Engage pupils with playscript writing using this Key Stage 2 resource pack. Pupils will read the WAGOLL model text, Act II Scene 1: Alice Arrives at the Tea-Party. This is based on the Mad Hatter’s tea-party from Alice in Wonderland.
The text demonstrates how dialogue, stage directions, adverbs and layout devices work together to create a clear and performable scene. Pupils can annotate the text to identify these features and then plan and write their own playscripts, either continuing the tea-party, exploring another scene from Alice in Wonderland, or creating a scene from a story they already know.
What’s included
- Model Text – Act II Scene 1: Alice Arrives at the Tea-Party: This WAGOLL scene introduces characters, sets the scene and includes dialogue with stage directions and adverbs to show how lines should be spoken. Pupils can see examples of stage directions in the present tense, clear character labelling and how layout devices structure the text. They can act out the scene to explore the impact of dialogue and movement.
- Playscript Success Criteria Writing Sheet: This sheet lists the key features of a playscript, including the use of adverbs in stage directions, layout devices to structure the text, scene titles, character lists, colons after character names and brackets around stage directions.
- Playscript Planning Sheet: Pupils use this to plan their own scene, deciding which characters appear, what they say and how they move or react. Teachers can model planning using the WAGOLL text.
- Writing Paper: Themed sheets allow pupils to present their finished playscripts neatly and clearly.
National Curriculum links
Teach pupils to plan writing by identifying the audience and purpose, selecting the appropriate form and using model texts to guide their own writing.
You can also teach them to use organisational and presentational devices to structure the text and guide the reader. There are opportunities to integrate dialogue to convey character and advance action, linking directly to drafting and composition skills in the programme of study.
This pack provides everything you needeto guide pupils in creating engaging, structured playscripts while developing their understanding of dialogue, stage directions, adverbs and clear layout, all based on a WAGOLL text.