Incredible Excuses

Creative Writing /Drama Activity

In this activity, children will use their imaginations, personal experiences, and a sense of humor to write some creative excuses.

WHAT YOU NEED

Envelopes
Note Form (print and copy)

WHAT TO DO

Ask children if they know what an excuse is. Discuss various excuses you may have heard from former students who were late to school or missing homework. Explain that some excuses can be quite incredible. If you remember an especially incredible or unusual excuse, share it with the class.
Tell children that they are going to pretend to be parents who need to write a note explaining why their child doesn't have a homework assignment, or is late to school. Remind them that no ordinary excuses will be accepted. They need to come up with the most incredible excuse they can think of. Children can work in groups or with a partner to brainstorm different ideas for excuses.
When children are ready, distribute copies of the Note Form and have them write their excuses in the form of a brief note addressed to you. When they are finished, have them place their notes inside envelopes. Then have children role-play bringing in the note from home and giving it to the teacher. Children can take turns being the teacher and being the student with the incredible excuse. Have the "teacher" read the excuse aloud, encouraging him or her to read with expression to emphasize the incredible parts of the note. You may want to have children expand the role-playing by having the "teacher" ask the "student" some follow-up questions about the note.

TEACHING OPTIONS

Invite the principal to visit the class and listen to the children read their excuses aloud.
Have an Incredible Excuse Contest. Submit the excuses that the children write to a panel of teachers who will determine which excuse is the most incredible. Or, simply have the class listen to all the excuses and vote for the most incredible one. You may want to have several categories, such as funniest excuse, most unusual, most believable, etc.

You may download, print and make copies of this page for use in your classroom, provided that you include the copyright notice shown below on all such copies.