Skeleton Hiccups
by
Margery Cuyler
Erin K Hulse, APS Drama Resource Teacher, hulse@aps.edu 880-8249 ext 160
Narrative Pantomime
Appropriate Grade Level(s): K-2
Objectives:
Students will collaborate with peers to confirm the sequence of a story.
Students will demonstrate physical movements of characters from a story.
Students will listen to interpret theme of a story.
Common Core Standards Addressed/ELA/Reading, Speaking and Listening:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from
it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from
the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the
key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of
a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning
or tone.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with
diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the
line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
NM Fine Arts Standards Addressed/Theatre/Drama
Standard 1: Learn and develop the essential skills and meet technical demands unique to dance,
music, theatre/drama and visual arts.
K-5 Benchmark 1A: Use body and voice to portray character.
Standard 2: Use dance, music, theatre/drama and visual arts to express ideas
K-5 Benchmark 2A: Develop classroom dramatizations that express various moods or
emotions (e.g., happy/sad, funny, scary, mysterious, etc.).
Materials:
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
Space for students to work
Vocabulary: Skeleton, pantomime, narrator/narration, gestures, expressions, remedies
Procedure:
 Read Skeleton Hiccups. Discuss what was happening in the story—what was the problem
skeleton had? How did Skeleton try to solve the problem? Who helped? How was the
problem solved?
 Describe to students what “pantomime” is. Demonstrate several examples—brushing your
teeth, pouring a glass of milk and drinking it, throwing a ball, etc.
 Students spread out in the space and pantomime some movements—
Eating a apple
Washing your hands/face
Climbing a tree
Swimming across a pool
Reading a book
Running a race
Eating a slice of pizza
Riding a bike
Part 1:
 Reread the book, this time with all students being Skeleton. They will pantomime each of
Skeleton’s movements through the book as you come to them in the reading. Encourage
students to use facial expressions along with the physical movements.
Part 2:
 Students get into pairs. One is Skeleton, the other is Ghost. Reread the story, with students
pantomiming their appropriate parts.
Part 3:
 Students switch roles—Skeleton becomes Ghost, and Ghost becomes Skeleton. Read the story
one more time with students pantomiming their roles.
Debrief—what was it like being Skeleton? Ghost? Which movements were easy? Which movements
were a challenge? Why?
Modifications/Extensions:
 Students remain seated and do the motions using only their upper body
 Pairs add other pantomime movements for Skeleton and Ghost. Demonstrate to the group.
 Students in threesomes retell the story without the reading of the book. Each threesome shares
their retelling with the class.
 Where available, tape the retellings and share the video with the class—allowing the
performers to see their work.
Assessment/Evaluation: Teacher observation, debriefing