Home > Professional Development Channel > Archives > Reader's Theater Archive > Reader's Theater Script

Rapunzel's Rap

By Cara Bafile

Grade Level: 3-6

Story Preview: Queen Beetifah, the leader of a hive near Rapunzel's tower, raps about the princess with long, golden hair who was locked away and found by a music-loving prince. (Note: Before asking students to read this script, you might want to familiarize them with the story by asking them to read, or by reading aloud to them, the fairy tale Rapunzel.)

Roles: Queen Beetifah, drones (played by any number of students), wife, husband, sorceress, Rapunzel, prince

Setting: once upon a time

Theme: fairy tale

Vocabulary:

• wail -- cry
• drones -- male bees of a hive
• sorceress -- female who uses magic
• strife -- bitter conflict
• hypnotize -- entrance, mesmerize
• shrew -- harsh woman

Props: drums or other percussion instruments might be used

Follow-Up Questions:

• Who narrates the tale?
• What did the wife want her husband to do?
• What deal did the sorceress offer?
• How was Rapunzel surprised at the tower?
• Why did she ask the prince to bring her silk?
• How did the sorceress learn of the prince?
• How did the sorceress punish Rapunzel?
• Did the story have a happy ending?

Follow-Up Activity
Have your students work in groups to create a beat and write a rap that retells a fairy tale or focuses on a specific character. Raps might include an intro, verses, a chorus, and an ending. Drums or other percussion instruments might be used to maintain the beat. Make recordings and share them or have the students give "live" performances.

Additional Notes: Because of the format of this read-aloud, it might be beneficial to have students read through the material silently or read their individual parts aloud for practice. It also can be fun to add sounds to the buzzing chorus of the drones; students who do not read single roles can join in that chorus.

Click here for a printable script.

Article by Cara Bafile
Education World®
Copyright © 2006 Education World

10/13/2006