Download presents - Story Theatre Company

DAVID
MACPHERSON,
ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR
presents
For reservations and info contact
Patricia O’Brien, General Manager
1291 Gladstone Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8T 1G5
Toll free - 1-800-353-0001
Tel 250-383-4140
Fax 250-385-6336
A TEACHER’S GUIDE
[email protected]
www.storytheatre.ca
A Teacher's Guide
Company Information .....................................................................................................................3
Artist Information & Write to Us....................................................................................................4
Performance Synopsis ......................................................................................................................5
Tales of Wisdom.................................................................................................................................5
Books & Resources about Genghis Khan.......................................................................................7
The Silk Road - books and online sources....................................................................................11
Yurts ..................................................................................................................................................13
Storyboard template........................................................................................................................15
Word Search......................................................................................................................................16
ASL Charts and links.......................................................................................................................18
Sudoku Levels I and II - Animals of the Silk Road......................................................................20
Sudoku Solution...............................................................................................................................22
Rhymes, Reasons & Rascals Teacher’s Guide created by Marty Layne
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Company Information
Since 1981 Story Theatre Company has developed a reputation for excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences.
From the Yukon to Newfoundland and from New York to Singapore, Story Theatre delights audiences with its
unique, infectious style. Our mandate then, as it is now, was to produce theatre that involves the audience in
stories and allows them to experience words come to life through action. Our use of simple costumes, sets, and
props is designed to invite children into the world of theatre. They see that with a few things from around the
house, and their imagination they can do it too.
David MacPherson, Artistic Director
Tradition and Innovation. Entertainment and Education. Entrances and Exits. Theatre balances these polarities
all the time, Theatre thrives on them. As Story Theatre moves forward all of these elements will come into play.
Stepping into the role of Artistic Director, I look forward to using the strong tradition of Story Theatre’s distinct
style and standard of excellence to discover new stories and new ways of telling old stories; to creating stories for
the future; to a new generation of actors showing where this vibrant art form is headed; and most of all, using
all these elements to create shows that will draw the audience into the magic of live theatre
Jim Leard, Founding Artistic Director
This is a transition year for The Story Theatre Company as I move into a different role in the company. It’s been
35 years since I started Story Theatre Company with a small troupe of actors recently graduated from the University of Victoria’s Phoenix Theatre. I remember clearly the local regional libraries and the faces of the children
mesmerized by the telling of our animated tales. We have maintained the simplicity of production, the transformational nature of sets and costumes, and the direct contact with the audience as one of the main virtues of
our ‘story theatre style’. Now, for an older audience, I am creating a series of shows based on Letters Home from
soldiers and nurses during WWI
www.storytheatre.ca
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ArtistS’ BIOS
Alexandra Willett, Actor, grew up singing everywhere and anytime she could in Shawinigan, Quebec. While
she was getting a double diploma in Natural Science and Jazz Music from the Cégep de Trois-Rivières, she realized that she loved performing so she entered the Canadian College of Performing Arts. In between her second
and third year at CCPA, she performed in the 2015 season of the Gold Fever Follies in Rossland, BC. Her recent
roles include Polpoch in Marat/Sade, Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby and the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods.
Alexandra is excited and honoured to be part of the Story Theatre Company and looks forward to sharing the
magic of live theatre.
Jenny Austin, Actor, is originally from Calgary, Alberta. This is Jenny’s first season with Story Theatre Company, and she is so excited to be a part of this amazing team! She is a recent graduate of the Canadian College of
Performing Arts in Victoria, BC. Prior to that, she studied pure math at the University of British Columbia and
the University of Calgary. Jenny has a keen interest in clowning and physical theatre. She hopes to attend École
Jacques Lecoq in Paris someday. Jenny‘s recent credits also works as a stage manager; recent stage management
credits include Flotsam & Jetsam: Life on the West Coast and Into the Woods. Acting credits include: Myrtle in
The Great Gatsby and Maggie in Lend Me a Tenor.
Jenny Nguyen, Actor, from Richmond, BC, graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts in May
2016. As part of her studies at CCPA, she directed a short play called Lost in Thought. Her dance and performing
background gave her the opportunity to spend a month in Guanhzhou, China where she taught English, dance
and theatre skills to students grades 6-11. Jenny loves working with kids and is thrilled to be a member of the
Story Theatre Company. She can’t wait to bring smiles to the audience!
Patricia Reilly, Designer, has a BFA in Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology (University of Victoria) and a Master’s in Theatre Design (Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts, London). Her design
credits include Chemainus Theatre Festival (Falling A Wake), Pacific Opera Victoria (La Voix Humaine), Blue
Bridge Repertory Theatre (Judy!, The Glass Menagerie, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Of Mice and Men, Love Letters, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline), Fear No Opera (Così fan tutte, Bamboozled!), Victoria Operatic Society
(Thoroughly Modern Millie), Theatre SKAM (Joan), Story Theatre (The Great Beanstalk Conspiracy), and Theatre
Inconnu (The Crackwalker, The Walworth Farce, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Shining City). Patricia has worked
as a Production Technician with the Belfry Theatre and has a Diploma in Technical Theatre Production from
Red Deer College.
Golnaz Zad, Tour Coordinator, joined Story Theatre earlier this year. With a background in event production
and arts administration and as a former English major she is looking forward to supporting the troupe as they
trek across British Columbia, Alberta and back.
Please write to us!
We love to receive letters and pictures from the many schools that we visit and we hope to keep getting those letters.
Story Theatre
1291 Gladstone Avenue
Victoria, BC, Canada
t: 250.383.4140 or
1.800.353.0001
e: [email protected]
f: 250.385.6336
www.storytheatre.ca
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Performance synopsis:
RHYMES, REASON & RASCALS draws from many cultures
and uses the archetype of the wise one to solve problems in
unexpected ways and to discover what is truly valuable. This
performance features a king who seeks the greatest treasure
on earth and three knights who set off on a quest to bring it
back. What can they find for the man who has everything?
On their quest beyond the edges of the vast kingdom they
encounter wisdom from many lands in the form of stories
and, in the end, realize that treasure comes in many forms.
Creative problem solving and critical thinking
skills are just two of the many valuable lessons that students
will learn from this captivating production.
Portrait of Genghis Khan 14th Century
National Palace Museum in Taipei
Story Theatre actors use American Sign Language throughout this performance.
Genghis Khan, the king in this performance, named Temujin at birth by his nomadic family in early Mongolia,
used his skill and cunning to create the Mongol Empire and conquer almost the entire continent of Asia. As ruler
of the largest empire in human history, he was as respected as he was feared. In this performance we focus on his
search for great treasures. The great treasures were not material wealth but instead wealth of wisdom that came
from the tales from the various lands that were part of his kingdom.
Ideas to Explore: Tales of Wisdom
Socrates and the Triple Test - Truth, Goodness of Heart and Usefulness
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day, an acquaintance met
the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”
“Hold on a minute”, Socrates replied. “Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to
take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is truth.
Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”
“Well, no”, the man said, “Actually, I just heard about it and…”
“All right”, said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the
filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”
“Umm, no, on the contrary…”
“So”, Socrates continued, “You want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s
true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left – the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to
tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”
“No, not really.”
“Well”, concluded Socrates, “If what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why
tell it to me at all?”
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Books about Socrates for grade 2 and up:
Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates by M. D. Usher (Author), William Bramhall
(Illustrator) illustrated with sketches and two tiers of text - one for younger readers and
one for older readers
Socrates for Kids by S. Sage Essman 9-12 year olds
Socrates Online:
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/socrates1.htm
http://www.facts-about.org.uk/famous-people-facts-starting-with-s/socrates.htm
http://www.philosophyslam.org/socrates.html
Solomon and the Ant: And Other Jewish Folk Tales by Sheldon Oberman - a collection of
tales about Solomon’s wisdom and other Jewish Folk Tales for grade 5 and up
https://www.amazon.ca/Solomon-Ant-Other-Jewish-Folktales/dp/1590783077
A treasure trove of forty-three religious, wisdom, riddle, and trickster Jewish folktales that
have been told near the hearth, at the table, and in the synagogue for centuries. Sheldon
Oberman, a master storyteller, retells the tales with simplicity and grace, making them
perfect for performing and reading aloud. Peninnah Schram, herself an acclaimed storyteller and folklorist, provides lively notes and commentary that examine the meaning of
each tale and its place in history.
Three other versions of the tailor story that is told in this production:
Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
http://www.phoebegilman.com/something.html
Joseph’s Grandpa can fix anything. He can turn a worn out blanket into a wonderful
jacket, a vest into a Sabbath tie, a ragged handkerchief into a brand-new button, but when
the button is lost, what’s to be done? Even Grandpa can’t make something from nothing.
Another version of this story in PDF format by Glenda Bonin: A Story To Tell: A Tailor
and His Coat along with some helpful suggestions for how to tell the story using props or
drawings. http://nac.nevadaculture.org/dmdocuments/AStoryToTell.pdf
Doug Lipman recorded The Tailor Who Felt Wonderful on Tell It With Me - from Gentle
Wind http://www.gentlewind.com/gw1035.htm
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Books about Genghis Khan
* Genghis Khan - Biography for Kids (Just the Facts Book 12) -Kindle edition Facts
and photos telling the story of one of the most incredible men in history. Review:
The advantage of the books in this series is that the facts are easy to absorb and they
are enhanced by video clips (7 in this case). You may even have some of Genghis
Khan’s DNA since 1 in 200 people in the world do!
* Wicked History: Genghis Khan: 13th Century Mongolian Tyrant by Enid
Goldberg, and Norman Itzkowitz, Age Range: 12 - 15 years Grade Level: 7 10 Age
- Engaging biography - Sophisticated design will attract high-school and
middle-school struggling readers, yet on-target reading level makes these
books accessible to readers of all levels - Controlled vocabulary and sentence
length make these books highly readable
Kid Reviewer on Amazon: This is a great book if you want to learn about
Genghis Khan without being boring! It really brings to life Genghis Khan’s
childhood all the way up until he died. I had read bits and pieces about him
in a few other books, but it didn’t really describe WHO he was. This one is
definitely a keeper! I love it!!!
Lesson Plans about Genghis Khan:
Time Warp Trio: You Can’t but Genghis Khan
Lesson plans http://www.timewarptrio.com/teachers-parents/lessons/pdf/twt-lesson-khan.pdf
Adventures of Genghis Khan http://www.timewarptrio.com/adventures/khan/
From Scholastic: Genghis Khan grades 6-8 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/genghis-khan
Various Internet Resources for older students:
Impact on the world of Genghis Khan http://genghiskhanimpact.weebly.com/impact-on-the-world.html
History vs. Genghis Khan - Alex Gendler | TED-Ed grade 6 & up
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/history-vs-genghis-khan-alex-gendler
The Field Museum in Chicago hosted an exhibit Genghis Khan in 2012. There is still information on their site
about Genghis Khan and his empire complete with videos that may be of interest to older students. Preview first
as content varies. http://genghiskhan.fieldmuseum.org/
The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia also hosted the Genghis Khan Exhibit in 2015. The following three pages
are from their Educator’s Guide. You can see the entire guide here: https://www.fi.edu/sites/default/files/EducatorGuides_GenghisKhanEducatorsGuide.pdf
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The Silk Road
The warriors Genghis sent out to find him great treasures travelled on the Silk Road, which was not a road as we
think of today, but many paths through various countries that allowed people to trade goods from one to place
to another. Many traders travelled the Silk Road. It was called that because one of the goods carried was cloth
made out of silk that came from the silk worms that lived in China.
Books About Silk Worms:
Comments unless otherwise noted are from Amazon
Silkworms (Lerner Natural Science Books) by Sylvia A. Johnson
“Provides excellent background information for any teacher planning on doing a
silkworm project. Pictures are excellent and parts of the book can be read to the
class.”
“Amazing photos of silkworms and moths. Text explains the entire cycle from egg to
silk, and shows modern silk farming in Japan. Highly recommended!”
The Empress and the Silkworm by Lily Toy Hong K- 4
“Tradition honors Si Ling-Chi, wife of the legendary ‘Yellow Emperor,’ Huang-Ti,
who ruled China nearly 5,000 years ago, with the discovery of silk. ... When a cocoon
falls out of a mulberry tree into her morning tea, she is intrigued by it and unwinds
a softened lustrous thread from its core. In a dream, she sees her husband garbed in
a “shimmering yellow robe” woven of this thread, and she pursues her vision in the
face of ridicule by courtiers, eventually creating the first silk cloth. “
The Story of Silk: From Worm Spit to Woven Scarves by Richard Sobol
What does worm spit have to do with the world’s most luxurious fabric? Travel to
Thailand for a close-up look at wrigglers, weavers, and wearers of silk.
From nurturing the silkworms to weaving the fabric and photographing the children
as they proudly model the finished product, this first-person narrative, illustrated
with richly detailed photographs, chronicles the amazing process of creating one of
history’s most desired textiles.
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Books About the Silk Road:
A Single pebble: The Story of the Silk Road by Bonnie Christensen
In 9th century China, a little girl sends a small jade pebble to travel with her
father along the Silk Road. The pebble passes from his hand all the way to the
Republic of Venice, the end of the Silk Road, where a boy cherishes it and sees
the value of this gift from a girl at the end of the road. 5-10 40 pages
Chengli and the Silk Road by Hildy Kang 630 AD “This fast-paced adventure
is filled with friendship, historical detail, changing scenery, and action. It will
appeal to a wide range of readers.” — School Library Journal Chengli joins the
caravan to travel down the merchant route known as the Silk Road, but it is a
dangerous life, as his father knew. The desert is harsh, and there are many bandits, particularly drawn to Chengli’s caravan because a princess, her servants,
and royal guards are traveling with them. This story invites readers to experience
the sights, sounds, and smells of this fabled desert route. 9-13
Stories From the Silk Road Retold by Cherry Gilchrist illustrated by Nilesh Mistry
ages 6 and up
In seven stories, the lively Spirit of the Silk Road takes readers through the culture, history, and folklore of the ancient trade route that stretched from China to
Persia and was used from 200 B.C. to the fourteenth century. The retellings, from
humorous to creepy, feature an assortment of kind and vengeful gods, spirits,
animals, and human travelers. “Clever Ashik” illustrates how cultures adapt
and recreate familiar stories; “The Magic Saddlebag,” a morality tale, shows the
rewards of generosity and kindness; “The Enchanted Garden” presents a nightmarish experience resulting from greed. The conversational tone of the tellings
evokes a tourist’s sight-seeing expedition, with brightly colored, intricately patterned illustrations of exotic places and characters providing visuals and context. An introduction gives general background about the Silk Road and traded
goods; endpaper maps detail the route. A “Did You Know?” facts section and
source notes are appended. This will be a good resource for storytellers, particularly those wanting material for international story times, and for individuals
interested in Asian folklore. Shelle Rosenfeld
Animals Marco Polo Saw on the Silk Road bv Sandra Markle 48 pages 7 -10
Animals Marco Polo Saw brings to life the amazing exotic animals Marco Polo
encountered during his explorations in Asia how the animals sometimes affected
the outcome of the journey and even helped the explorer survive!
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Yurts - http://originalyurts.com/yurt-history/
Yurts have been a distinctive feature of life in Central Asia for at least three thousand years. The first written
description of a yurt used as a dwelling was recorded by Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who lived in Greece between 484 and 424 BC. Herodotus, who is regarded as the father of history, was the first person in the world to
record an accurate account of the past. He described yurt-like tents as the dwelling place of the Scythians, a horse
riding-nomadic nation who lived in the northern Black Sea and Central Asian region from around 600 BC to
AD 300. Thus, the yurt was described in the first historical document in the world.
Yurts have been continually in use since this time as habitation for the Mongolian nomadic peoples of the Central Asian Plateau. Archeological evidence proves that the first empire of steppe warriors in Central Asia, the
Huns, who were active from the 4th to the 6th century AD, used yurts as their principal dwellings.
The Italian merchant Marco Polo was the first Westerner to visit the Mongolian Empire in the 14th century. He
wrote, “…They [the Mongols] have circular houses made of wood and covered with felt, which they carry about
with them on four-wheeled wagons wherever they go. For the framework of rods is so neatly and skillfully constructed that it is light to carry. And every time they unfold their house and set it up, the door is always facing
south.” This south-facing orientation is still prevalent today, there being obvious advantages to this for people
living well north of the Equator.
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Online information about the Silk Road:
Interactive game, maps, information about the Silk Road http://web.stanford.edu/group/spice/SilkRoad/SilkRoad.html
Smithsonian Folkways has recordings of music from various parts of the Silk Road
http://www.folkways.si.edu/the-silk-road-a-musical-caravan/central-asia-islamica-world/music/album/smithsonian
Yo-Yo Ma formed a group called the Silk Road Ensemble with musicians from various parts of the Silk Road playing instruments from their countries. http://www.silkroadproject.org/ensemble/ Two of the instruments in the
ensemble with some information about the instruments from the website.
Instrument: Sheng
Origin: China
Musician: Wu Tong
The sheng is a mouth organ made of metal, wood or a gourd with a blowpipe and at least 17 bamboo or metal pipes extending from the top of the
bowl. The elegant symmetrical arrangement of the pipes represents the
folded wings of the mythical phoenix. Inside the bowl, each pipe has a hole
covered by a metal tongue that interrupts the air current to produce a strikingly clear, metallic sound. Western harmonicas, reed organs and concertinas use the same basic acoustical principles.
http://www.silkroadproject.org/ensemble/instruments/sheng
Instrument: Kamancheh
Origin: Iran
Musician: Kayhan Kalhor
The kamancheh is a small fiddle with a long conical neck, a round wooden
body covered in animal skin, and a spike protruding from the base. The
instrument rests on the player’s knee or on the ground and is swiveled on
the spike to meet the bow as it is played.
Traditionally played in the improvised Islamic music known as mugham,
the kamancheh’s warm, elegant sound is reminiscent of the human voice,
making it conducive to solo-virtuoso or small-ensemble playing.
http://www.silkroadproject.org/ensemble/instruments/kamancheh
Creating Stories:
You can use the following storyboard template to encourage students to create a a storyboard about travelling
on the Silk Road, the animals of the Silk Road, and/or adventures on the Silk Road which can then be used as a
basis for creating a written story. Small word list for the Silk Road:
Bactrian camel, camel, caravan, cargo, cotton, donkey, dromedary camel, glass, goat, gold, horse, ivory, merchant, Mongolian. oasis, pupa, route, sheep, silk, silk worm, spices, trade, water, yak, yurt
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Name:
Story Title:
from https://www.fi.edu/sites/default/files/EducatorGuides_GenghisKhanEducatorsGuide.pdf
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from https://www.fi.edu/sites/default/files/EducatorGuides_GenghisKhanEducatorsGuide.pdf
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American Sign Language Alphabet
From http://www.wikihow.com/Fingerspell-the-Alphabet-in-American-Sign-Language
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American Sign Language Links:
American Sign Language University is an amazing resource site for ASL students and teachers. Here you will
find information and resources to help you learn ASL
and improve your signing. Lots of links and information to help you learn to sign.
http://www.lifeprint.com/
Patty Shukla has a number of singing signing videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjYbopUNQEw
The repetetiveness of each word and sign seems to help
learning.. Good for younger children.
Learn Sign Language Online http://hubpages.com/education/Learn-Sign-Language-On-Line
Smart Hands song with the signs for numbers - great videos
numbers 1- 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LIV0miyxR8
numbers 11-20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukAD8Jx8VsE
numbers 20 - 30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2OE1w1mtRg
numbers 1- 100 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lTIhaUd6ac
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Mongolian Horses
www.storytheatre.ca
Mongolian Yak
Mongolian AnimalSudoku
Bactrian Camel
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Mogolian sheep
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Mongolian Animals Sudoku Level II
cat
Yak
Donkey
Mongolian Horse
www.storytheatre.ca
Bactrian Camel
Mongolian Cashmere Goat
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Mongolian Animal Sudoku Solution
s
Level I Solution
Level II Solution
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