Adapted from the poem by Robert Pottle in I’m Allergic to School, published by Meadowbrook Press.
Summary: Kids misbehave on a
school bus.
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. (Be
aware that your students may not be able to act out some of the lines, like Ben
and Jen kissing or Hank standing on his head.)
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
Hank
Billy
Peter
Tasha
Paul
Steven
Kevin
Millicent
Katie
Ben
Jen
The Bus
Narrator:
Sixty
kids and one adult—
you gotta love those odds.
The
perfect place for pulling pranks
and throwing paper wads.
Hank:
Hank
is standing on his head.
Billy:
Billy’s
playing ball.
Peter (looking embarrassed):
Peter
wet his pants again.
Tasha and Paul (together):
Tasha pushes Paul.
Steven:
Steven
steals.
Kevin:
Kevin
cries.
Millicent:
Millicent
is missing.
Katie:
Katie
punched her cousin Keith.
Ben and Jen (together):
Ben
and Jen are kissing.
Narrator:
Me,
I’m taking lots of notes
on public transportation.
I
think the bus provides me with
the finest education.
© 2006 by Robert
Pottle. Adapted from the poem in I'm
Allergic to School, published by Meadowbrook Press. This
classroom theater play version of “The Bus” 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
“I’m Allergic to
School”