Grade 2/3 (and up) Punctuation Part 2

This is a wonderful little play. It is from the publication "Education as an Art" vol 37 1978-79 (AWSNA)... the play is written for older children but we have adapted it to fit our younger kids when they were in 2/3 grade.

The Adventure of the Four Punctuation Marks
(A 4th/5th grade skit by Gail Klar)

Several characters represent each punctuation mark.  Each group enters as the narrator describes them.  They then proceed to walk through the forest while talking.

Narrator:    One day in the forest four friends were walking, and each of these comrades was doing much talking.  First marched the PERIOD - who often kept tiring.  (Period marches and stops; marches and stops...)

Then came the QUESTION MARK - curious, inquiring.  (Question Mark peers left and right, looks up, explores...)

The EXCLAMATION POINT followed, excited, surprised;  (Exclamation Point makes excited movements, astonished pauses)

The COMMA, well-breathing, light-stepping, small-sized.  (Comma weaves lightly from side to side, with measured breath)

Period:        It's dark in here.  The trees are high.  I firmly trudge and heave a sigh.

Question Mark:    Why are the trees so slender and tall?  Where do they come from?  Why don't they fall?

Exclamation Point:        Alas!  Oh look!  It's so exciting!  This place is spooky!  It's so inviting!

Comma:        It's mysterious, colorful, magical, gloomy, beautiful, soft, enormous, quite roomy... 

(A Bear enters and the Exclamation Point interrupts the Comma and exclaims:)

Exclamation Point:        Oh, my gosh!  Help!  Help!  Look there!  Look what's coming!  A bear!  A bear!

Period:        Quiet down, friend.  Don't jump in the air.  Now, let me see.  It is  a bear.

Question Mark:        Do you think he is hungry?  Do you think he will eat us?  If we try to escape, do you think he will beat us?

Comma:        He's a grizzly, ferocious, massive, black heap.  I think we had better flee, fly, dash, run, leap.

Exlamation Point:        Well, let's not just stand here!  No time to waste!  He's coming much closer!  Quick!  Let's make haste!

(All the Punctuation Marks run very quickly off stage.)

CURTAIN.