Literacy Lesson Down the Yellow Brick Road

Academy Elementary School fourth grade students in Carrie Almskog’s class recently collaborated with kindergarten students in Nancy Celentano’s class on a joint literacy project that culminated in a performance of “The Wizard of Oz.” 

As part of the unit, the Bayport students studied both the classic novel by L. Frank Baum and the play’s script, which had been adapted by Ms. Celentano to meet state standards for English language arts and literacy. 

The students compared and contrasted the two versions and documented their findings. As part of their reader’s theatre study, the students practiced reading with fluency and expression before auditioning for the roles they wished to embody during the performance. They also learned about the process of performing a play, as they studied choreography, scenery and stage directions. 

At the end of the multi-week study, the two classes performed the play before audiences filled with proud family members and peers. A special thanks to Deb Anderson, who assisted with various aspects of the production.