Director for a Day: A 5-Day Project-Based Lesson on World Leaders

Make social studies and history come alive with this engaging 5-day lesson plan! 'Director for a Day' is a project-based learning (PBL) activity where students choose a world leader, conduct research, and then write and perform their own short play. This hands-on project is perfect for elementary and middle school students, helping them build critical skills in research, creative writing, and public speaking. Ideal for the classroom or homeschool, this lesson guides learners to explore types of government and analyze a leader's impact in a fun, memorable way.

Create Your Own Custom Lesson Plan
PDF

Lesson Plan: Director for a Day - Leaders on Stage!

Materials Needed:

  • Access to the internet with child-safe search settings
  • Age-appropriate books or encyclopedias about world leaders (from a local library or home collection)
  • Large sheets of paper or a whiteboard
  • Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
  • Notebook or lined paper for writing
  • A "Director's Clapboard" (can be made from cardboard)
  • Optional: Costumes, props, or simple craft supplies (cardboard, tape, etc.) for the play
  • A video recording device (like a phone or tablet)

Lesson Overview

This is a 5-day project-based lesson designed to guide Arturo through researching a historical or current leader and transforming that knowledge into a short, creative play. Each day builds on the last, culminating in a performance.

Day 1: The Casting Call - Choosing a Star

Learning Objectives:

  • Arturo will brainstorm a list of leaders he is curious about.
  • Arturo will select one leader to research and justify his choice.
  • Arturo will formulate three initial "big questions" he wants to answer about his chosen leader.

Activities:

  1. Opening (10 minutes): Start a discussion. "Arturo, you're going to be the director of a brand new play! But every play needs a main character. Our play is going to be about a real leader. What does a leader do? Who are some leaders you can think of?" (Examples: a president, a queen, a king, a prime minister, an activist like Martin Luther King Jr., a general, etc.)
  2. Brainstorming (15 minutes): On a large piece of paper, create a mind map or list of all the leaders Arturo can name or is interested in. Encourage him to think about leaders from different countries and time periods. Help fill in gaps with suggestions if needed.
  3. The Audition (10 minutes): Ask Arturo to "cast" his main character. Who is he most excited to learn about? Have him circle the name and explain why he chose that person. This is his star!
  4. Director's Questions (10 minutes): Now that he has his star, what does he need to know to write the play? Help him formulate three "big questions." For example:
    • What was the most important decision [Leader's Name] ever made?
    • What was their biggest challenge?
    • What was life like for regular people when they were in charge?

Day 2: The Research Team - Digging for Details

Learning Objectives:

  • Arturo will gather at least 5-7 key facts about his leader using books and child-safe websites.
  • Arturo will identify the type of government or system the person led (e.g., democracy, monarchy).

Activities:

  1. Mission Briefing (5 minutes): "Director Arturo, your mission today is to become an expert on your star. We need to find the facts that will make our play interesting and true!"
  2. Guided Research (30-40 minutes): Using pre-selected books or supervised internet searches (e.g., Kiddle, National Geographic Kids, DuckDuckGo), guide Arturo to find the answers to his "big questions" from yesterday and other key facts. Create a "Fact File" in his notebook. Important facts to look for:
    • When and where did they live?
    • What was their official title? (President, Queen, Prime Minister, etc.)
    • What kind of government was it? (Let's define terms simply: "In a democracy, people vote for their leader. In a monarchy, the leader is from a royal family.")
    • What are they famous for? (A major achievement, a law they passed, a war they won.)
    • One interesting personal detail (a hobby, a surprising fact).
  3. Discussion (10 minutes): Talk about the type of leader. "So, was Abraham Lincoln a king or a president? How do you know? What does that mean about how he got his power?"

Day 3: The Writers' Room - Crafting the Story

Learning Objectives:

  • Arturo will organize his research into a simple three-part story structure (beginning, middle, end).
  • Arturo will decide on the central problem or event of his play.
  • Arturo will propose one thing he would change if he were that leader, based on his research.

Activities:

  1. Storyboarding (20 minutes): On a large piece of paper, draw three big boxes labeled: 1. The Beginning (The Problem), 2. The Middle (The Action), 3. The End (The Result).
    • Box 1: What challenge was the leader facing? (e.g., "The country was divided.")
    • Box 2: What big decision or action did they take to solve it? (e.g., "He gave a powerful speech and signed an important paper.")
    • Box 3: What happened because of their action? (e.g., "The people started to come together.")
  2. The Director's Vision (15 minutes): This is the critical thinking part. Ask Arturo, "Based on everything you learned, if you were [Leader's Name], is there one thing you would have done differently to make things even better? What would you change?" This is a key line that must be in his play! It shows his own idea and analysis.
  3. Writing the Script (15 minutes): Begin writing the play. It can be very simple. Don't worry about formatting. Arturo can dictate the lines while you write, or he can write them himself. The play only needs a few lines for each part of the storyboard and must include his "one thing to change."
    Example: Narrator: "Queen Elizabeth I saw her country was in danger." Queen: "I must build a stronger navy to protect my people!" Narrator: "And she did!" Queen: "If I could do it again, I would also build more schools for the children."

Day 4: Rehearsal and Production - Lights, Camera, Action!

Learning Objectives:

  • Arturo will finalize his script.
  • Arturo will create simple props and a costume.
  • Arturo will rehearse his play, focusing on speaking clearly.

Activities:

  1. Set Design (20 minutes): Read through the script. What do you need to tell this story? A crown made of cardboard? A desk for a president? A map? Have fun creating simple props and a costume for the main character.
  2. Rehearsal (20 minutes): Practice the play! Use the "Director's Clapboard" to start the scene. You can play the narrator or other characters. Focus on remembering the lines and saying them with feeling. It's okay to have the script nearby for help. Practice 2-3 times.

Day 5: Opening Night! - The Performance

Learning Objectives:

  • Arturo will perform his play for an audience.
  • Arturo will articulate why he chose his leader, what kind of leader they were, and what change he would have made.

Activities:

  1. Final Run-Through (10 minutes): One last practice before the big show!
  2. The Performance (10 minutes): Set up a small "stage" area. The audience can be family members or even stuffed animals. Record the performance so Arturo can watch himself as the star!
  3. Director's Debrief (Assessment) (10 minutes): After the applause, sit down for a "press conference." Ask your director and star the key questions to check for understanding:
    • "Why did you choose to make a play about [Leader's Name]?"
    • "Was your leader a king, a president, or something else? How do you know?"
    • "In your play, you said you would change one thing. Can you tell me more about why you would make that change?"