The Great Depression (A Migrant Mother's Story)

Students will act out the story of Florence Owens, a migrant worker and widowed mother of seven during the Great Depression. A published photograph of Florence upset her, but she meets with the photographer to discuss her feelings and learns how important her image was in helping migrant workers during that time. 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!