Mr. Salsich's Class
Third Grade Explorations in Learning
Reader’s Theater – Wayside School: “Joe Learns to Count”
We have been learning about the importance of reading fluently.
This means to read smoothly, at the right pace, and with the right expression.
A great way to practice reading fluently is with Reader’s Theater scripts. Reader’s Theater scripts are kind of like scripts for a play, but instead of acting the parts out, the readers have to use their voices to bring the reading to life. They are fun for the readers, but also for people who are reading along in their head.
the Wayside School books by Louis Sachar
Below is a performance of a Reader’s Theater script from the book Sideways Stories From Wayside School by the hilarious author Louis Sachar. The readers are Benjamin, Caitrin, Grace, Lucy, Nicholas, and RJ.
The Wayside School books are very strange and very humorous. If you like these kind of books, give them a read, you will be laughing for sure!
Here is a copy of the script that you can download to practice this reader’s theater with your own class.
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March 7th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Congratulations to Benjamin, Caitrin, Grace, Lucy, Nicholas, and RJ! I LOVED your reading. Your voices were very clear and you had great expression. I will look forward to listening to more “reader’s theater” from Mr. Salsich’s class. Thanks!
March 8th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Dear Mr.Salsich’s Class
It’s a really funny story especially because when Joe counted it would always be a wrong answer and your reading was excellent!
Your Friend,
Carlos,
Team Toa
March 8th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Thanks Carlos! We are glad that you enjoyed the reading. It is definitely a funny story. All of the Wayside books are very humorous.
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 2:37 am
Wow I read the book also and it was the same book. Hi my name is Daksha and I live in HongKong.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Great reading from all six of you! I clearly heard and understood what each of you read. I like the way your voices sounded like a person actually taking, not just a boring monotone. What a funny and frustrating book
Christine Poscich
March 8th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
I thought the fantastic video was great and hilarious because if he counted right, he would just count to ten and if he counted wrong, he would get it right.
The funniest scene was when he asked, “Can I have a potato?”
Sincerely,
Sam
March 8th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Thanks Sam,
I also think the funniest scene is when Joe asks for a potato. It also makes me wonder why Mrs. Jewls just happens to have a bunch of potatoes in her classroom… But everything is a little peculiar at Wayside School.
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich and class,
I thought your reading was fantastic because you guys actually got frustrated like a teacher will do if they had to try that many times.
Those books that you were reading looked pretty interesting. I think I am going to go read them sometime. What is your favorite part about the video that you students made?
Sincerely,
Nick
California
( Mrs. Yollis’ student)
March 8th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Dear Nick,
Thanks for the comment. I agree, the students did a great job of expressing emotions in their reading.
The Wayside School books are very good! They are all short stories about the crazy things that happen in the school. The author, Louis Sachar, also wrote one of my favorite books – Holes. I think my favorite part of the video is when Joe asks for a potato.
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Dear Joe,
I bet you were sad because you didn’t go to recess. I hope you will learn to count.
From,
Paul
March 8th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Poor Joe, he actually got all the right answers until Mrs. Jewls “taught” him to count and then he got all messed up. I don’t think Mrs. Jewls will keep him in from recess again because all she ended up doing was banging her head against the wall and in the end he still used his way of counting.
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
I really liked the video. It was funny because when Joe counted the right way he got the wrong answer, and when he counted the wrong way he got the right way he got the right answer.
From,
Charlie
(In Mrs Yollis’ class)
March 8th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
It is very strange… How do you think he could get the right answers counting that way? Could it have been luck every time?
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Dear Mr.Salsic,
I LOVED how the kid had to stay in class because he did not know how to count! Poor teacher has to miss her snack time.
From,
Moraiya
March 8th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Dear Moraiya,
Yes, Mrs Jewls missed her snack time and she banged her head against the wall five times!
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
I loved the Reader’s Theater movie. It is funny how Joe got the right answer, but he counted wrong. Then Mrs. Jewels counted to ten and after that Joe kept counting to ten, but then he said that when he counts wrong he got the right answer and that when he counted right he got the wrong answer. Funny!
Sincerely,
Ava (from Mrs. Yollis’ class)
March 8th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Thanks Ava! I loved the Reader’s Theater also. It was very funny the way Joe would count to get the right answer. I have to say, I’m glad my students don’t count like that. He did get the right answers though…
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Dear Mrs. Salsich,
I LOVED this post because when Joe counted the wrong way he got it right which I don’t get, and when he counted right he got the wrong answer. It was very hard to believe Joe was counting, I thought he was guessing the answer and always got the math problem right. That would just be pure luck. I wish I was that lucky even though I’m pretty good at math.
Sincerely,
Caleb
March 8th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Dear Caleb,
I don’t know how Joe did it either! I don’t think he could be lucky enough to get the answer right every time. Maybe he has invented a new way of counting, but I’m not going to teach his method to my students. I couldn’t even if I wanted to, because I don’t get it!
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
I had no idea that there was a book with the same story and title as the Wayside Show on Nicktoons. My favorite part was everything! I did especially like when Joe got the answer correct when he counted wrong and got it wrong when he counted the right way.)
What great readers you have!
From,
Richie
(In Mrs. Yollis’ class)
March 8th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Thanks Richie, we do have some excellent readers in our class. I haven’t seen the show on Nicktoons. Is it as crazy as the books?
-Mr. Salsich
March 8th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich and class,
I share everyone’s thoughts…THAT was a funny Reader’s Theater! All of the readers sounded convincing when they read their lines and that made it even better! Fantastic fluency!
Thanks for making our day even better!
From,
Mrs. Yollis
March 8th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Marvelous effort by all the narrators. It’s a great way to learn how to read with expression. We want to hear Nicholas read out loud to us. It will be good practice.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
I liked the story and all the readers made it come alive. I felt kind of sorry for Joe who just couldn’t seem to get it right. I hope Nicholas will read more of these stories to us at home.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Wow! You all sounded great. Caitrin has been telling us about the Wayside School stories. Sounds like an interesting place. Listening to the reader’s theater brought the story to life. In my mind I could picture Joe and his teacher counting items in the classroom AND his teacher hitting her head on the wall!
Keep up the good work.
Caitrin’s Mom
March 8th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
What a great job, everyone! I really liked how you used expression and intonation in your reading to make your voices sound like the characters you were playing. It made it very fun (and funny!) to listen to! Nicely done and very fluent.
-Benjamin’s mom
March 9th, 2010 at 4:53 am
Dear Mr.Salsich,
I LOVED the clip about Wayside School!
I never read one before… but the ones your students made were very funny! I still feel bad for Joe.
I wonder if he made it!?!
-Hayeon-
(In Team Toa)
March 9th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Enjoyed the reading very much. What a fun story for the kids to read.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Dear Joe and Mr Jewls,
I enjoyed listening to the reader’s theater. I like when Mrs. Jewls banged her head on the wall and I like when Joe counted wrong.
love
Brianna
March 10th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Dear Class,
You guys did a FANTASTIC job on the video! My favorite line is when Joe said, “This doesn’t make any sense! when I count the wrong way I get the right answer and when I count the right way I get the wrong answer” because it really doesn’t make any sense. AMAZING JOB!
Your classmate,
Gracie
March 10th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich’s Class,
I thought that was your best video yet. My favorite character was Mrs. Jewls. She sounded like a real teacher. The most hilarious part of the video was when Caitrin and Lucy said the school was built 30 stories high than 30 stories long. Then the builder said he was very sorry. When Mrs. Jewels kept Joey in for recess to count he kept counting wrong. Whenever joey counts wrong he gets the right answer. Also when he counts right he gets the wrong answer.
Gabby
March 10th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Wow!
That was a hilarious video. My favorite part was when Joe said ” Oh darn I missed recess” because he was kept in from recess until he learned to count, and by the time he learned recess was over. Do you have a favorite part ?
Your classmate,
Sean
March 19th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Dear class,
Everybody did a great job on the movie about Joe.
from Abdullah
March 23rd, 2010 at 10:43 am
Dear class,
Everybody did a good job on the movie about Joe. Some parts of the movie I was laughing because Joe was counting the wrong way and he keeps saying “can I go to recess now.”
from
Joe
March 24th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
I like how Joe does not know how to count and Miss Jewls banged her head and she did it five times and she asked Joe “how many times did i hit my head?” He counted “one two three four five six seven eight nine ten” and he said ten. No Joe I hit my head five times Joe. I also like Mrs Jewls, she is a great person. She should go on a television show.
Love
Brianna
December 25th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Dear Mr. Salsich,
Well first I have a question for you: What grade is Joe in? if he is in a low grade then that is why he counts wrong. Or it is just because he does not listen in class when Mrs. Jewels is telling the other students how to count. I have another question for you: What book is that story in the 1st the 2nd or the 3rd?
From, Taylor***