Cold War - Communism on Trial

Students will act out the story of Pete Seeger, a left-wing folk singer during the Cold War who was tried for being a Communist. Pete pleads the Fifth Amendment when he does not want to answer the court's questions. Although this saves him from serving a long jail sentence, he is still blacklisted, resulting in many hardships for his career and his entire family. This Reader's Theater script features roles written to match multiple reading levels. Teachers can assign specific roles to their readers based on each student's current reading level, allowing all students to get involved in the same activity and feel successful! Students will gain confidence in their reading fluency through performance, regardless of their current reading ability. While performing with others, students will practice performance, interacting cooperatively, reading aloud, and using expressive voices and gestures to better tell the story. These drama scripts for students are a great way to teach literacy and engage all learners!