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Lesson Plan: Basic Scriptwriting
Hats Off Theatre Company/Triangle Family Theater
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study:
Goals covered in this program as stated on www.ncpublicschools.org
The theatre arts focus is to encourage students to make personal choices through movement,
dialogue, and expression. Theatre arts in the public schools teaches the basic life skills, thinking
skills and personal qualities which:
• provide an intense study of what playwrights seek to convey and how this is intensified
through theatrical production, thus giving students insights into countless aspects of the
diverse and changing world.
• engage students in the creative process and the practical application of theatre techniques
(such as observing, considering possibility, and communicating) which students can use
in studying other areas of the curriculum and for life-long learning.
• and enable students to function and communicate more proficiently, work independently
as a member of a team, to value the individual contributions of others, and to learn
virtually any subject matter in a more dynamic way.
Overview:
The scriptwriting lesson plan will explore the basic elements of scriptwriting and the student will
apply these elements to stories through short performances and/or presentations. The student
will utilize this knowledge of script analysis and development to the process of independent
scriptwriting.
Instructor Information:
This lesson plan will allow the instructor to adapt the Guided Practice suggestions and activities
to age appropriate levels. All guided practice activities can be expanded by incorporating
critique of performances and/or of the scripts.
**Students are invited to submit original scripts by December 16, 2006 to Hats Off Theatre
Company/Triangle Family Theater Scriptwriting Festival.
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Lesson Plan: Basic Scriptwriting
Hats Off Theatre Company/Triangle Family Theater
Essential Questions
• What are the five elements that make up a script?
Who characters
What plot (events/sequence of actions)
When year, season, day, etc.
Where setting
Why reason the story takes place
• What is the structure of a script?
Beginning introduces characters, setting, and the story situation
Middle highlights the conflicts, develops characters, and sets up the
resolution to the story
End Resolution of the story which resolves the conflict or creates a “to
be continued” scenario to be explored
Guided/Independent Practice
• Favorite Story Activity (movie, book, play, etc.)
-Student will choose a favorite story.
-Student will analyze that story to answer the 5 elements that make up a script.
-Student will identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
-Student will discuss why he thinks his story was the most memorable.
• Trigger Word Activity
-Student will write a significant person, animal, or object on an index card.
-Student will flip the card and write the events of the story that relate to the trigger
word.
-Instructor will guide student to focus on a beginning, middle, and end to create a
story.
-Instructor will invite each student to present his story to the class.
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• Given Circumstance & Characters Activity
-Instructor will provide each student with a list of given circumstances and/or
characters:
Given Circumstance Examples:
Child is handed favorite ice cream cone which drops on the floor
Parents return from work to find the house sparkling clean
Puppy destroys homework
Character Examples:
Crying young girl
Hungry baby
Laughing old man
-Student will select a given circumstance and/or characters.
-Student will create a story from the information selected.
-Student will present the story to class (group work could create a scene to be
performed)
• Story Analysis
-Student will read a classic fairytale/fable/myth.
-Student will identify the 5 elements and structure of the story.
-Student will perform the sequence of events of the story.
• Alternate Ending Activity
-Student will read a classic story.
-Student will choose an alternate ending for the story.
-Student will create a short story to incorporate the new information.
-Student will present this information to the class.
