kennedy center theater for young audiences on tour ... · research and analysis: students in...

Kennedy Center Theater For Young Audiences on Tour

ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S WE ARE IN A PLAY!Educator Resource Guide

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Dear Educator –We are excited to welcome you to the 2016-17 Season, filled with engaging artistic and educational opportunities for you and your students. Join us as we celebrate the voices of community and culture that have the power to unite us all. As part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education Program, this resource guide will provide you with lesson ideas to prepare your students for the upcoming performance. Please feel free to adapt any of the activities in this guide to make them appropriate and meaningful to your students.

Based on Mo Willems’ beloved characters, the lumbering Gerald the Elephant and Piggie, these best friends face important questions like whether or not to share ice cream, or how can two friends play with one toy? Backed up by singing group The Squirrelles, the audience even gets involved in the action! Take your students on a fun, musical adventure that demonstrates the beauty of friendship inspired by the characters in the best-selling books.

We look forward to recognizing each unique voice and providing a platform for expression through the arts. From lesson ideas and professional development workshops to backstage tours, allow us to partner with you to provide students with exciting educational opportunities!

For questions contact the education sales department (920) 730-3726 or [email protected].

Kennedy Center Theater For Young Audiences on Tour

ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’SWE ARE IN A PLAY!

Friday, April 7, 20179:30 a.m.| 12:30 p.m.

Run Time: Approx. 60 minutesGrades: PreK-3

INSIDE THIS GUIDEWelcome 3 In the Spotlight 9

Standards 4 Discover the Arts 14

About 5 Resource Room 186

Lesson Plans 6

WELCOME TO THE FOX CITIES P.A.C.We are in need of an audience – are you up for the part?

THEATER ETIQUETTE •When entering the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, remember to show respect for others by waiting your turn and speaking quietly.

•Remember that during the performance the performers can see and hear you. Even the smallest sounds can be heard throughout the theater, so it is best to remain quiet so everyone can enjoy the performance.

•Applause is the best way to express how much you enjoyed the performance!

•Important things to remember: •Student backpacks, gum, drinks and food are not allowed in the theater.•Cell phones should be turned off and stowed. •Note that recording or taking photos in the theater is strictly prohibited; however, photos may be taken in the lobby. •It’s a long way down – please do not drop items off balconies.

This study guide was created for you by the Education Team as a part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education program. To download copies of this study guide or to find additional resources for this performance or view past study guides please visit: www.foxcitiespac.com

Questions about your show reservation? Contact our education sales team at [email protected] call (920) 730-3726.

ENJOY THE SHOW!

INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Be prepared to arrive early – You should plan on arriving to the Center 30 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time, parking and trips to the restroom.

Know your needs – To best serve the needs of you and your students, please indicate in advance if you have individuals who require special services or seating needs upon making your reservation.

Seating – Seating is based on a number of factors including when the reservation is made, size of group, students’ ages and any special seating needs.

•The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is served with enough electricity to light a community the size of Little Chute or Kimberly.

•The public women’s restrooms have 56 toilets.

•The Center is held up by an amazing 1,056,100 pounds of reinforcing steel in concrete.

DID YOU KNOW?

http://www.foxcitiespac.com/

mailto:[email protected]

Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Education | [email protected] | (920) 730-3726

WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDSTo assist you in your planning the Wisconsin Academic Standards that are most likely to connect with this performance are listed below.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS READING/LITERATURE: Students in Wisconsin will read and respond to a wide range of writing to build an understanding of written materials, of themselves and of others.

ORAL LANGUAGE: Students in Wisconsin will listen to understand and will speak clearly and effectively for diverse purposes.

SOCIAL STUDIESGEOGRAPHY: Students in Wisconsin will learn about geography through the study of the relationships among people, places and environments.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES: Students in Wisconsin will learn about the behavioral sciences by exploring concepts from the discipline of sociology, the study of the interactions among individuals, groups and institutions; the discipline of psychology, the study of factors that influence individual identity and learning; and the discipline of anthropology, the study of cultures in various times and settings.

MUSIC ANALYSIS: Students in Wisconsin will analyze and describe music.

THE ARTS: Students in Wisconsin will relate music to the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.

HISTORY AND CULTURE: Students in Wisconsin will relate music to history and culture.

THEATER PLAY READING AND ANALYSIS: Students in Wisconsin will attend live theater and read plays, be able to analyze and evaluate the play and articulate (create meaning from) the play’s message for individuals and society.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS: Students in Wisconsin will research and analyze methods of presentation and audience response for theater, the interconnections of theater, community, other cultures and historical periods for use as general knowledge.


ABOUT THE COMPANY Since 1992, Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour has been a leader in bringing imaginative and original works to communities around the nation. In the program’s 19 year history, 43 tours have played in hundreds of cities in 49 states as well as parts of Canada. More than 2 million children, teachers and parents have been part of these audiences. Many of the students who see these productions may never have the chance to visit the nation’s performing arts center, but could still experience the professionalism and talent that has become the trademark of Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences.

ABOUT THE SHOW Gerald is an elephant: lumbering, formally attired, prone to melancholy. Piggie is (what else!) a piggie: perky, smiley, full of fun. Total opposites? No way! In Mo Willems’s beloved, award-winning, best-selling children’s books, Elephant Gerald and Piggie are best friends!

And in We Are in a Play!, a brand-new vaudevillian romp of a musical, Elephant Gerald and Piggie sing and dance their way through plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense–facing fundamental questions like, what do you wear to a fancy pool costume party? Should you share your ice cream? And how can two friends play with one toy? Backed by nutty back-up singers The Squirrelles, our duo even gets the audience involved in the action.

So get ready for a musical experience ripped from the pages of your favorite books. You’ll be doing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” dance all night long!


LESSON ONE: FULL OF FEELINGS OBJECTIVE: Gerald and Piggie address lots of different feelings that we can have. Students will explore some different types of feelings and how they can have an impact on how we look at life.

MATERIALS “I Love My New Toy” by Mo Willems Glitter GlueGlitter Plastic Water Bottles Water Food Coloring

OPENING DISCUSSION How many of you have ever felt angry? What does it feel like inside? What do you do with your body? Our friends, Gerald and Piggie can sometimes get frustrated with each other and sometimes don’t react in the right way. Have you ever gotten frustrated with a friend? What did you do? Today, we are going to look at how Piggie responded to Gerald when he broke something that was very important to her. Lets see what lessons we can learn today!

WARM UP • Begin by having the students find an open space on the reading carpet in which they are not touching

each other. Explain that before you begin your story, you would like the students to warm up their bodies.

• Instruct students to reach their arms way up to the sky, then reach them way down to the ground.• Explain to students that using only their faces, show what their reaction would be to getting a new toy. • Next, using their entire body have students show how they would respond if they discovered their toy

was broken. • Then with your body, show how you would respond to a friend when you forgave him for breaking

your toy. • Have students find a spot to sit on the floor and read “I Love My New Toy.”

DID YOU KNOW?• The play is about two best friends, Gerald, who is an elephant, and Piggie. They are joined on stage

by some singers called the Squirrelles. The Squirrelles sometimes play other characters – like a penguin and a dog!

• All of the animals in the story are played by people. To become their animal characters, the actors will change their voices and movements.

• The actors dress up too – Gerald wears a gray suit and Piggie wears a pink outfit – but they don’t look exactly like animals.

• During the performance, Gerald and Piggie will sometimes have strong emotions or feelings. They will express their feelings through the way they talk, sing and act.

• The performance can sometimes be loud – especially during the party scene and when Piggie plays her trumpet!


ACTIVITY • Begin by watching a video that features kids sharing about what anger feels like.

• www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImeSVdKojPM• Watch: 0:20 – 3:00

• Discuss with students that everyone, at some point, has a difficult time controlling emotions. Ask students to share some ways that they know how to control their emotions?

• In “I Love My New Toy” Piggie gets angry at Gerald for breaking her toy. What would have been another way Piggie could have responded?

• Today we are going to create a tool to help us when we get angry. • Discuss how the girl in the video described a jar full of glitter and when she shook it, the jar

represented what she was feeling. • Explain that today, they are going to make their own jars to shake when they are feeling upset and we

can calm ourselves as we watch the sprinkles fall. • Pass out materials to students and walk them through the process. (Note: for younger students, you

may want to make one magic sprinkle jar for the classroom and make it together.) • Fill the bottle ¾ full with water and then add 2 tablespoons of glitter glue (and shake).• Next add ½ inch of glitter with and shake. If interested in creating more variance to your glitter, add

larger pieces of glitter to the bottle. • Hint: use a funnel for the glitter.

• Next add one drop of food coloring, if desired and then glue/tape the lid on. • Once students have finished, explain that when they feel upset, angry or frustrated that they can

shake the bottle vigorously. When they are finished, set the bottle down and watch the glitter fall. • Remind students that they can focus on positive things, take deep breaths, take a break or find

additional ways to readjust their thoughts when they feel angry.

CLOSING DISCUSSION What is one way you can respond when you are angry? How can your reaction to a situation make people feel? Why is it important to remain kind, even in hard situations?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImeSVdKojPM


LESSON TWO: HAPPY PIGGIES & SAD ELEPHANTS OBJECTIVE: The characters within a story are very important! Students will look more deeply at Elephant and Piggie and explore ways in which actors will use their bodies to portray the characters.

MATERIALS “My Friend is Sad” Mo Willems Elephant & Piggie Comic Strip Handout (p. 10)

OPENING DISCUSSION Actors sometimes use costumes to represent a character they are playing and sometimes they will use their bodies to portray their characters. In the play Elephant and Piggie’s We are in a Play! the actors don’t wear an elephant and pig costume to represent Gerald and Piggie. Instead they act like the animals. What are some ways you think the actors may act like an elephant or a pig?

WARM UP • Read “My Friend is Sad” and discuss the characters in the book. Who is Gerald? Who is Piggie? • As a class, decide one word that matches Gerald and one that matches Piggie. Write on the board.• Explain that every good play has a great story and fun characters. In a little bit we are going to

explore how to be the characters of Gerald and Piggie. But first we need to start at the beginning and explore a little bit of storytelling.

• Share with students: • Author Mo Willems, thinks being creative is one of the best things to do. Every night at

dinner, he rolls out large pieces of paper to cover the table and his family doodles drawingsand ideas.

DID YOU KNOW?Did you know that Elephants are the largest animal in the world? The largest on record was an adult male who weighed about 24,000 pounds and was 13 feet tall! Each elephant heart alone can on average weigh 27 to 46 pounds. Elephants also have a highly developed brain, the largest of all the land mammals, with it being 3 to 4 times larger than that of humans, although smaller in proportion to body weight.

Elephants have poor eyesight, but an amazing sense of smell. To smell better, the Elephant will wave his trunk up in the air and from side to side. With a trunk that has over 40,000 muscles in it, it is no wonder that the trunk is able to sense the size, shape and temperature of an object. It also works as a personal snorkel to help elephants breathe when swimming in deep water.

With being one of the largest animals on land, they can still be extremely quiet. With soft padding on their feet, elephants are able to uphold their weight, not slip and dull sounds that come from walking. They also are highly sensitive and caring animals. Using their feet to listen, they can pick up sub-sonic rumblings made by other elephants through vibrations in the ground. If a baby elephant complains, the entire family will rumble, go comfort and caress the young baby. Elephants also can express grief, compassion, self-awareness and play! Within their vast capabilities they also have the ability to cry, retain memories and laugh.

Check out this video of elephants having some fun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNggmeilXDQ

Source: happyelephantcontest.com

9

#1 New York Times Bestseller Mo Willems began his career as a writer and animator for PBS’s Sesame Street, where he garnered 6 Emmy Awards for his writing. He has a knack for both writing and drawing images. He began drawing cartoons when he was a child and never quit.

In the literary world, he is best known for his children’s books. In 2003, Willems released his first picture book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Due to the popularity and writing, the book was given a Caldecott Honor. Now, the book is backbone of several other Pigeon books. Not only are his Pigeon books successful, but Willems has been awarded honors and medals for other books. Included in this list is also a series of “Easy Readers.” Willems also has an illustrated memoir available for older readers to enjoy reading about his trip exploring different parts of the world.

Currently, Willems lives in Massachusetts with his family. He is no longer involved in television, but is still drawing and writing. Source: www.mowillems.com

Mo Willems includes the pigeon from his first book in every book he writes.Can you find him in your favorite Mo Willems book?

• Many of his most beloved stories have stemmed from drawings and phrases that have been jotted down.

• Provide each students with a comic strip handout and instruct them to each make their own Elephant and Piggie story based on the space provided.

ACTIVITY • Share with students that how an actor moves his body is extremely important to how the character

appears on stage. Ask students to show how they would represent a dog. (Note: Your students will most likely drop down on all fours to crawl around).

• Once students have moved as their dog, ask them to stand up and now portray a dog without crawling! Before having students begin, brainstorm some ways a dog might move without being on four legs.

• Encourage students as they move around the room and call out key movements that express the animal uniquely.

• Next, as a class discuss how Gerald and Piggie might move. Brainstorm movement ideas and write them on the board. As with the dog, have students remain upright and move around the room like an elephant and then as a pig.

• Reflect with students on how the movements differed from each other.

CLOSING DISCUSSION How one moves can tell us a lot about their character. What behavior traits does Gerald have that might be represented in his body? How about Piggie?

Color and Create Your Own Story With Elephant & Piggie Story Mo Willems

http://erin-specialeducation.blogspot.ca/


LESSON THREE: EYES CAN SEE A STORYObjective: Students will learn about the importance of paying attention and how costumes can be utilized to enhance storytelling.

MATERIALS Open space Miscellaneous clothing and accessories

OPENING DISCUSSION Have you ever been to the theater? If so, what did you see performed? What were some things that you remember most from that experience? Do you remember what the actors wore on stage? In the performance you will see, Gerald and Piggie are in their very own play. What are some things that you think they might need to be able to put on a play? Today we are going to explore just some of the things needed to put on a production.

WARM UP • Explain to students that when actors get ready to perform, they warm up their entire body! When

we get ready for a play, we need to be fully engaged and aware of all that is going on around us. • Have students stand in a big circle and explain to students that one student is going to play the role

of “Piggie.” Piggie doesn’t have a place to stand in the circle, so this game is about finding an open space.

• Instruct Piggie to go up to someone in the circle and say “Piggie wants a corner.” Explain to students that this phrase means that Piggie is asking for a space to stand in the circle.

• Instruct the student being asked to say “Go see my neighbor,” sending Piggie down the circle.

DID YOU KNOW?Some of pop cultures most recognizable names flaunt the color pink! Names like Miss Piggy, Piglet, Wilbur and Babe have entertained audiences with their curly tails, sassy personalities and four little hooves. Pigs are far from “boaring” (sorry we couldn’t resist!) and they are truly remarkable animals.

Like humans, pigs are mammals and are top ranking as some of the smartest animals on the planet. According to research, a middle aged pig can be as smart as a three year old human being. They have excellent long-term memories, solve mazes easily and can comprehend simple symbolic languages. They love to play and some have even learned how to operate a joystick to move an on-screen cursor.

Most people think of pigs as slow and lumbering, but as it turns out, they’re not at all! Adult pigs can run at speeds of up to 11 mph, in other words pigs are clocking a seven-minute mile. They also can run like this without breaking a sweat. So if you have ever told someone they are “sweating like a pig,” then you would be wrong. Pigs hardly have any sweat glands, so they have to cool down by wallowing in the mud.

Pigs chat with each other constantly. With more than 20 different vocalizations they can woo a mate, complain and also let everyone around know they are hungry. Everyone. A pig’s squeal can be as loud as 115 decibels which is 3 decibels higher than the sound of a supersonic airliner. In addition, a pig will eat anything, they have an excellent sense of smell and make up a population of about 2 billion on the earth with the United States having the 2nd largest population of domesticated pigs in the world.

Source: thepigsite.com


• While Piggie continues asking each member of the circle for their space, the other circle members will try to switch places in the circle.

• This is done by signaling to each other, so Piggie doesn’t see what you are doing. If Piggiecan sense when an individual moves, she can attempt to “steal” that open space. The person left without a space becomes the new “Piggie.”

ACTIVITY • Before the class begins, prepare in advance boxes of miscellaneous items of clothing and

accessories to make available for students. • Assign each box of props a theme such as “a day at the beach” or “first day at school.” • In each box have a few items that do not belong (i.e. – a snow hat in the “a day at the

beach” box). In each box, also have one roll of toilet paper. • On a slip of paper draw or write a sentence that describes what scene each box holds. • When students arrive for this activity, explain that one thing that helps actors tell a story on stage

is the use of props. • Ask students for an example of what they think a prop is.

• Share with students that props can be masks, costumes or items that enhance the storytelling happening on stage.

• Discuss how in a previous lesson, the class learned that Gerald and Piggie do not wear costumes that make them look exactly like animals. Remind students that instead, Gerald wears a dark gray suit and a bowler cap and Piggie is decked out in pink.

• Remind students that as audience members they are supposed to imagine the actors on stage look like the animals they are portraying.

• Discuss how as a class you also explored how animals move and how actors use these movements to also represent their characters.

• Share with students that with these two ideas combined, actors can create a pretty convincing world onstage.

• Today, as a class you are going to work as costume designers to create your own Elephant and Piggie costumes.

• Explain that in the world of theater, there are individuals whose jobs are to design and create costumes to enhance their character and help tell their story.

• On the board, write Gerald and Piggie. As a class, determine words that describe each of the characters.

• Divide students into groups of 3-4 students and provide each group with the roll of toilet paper and box of props.

• Assign each group to either Gerald or Piggie and instruct them to identify one person in their group to be the character. Working as a team, have each group dress their character based on what they have in their box and the theme provided.

• Remind students to only use props and costumes that enhance their character and further the story.

CLOSING DISCUSSION We know that in a play there are actors and musicians, but there are also a lot of jobs behind the scenes. One of these jobs is being a costume designer. In the game, we saw how people who played “Piggie” needed to pay attention so they would be able to find a spot and in the activity we learned how we need to pay attention to what we read so we are able to dress our characters for the part!


LESSON FOUR: OBJECTIVE: Students will learn how music can enhance emotions and situations occurring on stage.

MATERIALS Contrasting music examples

OPENING DISCUSSION Gerald and Piggie love music and it is something that they have included in their play. As we have been discussing, storytelling on stage is important and music is one way that performers can keep a story moving forward. A lot of emotions can be expressed through music and you will have to listen carefully during the show to see if you can catch some of the feelings that are being shared.

WARM UP • One way we can express our feelings is through our voices. Gather students into a circle and have

them count out loud to seven like: • They are sleepy • They are excited • They are bored • They are angry

• Ask students to share how they changed their voices to depict these different feelings. Did they get louder or softer? Did they speak faster or slower?

• Explain that music does the same exact thing when trying to get a listener to feel a certain way. Ask if students have ever seen a movie and because of the music behind the scene they knew if it was going to be a happy, sad or scary moment. Share examples!

DID YOU KNOW?Friends are important in our lives and they can come in all forms. In the animal kingdom, some friends are especially unique (just like Gerald and Piggie), but it is through these friendships that we see that animals are capable of feeling love and compassion just like us!

One of these friendships is Bubbles the African Elephant and Bella the Black Labrador. Despite the extreme difference in size, Bubbles and Bella are great friends. The two live at Myrtle Beach Safari in South Caroline and love playing in the water – Bubbles will throw balls with her trunk and Bella jumps off Bubbles’ head and swims to retrieve them.

Bubbles was rescued in Africa after her parents were killed by poachers and Bella was abandoned in the park by contractors who were hired to build Bubbles a swimming pool. This unlikely friendship was formed over a mutual love for water. Gerald and Piggie are fictional animals who are friends,but throughout nature there are several unlikely friendships between animals. See what other friends you can find in nature!

To see them in action, check out this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR0BlQzbOUk

Source: boredpanda.com

In the show, Gerald and Piggie are backed by a vocal group named The Squirrelles. Although fictional, The Squirrelles represent a style of music that was extremely popular in the 50s’ and 60s’ – Rock N’ Roll and R&B (Rhythm and Blues).

These styles were made up from a variety of genres including jazz, blues, country and folk music, as well as gospel songs. To categorize this style even further, The Squirrelles sing Doo-wop which is a branch off these two popular styles and is built upon vocal harmony. Doop-wop features tight harmonies, nonsense syllables, a simple beat with a catchy melody and lyrics.

Can you hear the similarities to The Squirrelles style? Check out some of these famous groups:

• The Shirelles• The Supremes • The Bobettes


ACTIVITY • Ask students: Did you know that even though the title of the show is Elephant and Piggie We are

in a Play!, it is actually a musical? o Explain to students that a musicals feature songs within the play that help characters

share their feelings and keep the story moving forward.

Ask students that if a character is sad, do they think the music would be fast or slow? If the

character was happy or excited, what might the music sound like.

Play two contrasting styles of music (one fast and one slow) and after listening to each piece,

have the students share how they feel after listening. Write down the students responses on

the board.

Clearing an open space in the room, instruct each student to find a spot in the room in which

they are not touching any other student. Share that you will play the two pieces again, but

this time have the students move how they think the music sounds.

Ask students for ideas on how to move if the music is slower. Next have students share how

they would move if it was fast.

Play the two pieces of music and allow the students to move based on the music they hear.

CLOSING DISCUSSION When we watch the play, lets watch for how the characters move to the music they are singing. Not only will we be able tell a little bit about their emotions by the kinds of music we hear, but we can also take clues from how they move their bodies. After the show, I am going ask for one way that you saw either Gerald or Piggie move that told you something about how they were feeling! So watch closely.

Don’t let this experience end with the drop of the curtain. Keep the conversation going with your students and reflect on the performance that you just attended. Here are a few

questions to get the conversation started!

• Why is it important to be kind?

•What was your favorite song in the performance?

•Which moment do you remember most from the performance? What was happening?

•What did you learn about the importance of friendship from this performance?

•Describe the music you heard. How did the music add to the mood or atmosphere of the performance?

•Describe how the performers used their bodies. How did their movement tell you about the character they were portraying and what mood they were in?

•If you were going to tell a friend about the performance, how would you describe it in one sentence?



BOOKS “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by Mo Willems “We Are in a Book!” by Mo Willems“Waiting is Not Easy” by Mo Willems “Knuffle Bunny” by Mo Willems “Should I Share My Ice Cream” by Mo Willems “Beyond Nice” by Stuart Stotts

WEBSITES

www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org – free digital resource forteaching and learning in, through and about the arts.

www.mowillems.com

www.mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com

This educator resource guide is created as part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education Program.

THANK YOU TO OUR SERIES SPONSORS FOR MAKING THIS PERFORMANCE POSSIBLE!

Our sponsors love to hear from you! Mail or drop off cards, letters or pictures to the Center and we will share with them.

Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Education Department 400 W. College Avenue

Appleton, WI 54911

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