  TONE: light or more serious, your choice!   READABILITY: grade 4.5 (with the word narrator, less without)

"Dog Jog Adventure with the Sisters" was requested by a Script Buffet Club member for an all girl cast.  Actually, the narrators could be boys.  This light-hearted script is based on a true story that is guaranteed to make people laugh–or groan!  Complete with annotated curriculum links for easy lesson plans, "Dog Jog Adventure with the Sisters" is perfect for students in grades 3-8 because the main characters are older girls and the vocabulary is slightly advanced.  Struggling readers, ELL, and ESL students will particularly enjoy this real life script.  (Note:  We have this script in two other versions for three readers or three choral groups.)

TIME:  7 min.  CAST: 4-5    TONE:  humorous, light   READABILITY:  grade 3.6

Teachers LOVE Readers Theater.  Students LOVE Readers Theater.  But, oftentimes teachers stretch their budgets to provide enough Readers Theater scripts for their students.  While some teachers have Readers Theater "loaning libraries" and others have Readers Theater centers that only require a few scripts, a few teachers have been asking recently for full-class Readers Theater scripts.   Several of the teachers in our caring community have mentioned the challenge of getting enough copy paper to print enough Readers Theater scripts.  One teacher I talked with recently said she has six classes of 30 inner-city students each.  Wow!  That's a printing challenge!  So, here are a dozen tips for teachers who need free supplies–including copy paper for printing Readers Theater scripts and optional script covers.