Adapted from the poem by Bruce Lansky in My Dog Ate My Homework!, published by Meadowbrook Press.
Summary: A skydiver makes a big
mistake.
Presentation Suggestions: Have the students read or perform the poem in front of the
class. Have the students act out the different lines while they read them.
Props: A parachute (or big
sheet) would make a great prop, but the poem can be performed without props.
Delivery: The lines of the poem need to be read with poetic rhythm.
For more information on poetic rhythm and how to perform poetry in classroom,
please read the Performing
Poetry section under the Teacher’s Resources.
Characters:
Narrator
Auntie
Jen
A Lesson Learned
Narrator:
One
day, my skydiving Uncle Newt
forgot to pack his parachute.
Auntie Jen:
“That’s
one mistake,”
Narrator:
said Auntie Jen,
Auntie Jen:
“that he will never make again.”
© 2000 by Bruce
Lansky. Adapted from the poem in If
Pigs Could Fly...And Other Deep Thoughts published by Meadowbrook
Press. This classroom theater play version of “A Lesson Learned” is © 2008 by
Meadowbrook Press.
Permission is given for individual
school classes to perform this play and to make as many copies of the play as
are needed for the students’ use. All other reproduction and performance is
prohibited under penalty of law. For use of this play outside individual
classes, please contact info@meadowbrookpress.com for permission.
Click on the book
below for more information about
“If Pigs Could
Fly…And Other Deep Thoughts”