Free Scripts

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The Apple Seed- Themes: Faith, Responsibility, Talents, and Good Health
Fancifone - Themes: Prayer, and Following instructions.
The Girl Who Called 911 - A young girl learns how to use 9-1-1 properly.
Good Food is the Best Medicine - A young boy learns that good food can help him feel better.
Harry B. Blue - A big blue monster that lives under a bed makes friends with a boy when he is told to clean his room.
The Hike - Two young girls learn of the necessity of preparation!
Joey's Imagination - A young boy learns to use his imagination to make work fun.
The Lion Who Lost His Roar- A lion learns that he is still special even without his roar.
The Monsters and The Witches Brew- Theme: Good Nutrition
Murky Lake- Themes: Obedience, Trust, and Rules
Smiles - Themes: Self Esteem, Looking for the good in others, Befriending others.
Too Much of a Good Thing - Themes: Appreciation, Moderation

THE APPLE SEED

Written by Carolyn Frank

THEME: Faith

(A boy and a girl are on stage with an apple.)

SUSIE: Hey Johnny, look at my big red apple. Doesn’t it look pretty?

JOHNNY: It sure does.  But what it really is, is yummy.

SUSIE: Do you want a bit?

JOHNNY: Sure! (Both kids take a bite of the apple. Johnny bites into a seed.) Ouch!!

SUSIE: What happened?

JOHNNY: Dumb seeds! I just bit into one. What are those silly things doing in the apple any way? You can’t eat them.

SUSIE: Seed are very important. That’s how you grow new apple trees. Hey, that gives me an idea! Let’s plant these apples seeds so we can grow lots and lots of pretty apples just like this one.

JOHNNY: Sounds great!

SUSIE: You plant yours over there, and I’ll plant mine right here.

(Each kid acts like he’s planting a seed.)

JOHNNY: Okay, mine’s all planted. I’m going to go play now.

SUSIE: Wait a minute! Aren’t you going to do anything else to it, like water it, or give it plant food?
JOHNNY: Why should I? It will grow by its self. Look at all these weeds, (He motions to his surroundings) nobody took care of them and they grew fine by themselves. I’m going to go play. (He leaves).

SUSIE: If you want a weed that’s fine, but I want a big strong healthy apple tree. So I’m going to work hard to make sure I get it. I know I’ll have to water it, pull the weeds, feed it, and give it lots of tender loving care. (She fusses over the seed a little longer then leaves.)

(There is a slight pause, then Susie’s tree begins to grow first. Make some big healthy growing sounds as it slowly emerges on stage, as if it were growing. Then Johnny’s tree begins to grow, making squeaky, unhealthy growing sounds.)

BIG TREE: (Susie’s tree) Wow, I feel great! This is fun being a big strong, healthy apple tree.

SMALL TREEE: (Johnny’s tree) Oh, I feel terrible!

BIG TREE: What in the world are you?

SMALL TREE: I’m an apple tree.

BIG TREE: You’re kidding me! What happened to you?

SMALL TREE: The person who planted me didn’t take care of me. He didn’t water me, feed me, or pull the weeds. I had a hard time growing. Wait till I get my limbs on him. I’d like to tell him a thing or two, if only I had the strength.

BIG TREE: It looks like you’ll get the chance now, here he comes.

(Johnny and Susie enter).

SUSIE: Johnny, come and see my apple tree.

JOHNNY: Wow, it looks great. Hey, let’s go and see mine. It should look about the same because we planted them at the same time.

(They both go over to where his tree is planted and look around as if they can’t find it.)

SUSIE: I can’t see your tree anywhere. All that I see is this scrawny twig.

JOHNNY:  Hey twig, what are you doing here, where my apple tree is supposed to be?

LITTLE TREE: I am your apple tree! (Kids open their mouths in amazement.)

JOHNNY: You’re kidding me! What happened to you! You don’t look anything like Susie’s tree. We both got our seeds from the same apple.

LITTLE TREE: You didn’t take care of me. You didn’t water me, you didn’t feed me, and you never pulled any of these weeds around me. They are about ready to choke me out. I feel awful. (The little tree shivers as he says this. Then he makes a choking sound and falls over the edge of the stage towards the audience.)

JOHNNY: I feel just terrible. I didn’t mean to do this to my apple tree. I just kind of forgot about him and thought more about playing instead.

SUSIE: At least you can learn a lesson from this; A lesson that doesn’t even have to do with apples.

JOHNNY: Oh really! What’s that?

SUSIE: Anything that you invest your time and work hard in will grow strong and healthy, and will turn around and bless your life.  One example is faith. If you compare the seed you planted to faith you can see how it works. The seed of faith starts out small, but if you feed and nourish it, it can grow much bigger and stronger. You don’t feed faith plant food, of course, but you do need to nourish it by reading the scriptures, going to church, and doing what is right. If you don’t nourish your faith in these ways, it will shrivel and soon die like your little tree. On the other hand, if you nourish the seed of faith by doing those things, your faith will continue to grow and even bear a different kind of fruit—the fruit of happiness.

THE END

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VARIATIONS:

Responsibility: Replace Susie’s lesson on faith at the end with this one; A lesson on responsibility; Say for example, your mom asks you to tend your little brother. She is, in a sense, asking you to be responsible for him. Now if you go out and play, and figure your little brother will be okay alone by himself, something terrible might happen to him. He’s too little to be on his own, just like your tree wasn’t able to grow on its own. That’s not being responsible. If you want to be responsible, then you take care of him, like I took care of my tree. You may need to feed him, change his diaper, or maybe just play with him. But in the long run you will be happier if you take responsibility.

Talents: Replace Susie’s lesson on faith at the end with this one;

Well, those seeds we planted are like our talents. Everyone has some kind of talent, but what we do with them is what counts Say for example, we both have a talent for playing the piano. If you don’t practice everyday, just like you didn’t take care of your seed every day, soon your talent dwindles away, and you won’t be able to play at all. If I practiced everyday and really cared about my talent, just like I cared for my seed, my talent would grow, and soon I would be very good at playing the piano. I would have a worthwhile talent just like I have a worthwhile tree. There are lots of other talents beside musical ones. (You may wish to replace the talent of playing the piano with any of numerous others.)

Good Health:

Option 1:

SUSIE: The seeds we planted are like our bodies. We can’t just ignore them. We must take care of them if we want them to grow up to be strong and healthy. Just as the tree needs plant food and lots of water, we need to eat good food. With my tree I pulled out the bad things like weeds, so the good things like sunshine could reach my tree. We should keep bad things out of our bodies too.

JOHNNY: Like what?

SUSIE: Like drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

JOHNNY: They’re not that bad for you. They make you feel good. Besides, everybody uses them.

SUSIE: That doesn’t make it right. Besides, they all contain things that are poison for your body.

JOHNNY: Poison?!

SUSIE: Yes, poison! As bad of a gardener as you are, even you would never have given poison to your little tree. Why should you be any different with your body?

Option 2:

SUSIE: The seeds we planted are like our bodies. We can’t just ignore them. We must take care of them if we want them to grow up to be strong and healthy. Just as the tree needs plant food and lots of water, we need to eat good food, and stay away from junk food that gets in our system and chokes our bodies, keeping them from receiving the nutrients our bodies need to be strong.

THE END

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FANCIFONE

Written by Carolyn Frank 

THEME: Prayer

NARRATOR: In a land far away and long ago, there lived a very wise king and his two sons.

KING: Sons, gather ‘round and listen to what I have to say. You have learned all that you can by living in this kingdom. The time has come for you to move on to other places… and learn from your experiences.

SON I: Must we?

SON II: But we like it here. Besides, we will miss you.

KING: I will miss you also. But you must go, for that is how I gained all of my wisdom.

SON I: Who will be there to help us? What if we can’t make it on our own?

KING: I won’t expect you to.

SON II: What if we should have problems?

KING: I will still help you.

SON I: But how father?  You will be so far away!

KING: By using this Fancifone. (play phone, or cup with string, is placed on stage.)

SON II: How does it work?

KING: Listen carefully, because if you don’t use it properly it won’t work, you’ll get discouraged then you’ll quit trying. That would be sad because you’ll have no way of getting in touch with me, and I won’t be able to get in touch with you.

SONS: (together) Tell us! We are ready!

KING: Well, you talk into this funny shaped handle. The first thing you say is my name… Father. Next… It would be nice if you would tell me thank you for the other things I will give you for your journey. After that, you can ask me for whatever you need. Last thing… say goodbye.

SON I: That sounds easy enough.

KING: That is the easy part. The hard part is listening for an answer. You see, you won’t always be able to hear me. Don’t let this stop you. I will always be able to hear you. Keep trying, because eventually I will get through. One other thing… don’t ask for any thing foolish or something you can do for yourself, because for your own good I won’t answer you. But you might think the Fancifone doesn’t work Be off with you now, and good luck. Most important, do not forget I love you. (Both sons exit together.)

NARRATOR:  (King exits as narrator begins.)  As these two sons embark on their journey they are faced with numerous new experiences. The first son remembered well the words of his father concerning the Fancifone. He used it daily, and thus found it easy to talk to his father and receive answers, and other help along his journey. But the second son forgot the words of his father. He rarely used the Fancifone. Soon he came to believe it didn’t even work.

SON I: ( Enters alone.)  This is hard being away from home. It was so nice back home. Father was always there when we needed help. Like right now—I’m starved, and I don’t have a cent. I blew my last dollar at the video arcade across the street. If only Father were here. Maybe he could give me an advance on my allowance. Maybe I should use the Fancifone Father gave me. I haven’t used it for so long, I forget how it works. If I remember correctly I don’t think it ever worked. Oh well, I’ll give it a try, I’m desperate.  (He picks up the phone and speaks into it.) How about sending me my allowance early this week Dad!) Better yet, just send me a pizza.

(Pause)

SON I: Just like I thought. It doesn’t work.

SON II: (Enters) What’s the matter brother?

SON I: I’m broke and I’m hungry.

SON II: Have you asked Father to help you?

SON I: Yes, but I don’t think these Fancifones work. I don’t think they ever did.

SON II: That’s not true. I use mine all the time. I really enjoy talking to Father on it.

SON I: That’s not fair! Father gave me a broken one.

SON II: It’s not broken. You just don’t know how to use it right. Do you remember the instructions Father gave us?

SON I: No, I didn’t listen very well. I didn’t think it mattered.

SON II: Let me tell them to you again. The Fancifone is so important to us, I want you to be able to us it like I do.

NARRATOR: And so the one son learned from his brother how to use the Fancifone according to the rules their Father had set up. He also learned how to hear his Father’s answers, and how to use it for the important things, and his journey became much easier.

(At this point either the narrator, or teacher, in a teaching moment afterwards, makes the correlation of the Fancifone to prayer.)

THE END

VARIATIONS:

Following instructions:  You may wish to make instructions from the father on how to use the fancifone somewhat different. Put less emphasis on things that would pertain to prayer, and put more emphasis on the set of instructions. Emphasize how the second son was much better off than the first, because he listened and followed the instructions.

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THE GIRL WHO CRIED 9-1-1

by Carolyn Frank

GIRL: There’s nothing to do. None of my friends are home… I’m so bored! (Pause, she looks around and acts bored, then she spots the phone.)

(excited) I know! I can talk on the phone.

(depressed) but I’ll have to wait for it to ring.

(excited) Or I could call them!

(depressed) But who do I call? I don’t know any phone numbers, and I don’t read very well, so I can’t use the phone book.

(excited) There is one number I do know—9-1-1.

(depressed) But that’s only for emergencies. This is an emergency! I’m bored out of my gourd!

(She starts to pick up the phone) This sounds fun! I’ve always wondered what happens when you call 9-1-1.

(She starts to dial) Hello.

(Pause, then she responds in a stumbling manner, as if to a person on the other end of the line) My address? Yes … of course, it’s 123 Sycamore Street.

(Pause, then as if repeating what had been said) What’s the emergency?

(Off to the side, not into the receiver. Almost as if she is thinking out loud) I can’t tell them my emergency is boredom. Think! Think! What’s a good emergency?

(Then into the receiver) Fire! Yes, there is a fire in my house.  (She hangs up and soon a fireman appears on stage.)

FIREMAN: (running in frantically) Fire! Fire! Where’s the fire?

I’ve got my hose, I’ve got the nose, to sniff out the smoke, and put the fire out before you choke.

GIRL: (laughing) You look so funny running in here like you were worried there was really a fire. Oh, this is lots of fun! I’m not bored any more. I should have called 9-1-1 the last time I was bored!

FIREMAN: (angry) You mean there is no fire?

GIRL: (shakes her head) No.

FIREMAN: Did I understand you right when you said you called 9-1-1 because you were bored?

GIRL: (shakes her head) Yes.

FIREMAN: Young lady, I don’t  think you fully understand the serious nature of what you’ve done.

GIRL: What do you mean? I was just playing on the phone.

FIREMAN: 9-1-1 is a special phone number. It should be used only in case of an emergency—not boredom. You should never play around with, or call 9-1-1 unless you have a REAL emergency.

GIRL: What’s a real emergency?

FIREMAN: When someone is hurt or in danger, and needs help quick.

GIRL: Why don’t you guys have a normal phone number? That way I couldn’t remember it so easy. Like “Ten”- I wouldn’t have called that!

FIREMAN: That’s exactly why we have that number. When someone is hurt or in danger, they don’t have time to look up our phone number in a book. They need our number quick. And the nice thing about the phone number 9-1-1, is that it is the same anywhere you go. If you need help anywhere in the USA, you just call 9-1-1… But not if you’re bored. (Fireman exits).

Sometime later… ( a sign stating this appears on stage.)

GIRL: There’s nothing to do! My friends are not home. I’m so bored! Hey! Wait a minute; I don’t need to be bored. I can call 911 like I did last time. That turned out to be anything but boring. That fireman was so funny. (She begins to laugh) Ha, ha, ha. He looked so funny when he came running in because he thought there was a fire. I‘m going to do it again. (She picks up the phone and dials.) Hello. (pause) Emergency? (like she’s repeating them.) Yes I’ve got one. uh…  uh….our house is on fire.(pause) 123 Sycamore Street. (She hangs up).

FIREMAN: (running in) Fire! Fire! Where’s the fire?

GIRL: (laughing even harder than before) There is no fire. I just wanted to see if you would be as funny as last time. (pause) You’re even funnier!

FIREMAN: Young lady, fire is not funny and I am not funny. Fire fighting and fire prevention is very serious business.

GIRL: Huh? Fire prevention, what’s so important about that. It can’t be that tough—just stay away from fires.

FIREMAN: It’s not always that simple. Accidents do happen. Fires can start in the safest of homes.

GIRL: Really?

FIREMAN: Yes! And if they do, there are some simple rules to follow to help protect you.

GIRL: Tell me what they are.

FIREMAN: First of all, children should never play with or use matches. If matches need to be used, let a grown up do it. You should never have candles or anything burning when your parents are not home.

GIRL: But I like the smell of pretty candles. My mom lights them to make our house smell good.

FIREMAN: That doesn’t matter. They should not be burning when there is not a grown up there.

GIRL: What else?

FIREMAN: You should make an escape plan.

GIRL: What do you mean?

FIREMAN: That is a plan you prepare ahead of time, with your family, in case you ever do have a fire. You decide where to meet to make sure everyone is accounted for. You have alternate ways to exit your house in case the fire is blocking the door.

GIRL: What if it’s so smoky that you have a hard time following your plan?

FIREMAN: Good question! If there is a lot of smoke, you should get down on the floor and crawl out.

GIRL: Why?!

FIREMAN: Because smoke rises. The air on the floor will be the best for breathing until you get out of there.

GIRL: What if I my house isn’t on fire, but I have a little fire… uh.. like if the waste basket catches on fire, or my dress?

FIREMAN: If you see even a small fire start, unless you have a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it, you should run and get help. Don’t try to put it out yourself.

GIRL: But if my dress is on fire, running for help would just make it worse.

FIREMAN: Good point! You’re right. If any part of you or your clothes catch on fire, you should stop, drop, and roll.

GIRL: Stop, drop, and roll? What’s that?

FIREMAN: You stop immediately, drop to the ground, and roll over and over until the fire is out. Rolling on the ground helps to smother the fire.

GIRL: This stuff sounds scary.

FIREMAN: Fires are scary and should be taken seriously. Can you see now why it is so important not to joke around about it?

GIRL: Yes, I do.

(they both Exit)

Sometime later…(hold up sign on stage)

SETTING: (Dispatch headquarters/fire house)

DISPATCHER: (on phone) This is 9-1-1. (pause) You say the field next door is on fire? Okay, we will send a truck out immediately. (to the fireman who just came on stage ) Hey Joe, we’ve got a fire down at the Johnson’s farm.

FIREMAN: We’ll get right on it!

(phone rings)

DISPATCHER: 9-1-1 (pause) Stay calm. You say your house is on fire. What is your address? (pause) 123 Sycamore Lane, Okay we’ll get right on it. (To the fireman who is still on stage) Sounds like we have a more serious fire here. Do you want me to call another fire station and see if they can take one of these fires?

FIREMAN: You said 123 Sycamore Lane didn’t you?  Was it a little girl calling?

DISPATCHER: Yes.

FIREMAN: Don’t bother the other station. That’s the address of the little girl who likes to call 9-1-1 and report a fire when she is bored. She’s probably bored again. (pause) It won’t take long to put out the fire on the Johnson’s farm. Then I’ll run over to that little girl’s house and give her another lecture.

(Fireman runs off stage and dispatcher leaves. The little girl appears on staged smudged with soot. Black or gray pieces of fabric can be backed with Velcro and place on puppet for added effect.)

GIRL: (coughing and crying) Oh no! What have I done?

FIREMAN: (comes on stage) Oh my! You weren’t bored this time.

GIRL: (shakes her head no)

GIRL: I wanted my room to smell pretty, so I lit a scented candle.

FIREMAN: Where is your mother?

GIRL: She went to the grocery store.

FIREMAN: There are two fire prevention rules you’ve broken. Any thing else you want to add to that?

GIRL: Well… after that I accidentally knocked the candle on the floor. It caught some clothes that were on the floor on fire. Instead of getting out, I tried to put the fire out myself. Then my pants caught on fire.

FIREMAN: (shakes his head in disbelief)

GIRL: But after that I remembered what you told me. I stopped, dropped and rolled. By then smoke was all over the room. So I crawled on the floor, got out of my room and shut the door. I hurried and found my little brother and got out of the house. He was waiting at our assigned meeting place. We made our fire escape plan after you talked to me last time.

FIREMAN: Is your brother okay?

GIRL: Yes, I took him over to the neighbors until my mom gets home.

FIREMAN: You’re a very lucky young lady.

GIRL: How can you say that? My house and everything in it is gone.

FIREMAN: But you and your brother made it out safely. You’re alive—a little dirty—but alive!

GIRL: None of this would have happened if I had listened to you about fire safety and calling 9-1-1.

FIREMAN: You must have listened a little. (pause) Remember, accidents happen. It’s not important who’s fault it is or isn’t. You must stay calm, think straight, remember the rules, and you can prevent matters from getting any worse. And that’s just what you did.

(They walk off stage together.)

The End

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GOOD FOOD IS THE BEST MEDICINE

by Carolyn Frank

(Setting: Doctor’s office – A mom has just brought her child in to see the doctor.)

MOM: I hope you can find out what my little boy has. He just hasn’t felt good for such a long time. I know it’s not the measles or the chicken pox, because he doesn’t have any spots. Could it be one of those other childhood diseases that aren’t so easy to spot?

DOCTOR: Well, let’s have a look at this young ma n and see if I can find out what is wrong with him. (Doctor motions to the boy, and the boy moves over to him.) Come on over here son. Let’s have a look at you. (Doctor examines boy.) Tell me your symptoms.

BOY: Well… I keep getting cold sores in the corners of my mouth. I always have a runny nose. Sometimes I get dizzy, sometimes I get headaches, and when I get a scratch it takes longer to heal than when my friend Scott gets one.

DOCTOR: Hmmmm….I don’t see any cold sores right now.

BOY: I don’t really know doctor; my symptoms aren’t always the same. But I do know one thing—I’m always tired.

MOM: He is always tired. He should be out climbing trees and riding bikes like most little boys his age.

BOY: All I feel like doing is sitting around and watching TV, or playing video games.

MOM: Oh doctor, please find out what’s wrong with him. What kind of medicine does he need? Can you give him a shot so he can start to get better?

DOCTOR: Hmmm…. I don’t think a shot is what he needs.

BOY: Great—Pills are good! I’d rather take those any day!

DOCTOR: Pills aren’t the answer either.

MOM: (In a worried voice) What kind of medicine does he need then?

DOCTOR: No medicine.

BOY: (In a worried voice) What kind of disease do I have, Doctor?

DOCTOR: You are suffering from malnutrition.

BOY: Isn’t that what poor people in other countries get, because there isn’t enough food to eat?

DOCTOR: Yes it is.

MOM: But Joey gets plenty to eat—we’re not poor, we have lots of food.

BOY: Yeah! I eat all the time—candy bars, chips, soda, yum—my favorites. I’m usually even too full to eat my dinner most of the time. So I don’t. In fact, I’ve got a few extra inches around my belly to prove it.

DOCTOR: Just because your stomach isn’t hungry, doesn’t mean other parts of your body aren’t hungry.

MOM: What do you mean?

BOY: (Chuckling) Yeah, how can my feet be hungry—or my eyes be hungry?

DOCTOR: If you eat lots of candy bars, chips and soda, but skip dinner, you are filling your stomach with empty calories. Your stomach does feel full, but those kinds of foods lack the nutrients to run the other parts of your body.

BOY: Huh?

DOCTOR: Let me explain it another way. Joey, do you like cars?

BOY: Yes I do!

DOCTOR: What do you have to put in them to make them run?

BOY: Fuel.

DOCTOR: Just any fuel?

BOY: Oh no! My dad’s sports car uses premium gasoline.

DOCTOR: Why doesn’t your dad use the cheap stuff?

BOY: He says it won’t run as good.

DOCTOR: Oh, Now Joey, Why doesn’t your dad use water instead of gas?

BOY: That would be stupid! His car wouldn’t run very far that way.

DOCTOR: But his gas tank would be full, wouldn’t it?

BOY: Yeah, but of worthless stuff.

DOCTOR: Exactly! The food you like to eat doesn’t get its nick name  “junk food’ for no reason.

BOY: Are you saying it’s worthless stuff.

DOCTOR: I don’t know about worthless, but they are full of empty calories.  Your body can’t run very far or efficiently on them. If that is all you eat, they could eventually ruin your engine—that is your body!

BOY: What am I supposed to eat then?

DOCTOR: Wholesome foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains.

BOY: But those foods are so boring.

(Broccoli, orange, bean, bread, pyramid and milk enter)

BROCCOLI: Boring are we? That’s  a lie!

                You’ve just got to give us a try!

BOY: Doctor, who are these strange characters?

DOCTOR: These are the foods you should be eating.

ORANGE: That’s why we’ve arranged this meeting.

BEAN: To let kids like you know, that eating us is the way to go.

MOM: I try to feed you guys to my family once in a while.

BEAN: Once in a while is not enough.

CHEESE: You need to eat a lot of this stuff.

BOY: Like I said, you guys are strangers to me. I don’t even know what you are, especially you (pointing to the pyramid). You don’t look like anything to eat.

PYRAMID: You’re right! I’m kind of a spokesman for these edible characters. You see, there’s a lot of people like you who aren’t very familiar with healthy food. My job is to introduce these yummy foods to more people, and encourage people like you to get to know them better.  (Looking at the food). Hmmm, who should introduce first?

BROCCOLI: Let me have the privilege of introducing my self—I am broccoli.

But I represent all vegetables you see.

We are full of fiber and vitamins A, B, and C, and carbohydrates for energy.

You should eat 3-5 servings of us per day

We are tasty and good for your body, what more can I say!

PYRAMID: Next we have fruit. Tell us about you and your family, Orange.

ORANGE: Oh, we’re little sweeties—that we are.

To find us, you need not look too far.

We’re in desserts, we’re in drinks, and we’re in candy too.

But when you eat us alone, we’re the best for you.

That way you’ll get all the fiber, flavor and fun—

Energy, and vitamins A and C all rolled into one.

A better snack than us, you’ll never find.

We fruit—we’re one of a kind.

You should eat 2 to 4 servings of us every day,

to help keep you  healthy when  you work or when you play.

PYRAMID: Who needs candy when you’ve got these sweet little things? Don’t these guys just make you hungry?

BOY: (Shakes his head) No.

PYRAMID: Don’t give up so soon. There’s more to choose from. Hey, Mr. Bean, you’re on the scene.  Ha, ha, ha (laughing) I’m starting to sound like these guys (pointing to the food).

BEAN: Though I look like a bean… and a bean is what I am,

I represent a variety of foods,

from peanut butter down to spam.

Meats, nuts and legumes are in my group.

We’re great as a main course, a snack or in a soup.

BOY: What is a legume?

BEAN: Good question! Glad you asked! Doc, I’ll give you that task.

DOCTOR: A legume is a bean…

BEAN: (Interjecting) Like me!

DOCTOR: like pinto, kidney and garbanzo.

BOY: Speak in English, doctor.

DOCTOR: Okay. Like the refried beans in your burritos, or the red beans in your chili.

BOY: Oh really! Then I’ve eaten beans a few times. They’re not bad.

BEAN: Not bad! We’re GREAT!

We’re the guys that put protein on your plate.

BOY: Protein, what’s that? 

BEAN: Protein provides the building blocks by which your body grows.

It’s in your hair, your skin, your muscles,

even the nails upon your  toes.

You should have 2 to 3 servings of me, meat, or nuts, every day.

(pause) If you have meat—remember to cut the fat away.

PYRAMID: The next food needs no introduction—milk products! 

CHEESE: But I do doc! There’s a lot about me, people don’t usually see.

I’m tasty for breakfast, lunch, or dinner it’s true.

But there’s so much good inside your body that I also do!

I am full of calcium and minerals, of which your bones are made.

I’ve kept them strong and healthy; while you’ve worked or while you’ve played.

I’m important for your teeth.

Not just the ones you’re losing now, but the ones you’ll one day keep.

I’ll also help you get a good night’s sleep.

You should have 3 to 4 servings of me a day.

Or you can get them in another way;

There’s milk, yogurt, and pudding just to name a few.

You can add ice-cream and chocolate milk—does that sound good to you?

BOY: (nods head) Yes!

PYRAMID: Last, but not least, is the bread group. Hey, bread you’re on!

BREAD: I represent the group you should eat the most.

Try me as a tortilla, tortellini, or toast.

How about cereal, muffins, or a waffle.

I’m easy to eat a lot. I’m great, not awful.

I provide fiber—to help your digestive system run smoothly.

I’m full of carbohydrates—to provide the energy that makes you move.

You should have 6 to 11 servings of me each day—sounds like a lot?

Hey, try me instead of candy—I’ll hit the spot!

BOY: This is so much to remember. Even if I do start eating you good guys instead of the junk I have been eating, I’ll never remember how many servings of each of you I should eat. It sounds too hard!

PYRAMID: No it isn’t. Just remember me and my “anything-but-girlish” figure. I’m smaller at the top and larger at the bottom.

Notice how I’m wearing my food. Milk and meat are near the top. There’s not as much room for them here. That’s okay.  You don’t need as many of them each day. Just below them are fruits and vegetables. You need to eat more of them each day than milk and meat. Just below them is bread. You should eat even more of this group than the fruits or vegetables. That’s easy to remember ‘cause I’m so big down here.

BOY: (contemplative) And eating this way is going to make me feel better?

FOOD: (in unison) YES!

BOY: (determined voice) I want to do this!

MOM: Thank you doctor! Thank you friends!

(They all walk off stage chattering support from the food, and thanks from the boy).

THE END

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Harry B. Blue

By Carolyn Frank 5/4/1997 

NARRATOR: Monster Harry B Blue was a monster no one knew.

Under kids beds he did reside

You could never see him, for he could hide

So cleverly amongst the junk.

Big beds, small beds, old beds, new.

He didn’t care, old Harry B. Blue

As long as he could hide, and not be spied.

That’s why he never chose the top bunk.

(Monster innocently plays with toys, junk, and dust bunnies.)

He comments this is his favorite bed of all to hide under because this boy leaves so many things under his bed to play with, not to mention the old half eaten peanut butter sandwiches to nibble on.

Two boys enter and sit on top of the bed and monster hides. (bedspread acts as a curtain for where the monster is, boys are sitting on top of this.)

BOY I: Guess what! There’s a monster under my bed!

BOY II: No way! It’s all in your head.

BOY I: But I swear I’ve heard him under there…

and just last week I found a blue hair!

(monster makes sound)

BOY II: What’s that noise? It’s in the toys!
BOY I: It’s that monster I’ve been telling you about!

BOY II: Lets get out! ( Boy run off stage)

MONSTER: (peeks out and looks around) Are they gone?

I did wrong!

My movements, I can’t let them hear.

In children it instills great fear.

But it is men that should be afraid,

Because if the room is clean and the beds are made

There’s no place for me to hide,

And I’ll have to move outside. (Bed is removed from stage.)

NARRATOR: The next day at the local school. The whole student body made a new rule.
And unless some kid was willing to bend,

I’m afraid it would mean old Blue’s end.

TEACHER: (emerges on stage) Students, listen carefully to what I say.

Tomorrow is keep the earth clean day.

To celebrate it, our school wants to do something that has never been done before.

We want to challenge every student to keep their rooms clean

 not just for one day, but twenty four.

By clean we don’t mean just sweep the junk under your bed.

We want your rooms clean from top to bottom instead.

Sure, we could do those same old projects like most other schools, where we plant a new tree and clean out the pools.

But we feel that if we help you learn to clean on your own,

To do something you’re not always shown,

To help form the habit to clean what is yours,

Soon this habit will extend out of doors.

We feel if you keep your room clean every day

You will want to treat the earth the same way.

(Teacher exits, bed is placed back on stage. Little boy comes out and starts cleaning under it)

BOY: (In a disgusted voice) Twenty four days to keep my room clean.

Boy my teacher sure is mean! (He looks under the bed)

Gee, there are thing under here I never knew I had.

Like that old blue rug that smells really bad.

(boy looks up then looks under bed again.)

Hey wait a minute! That rug used to be over there! (Screams!)

BOY: There is a monster under my bed!

I knew it wasn’t all in my head.

MONSTER: Oh please don’t hurt me! I wont hurt you

(hangs head) Oh dear, now what will I do?

BOY: Whatever do you mean.

All I’m doing is trying to clean

MONSTER: I have no where else to go

I’ve tried every other bed in the neighborhood I know.

But it’s the same story everywhere.

There’s nothing under any bed to hide my blue hair.

So I came back here, yours is my favorite bed.

Hoping yours would be different instead.

But there’s nothing to play with, there’s nothing to eat,

There’s nothing to keep me company or tickle my feet.

Where on earth shall I go now?

It’s could outside, its beginning to snow.

BOY: why didn’t you say so from the very start.

I’m a little boy, but I’ve got a big heart.

I’ve also got a toy box that’s now fuller than ever

You’re welcome to live there, It’s always good weather.

NARRATOR: So the monster that used to live under the bed lives in the toy box now instead.

And the little boy’s room is always clean,

but… occasionally an old peanut butter sandwich can be seen… but not for very long…( blue emerges, eating a sandwich.)

THE END

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The Hike

by Carolyn Frank 

Narrator: Nestled in a secluded valley of the Himalayan Mountains, lay a quaint little town. This town was full of traditions. Their most valued tradition was—of all things—a hike.

OLD MAN: This is not just any hike. This one signifies the growing up of a child; the passing from childhood to young manhood or young womanhood. I did it, my father did it, as well as his father and his father’s father.

NARRATOR: Every child was to begin this hike on their 12^th birthday.

OLD MAN: This is not an easy task for any child. That is why the parents, teachers, and most everyone of the town, do all they can to help the children prepare for this big hike. (Old man exits).

NARRATOR: (girls on  stage) This story is about two little girls that lived in this town. These two girls were the same age. In fact, their birthdays were on the same day. The past eight years of their lives they had become best friends. In many ways they were alike, but in many ways they were very different.

SUSY: Gee, now that we are eight we can start taking classes!

AMY: What on earth are you talking about?

SUSY: The HIKE preparation classes, silly.

AMY: Oh yeah—I forgot.  Ahhh—I’ve got so many other things to do, I wasn’t planning on taking them. Besides, they sound kind of boring.

SUSY: Other things! What other things could possibly be more important than preparing yourself for THE HIKE?

AMY: Well, you know I’m involved in dance, soccer, and underwater basket-weaving. They are all costing my parents lots of money. So of course they are more important than those free HIKE classes. Anyways, I can learn all the stuff on my own or at school. I don’t need any extra help.

SUSY: Boy, you must be smarter than I am. You’ve probably already memorized all thirteen principles of hiking—I’ve only memorized #1 so far.

AMY: Are you kidding. I haven’t even thought about them. I’ve got plenty of time to learn them—I don’t take the HIKE for FOUR MORE YEARS!

SUSY: What do you plan on doing? Cram the night before the HIKE?

AMY: Sounds like a plan to me.

SUSY: Well, not to me! I have a better plan.

NARRATOR: And Susy did. She had a real plan. It was written down and involved numerous goals that would help her accomplish her plan.

SUSY: (Writing in a notebook) There! I’ve passed off another goal. This sure feels good! To set a goal, then accomplish it! It’s almost as exciting as the HIKE itself.

AMY: (walks onto stage) What’s up?

SUSY: I’m just working on my goals.

AMY: Goals? You’re not dressed to play soccer. And there’s certainly not enough room in here to play. You’re teasing me. What are you really doing?

SUSY: Get your mind off soccer for once Amy. I’m talking about goals I have set—and I’m working on—to help me to prepare for THE HIKE!

AMY: Oh, the HIKE. I keep forgetting about that.

SUSY: You mean you haven’t done any preparing since the last time we talked about it?

AMY: (shakes her head no)

SUSY: Have you memorized any of the 13 principles of hiking yet?

AMY: (shakes her head no) But I have plenty of time off that! It’s still several months away.

SUSY: Still planning on cramming?

AMY: (shakes her head yes)

SUSY: There are some things you can’t cram for AMY—even if cramming worked—like good strong muscles, (pause) and endurance.

AMY: You mean you have to have those to go on the HIKE?

SUSY: Where have you been Amy? It certainly hasn’t been at the HIKE preparation classes.

AMY: (Shakes her head no) Susy, are you actually developing good muscles and endurance through these classes?

SUSY: (nods her head yes)

AMY: But how can that be possible Susy? You are so un-athletic! I can’t believe it.

SUSY: I set goals.

AMY: Oh yea, goals—that’s what got us on this subject.

SUSY: Remember when we used to go swimming. I could never make it across the pool. (Amy nods yes) Well, I knew I might need to swim across something on the HIKE so I figured I needed to become better at swimming.

AMY: Ahhh!  You mean we might need to swim on this hike! Oh dear.

SUSY:I didn’t worry about swimming across the pool all at once. I made a goal to swim half-way across for my first month of the class. Then I worked every day until I could do that. Then I made a goal that by the end of the next month, I would swim all the way across the pool. I worked every day until I could do that. I didn’t even take the whole month to meet my goal that time. That was exciting!

AMY: So now you can swim across the whole pool?

SUSY: Yes, and back and forth 2 more times without stopping.

AMY: Wow!

SUSY: That is because I set a goal, and worked on it a little every day until I could do it. The important thing is to take it one day at a time. Take one step at a time, instead of looking at the big picture and then getting scared and giving up. That’s what goals can do for you.

AMY: I’d better go now. I think I’d better go home and start cramming. (Amy exits, then Susy)

NARRATOR: Several months passed and the big day came for these two girls. For Susy, it was a wonderful adventure and she finished in great time. For Amy, it was an exhausting catastrophe. She was very unprepared and could not even finish. She was very lucky, however, for she was given an opportunity to try again, after she had taken time to prepare herself properly. After learning her lesson,  and hours and weeks of hard work, she too was able to experience the success that Susy had experienced.

THE END

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JOEY’S IMAGINATION

by Carolyn Frank

Theme: Imagination

(Mom is on stage, Joey enters all excited.)

JOEY: Mom, Mom! I just saw the neatest skateboard down at Mr. McFadden’s store. Can I have it, please, please, please?

MOM: We just had Christmas, and your birthday is not for six months.

JOEY: I don’t care; can I have it any way?

MOM: Well, I think the only fair way for you to get it at this time is to earn the money and buy it yourself.

JOEY: How can I do that? I don’t have a job.

MOM: I need a lot of help around the house. You can work for me and I’ll pay you.

JOEY: Oh Mom! I hate to work around the house. It’s so boring. Besides, none of my friends do that.

MOM: Jennifer across the street is always working and helping her mother. Her mother has even told me that Jennifer likes to do work.

JOEY: Likes to do work?! That’s crazy.

MOM: Why don’t you go talk to her? Maybe she can tell you her secret.

JOEY: I guess it’s worth a try. I want that skateboard really bad.

(Mom exits one side of the stage and Joey the other. Jennifer appears on stage, then Joey reenters kind of sad.)

JENNIFER: Hi Joey, what’s wrong?

JOEY: Well, you see, I saw this great skateboard down at Mc Fadden’s store and I want it really bad. But my mom just won’t give it to me. She says I need to work for it.

JENNIFER: So, what’s wrong with that?

JOEY: I hate work. It’s no fun.

JENNIFER: Oh, but it can be fun.

JOEY: You’re kidding! How?

JENNIFER