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Grade 4 Reader's Theatre: Perfection?
Jenny helps her classmates understand her epilepsy.
What is it?
Absolutely free! If the kit has not reached your school as yet, you can download it from our website (www.epilepsyontario.org). In this one kit, you'll find an easily read play and program for all Grade 4 students and teachers. Your students choose (or you assign) parts. They are each given a script, they highlight their parts, and are able to carry their scripts with them as they perform. There is an easy assessment and evaluation form for you to use when reporting their successes.
What is it about?
Jenny is a brave, young girl in Grade 4 who has epilepsy. Jenny learns to help her classmates understand what it is like to live with epilepsy, and how to be part of her safety net if she has a seizure. Her friends want to help. Others are skeptical. One is mean. You know, life!
One part is a dream sequence in which Jenny finds herself on TV, confronted by a pair of 'perfect' TV hosts. The media often seems to be telling us that we have to be perfect. Of course, everybody's different–nobody's perfect, the message in this medium.
Jenny's story helps all of us understand that not being perfect is alright; expecting ourselves or others to be perfect can create unrealistic expectations, low self esteem and lead to bullying.
Even though Ontario has 100,000 people living with epilepsy, your classes this year may not have a child, teacher, or family member who is affected. At Epilepsy Ontario, we are committed to helping everyone understand the challenges we all face by 'being different'.
Of course, our objective is to bring awareness to the general public about epilepsy, but we also know that children are affected by other differences: learning difficulties, racial prejudices, obesity, diabetes, cancer, paralysis, blindness and deafness, to name a few.
If adapting the play to your specific needs will help you and your school further question the idea of 'perfection', you have our permission to adapt the script. Let us know if there is any other way in which we may help you.
What's in the kit?
Teachers' Resource Package contains:
- A choice of English or French scripts (to photocopy for your students)
- CD (introduction/trailer and original performance by York Region Grade 4 students)
- A cover letter from the Executive Director of Epilepsy Ontario
- Relevant excerpts from the Grade 4 Ministry of Education Guidelines
- Optional writing assignment sheets
- Evaluation/Reporting form
- First Aid poster to photocopy and post in classrooms and staffrooms
- All About Epilepsy, a background information pamphlet
Epilepsy Ontario is pleased to offer this kit to Grade 4 students, teachers, and families throughout the province.
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