Reader's Theater: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Goals

Download The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 2. At least one copy per group is needed, preferably one copy per student.
Download The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 2 adapted for Reader’s Theater, or create your own version. At least one copy is needed per group, preferably one copy per student.
Download one What Will Happen? Graphic Organizer per student.
Download one Discussion Questions Handout, or create your own discussion questions.

Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students and give each student (or group) a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 2 and the What Will Happen? Graphic Organizer.
Have the students read the first four paragraphs of Chapter 2 (ending at “At this dark moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It was like a great, bright light.”
As a class, read the questions on the What Will Happen? Graphic Organizer and, in groups, have the students write their answers.
Have each group present their answers and write them on the board.
In their groups, have students read the remainder of the chapter and discuss the end of the chapter. See the Discussion Questions handout for example leading questions.
Reorganize the students into groups of 7 and give each student (or group) a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 2 Adapted for Readers Theater.
Assign each student a role.
Have each group practice reading through the Readers Theater script several times.
Have each group present their version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to the class.
As a follow-up you can assign students to read additional chapters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Are the roles too long for your students (Tom and the Narrator, for example)? Split the roles between two (or more) students.
Adapt the language difficulty for your students by re-writing the script.
Instead of Reader’s Theater, change it to a short play and have your students act out the parts.