Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines

Many of the mishaps in folktales could be remedied if the protagonists knew some scientific principles. Children like seeing familiar stories told with a twist. And they like science when it is presented in a fun way. In this story, Goldilocks works a little magic to fix things in the house of the 3 Bears by using her scientific knowledge.

Lois Wickstrom is a former high school chemistry teacher and former head science teacher at Science in the City Summer Camp in Philadelphia. She has also been an adjunct science teacher at University of South Florida. Since retiring, she continues to take science classes. Her class in Forensic Biology led to Little Red, The Detective, in which Red is studying fingerprint identification, so she can tell that “Grandma” isn’t who she says she is. Lois believes science is the solution to almost every problem, including the dilemmas in fairy tales. She has invented what she calls Science Folktales. In each science-based tale, the protagonist achieves a better ending than the original because of learning scientific principles. She has turned some of these tales into plays. She has also created a series of Mermaid Science stories, which make use of water science. Lois is married to the love of her life. She has two children, four grandchildren and a dog.

This script also includes:

A science vocabulary list pertaining to the play.
Ten extension activities to use with your group.

More science-drama integration scripts by Lois Wickstrom:

Huff, Puff, Grind-The Three Little Pigs Get Smart
Chicken Little Investigates

Excerpt from the play:

CHARACTERS

Goldilocks
Mama Bear
Papa Bear
Baby Bear
The Spy (This character comments and documents what Goldilocks is doing by taking notes.)
Sound Effects (Person has their own microphone and/or sound effects table. YouTube links are suggestions for how to make the sounds.)

(The set can be as simple or complex as you like. We need to see the interior of the bear’s home and an area outside. There should be a flagpole outside. The interior should have 3 distinct areas: a kitchen with table and chairs, living room with 3 chairs, and bedroom with 3 beds. In the kitchen consider having trays under the bowls to prevent excess spilling.)

Scene 1:
Interior kitchen. All three bears are at the table, sitting in front of bowls, holding spoons. The Spy is hiding beside the stove. The bears don’t notice the spy.

Sound Effects:
Shake a rain stick for sizzling sound. How to Make a Rainstick

Mama Bear:
This porridge is hot!

Papa Bear:
This porridge is too hot to eat!

Baby Bear:
This porridge is so hot it will burn my tongue!

Mama Bear:
Let’s go for a walk while our porridge cools.

Bears exit house through door, walk beside flagpole. Baby Bear sees the flagpole.

Baby Bear:
I want to fly our family flag.

Papa Bear:
I’ll help you.

Baby Bear:
I want to do it myself!

Papa Bear:
It’s not really set up for that Baby Bear.

Mama Bear:
Maybe we can fly the flag that later. Let’s go on our walk.

Papa Bear:
Did we lock the house?

Mama Bear:
I don’t think so.

Papa Bear:
The woods are safe. It’ll be okay.

The Spy:
Taking notes to document what Goldilocks is doing.

Finally! They’re gone. Now I can sneak around and learn how bears live. I’ll have to be careful not to touch or move anything.

Goldilocks rides her bike in from the same direction that the bears just left. She parks her bike off to the side and walks up to the house.

Goldilocks:
Mmmm…Smells delicious. I think I’ll go inside.

Goldilocks enters the house, through the door. She dips a spoon into the porridge and tastes it.

The Spy:
She knows how to use a wheel and axle and ride a bike. But she doesn’t know that you aren’t supposed to walk into people’s houses and eat their food? This girl needs watching. I’ll spy on her, too.