Cold War: Communism on Trial

Act out the story of Pete Seeger, a left-wing folk singer during the Cold War who was tried for being a Communist. Pete pleads the Fifth Amendment when he does not want to answer the court's questions. Although this saves him from serving a long jail sentence, he is still blacklisted, resulting in many hardships for his career and his entire family. The six roles in this script are written at different reading levels, supporting differentiation and English language learner strategies. Teachers can easily implement differentiation strategies by assigning specific roles to their students in a way that best accommodates readers of all levels. All students can participate in this activity, helping them gain confidence and feel successful while building fluency! An accompanying song and poem gives readers additional opportunities to engage in the story and build fluency. Students will also practice other important skills like reading aloud, interacting cooperatively, and using expressive voices and gestures while performing this story together. All of the features in this colorful script make it the perfect tool for a diverse classroom of learners to practice repeated reading and fluency!