The Star-Spangled Banner: My Country (Building Fluency Through Reader's Theater)

Act out the story of the events that led up to the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner! Students will learn about Mary Pickersgill, who made a flag for the War of 1812 that inspired the famous poem. The six roles in this script are written at different reading levels, supporting differentiation and English language learner strategies. Teachers can easily implement these 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 about the garden gives readers exciting 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!

About Shell Education
Rachelle Cracchiolo started the company with a friend and fellow teacher. Both were eager to share their ideas and passion for education with other classroom leaders. What began as a hobby, selling lesson plans to local stores, became a part-time job after a full day of teaching, and eventually blossomed into Teacher Created Materials. The story continued in 2004 with the launch of Shell Education and the introduction of professional resources and classroom application books designed to support Teacher Created Materials curriculum resources. Today, Teacher Created Materials and Shell Education are two of the most recognized names in educational publishing around the world.

Stephanie Macceca, M.A.Ed., earned her B.A. in English and American Literature from the University of California, San Diego, and earned her M.A. in Education from Claremont University. She taught high school English, Spanish, and Media Studies at Claremont High School and currently teaches English at Valhalla High School where she serves as the English Department Chair. Stephanie has also been honored with several scholarly awards, including the Peter Lincoln Spencer Fellowship, the Paul Douglas Fellowship, and the Renaissance Teacher of the Year.