The International Children’s Theater Festival at PlayhouseSquare is an opportunity to introduce children to the arts and help them to discover the beauty and cultures of our world. Whichever performances you see or activities you participate in, we hope you leave the festival feeling uplifted and more connected to our community and our world. This year, the performances in the International Children’s Theater Festival come to us from Australia, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom and the United States. Learn more about these and other exciting cultures through the following websites: Australia Country Facts http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/ australia.html Australian Words and their Meanings http://andc.anu.edu.au/australian-words/meanings- origins?field_alphabet_value=71Links Facts for Kids http://factsforkids.net/australia-facts-for-kids/ Explore & More http://www.exploreandmore.org/world/default.htm KidsKonnect.com http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/26-places/ countriesplaces/ Kid Zone http://www.kidzone.ws/geography/quebec Global Kids http://www.globalkids.org/#/about-global-kids Global School Net http://www.globalschoolnet.org/ Library of Congress Global Gateway http://international.loc.gov/intldl/intldlhome.html National Geographic Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/ australia Story Arts Online http://www.storyarts.org/library Time for Kids http://www.timeforkids.com/around-the-world Love M A Y 9 - 1 0 playhousesquare.org/eduresources We sincerely value the support of: Kathy & Jim Pender and the Michael Pender Memorial Fund William N. Skirball Endowment Fund Some of the information and activities in this guide have been adapted from Terrapin Puppet Theatre. Visit their website at: www.terrapin.org.au
Transcript
The International Children’s Theater Festival at PlayhouseSquare is an opportunity to introduce children to the arts and help them to discover the beauty and cultures of our world. Whichever performances you see or activities you participate in, we hope you leave the festival feeling uplifted and more connected to our community and our world.
This year, the performances in the International Children’s Theater Festival come to us from Australia, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom and the United States. Learn more about these and other exciting cultures through the following websites:
Australia Country Factshttp://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/australia.html Australian Words and their Meaningshttp://andc.anu.edu.au/australian-words/meanings-origins?field_alphabet_value=71Links Facts for Kidshttp://factsforkids.net/australia-facts-for-kids/
Explore & More http://www.exploreandmore.org/world/default.htm KidsKonnect.com http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/26-places/ countriesplaces/
Kid Zonehttp://www.kidzone.ws/geography/quebec
Global Kidshttp://www.globalkids.org/#/about-global-kids
Global School Nethttp://www.globalschoolnet.org/
Library of Congress Global Gateway http://international.loc.gov/intldl/intldlhome.html
National Geographic Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/australia
Story Arts Onlinehttp://www.storyarts.org/library
Time for Kids http://www.timeforkids.com/around-the-world
LoveMAY 9-10
playhousesquare.org/eduresources
We sincerely value the support of:
Kathy & Jim Pender and the Michael Pender Memorial Fund
William N. Skirball Endowment Fund
Some of the information and activities in this guide have been adapted from Terrapin Puppet Theatre. Visit their website at: www.terrapin.org.au
The lessons and activities in this guide are driven by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (2010) which help ensure that all students are college and career ready in literacy no later than the end of high school. The College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed.
21st century skills of creativity, critical thinking and collaboration are embedded in process of bringing the page to the stage. Seeing live theater encourages students to read, develop critical and creative thinking skills, and to be curious about the world around them.
This Teacher Resource Guide includes background information, questions, and activities that can stand alone or work as building blocks toward the creation of a complete unit of classroom work.
playhousesquare.org/eduresources
Before the Show• About the Show• About Terrapin Puppet Theatre• A Note from the Director• Coming to the Theater• The Roles of the Creative Team• Austrialiana
Pre-Show Activities• Explore the Show Together!• Oslo’s Trunk• Community Helper• PDF Good Citizen Coloring Book
Post-Show Activities• Love Luggage• Performance Reflection• Communities• Extra, Extra Read All About It!• Family: Illustrated Acrostic Poem• Critical Response Questions• Book Resources• App Resources
ABOUT THE SHOW Love is the story of Oslo Rogers, who has a very fun mom called Ruthy, and lives in a very fun town called Mellingong. But now a very unfun problem (called a big approaching storm) is forcing everyone to head for The Clondike, the big town hall on the hill. And they can only take a few important things each – “love luggage,” Ruthy calls it. So Oslo sets out to help the people of Mellingong, and to find out the things they love most, the things you would save from a storm. Love is told through storytelling, and the stage transforms to tell the stories of members of local community. We learn about Oslo’s father, and the two-headed coin he gave his son. In his quest for love luggage, Oslo visits three members of his community: Mrs. Yusgenovich, Tony the Mechanic and Danica. Each of these people has a story about tells how a past event has helped shape his or her place in the community. Before Oslo can get hom from his quest, the storm hits, but with the help of the community, Ruthy finds Oslo and they get to safety in the Town Hall. All the other community members are there and together they start the clean-up and rebuilding of their town.
ABOUT TERRAPIN Terrapin Puppet Theatre is the Australian innovator of puppetry-based, visual theater embracing new technologies, creating contemporary storytelling, and touring and collaborating nationally and internationally. The company injects skills and programs into the Tasmanian community, entertaining family audiences and supporting and developing artists. The company is exploring digital puppetry, which uses new technologies and cross-platform practice to continually challenge and redefine puppetry as a visual theater form. Terrapin creates new works through research and developmental processes that are designed specifically for each work. Whilst Terrapin reaches to the future in its exploration of form and storytelling styles, it does so with its feet firmly grounded in the age-old craft of puppetry and theater’s rich traditions. Terrapin’s productions engage all age groups and are designed to tour.
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A Note from the DirectorLove is a big word. Many stories deal with love as a core theme, yet somehow it’s a tough concept to write and entire show about. When I invited the artistic team to be involved in this project, I knew that I wanted to create a show that was about the love that binds families together; that deep pit of your stomach love you have for little people and they for you. To begin this creative journey, each member of the artistic team was asked to take us into their home and create a “love nest.” What followed was a moving week where we shared family stories, some hilarious, some tragic, but all wonderful. We discovered new parts in old friendships and were touched by the intimate details of people we thought we knew. These stories then went into the magic machine that is the writer Finegan Kruckemeyer, who then mixed them with his own musings, turned them upside down, put in a dash of the real world and popped of the show Love. For the outsider the inspiration is not important, but onstage you will see characters and events that are inspired (and I mean really inspired, not based on) some real events, some not so real events and also some very contemporary real life occurrences. After we had all told each other what love meant to us personally, what emerged was something very clear. The shape in which this love manifested itself for each person was in the form of a great story. Each member of the artistic team became animated by the power of the emotion that drove the story they were telling. The love they felt was distilled down into a wonderful story, full of their personal theatrical flourishes as they re-lived and shared what was so important to them. This show may be called Love, but it is equally about the stories that love evokes and leaves in its wake. It is a story about the relationship between love and the role of stories in our lives. It certainly was a lot of fun to make. We hope you love it like we do.
COMING TO THE THEATER! PlayhouseSquare is an exciting venue to see live theater! As the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York, the not-for-profit performing arts center utilizes the arts to engage individuals and attract more than one million guests per year to 1,000+ annual events. PlayhouseSquare thus acts as a catalyst for economic growth and vitality within the region.
As audience members, you and your students play a vital role in the success of the performances. You are part of a community that creates the theater experience. For many students, this may be their first time viewing a live theater production. We encourage teachers to discuss some of the differences between watching a television show, attending a sporting event or viewing a movie at the cinema. Here are a few examples to start the discussion:
• Students are led into the theater and seated by an usher.
• Theaters are built to magnify sound. Even the slightest whisper can be heard throughout the theater. Remember that not only can those around you hear you; the performers can too.
• Appropriate responses such as laughing or applauding are appreciated. Pay attention to the artists on stage; they will let you know what is appropriate.
• There is no food, drink or gum permitted in the theater.
• Photography and videotaping of performances is not permitted.
• When the houselights dim, the performance is about to begin. Please turn your attention toward the stage.
• After the performance, you will be dismissed by bus number. Check around your seat to make sure you have all of your personal belongings
The Roles of the Creative Team• The Director oversees the play and the puppetry and
makes sure that all elements of the production (script, design, puppets, music, performers, lights, sounds, and other technical requirements) come together to communicate the ideas and the story to the audience.
• The Writer develops the script, often in consultation with
other members of the creative team. The script includes not only the text for the performance but also stage directions and visual descriptions.
• The Designer is not only working on the set and
costumes, but also the puppets which are central to this show. Often the designers will make “mock-up” puppets for early rehearsals, so that problems with manipulation and movement can be identified and overcome early.
• The Composer creates new music to help the audience
understand the story and what is happening on stage. Music helps create atmosphere and mood.
• The Animator draws the cartoon characters and other
animations seen in the show. Animations enhance the set design, and also are a form of contemporary puppetry. In this show, animations are used to assist with the storytelling.
• The Performers Puppetry is a very technical art form. Not
only do puppeteers have to think about what the puppets are doing but their own bodies are also choreographed. The puppeteers often work in confined spaces, so the way their bodies move together is important. Performing is a very physical art form and requires performers to be fit and strong.
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AUSTRIALIANACollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for LanguageConventions of Standard EnglishKnowledge of Language3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language
functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Australia uses some words and phrases that are not spoken in other places around the world. In Love, Ruthy tells Denise that she has written the perfect anthem for Mellingong. See if you can translate what these words mean:
Mate (Friend, person you know)Knock (To Criticize) Ankle Biter (Small Child)Loo (Toilet)Barbie (Barbeque) To have a lend of (To take advantage of somebody’s gullability)Bathers (Swimming costumes)Squizz (Look)Bizzo (Mind Your own Bizzo)Yobbo (Uncouth person)Going Bush (Going out of Town)Walla Walla (Lots of Rain)Cactus (Broken/Dead)Wog (Flu)Chook (Chicken) Yabby – Inland freshwater crayfish found in AustraliaFair go (Give a Chance)
Go to http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html to learn more words unique to Australia.
Explore The Show Together!Watch some video trailers of the show Love: • http://vimeo.com/34005386 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtci8btRdMM
Ask your students before the show:• What do you think the show is about?• What do you think you’ll see?• What are you most excited about for your trip to
PlayhouseSquare?
OSLO’S TRUNKDirections1. To begin the game, one player says, “I went to Oslo’s
trunk, and I found a (coat).” 2. The next player says, “I went to my Grandmother’s trunk,
and I found a (coat and hat).” 3. The players continue to take turns, on each turn repeating
the words already mentioned and adding a new word to the list.
4. Start a new game when the list becomes too hard to remember.
5. If you’d like to reinforce alphabet skills and make the list easier to remember, require the players to add words in alphabetical order (antique, book, coat, and so on).
COMMUNITY HELPERSStudents can create a collage of community helpers by cutting out pictures of workers from magazines and gluing them to poster board. Older students can write an essay to accompany their collage.
1. Cut a variety of pictures of workers from old magazines.
2. Glue the pictures artistically onto the paper or posterboard.
3. Decorate the collage using markers.
For older students: Label each of your pictures and write a paragraph (on a separate piece of paper) about the profession(s) pictured in your collage.
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PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES SUPPLIES• Old magazines• Scissors• Glue• Thick paper or posterboard• Markers (to decorate your collage)
Love LuggageGrade One Social StudiesTheme: Families Now and Long Ago, Near and Far
Strand: EconomicsTopic: ScarcityContent Statement: 11. Wants are unlimited and resources are limited.
Therefore, people make choices because they cannot have everything they want.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingText Types and Purposes3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences
or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
In Love, Oslo makes it his mission to collect people’s “love luggage” to carry to safety.
• What would your love luggage be? • Photograph or bring to class your love luggage. • Write about your love luggage.• What is it? • Where did it come from? • How long have you had it?• Exhibit the love luggage and writing.
If you had a short time to collect some things from home before relocating away from a big storm or fire, what emergency luggage would you pack? In pairs, brainstorm a list.
Think about:• Food• Light• Warmth• Information • Shelter• Entertainment
Share your list with the class. As a class, talk about these items and vote on the ten most important.
PERFORMANCE REFLECTIONFollowing your trip to PlayhouseSquare, you may find your students want to discuss the performance and their own opinions. Reflecting on the show and voicing an aesthetic response is an important part of the theater-going experience.
1. Provide students with the following piece of luggage.
2. On the luggage, ask the students to write or draw words/images they remember from the performance they saw. On the outside of the luggage, ask them to write feelings/opinions they had about seeing the performance.
3. Once the students have offered their reflections on the paper, display the various pages around the room, and ask the students to take a “gallery walk” to look at all the pictures/responses
COMMUNITIESKindergarten Social StudiesTheme: A Child’s Place in Time and Space
Strand: HistoryTopic: Historical Thinking and SkillsContent Statement: 1. Personal history can be shared through stories and
pictures.
Strand: HistoryTopic: HeritageContent Statement: 3. Heritage is reflected through the arts, customs, traditions,
family celebrations and language.
Strand: GovernmentTopic: Civic Participation and SkillsContent Statement: 9. Individuals have shared responsibilities toward the
achievement of common goals in homes, schools and communities.
Grade One Social StudiesTheme: Families Now and Long Ago, Near and Far
Strand: GeographyTopic: Spatial Thinking and SkillsContent Statement: 4. Maps can be used to locate and identify places.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingText Types and PurposesResearch to Build and Present Knowledge7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research
projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
In Love, we hear a lot about the town of Mellingong, its people and community spirit:
As a class, brainstorm some qualities that make a strong community. List them on piece of paper or the blackboard so everyone can see the list. Write a story incorporating these qualities.
Draw a map of your community. Mark everythnig you know and have experienced on the map.
Things to consider that may be in your community: Schools?Sports Clubs?Restaurants?Museums?Shops?Parks?
Curtains Up on WritingEXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!Grades 2–6
Here’s How: Students are to act as news reporters, asking questions to gather information for a story. These questions may be referred to as the 5 Ws:
• What happened? • Who was there? • Why did it happen? • When did it happen? • Where did it happen?
There is a printable form that can be used for pre-writing on the next page: Five Ws Chart.
Next, provide each student with a newspaper template, either printed or electronic. Encourage them to complete the document with information from the performance. Older students can be encouraged to “publish” their work for classmates.
This Link contains five basic newpaper templates:http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/literacy/writing/frames/newspaper.html#.U0xNvVVdUei
This link contains newspaper templates:http://www.scoop.it/t/creating-newspapers-in-the-classroom
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MATERIALS• A Five Ws Chart for Each Student• A copy of a newspaper template for each student• Pencils or computers with word processing
CRITICAL RESPONSE QUESTIONSStudents develop their comprehension when they reflect upon what they wondered about, noticed and felt. Prompt students to respond with the following questions:
1. What was the performer’s(s’) purpose?
2. Was the objective to inform you? Entertain you? Persuade you? To express feelings?
3. How well did the performer(s) meet the objective?
4. Which character is the most important to this story? Why?
5. Is there a character in the performance that you identify with? How are you like the character?
6. How are you different?
7. What traits of the main character would you change? Why?
8. Do you agree with the author’s ending to the story? Support your answer.
9. Were there any parts of the performance that were confusing? Discuss why.
10. What do you think happened in the story just before the performance started?
11. If you were in the story, what would your relationship be to one of the main characters?
12. List three facts about the performance. Then list three opinions about it.
13. If you could ask a main character three questions, what would you ask?
14. Compare and contrast this performance to another live performance you have witnessed.
15. Think about the performance then complete this sentence in three different ways: I wonder…
The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World by Howard Gardner (Author) and Katie Davis (Author). Yale University Press, 2013). Description: No one has failed to notice that the current generation of youth is deeply—some would say totally—involved with digital media. Professors Howard Gardner and Katie Davis name today’s young people The App Generation, and in this spellbinding book they explore what it means to be “app-dependent” versus “app-enabled” and how life for this generation differs from life before the digital era. Teacher Resource Guide Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Author) and E.B. Lewis (Illustrator). Nancy Paulsen Books Publishing (2012).Description: Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya. Grade Level: Kindergarten - 3rd I Unpacked My Grandmother’s Trunk: A Picture Book by Susan Ramsay Hoguet. Dutton Juvenile Publishing (1983.)Description: From grandmother’s trunk are taken objects beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Directions for playing this game are included. Grade Level: PK and up
On the Town: A Community Adventure by Judith Caseley (Author, Illustrator), Greenwillow Books Publishing (2002).Description: Charlie’s homework was to explore the people and places in his community. “What is my community?” he asked his mother. So they took a walk to find out. With the bounce and humor that have characterized all her popular books over the years, Judith Caseley once again proves that when it comes to the primary school world, there is very little that she doesn’t know. Charlie and his mother take a walk that can be taken by anyone with a keen sense of fun -- and open eyes and an inquiring mind. Grade Level: Kindergarten thru 5th. Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy by Bob Sornson, Ph.D (Author)Description: When Emily asks her big sister what the word empathy means, Emily has no idea that knowing the answer will change how she looks at people. But does it really matter to others if Emily notices how they’re feeling? Stand in My Shoes shows kids how easy it is to develop empathy toward those around them. Empathy is the ability to notice what other people feel. Empathy leads to the social skills and personal relationships which make our lives rich and beautiful, and it is something we can help our children learn. This book teaches young children the value of noticing how other people feel. We’re hoping that many parents read it along with their children. Grade Level: 1st and up. Storm: The SYLO Chronicles #2 by D.J. MacHale (Author). Raxorbill (2014Description: After a harrowing escape from Pemberwick Island, Tucker Pierce and his surviving friends—Tori, Kent, and Olivia—have finally reached the mainland, only to find that no one is left. That’s not their only sickening discovery. Moments before they are attacked by another of the mysterious black planes, they investigate one’s wreck and are horrified to find that it bears the logo of the U.S. Air Force. This can only mean one thing: the United States is at war with itself—the deadly technology of the Air Force against the brute force of the Navy’s SYLO unit, which still holds Pemberwick Island and its residents captive. Tucker must lead his friends to safety, but his head is spinning. Grade Level: 3-7 Whose Tools Are These?: A Look at Tools Workers Use – Big, Sharp, and Smooth (Whose Is It?: Community Workers) by Sharon Katz Cooper (Author), Nonfiction Picture Books (2006).Description: This book will help students guess different jobs and includes fun facts on each of the of the jobs. Grade Level: PK-2nd
What is a Communtiy from A to Z? (AlphaBasiCs) by Bobbie Kalman (Author). Crabtree Publishing (2000).Description: Lavishly illustrated with artwork and amazing photographs, Alphabasics are a combination of ABC books and picture dictionaries. Each book names an object for each letter and gives fascinating information on topics that are fresh and appealing to children. Grade Level: 2nd and up.
Where Do I Live? by Neil Chesanow (Author). Barron’s Educational Series (1995).Description: This is engaging globe for kids! Starting in their bedrooms, children will travel outside for a look around the streets of their neighborhood. Then, they’ll zoom out for a bird’s eye view of their town, city, suburb, and countryside. They’ll move out even further for a view of the states, the country, and the different continents. The next stop is space, for an exciting look at our solar sysem and universe! From there, they’ll trace their way home again. A fun mini quiz in the back lets kids show off what they’ve learned about where they live. Grade Level: Kindergarten and up. Mapping Penny’s World by Loreen Le edy (Author, IlusLisa’s class is learning how to make maps. Square Fish Publishing (2003). Decsription: The teacher says they can make maps of anyplace, so Lisa starts with her bedroom. She includes all the things that people will need to read the map, such as a scale and a key to the symbols she has used. Grade Level: Kindergarten - 3rd.
A Storm Called Katrina by Myron Uhlberg (Author) and Colin Bootman (Illustrator). Peachtree Publishers (2011).Description: Ten-year-old Louis Daniel hates it when Mama treats him like a baby. But when Hurricane Katrina blows through the Gulf Coast on a fateful August night, followed by broken levees and rising floodwaters threatening New Orleans, Louis feels like a little kid again. With no time to gather their belongings save Louis s beloved horn Daddy leads the family from their home and into an unfamiliar, watery world of floating debris, lurking critters, a winsome black-and-white dog, and desperate neighbors heading for dry ground. Grade Level: Preschool and up.
This Is My Story (And I’m Sticking To It)Parents need to know that This Is My Story (And I’m Sticking To It) is an early learning app that helps kids get the hang of simple sentence structure. Kids get to make their own storybooks by tapping and dragging labeled images (featuring common sight words like “hat” and “cow”) into the blanks of each page. Sentences like, “The (blank) played with the (blank)” can become “The cat played with the ball.” Finished stories can be saved and will be read aloud by the narrator. Age Range: 4-6 Years
Thomas Was AloneThomas Was Alone is puzzle/platformer that has players controlling little rectangles as they hop around small, two-dimensional environments. More than that, it employs a narrator to tell a story rich with humor and emotion and filled with basic but enduring lessons about friendship and human relationships. It does so innocuously, without resorting to sexual themes, graphic violence, or even harsh language. However, while this game has little that might be considered inappropriate for younger players, some parts of the story may be too abstract or emotionally complex for younger kids to fully grasp. Age Range: 8-10 Years
TOONTASTICParents need to know that Toontastic provides a stunningly easy way to create your own animated films. Kids choose the characters and setting for each scene, then just move the pieces around like they were playing with action figures, providing their own dialogue as the iPad records it all. They can then add a musical score with the appropriate emotional tone. The app doesn’t just allow kids to make their own cartoons, it also teaches the fundamentals of storytelling. Kids can share their videos with the Toontastic community and enter them in film contests, so it’s important that they do not reveal personal information in their videos. Age Range: 5-6 Years
