These scripts featuring realistic characters reflect typical situations that arise during a school year, from blending in on the first day of junior high school to snow days. Each script is accompanied by book suggestions on the same theme. While the volume targets students in grades six to eight, many fifth graders would enjoy these entertaining language-arts activities.

Curriculum Connections

Jenkins uses the many holidays and special days of the year to write original short plays for readers theater production for middle school kids. The topics all center on various teen problems encountered in this complex and emerging culture….A great writing and reading idea worth pursuing.

Teacher Librarian

This collection contains 19 contemporary, humorous reading plays that center on situations middle school students face, such as peer pressure, fear of failure, and issues with friends and family. Plays are organized around the school year, from the first day and Labor Day to Mother's Day and the last day of school, including Yom Kippur and snow days. Plays are reproducible and each has a summary, list of costumes, sets, and props, presentation tips, and a list of supplemental reading. The collection is meant for teachers and librarians for use in promoting reading fluency, language arts skills, and discussion. Jenkins, a freelance writer, is a former special education teacher.

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