Download The Velveteen Rabbit Teacher Guide

 The Velveteen Rabbit by Burgess Clark Based on the book by Margery Williams Teacher Guide YMCA Greater Boston 316 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 www.bostonchildrenstheatre.org main 617-­‐424-­‐6634 fax 619-­‐367-­‐8072 2 In This Guide Boston Children’s Theatre Information History of BCT, Upcoming class and audition information Theatre Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts of Audience Behavior Theatre Vocabulary Important terms to know Author Biography Biographical information for Margery Williams Cast Information Cast list, Biography Information Curriculum Connections MA Curriculum Framework Standard Connections: overview and specific standards Activities & Crafts A list of activities and crafts that can be used to prepare for your theatre visit, or to follow up with your class after seeing our production. 3 Audience Etiquette Coming to the theatre is a magical experience, much of that comes from the energy of the actors and the connections audience members make with the performers on stage. In order for the audience to have the opportunity to make these connections and enjoy their experiences, several guidelines are observed in live theatre audiences. Those guidelines are outlined here so that you may discuss them with your class and prepare students for what may be the first live theatre experience for many. Respect: Actors respect audience members by presenting their best work in a play. Audience members respect actors and others in the audience by keeping themselves quiet, still, and not talking during a performance. This includes talking to those around them, and talking or texting on a cell phone. These things distract from the performance and can disturb many of the people around you. Also, many theatres have their own rules that are always respected. For example, food is not allowed in many theatres, so snacks and drinks may be in the lobby, but inside the theatre, audiences are to focus on the performance so that they can really be engaged. Concentration and Listening: When audience members are focused on the performance and listening carefully to the actors on stage, they remember more of the play and can enjoy themselves as much as possible. If you are really listening there may be some parts of a play that make you laugh or make you feel sad. These things are great as long as you are in control of yourself and do not disrupt the performance. The more you concentrate on and react to the performance you are watching, the more you will be able to share when you get back to your classrooms or home with your families. Appreciation: Actors love when you appreciate their hard work, as long as you make sure you do it in an appropriate way and at the appropriate time. This is why audiences clap or applaud at the end of a great scene, or song, and always at the end of the whole performance. Clapping your hands lets the actors know you’re enjoying yourself and that you like what they’re doing. A few good times to clap are: at the end of a scene, when the stage goes dark, at the end of a song, when the curtain comes down on the stage, at the end of the first act or half of the play, and at the end of the play when the actors bow to the audience. 4 Theatre Vocabulary There are many things that you will see in the theatre that you will not see in many other places. Here is a list of vocabulary words that help students get familiar with the theatre and some of the experiences they may have in the theatre, provided by the MA State Frameworks. See the Activities and crafts section for a Theatre Vocabulary word search. Casting: the selection of actors or performers. Character: a person, animal, or entity in a story, scene, or play with specific distinguishing physical, mental, and attitudinal attributes. Characterization: the process of creating a believable “person” by exploring the physical, social, and psychological dimensions of a role. Conflict: tension between two or more characters or between action and ideas; the fundamental struggle that leads to crisis and climax of a scene or play. Drama: a composition in verse or prose intended to portray a character, or tell a story through action and dialogue, and designed for theatrical performance. Ensemble: the harmonious blending of the efforts of the many artists involved in a dramatic activity or theatrical production. Gesture: the movement of a body part or combination of parts, with the emphasis on the expressive aspects of the move. Improvisation: the spontaneous use of movement and speech to create a character or object in a particular situation. An intuitive and immediate response rather than behavior that is rehearsed. Performance: the imitation of life in front of at least one other person. In a broad sense, performance refers to the presentation of any kind of entertainment, from play to rock concert, solo presentation to ensemble collaboration. Playwright: one who writes plays; dramatist. Properties (props): objects used on stage such as furniture, utensils, ornaments, and personal possessions. Puppetry:the art of making puppets or presenting puppet shows. Rehearsal: repeated practice in preparation for a public performance. Scenes: the subdivision of an act in a play, identified by place and time. Script: the written dialogue, description, and directions provided by the playwright. Stage manager: the head of the production staff who, once the play opens, takes charge of the stage, the actors, and the crews. Technical theatre: design and creation of sets, lighting, sound, properties, and costumes/makeup. 5 About the Author: Margery Williams Margery Williams was born in 1881, and died in 1944. She was born in London and lived there until 1890 when she moved to the United States with her family, after her father had died, suddenly. Margery had always wanted to write books and at the age of 19, she returned to London to publish her first set of short stories. When Margery was married and had children, she considered motherhood a full time job and paused her writing activities so that she could focus on raising her son, Cecco, and daughter, Pamela. Pamela would later illustrate some of her mothers’ books. In 1921, Williams returned to the United States with her family and resumed her writing. The Velveteen Rabbit was her first American book, as well as the first story she wrote for children. It is still her most famous work to this day. It has been adapted into a variety of different children’s plays since it’s first publication. After the publication of this story, and until her death in 1944, Williams continued to write short stories for children, many having to do with toys and the ability for inanimate objects to magically become real or to express human emotions. All of her stories had sadness as part of their development, but by the end of the story the reader felt uplifted and positive. 6 The Velveteen Rabbit Cast Margery Victoria Brandano Boy Jacob Cafer Nana Channing Shippen Velveteen Rabbit Iain Shain Rosie Cerulli Timothy, The Wooden Lion Tomer Kimia Skin Horse Kevin Paquette Rabbit 1 Kassaini Mamalakis Rabbit 2 Alexandra Berube Fairy Rose Zilla-­‐ba Tin Soldier Model Boat 7 Curriculum Connections In this section, you will find all curriculum connections the play and the activities in this packet offer. Each activity also has a short list of the related standards, but this section provides a complete and detailed list of all standards met. Arts Acting 1.1 Read, listen to, and tell stories from a variety of cultures, genres, and styles 1.2 Imagine and clearly describe characters, their relationships, setting, conflict, and plot from a variety of appropriate literature 1.3 Pretend to be someone else, creating a character based on stories or through improvisation, using properties (props), costumes, and imagery 1.7 Create and sustain a believable character throughout a scripted or improvised scene 1.11 Motivate character behavior by using recall of emotional experience as well as observation of the external world 1.12 Describe and analyze, in written and oral form, characters’ wants, needs, objectives, and personality characteristics 1.20 Demonstrate sensitivity to audience response Reading and Writing Scripts 2.1 Identify what drama is and how it happens 2.4 Create a scene or play with a beginning, middle, and end based on an original idea, a story, or other forms of literature (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) Directing 3.2 Read plays from a variety of cultures and historical periods, describe their themes, interpret their characters’ intentions and motivations, and determine their staging requirements 3.3 Recognize and describe the distinct roles and responsibilities of the director, actors, stage manager, set and costume designers, and others involved in presenting a theatrical performance 3.4 Identify and use appropriate vocabulary to describe kinds of stage spaces (e.g., proscenium, thrust, arena), stage directions, areas of the stage (e.g., upstage, downstage, stage right, stage left) and basic blocking techniques Technical Theatre 4.1 Collect, make, or borrow materials that could be used for scenery, properties (props), costumes, sound effects, and lighting for informal classroom presentations Critical Response 5.1 Describe and demonstrate audience skills of observing attentively and responding appropriately in classroom presentations, rehearsals, and live performance settings 5.2 Identify and describe the visual, aural, oral, and kinetic details of classroom dramatizations and dramatic performances 5.3 Articulate reasons for particular emotional responses to and personal preferences about classroom dramatizations and dramatic performances 5.4 Analyze and describe strengths and weakness of their own work (grades 3 and 4 only) 5.5 Give and accept constructive and supportive feedback 5.6 Continue to develop and refine audience behavior skills when attending informal and formal live performances 5.7 Articulate and justify possible criteria for critiquing classroom dramatizations and dramatic performances 8 5.9 Use appropriate theatre terminology to describe and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their own or the group’s work 5.12 Attend live performances of extended length and complexity, demonstrating an understanding of the protocols of audience behavior appropriate to the style of the performance 5.13 Use group-­‐generated criteria to assess their own work and the work of others 5.14 Demonstrate objectivity in assessing their personal abilities and creative endeavors 5.15 Demonstrate the ability to receive and act upon coaching, feedback, and constructive criticism Visual Arts Methods, Materials and Techniques
1.1
1.2
1.4
1.7
1.8
Use a variety of materials and media, for example, crayons, chalk, paint, clay, various kinds of papers, textiles, and
yarns, and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects
Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media, for example: 2D –
drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, weaving; 3D – plastic (malleable) materials such as clay and paper, wood, or
found objects for assemblage and construction
Learn to take care of materials and tools and to use them safely
Use the appropriate vocabulary related to the methods, materials, and techniques students have learned and used in
grades PreK–8
Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely
Elements and Principles of Design
2.4
2.5
2.6
For shape and form, explore the use of shapes and forms in 2D and 3D works
Identify simple shapes of different sizes,
For pattern and symmetry, explore the use of patterns and symmetrical shapes in 2D and 3D works
Identify patterns and symmetrical forms and shapes in the environment and artwork.
Explain and demonstrate ways in which patterns and symmetrical shapes may be made
For space and composition, explore composition by creating artwork with a center of interest, repetition, and/or
balance
Observation, Abstraction, Invention, and Expression
3.1
3.3
Create 2D and 3D artwork from direct observation
Create 2D and 3D artwork from memory or imagination to tell a story or embody an idea or fantasy
Critical Response
5.4 (Grades 3 and 4) Explain strengths and weaknesses in their own work, and share comments constructively and
supportively within the group
5.8 Demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast two or more works of art, orally and in writing, using appropriate
vocabulary
English Language Arts Language Strand Standard 1: Discussion
Students will use agreed-­‐upon rules for informal and formal discussions in small and large groups. Standard 2: Questioning, Listening,
and Contributing
Students will pose questions, listen to the ideas of others, and contribute their own information or ideas in group discussions or interviews in order to acquire new knowledge. Standard 3: Oral Presentation
Students will make oral presentations that demonstrate appropriate consideration of audience, purpose, and the information to be 9 conveyed. Standard 4: Vocabulary and Concept
Development
Students will understand and acquire new vocabulary and use it correctly in reading and writing. Reading and Literature Strand Standard 8: Understanding a Text
Students will identify the basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis for interpretation. Standard 9: Making Connections
Students will deepen their understanding of a literary or non-­‐literary work by relating it to its contemporary context or historical background. Standard 10: Genre
Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the characteristics of different genres. Standard 11: Theme
Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of theme in a literary work and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Standard 12: Fiction
Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Standard 15: Style and Language
Students will identify and analyze how an author’s words appeal to the senses, create imagery, suggest mood, and set tone, and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Standard 17: Dramatic Literature
Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the themes, structure, and elements of drama and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Standard 18: Dramatic Reading and
Performance
Students will plan and present dramatic readings, recitations, and performances that demonstrate appropriate consideration of audience and purpose.
Composition Strand Standard 19: Writing
Students will write with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient detail.
Standard 20: Consideration of
Audience and Purpose
Students will write for different audiences and purposes.
Standard 22: Standard English
Conventions
Students will use knowledge of standard English conventions in their writing, revising, and editing.
Standard 23: Organizing Ideas in
Writing
Students will organize ideas in writing in a way that makes sense for their purpose. 10 History and Social Science Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten Concepts and Skills
With guidance from the teacher, students should be able to: History and Geography
1. Identify sequential actions, such as first, next, last, in stories and use them to describe personal experiences. (H) 2. Use correctly words and phrases related to chronology and time (now, long ago, before, after; morning, afternoon, night; today, tomorrow, yesterday; last or next week, month, year; and present, past, and future tenses of verbs). (H) 3. Use correctly the word because in the context of stories or personal experiences. (H) 4. Use correctly words and phrases that indicate location and direction, such as up, down, near, far, left, right, straight, back, behind, and in front of. (G) Civics and Government
6. Give examples that show the meaning of the following concepts: authority, fairness, justice, responsibility, and rules. (C) Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten Learning Standards
With guidance from the teacher, students should be able to: PreK-­‐K.2 Put events in their own and their families’ lives in temporal order. (H) PreK-­‐K.5 Retell stories that illustrate honesty, courage, friendship, respect, responsibility, and the wise or judicious exercise of authority, and explain how the characters in the stories show these qualities. (C) PreK-­‐K.6 Identify and describe family or community members who promote the welfare and safety of children and adults. (C) Grade 1 Concepts and Skills
Students should be able to: Apply concepts and skills learned in previous grades.
History and Geography
1. Identify temporal sequences such as days, weeks, months, years, and seasons. Use correctly words and phrases
related to time (now, in the past, in the future) and recognize the existence of changing historical periods (other times,
other places).(H)
2. Place events in students’ own lives in chronological order. (H)
Civics and Government
8. Give examples that show the meaning of the following words: politeness, achievement, courage, honesty, and
reliability. (C)
Grade 1 Learning Standards Building on knowledge from previous years, students should be able to: United States Leaders, Symbols, Events, and Holidays Individuals, Families, and Communities Now and Long Ago
1.7 After reading or listening to folktales, legends, and stories from America (e.g., Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, Davy
Crockett, John Henry, and Annie Oakley) and from around the world (e.g., Anansi, Issun Boshi, the Knee-High Man, Lon
11 Po Po, and Medio Pollito), describe the main characters and their qualities. (H)
1.9 Explain that Americans have a variety of different religious, community, and family celebrations and customs, and
describe celebrations or customs held by members of the class and their families. (H)
Grade 2 Concepts and Skills
Students should be able to: Apply concepts and skills learned in previous grades.
History and Geography
3. Explain the information that historical timelines convey and then put in chronological order events in the student’s
life (e.g., the year he or she was born, started school, or moved to a new neighborhood) or in the history of countries
studied. (H)
Civics and Government
7. Give examples of fictional characters or real people in the school or community who were good leaders and good
citizens, and explain the qualities that made them admirable (e.g., honesty, dependability, modesty, trustworthiness,
courage). (C)
12 Activities & Crafts In this section, you will find a number of activities that you can do with your class either to prepare for your visit to the theatre, or to reflect on the performance you saw together. All activities have many variations and can be added to and changed as needed for your students. Activity 1: Prepare for the Performance Read the story of the Velveteen Rabbit aloud with your class. Use the following questions as prompts for discussion: 1. If you were a toy, would you want to become real, why or why not? 2. Think about your toys: a. Which toys are your favorites? Why? b. Do you play with them as the boy played with the rabbit in the story? Do you go on adventures and spend a lot of time together? c. Do you forget about your old toys if you get new ones? 3. Do you have any other connections with the story? Have you ever been sick and someone has cared for you? Have you ever taken care of someone who was sick? 4. What do you think the story means? What is the main idea? What is the message? 5. What were some of the relationships like in the story? a. Between the Skin Horse and the Rabbit b. Between Nana and the boy c. Between the toys in the nursery and the Rabbit Activity 2: Explore the Magic and Imagination Magic plays a large role in this story, both in the sense of the transformative power of the boy’s love for the rabbit, as well as the more conventional magical presence of the fairy who transforms the rabbit into a live wild rabbit at the end of the play. Also, much of the action of the story takes place in the boy and rabbit’s 13 imaginations, which is another type of magic we see in this story. Discuss the importance of magic and imagination in the story with your class using the following prompts: 1. What part does magic play in the story? 2. How would you explain the magic if this were a true story, and not just made up in a book? What do you imagine could explain the way the story happened? 3. How did the rabbit change when he became real? Describe him when he was a toy, and then describe him as a real rabbit? How much has changed? What does that mean for the rabbit? 4. Draw a scene you imagine could happen on stage based on what you remember from the story. Activity 3: Dramatize the Story After reading the story aloud to your class, this activity may be done either in groups or with all students simultaneously. 1. If all students are working simultaneously: You should choose several of the more popular parts of the story, (ie. Meeting the wild rabbits, some of the boy and rabbit’s adventures, the fairy’s transformation) and act these things out together. Ask students how they feel as these characters and what connections they can make to the characters in the story. Students can also create frozen poses of their favorite character, and the rest of the class can guess which character they are portraying. 2. If students are working in small groups: First, tell the students to choose a scene from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end of the play. In their groups they will first create a frozen image to represent each of the three scenes they chose. Next, they will show the scenes moving from one to the other in rolling action, but in pantomime, without sound. Finally, the students may choose one or 14 two lines they would like to speak during their final rolling action. Focus should be on clear physical representation first, and speaking second in this exercise. 3. A third option, if you have a smaller or a more advanced class is to actually dramatize as you read through the story again. Assign roles to students, and encourage them to act out what you are narrating as you read the story aloud. Activity 4: Write to the Cast Write to the actors (or draw a picture) about your favorite part of the play. Do you have questions for the performers, or the playwrite? Ask questions and share your own stories with the Velveteen Rabbit cast! Activity 5: Respond to the Play Write a review for the play, what were your favorite parts? What would you have changed about the play? What were some of the moments you remembered most? If you could, what part would you play and how would you do it? What did you think of the puppets? Did you ever forget that they were puppets and think that they were real people or animals? Discuss with your class connections they made to characters or moments in the play. Students can either write about these thoughts or simply share them with a discussion group. Discussions can also cover topics like: the differences between the movies and live theatre, magic and imagination, and/or questions students have about theatre and the performance. Activity 6: Write your own Story Students can write their own stories, share them, and respond to each other’s ideas either verbally or through an additional written response. Pretend you are a toy and you would like to be chosen for a child’s gift. Write a story about your experience trying to get that child’s parent’s attention. What do you do to make yourself stand out? How many times have you tried this before? Do they choose you? What is your new life like as a child’s favorite toy? Write about an adventure you have had with a favorite toy, like the boy’s adventure with the rabbit. Where did you go? What did you do? How were you feeling when you were off together with your favorite toy? How did it feel when you had to return home? What is the next adventure you are planning? 15 Activity 7: Theatre Vocabulary Word Search Encourage your students to find the theatre vocabulary words in the search below. (Definitions provided in the THEATRE VOCABULARY section earlier in the guide) Words can be found in any direction. Casting Character Characterization Conflict Drama Ensemble Gesture Improvisation Performance Playwright Props Puppetry Rehearsal Scenes Script Stage Manager Technical Theatre Z I Q W E R T G E S T U R E K M Y U I T O G N I T S A C P P S A P E D F S G N H J K U R V C S C E N E S O X Z L P O O B N H M B M Q I W S J P V I P O N P G B V T K T C E I U E S I Y T L R A E A O T S F R D C S A E Q Z W G N R A G F H A H J K L I M E F Y T Z O X L C A V B R N M L J I A R S T T D R F E G A I F O Q M L H P K J A T H N C Y N W A E E I R T Y C U A T V Q N N M A R P A O A T G I W C B C V T C C X M R Z E W R E H E A R S A L J A K R R K X Z V Y E B I R Q H R O D P L A Y W R I G H T C N D F 16 Activity 8: Make your own puppet In this production, there are several different types of puppets that represent characters in the story. Students can create their own rabbit puppets by following one of the sets of directions below: 1. Rabbit Puppet Materials: Paper bags, crayons/markers, construction paper, glue, scissors, printed templates (optional: googly eyes, pom poms, cotton balls, paints) Directions: 1. Orient your students to the paper bag as it lays flat. One side will be smooth, and this will be the back of the puppet. The other side will have the flap that would become the bottom of the bag, this is the front of your puppet, because the flap will be the puppet head. Below the head will be the body, and on the sides there should be flaps: this is where the arms will go. Make sure students are beginning their puppets on the correct side. 2. Color the templates (below) as desired and cut them out, having them ready to attach to the bag. 3. Glue the teeth to the back of the head flap, so that most of the teeth show from under the flap. 4. Glue the nose on the head above the mouth, and the eyes above the nose. Also, glue the cheeks on the head. 5. Attach the arms inside the flaps on the side of the bag. Make sure they are facing front! 6. Glue the bow on the front of the rabbit as desired. 7. With a white crayon, draw a tail on the back of the bag. *Note: If desired, the bags can be painted to be more realistic in color. Also, pom poms or cotton balls can be used for the tail and nose. Googly eyes can replace the template eyes.* 17 18 19 2. Butterfly Stick Puppet Materials: Popcicle sticks, glue, crayons/markers, googly eyes, scissors, printed templates, pipe cleaners, construction, or brightly colored paper, pom poms Directions: 1. Color the templates as desired, and cut out. (Print onto bright paper if desired) 2. (If using colored paper, cut out shapes and glue them into the template to create designs on the wings. If not, designs may be colored in.) 3. Bend a pipe cleaner in half and curl each side around a crayon or pen. Remove the crayon and spread out the curls. Glue the pipe cleaner to the top of the popcicle stick at the bend. 4. Glue the template to the popcicle stick behind where the butterfly body would be. Make sure to cover the pipe cleaner with the template to insure it is firmly attached. 5. Glue 3-­‐4 pom poms on the “spine” created by the popcicle stick to create the body. Attach googly eyes to the top pom pom to create the eyes. *Note: If desired, glitter and stickers may also be used to decorate the butterfly wings. Also, both sides of the wings can be decorated before the template is attached to the popcicle stick, and then the stick covered with another sed of 3-­‐4 pom poms on the “back” side.*