Adapted from the poem
by Bruce Lansky in My Dog Ate My Homework! published by Meadowbrook Press.
Summary:
A child discovers why his friends are pinching him.
Presentation Suggestions: Have the students read or perform
the poem in front of the class. Have the students act out the different lines
while they read them.
Props: A
row of student chairs representing the seats on a bus. Any other props are
optional.
Delivery:
The
lines of the poem need to be read with poetic rhythm. For more information on
poetic rhythm and how to perform poetry in classroom, please read the Performing
Poetry section under the Teacher’s Resources.
Characters:
Narrator
Kid 1
Kid 2
Don’t Pinch!
Narrator:
When I got on the school
bus,
I was in for a surprise.
My friends all stared and
pointed.
There was mischief in
their eyes.
A kid who sat in front of
me
reached out and pinched my knee.
Kid 1:
(Pinches Narrator’s knee)
Narrator:
My friends all started
laughing,
but the joke was lost on me.
And then I got a second
pinch.
Kid 2:
(Pinches Narrator’s ear)
Narrator:
I felt it on my ear.
And then I felt a third
and fourth.
Kid 1 and Kid 2:
(Pretend to pinch Narrator on his rear)
Narrator:
You guessed it—on my rear.
I asked, “Why are you
pinching me?
I think it’s very mean!”
They said,
Kid 1 and Kid 2 (in unison):
“Today’s St. Patrick’s Day
and you’re not wearing
green.”
©
2003 by Bruce Lansky. Adapted from the poem in My
Dog Ate My Homework! published by Meadowbrook Press. This classroom
theater play version of “Don’t Pinch!” is © 2008 by Meadowbrook Press.
Permission
is given for individual school classes to perform this play and to make as many
copies of the play as are needed for the students’ use. All other reproduction
and performance is prohibited under penalty of law. For use of this play
outside individual classes, please contact info@meadowbrookpress.com
for permission.
Click on the book
below for more information about
“My Dog Ate My
Homework!”