Choose the character you will play.
Choose the character you will play. *Starred characters have large speaking roles.
If your students loved this play, have them take a look at another adapted folktale, Martina The Little Cockroach.
ALL ART BY CAROLYN RIDSDALE
Play,
Chicken Little
A little chicken learns a big lesson.
By Spencer Kayden, based on a folktale | Art by Carolyn Ridsdale
From the May/June 2021 Issue
Learning Objective: As students read this dramatic version of a familiar folktale, they will identify the moral of the story.
Characters
Chicken Little
Henny Penny
Goosey Loosey
Turkey Lurkey
*Chicken Little
*Henny Penny
*Goosey Loosey
*Turkey Lurkey
*Storytellers 1, 2, and 3 (S1, S2, S3)
Ducky Lucky
Storytellers 1, 2, and 3 (S1, S2, S3)
Foxy Loxy Farmer
Chicken Big, Chicken Little’s older sister
Foxy Loxy
All birds, to be read by a group
Farmer
Prologue
Chicken Little (loudly): Bok bok.
Henny Penny (loudly): Cluck cluck.
Goosey Loosey (loudly): Honk honk.
Turkey Lurkey (loudly): Gobble gobble.
Ducky Lucky (loudly): Quack quack.
S1: Now that we have your attention, we’d like to tell you a story.
S2: It’s about a little chicken who assumes the worst without thinking first.
Scene 1
Chicken Little (loudly): Bok bok.
Henny Penny (loudly): Cluck cluck.
Goosey Loosey (loudly): Honk honk.
Turkey Lurkey (loudly): Gobble gobble.
S1: Now that we have your attention, we would like to tell you a story.
S2: A story about a farm full of fowl.
S3: There are chickens and hens and turkeys and geese galore.
S1: Let’s listen in as Chicken Big is trying to get out of doing her chores.
Chicken Big: Hey, Chicken Little, I’ll give you a magic stone if you sweep the barn for me.
Chicken Little: A magic stone? Awesome! What does it do?
Chicken Big: Anything you want in the whole world.
Chicken Little: Can I use it to magically sweep the barn?
Chicken Big: Oh . . . that’s the one thing it can’t do.
Chicken Little: That’s OK! Give me your broom.
S2: Chicken Big hands over the broom.
S3: She then turns around and picks up a rock without Chicken Little noticing.
S1: She holds it out to Chicken Little.
Chicken Little: Gee, thanks! This is gonna be fun!
Scene 1
S3: One fine day, Chicken Little is strolling past an oak tree. Suddenly—
S1: BONK! An acorn falls on his head.
Chicken Little: Ouch! What was that?
S2: Chicken Little looks up at the sky.
S3: He gasps.
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! I must tell everyone!
Scene 2
S2: Later that day, exhausted after sweeping the barn, Chicken Little wanders in the forest.
S3: He stands in front of a bare blueberry bush and squeezes the rock.
Chicken Little: Magic stone, grow plump and juicy blueberries, please!
S1: Nothing happens.
Chicken Little: Hmmm. It still doesn’t work. Maybe I’m squeezing too hard. Or not hard enough.
S2: And then, out of nowhere—
S3: BONK! An acorn falls on his head.
Chicken Little: Ouch! What was that?
S1: Chicken Little looks up.
Chicken Little: There’s nothing in that oak tree. What else is up there except the sky?
S2: He gasps.
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! The sky is falling! I have to warn everyone!
S3: He runs off as fast as his teeny toothpick legs will carry him.
Scene 3
S1: Henny Penny is checking on her eggs when Chicken Little comes tearing in.
Chicken Little: Bok bok! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Henny Penny: The sky is falling?
Chicken Little: Yes! Part of it fell on my head!
S2: Chicken Little shows her the bump that has started to rise.
Henny Penny: Oh me! Oh my! What will happen to us all? We’re doomed. DOOMED!
Chicken Little: We have to take cover! Let’s go!
S3: Henny Penny grabs her chicks and tucks them under a wing.
Henny Penny: Let’s go! Cluck cluck!
Scene 2
DIONISVERA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
S1: Chicken Little sees Henny Penny.
Chicken Little: Bok bok! The sky is falling!
Henny Penny: The sky is falling?
Chicken Little: Yes! A piece fell on my head!
Henny Penny: Oh my. What’ll happen to us?
Chicken Little: We must take cover.
Henny Penny: Cluck cluck! Let’s go!
S2: They scurry over to Goosey Loosey.
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Goosey Loosey: Honk honk! We’re doomed. DOOMED!
Chicken Little: Not if we find a safe place to hide. Let’s go!
Scene 4
S1: Goosey Loosey is strutting down the path singing.
Goosey Loosey: Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh, and on that farm he had a penguin, ee-i-ee-i-oh . . .
S2: Chicken Little and Henny Penny scurry toward him.
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Goosey Loosey: Honk honk. What’s that you say?
Henny Penny: Haven’t you heard? The sky is falling!
Goosey Loosey: Good gravy! That’s the nuttiest thing I ever heard! Speaking of nuts, my cousin once ate a peanut, but it got stuck right in his—
Chicken Little: There’s no time to waste. The sky is falling!
Goosey Loosey: Well, why didn’t you say so?
Chicken Little: We must take cover. Let’s go.
Goosey Loosey: Let’s go! Honk honk.
S3: The three birds run smack into Turkey Lurkey.
Turkey Lurkey: Watch where you’re going. You almost ran me off the road.
Chicken Little: Sorry, Turkey Lurkey.
Turkey Lurkey: What’s ruffled your feathers?
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
S1: Turkey Lurkey looks up.
Turkey Lurkey: It doesn’t look like it’s falling.
Chicken Little: Of course it doesn’t! The sky is huge. You wouldn’t notice if a piece of it fell.
Henny Penny: But what if all the pieces fell? Then, BOOM! No more sky! No more birds!
Turkey Lurkey: I don’t like the sound of that. What are we going to do about it?
Chicken Little: We must take cover. Let’s go!
Turkey Lurkey: Let’s go! Gobble gobble.
Scene 3
S3: The three birds run into Turkey Lurkey.
Turkey Lurkey: Watch where you’re going!
Chicken Little: Sorry, but the sky is falling!
Turkey Lurkey: The sky? No more sky means no more birds!
Chicken Little: We must take cover. Let’s go!
S1: The birds spot Ducky Lucky near a pond.
Chicken Little: Look out! The sky is falling!
Ducky Lucky: Quack quack! What’s falling?
Chicken Little: The sky! Come with us to take cover. Let’s go!
Scene 5
S2: Foxy Loxy is admiring his reflection in the pond when he sees the group of birds running frantically.
Foxy Loxy: Well hellooooo, my fine feathered friends. Where are you rushing off to?
Chicken Little: The sky is falling!
Foxy Loxy: The sky is falling?
All birds: Yes! And we must take cover!
S3: Just at that moment, Foxy Loxy feels his stomach growl.
S1: A sly twinkle appears in his eyes.
Foxy Loxy: I know the perfect spot. You’ll be as safe as a fork in a toaster. Follow me.
Chicken Little: Oh thank you, Foxy Loxy. You are saving our lives!
Foxy Loxy (aside): I’ll be sharpening my knives!
Henny Penny: What?
Foxy Loxy: Bees are safe in their hives.
Chicken Little: But we’re not safe! Let’s go!
Foxy Loxy: Let’s go! (Quietly) Yum yum.
S2: Foxy Loxy trots down a path. The birds follow.
Scene 4
S2: Foxy Loxy sees the frantic birds.
Foxy Loxy: Well hellooo my friends! What’s ruffled your feathers?
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! We’re trying to find cover.
S3: Foxy Loxy smiles, a twinkle in his eye.
Foxy Loxy: I know just the spot. Follow me.
S1: They arrive at Foxy Loxy’s den.
Foxy Loxy: Let me just light a fire.
Ducky Lucky: A fire?
Foxy Loxy: So it will be toasty roasty in there.
S2: Foxy Loxy ducks inside.
Chicken Little: What a funny fox. It’s too warm to need a fire.
S3: Foxy Loxy returns with a large napkin tied around his neck.
S1: He licks his lips as the birds head toward the opening.
S2: Just then, the farmer walks by.
Farmer: What’s going on here?
Chicken Little: The sky is falling! But Foxy Loxy will keep us safe.
S3: The farmer frowns.
Farmer: Shame on you, Foxy Loxy!
Foxy Loxy (to himself): I almost had them.
S1: Foxy Loxy slinks back into his den.
Farmer: You birds need to be more careful.
Henny Penny: That’s why we were taking cover!
Farmer: Think about it. The fox, the fire, the napkin . . .
Goosey Loosey: You mean . . . Foxy Loxy was going to EAT us?
Turkey Lurkey: Could this day get any worse?
Ducky Lucky: Let’s not forget the sky is falling!
Farmer: What’s all this about the sky? Start from the beginning.
Scene 6
S3: When they arrive at Foxy Loxy’s den, he flashes them a spectacular smile.
S1: His teeth gleam like daggers made of diamonds.
Foxy Loxy: Just give me a moment to tidy up and get the fire started.
Turkey Lurkey: The fire?
Foxy Loxy: Yes. So it will be all toasty roasty in there.
S2: Foxy Loxy ducks inside. He comes back moments later with a large napkin tied around his neck.
Foxy Loxy: OK, right this way. In you go, one at a time.
S3: The birds head toward the opening.
S1: Just then, the farmer walks by and sees the gaggle of birds.
Farmer: What’s going on here?
Chicken Little: Farmer! Farmer! The sky is falling! Foxy Loxy is keeping us safe in his den!
Henny Penny: Yes! The sky is falling and we’re all doomed!
Farmer: Well, you are certainly doomed if you go into Foxy Loxy’s den.
S2: The farmer narrows her eyes at Foxy Loxy.
Farmer: We talked about this, Foxy. You stay away from my birds and I’ll bring you firewood for your fires.
Foxy Loxy (to himself): Rats! I almost had them.
S3: Foxy Loxy slinks back into his den.
Farmer: You birds need to be more careful.
Chicken Little: I know! That’s why we were taking cover!
Farmer: Did you not see the napkin around Foxy’s neck?
Chicken Little: What?
Farmer: Was he making his fire all toasty roasty?
Chicken Little: You mean . . . Foxy Loxy was going to eat us?
Henny Penny: AAAAAH! HE WAS GOING TO EAT US!
Goosey Loosey: That would explain the drool.
Turkey Lurkey: Could this day get any worse?
Goosey Loosey: Oh, definitely. This one time, I was eating a delicious worm, and I found a piece of apple in it. Disgusting!
Chicken Little: We must focus! Let’s not forget the sky is still falling!
Farmer: What’s all this about the sky falling?
S1: The birds get worked up into hysterics. They all begin talking at once.
Chicken Little: It fell on me!
Henny Penny: BOOM! No more birds!
Turkey Lurkey: They almost ran me off the road!
Goosey Loosey: Honk, cluck, gobble, bok!
Farmer: Whoa there. Slow down. Start from the beginning.
Scene 5
S2: They all gather at the oak tree.
Chicken Little: I was standing right here when something hit me on the head.
Farmer: Part of the sky?
Chicken Little: Yes!
Farmer: Did the rest of you birds also believe the sky was falling?
Henny Penny: Chicken Little told me.
Goosey Loosey: He seemed so sure.
Turkey Lurkey: It made sense to me!
Ducky Lucky: Hey, I just heard it from them.
Farmer: Just because you hear something from someone else doesn’t make it true.
S3: Suddenly another acorn falls and BONK!
S1: It hits Chicken Little on the head.
Chicken Little: There! Did you see that? The sky really is fa—
S2: Chicken Little sees the acorn in the grass.
Chicken Little: Or . . . was it an acorn?
S3: Chicken Little sees another acorn on the ground.
Chicken Little: Oh! And that must be the first one that fell.
Henny Penny: So the sky isn’t falling?
Farmer: Nope. Can I give you birds a bit of advice? Next time, look at the facts before you jump to conclusions.
Henny Penny: Cluck cluck. Great idea!
Goosey Loosey: Honk honk. How wise!
Turkey Lurkey: Gobble gobble. No problem!
Ducky Lucky: Quack quack. You’re right.
Chicken Little: Bok bok. I agree. I’ve learned my lesson!
Scene 7
S2: Chicken Little takes them all back to the blueberry bush. He begins describing the day he was born.
Chicken Little: So I pecked a hole in the shell and used my tiny feet to push . . .
Farmer: I mean tell me about today.
Chicken Little: Oh, I see. I was standing here, and something came down from the sky and hit me on the head.
Farmer: And you assumed it was a piece of the sky.
Chicken Little: There was nothing above me, so what else could it be?
Farmer: Did a piece of the sky fall on anyone else’s head?
Henny Penny: Not mine.
Turkey Lurkey: Not mine.
Goosey Loosey: Not the sky, but one time a big butterfly—
All birds: Goosey!
Farmer: But you all believe the sky is falling.
Henny Penny: I heard it from Chicken Little. And he seemed very certain.
Turkey Lurkey: You all were so loud about it, I figured it must be true.
Goosey Loosey: Yes, seems logical.
S3: At that moment another acorn falls and—BONK!—it hits Chicken Little on the head.
Chicken Little: There! It happened again! See, the sky really is fa—
S1: Suddenly, Chicken Little sees the acorn in the grass. He bends down to pick it up.
Chicken Little (in a tiny voice): Or . . . it was an acorn.
Farmer: That seems more likely, don’t you think?
S2: Turkey Lurkey sees another acorn on the ground.
Turkey Lurkey: This must be the first one that fell.
Chicken Little: So the sky isn’t falling?
Farmer: No.
Henny Penny: Not even a little bit?
Farmer: Not even a little bit.
Goosey Loosey: Not even an ounce or a smidgen or a speck or a slice or a teeny, tiny piece?
Farmer: I am absolutely certain: The sky is not falling.
S3: The farmer and the birds walk back toward the farm.
Farmer: Can I give you all a bit of advice? Look at all the facts before you jump to conclusions. Now, let’s all pitch in and rake the garden.
Chicken Little: We don’t have to! I HAVE A MAGIC STONE!
S1: The farmer looks at Chicken Little doubtingly.
Chicken Little: Chicken Big gave it to me for sweeping the . . .
S2: Chicken Little smacks himself in the head with his wing.
Chicken Little: Doh!
THINK AND WRITE
Imagine you’re Chicken Little. Write a journal entry describing your day. Explain who you talked to and what you learned about jumping to conclusions.
THINK AND WRITE
Imagine you’re Chicken Little. Write a journal entry describing your day. Explain who you talked to and what you learned about jumping to conclusions.
Audio
()
Activities
(6)
Skills Activities
Quizzes
(1)
Answer Key
(1)
Audio
()
Activities
(6)
Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Quizzes
(1)
Answer Key
(1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
From the Storyworks 3 Archives
Teach This
For more tips on using this play, take a look at Scholastic’s guide to teaching with myths, folktales, and fairy tales.
Enjoy Another Version
Head over to The Fable Cottage’s website for another version of the story, one with a very different ending. You can read the story or listen to it in English, Spanish, French, Italian, or German.
More About the Article
Content-Area Connections
Social-Emotional Learning: social awareness (concern for others); relationship skills (communicating, resisting negative pressure, standing up for others); responsible decision-making (reasoned judgment, consequences of actions, critical-thinking skills)
Key Skills
theme, text features, vocabulary, fluency, inference, interpreting text, figurative language, character, supporting details, plot, text to self, narrative writing
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
1. PREPARING TO READ
Set a Purpose for Reading/Explore Text Features (10 minutes)
Post this phrase in your virtual or physical classroom, and ask students to think about it:
The sky is falling!
Poll your students to see if they are familiar with this phrase. Then have them write down what they think it means for someone to think that the sky is falling. Have one or two students share their answers, asking them to explain their reasoning. Tell them they will be reading the folktale that originated this phrase. (After reading the play, you can return to the statement and work together to come up with a class definition.)
Look at pages 20-21 with the class. Point out the labels “Play” and “Read-aloud folktale.” Explain that a folktale is a story that’s been told for many generations. In some folktales, the characters are animals that talk and act the way people do. Folktales often teach listeners and readers an important lesson about life. Invite students to name any folktales with animal characters they have read.
Read the title and subtitle with students. Ask them to describe the illustration.
- Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 21 and the Think and Write box on page 24. Remind students to keep in mind the Think and Read prompt as they read the play.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
Although the play does not include definitions of vocabulary words with the text, a Vocabulary Skill Builder online previews six challenging words. You may also play our Vocabulary Slideshow, in which audio and images help students with pronunciation and comprehension. Both are available in your Resources tab.
- Vocabulary words: assumes, strolling, doomed, frantic, toasty, and slinks
2. FOCUS ON FLUENCY
Bridging Decoding and Comprehension
Storyworks 3 plays provide a perfect opportunity for students to build fluency.
Remind students that the stage directions tell a reader or actor how to say a line or perform an action in the play. Direct students to page 22. Point to the phrase to himself in column 3. Read the dialogue aloud with appropriate expression or actions. Ask students to repeat after you.
- NEW! Your students can hear the play read aloud! (In response to your requests, we now offer an audio version of the play. It's available in your Resources tab.)
3. CLOSE READING
Before reading: Point out the Characters box. Remind students that this is a list of all the characters in the play. How many storytellers are there?
First read: Assign parts and read the play as a class. (If you’re meeting in a virtual classroom, have students write the name of the character they’re portraying on a piece of paper to tape or pin to their shirts—or help them change their display name to their character name. This will make it easier for everyone to follow along.)
Second read: Project, distribute, or assign the Close-Reading Questions (available in your Resources tab). Discuss them as a class, rereading lines or scenes as necessary.
Pair each student with a partner to discuss the Critical-Thinking Questions. Then ask pairs to share their answers with the class.
- Alternatively, assign all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck, which contains the questions as well as other activities from this lesson plan and a link to the play. It's available in your Resources tab.
Before reading: Point out the Characters box. Remind students that this is a list of all the characters in the play. How many storytellers are there?
First read: Assign parts and read the play as a class. (If you’re meeting in a virtual classroom, have students write the name of the character they’re portraying on a piece of paper to tape or pin to their shirts—or help them change their display name to their character name. This will make it easier for everyone to follow along.)
Second read: Project, distribute, or assign the Close-Reading Questions (available in your Resources tab). Discuss them as a class, rereading lines or scenes as necessary.
Pair each student with a partner to discuss the Critical-Thinking Questions. Then ask pairs to share their answers with the class.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
- In Scene 1, what does Chicken Little assume is happening? Does he assume correctly? How do you know? (inference) Chicken Little assumes that the sky is falling when something falls on his head. He doesn’t assume correctly. An acorn fell on his head, not a piece of the sky. You know this because Storyteller 1 says, “BONK! An acorn falls on his head.”
- Read Scenes 2 and 3. Why do you think the other birds believe Chicken Little? (inference) The other birds probably believe Chicken Little because he seems very sure about what he’s saying. He also speaks as if it’s an emergency, and everyone must act right away. They assume that what he is telling them is true. They get scared and don’t stop to think for themselves or question what Chicken Little says.
- In Scene 4, Foxy Loxy asks the birds, “What’s ruffled your feathers?” Study the lines that come before and after this question. In your own words, what is Foxy Loxy actually asking the birds? (interpreting text/figurative language) Foxy Loxy is asking the birds to tell him why they’re upset.
- What does the author mean when she writes that Foxy Loxy has “a twinkle in his eye”? (figurative language) The author means that Foxy Loxy is happy—and excited that something he secretly hopes for might happen. He knows that the sky is not actually falling and plans to trick the birds into coming inside his den so he can eat them.
- Why does Foxy Loxy say to himself, “I almost had them”? (interpreting text/character) Foxy Loxy is planning to eat the birds but has to give up his plan when Farmer figures out what the sly fox is up to. Foxy Loxy says “I almost had them” to express his frustration over having his meal plans ruined moments before he’s able to carry them out.
- Farmer warns the birds to be more careful. What clues about Foxy Loxy’s plans did the birds not pay attention to? (supporting details/text features) Foxy Loxy smiles with “a twinkle in his eye”; he makes a fire even though it’s a warm day; he puts a big napkin around his neck; and he licks his lips when the birds are about to go into his den (plus, foxes eat birds!). Also, in the illustration, Foxy Loxy is holding a fork and knife behind his back.
- Read Scene 5. When does Chicken Little finally realize that the sky isn’t falling? (plot) After a second acorn hits him on the head, he realizes that it was an acorn, not a piece of the sky, that fell on him as he walked past the oak tree.
- What important lesson do Chicken Little and the other birds learn from Farmer? (theme) Don't jump to conclusions. Look closely at the facts first.
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
- Farmer tells the birds "Just because you hear something from someone else doesn’t make it true." Why is this good advice? What do you think would have happened in the story if Chicken Little's friends had followed this advice? (evaluating) Answers to both questions will vary. Students may say that this is good advice because it helps keep you from believing untrue things. For the second question, students may say that if the other birds had followed this advice, the story would've been very different. Instead of immediately getting scared about the sky falling, the other birds might have asked Chicken Little questions about what happened. This might have helped Chicken Little realize sooner that he had been hit by an acorn and there was no reason to be afraid. The birds might not have been so easily tricked by Foxy Loxy and almost eaten.
4. SEL FOCUS
Making a Reasoned Judgment
Like Chicken Little, we all sometimes come to conclusions without knowing all the facts. Explain to the class that another term for this is “making assumptions” or “jumping to conclusions.” Ask: What assumption did Chicken Little and his friends make about something bad happening? Can anyone give an example of an assumption they’ve made in the past about someone or something? (One example might be a student making an assumption about how a particular food will taste based on its appearance.) Lead a discussion about judging something before actually experiencing it or getting all the facts about it—and why that can be problematic.
5. SKILL BUILDING AND WRITING
Featured Skill: Theme
Distribute the Big Idea Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab) and have students complete it in class or for homework.
- Ask students to write a response to the prompt in the Think and Write box at the end of the play.
GREAT IDEAS FOR REMOTE LEARNING
- Our new Learning Journey Slide Deck (available in your Resources tab) is designed to make your life easier. Have students move through at their own pace or assign smaller chunks for different days. You can also customize the slideshow to your liking.
- Gather a small group in your remote classroom for a virtual play reading. Share the play on your screen and assign parts. (Students can read more than one part, depending on the size of the group.) Then read the play aloud together. Encourage students to be expressive as they read! Repeat with other groups until all students have had a chance to participate.
- Immerse students in the world of Chicken Little! On the day you’re reading the play as a class, help your students set their video backgrounds as a picture of a farm. Don’t forget to set up your background as well!
Differentiate and Customize
For Struggling Readers
Build fluency and boost confidence with unison reading. Choose a scene, preview especially challenging words, then assign students two or three of the characters to read together aloud while you take on the other roles.
For ELL Students
The play includes a variety of lively action terms (strolling, gasps, take cover, scurry, spot, licks, frowns, slinks, and gather) that may be less familiar to your ELL students. Help solidify the terms’ meanings by having students act them out. On the blackboard or a big sheet of paper to share over video chat, write each word in its simplest form (stroll, gasp, take cover, scurry, spot, lick, frown, slink, and gather) as well as its definition. Review this information with your students. Then write each word on an index card and turn the cards facedown. Have students take turns choosing a card and acting out the word on it while their classmates guess which one it is. Alternatively, have students act out the words as a group or in pairs. Remote learning tip: Assign the vocabulary words to each student prior to the activity via your LMS, or allow students to choose which words they want to act out.
For Advanced Readers
Encourage students to look at this folktale from a different point of view. Ask students to write about the events of the play as a journal entry told from the perspective of Foxy Loxy or Farmer.
For School or at Home
Ask students to choose a scene from the play to illustrate. They can draw, collage, or even create a diorama of their scene! Afterward, invite them to share their artwork with the class.
Text-to-Speech