Group Skits 

Showtime

 

Moving West

Act it Out

You be the Teacher

Dramatic Portrayal

 

Group Topic: ______________________________________________

 

Students: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You have three days to:

 

• Read the text and questions in the Interactive Notebook

• Research at home on the internet

• Collect at least three pics and two maps to bring into class

• Write a 5 to 10 minute skit that ‘tells the story’ and addresses the central questions in the I.N.

• Your skit must address the MOTIVES    HARDSHIPS   and  LEGACIES of those groups moving west

• Find a basic format and storyline and reinact/teach/portray what happened

• Be creative

• Put together simple costumes

• Practice and perform a 5-10 minute skit with several scenes

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🤠 The "Great Western Journey" Skit Template

Group Name: _________________________________ Our Pioneer Identity: (Circle one) Farm Family / Gold Prospectors / Fur Trappers / Mormon Migrants / Exodusters

Scene 1: The "Why" (The Economic Incentive)

Setting: A kitchen or a dusty street back East.

Character A: "I’m tired of [Challenge back home—e.g., high rent / no land / crowded cities]. We need to go West!" Character B: "But I heard the trip is dangerous! Why should we go?" Character A: "Because in the West, we can find [Insert Incentive—e.g., Gold / Cheap Land / Freedom]!" Character C: "Pack the wagon! We can only take three important items: 1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________."

Scene 2: Manifest Destiny (The Big Idea)

Setting: Standing at the edge of town, looking toward the sunset.

Character D: "Do you think we have the right to just take this land?" Character E: "Mr. Saindon says it's Manifest Destiny! That means..." (Write one sentence explaining why they feel they are 'meant' to move West):

Scene 3: Trouble on the Trail (The Challenge)

Setting: The middle of the wilderness. Someone is "pulling" the wagon.

Character B: "Oh no! We’ve reached the [Obstacle—e.g., Platte River / Rocky Mountains / Desert]!" Character C: "And look! [Insert a disaster—e.g., The Ox died / Someone has Cholera / A wheel broke]!" Character A: "Don't give up. We have to make a choice. Should we [Choice A] or [Choice B]?" (The group acts out the struggle!)

Scene 4: The Arrival (The Divergent Path)

Setting: Their new home in the West.

Character E: "We finally made it to [California / Oregon / Utah / Kansas]!" Character D: "It looks different than I thought. There are already people living here, like the [Native Americans / Californios]." Character B: "Life is going to be hard, but at least we have our [Incentive from Scene 1]."

🎭 Skit Requirements Checklist:

• [ ] Did we use the term Manifest Destiny?

• [ ] Did we show one Economic Incentive (money/land)?

• [ ] Did we show one Challenge (disease/weather/terrain)?

• [ ] Is everyone in the group speaking at least twice?