By Western Springs, 5th Grade Girl Scouts

Parts: 

• Person left out
• Person who notices person left out
• Person who is being mean 
  • -and the 2 followers
• Two partners working on a project
• 2 or 3 people in a closed circle conversation (flexible number)
• 2 or 3 people telling secrets (flexible number)

Stage set up:  on stage left cafeteria tables, middle is four chairs and a small table, and stage right is two chairs and an even smaller table.

Play: 

Background of sad music, but switch to (upbeat music) at start of “Upstanding”.

Three (pick number that suits the need) girls are having a closed circle conversation.  The alone girl walks past slowly looking like she wants to join, but there’s no where to stand and they aren’t looking at her.  The group walks away talking and not paying attention to the girl who is left out.

The next group is sitting at a table working on a group assignment, and when approached by the girl who is alone they say that they already have two people in their group.  The girl who is left out walks away sad.

The next group standing in (can be in line for lunch with lunch bags) and telling secrets, looking at girl who is alone.  Girl who is alone looks even more sad. She is standing alone with her lunch bag.

Everyone sits down and has a spot.  One chair is available, so the girl who is alone asks if she can sit there.  The girl who is being mean says no, and her friends hesitate. They give uncomfortable looks to each other and then start telling her this is not very nice, as well as other assertive phrases.  

Some from the brainstorming day: “You would be sad if you were left out.” “She’s nice, let her sit there.”  

This point is where the music needs to turn from sad instrumental to Upbeat Positive Music.

Another girl from the other lunch table is noticeably (make it BIG—in order for the audience to see) watching.  The girl starts getting others from the lunch table to notice that the girl is alone. They huddle (seated hunching together is ok) and look at each other, look at the alone girl back and forth a few times.  Then, someone puts their finger in the air with “Idea!”, and a couple girls get up to go get her while others save her a seat.  

Recess bell rings and the girl who is mean is with the two followers, who look back and forth from the girl who was being mean to the group who had just accepted the girl who was alone.  The other group began walking back across the stage (the long way)……. The followers begin to catch up with the big group and tell the mean girl to go with them to join the group. The followers ended up walking over to the large group themselves, while waving for the girl who is mean to join.  The girl who is mean folded her arms and decided not to, and sat alone for a minute. The girl who was mean felt too alone and decided to approach the group.  

The group told the girl who is mean that she is welcome to join them, but with rules of respect.  

“You can join us, but only if………… (words from brainstorming day) you include everyone and are nice to everyone.” 

The girl who was mean, said “Ok.” And joined the group.

Then, everyone smiled and walked out to recess together.  

Music Fades.   

Discussion: 

• What was the problem in this play?
• Why might people get left out?  The ways in our play demonstrated how someone can get left out on purpose and on accident
• How did the characters feel?  (alone girl sad.)
• Who was conflicted? Why?  (Followers…..they wanted to be friends with everyone, including girl who was leaving other person out)
• In our play, we had a solution for the bullying.  What did you think of our solution? Has anyone been put in a situation where you could stand up for someone being alone?
• Do you have any other ideas on how we can include everyone?  And, why is it important to make sure everyone is included?