Nat Turner | BHM | Readers Theater Script

This Nat Turner Historical Figure Readers Theater Script engages students in an interactive narrative instead of reading a dry history textbook. Abigail and Benjamin explore how Nat Turner, an enslaved man led a violent rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, in August 1831.

Script Summary:

The time-traveling guides, Abigail and Benjamin, witness Turner’s early life marked by deep religious beliefs and visions. They see how he organized a small group to attack enslavers and how the rebellion ended with Turner in hiding. He was eventually captured, tried, and executed. The story draws from his own words, as recorded by Thomas R. Gray in The Confessions of Nat Turner. Through these events, students learn how faith, desperation, and the cruelties of slavery can lead to tragic outcomes and spark national debate.

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

1) Readers Theater Script

• ~12 Characters, 1800 words in editable DOCX Format (9 pages)
• Includes factual historical information, primary source quotes, and narrative storytelling
• Themes & Discussion Question Prompts

2) Comprehensive Script Worksheet

• Includes Student Copy and Answer Key in PDF & Google Slides Formats (4 Pages | 17 Slides)
• 10 Vocabulary Words: Definitions based on the context of the script to build historical literacy
• 10 Short-Answer Questions: Comprehension and recall questions based solely on the script, ensuring students can analyze the content without requiring additional research.
• 5 Long-Format Writing Questions: Encourage deeper reflection and analysis, using the full text of the included primary source.

3) One Primary Source Document

• Excerpt from The Confessions of Nat Turner by Thomas R. Gray (1831)
• 1 Primary Source Text, DOCX Format (8 pages)

SAVE 30% and Get this Product in a Bundle:

BHM Focused | Reader's Theater Scripts Bundle (8)

Try One Before You Buy One:

Martin Luther King Jr. | Reader's Theater Script

Teaching Tips for Using the Script:

• For digital classrooms, upload the DOCX Script and convert to Google docs
• For More Students: Main character can be read by multiple students.
• For Less Students: Minor characters can be read by just one student.
• This script should take about ~25 minutes and depending on your classroom's level it may be suitable for other grade levels.
• An extra ~25 minutes for prep, discussion, vocabulary or short answer comprehension questions should also be planned.