Women's History Month Historical Figures Readers Theater Script | WHM

This Women's History Month Historical Figures Readers Theater Script engages students in an interactive narrative instead of reading dry expository text. Abigail and Benjamin explore the contributions of Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony, Shirley Chisholm, Billie Jean King, and Sally Ride. Each of the 5 acts integrate primary source quotes, anchoring key moments and showcasing how these women’s courage and vision reshaped nursing, voting rights, political representation, sports equity, and space exploration, inspiring generations.

Script Summary:

This script follows Abigail and Benjamin as they time-travel to witness the transformative lives of five trailblazing women: Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony, Shirley Chisholm, Billie Jean King, and Sally Ride.

• Act 1 traces Nightingale’s journey from a defiant youth to her sanitation reforms in the Crimean War, using evidence and leadership to forge modern nursing.
• Act 2 follows Anthony’s Quaker upbringing, her bold 1872 illegal vote, and her fiery trial speech, igniting the suffrage movement that wins the 19th Amendment.
• Act 3 covers Chisholm’s resilient Brooklyn roots, her 1968 election as the first Black woman in Congress, and her 1972 presidential run, shattering barriers for diverse leadership.
• Act 4 tracks King’s ascent as a tennis prodigy, her 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” triumph over Bobby Riggs, and her lifelong fight for equal pay, reflected in her 2017 address.
• Act 5 charts Ride’s scientific curiosity, her 1983 flight as the first American woman in space, and her STEM advocacy, echoing her 2002 reflections.

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

1) Readers Theater Script

• ~21 Characters, 4200 words in editable DOCX Format (17 pages)
• Includes factual historical information, primary source quotes, and narrative storytelling
• Reading Tips, Casting Characters Table
• 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.
• 3 Primary Source Exploration Questions: Encourage deeper reflection and analysis, using the full text of the included primary source.

3) 5 Primary Source Documents

• Full Text or Excerpts of Letters/Speeches for each figure (DOCX Format)

Teaching Tips for Using the Script:

• Centers Tip: Break up each act and use them as individual stations where students can rotate and read through each act separately.
• 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.

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.