activity guide - Arkansas Arts Center

© David Hohn Illustration. davidhohn.com
AAC Children’s Theatre on Tour 2014-2015
ACTIVITY GUIDE
About this Guide
This ACTIVITY GUIDE includes exercises that align with the Arkansas Department of Education Curriculum
Frameworks and Common Core State Standards. The following icons provide an immediate recognition of the
curriculum connections.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
LIBRARY MEDIA
MATH
MUSIC
PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH
SCIENCE
SOCIAL STUDIES
THEATRE
VISUAL ARTS
Enjoy!
Materials may not be used in whole or part without the
express written permission of the Arkansas Arts Center.
“Friendship is good to have and to share.”
About the Play
Stay calm and keep a level head! Set your goals and work hard! These two folktales are chock-full of chicken
wisdom and important life lessons, but it is the theme of friendship that pulls them together. Henny Penny,
Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, and even Foxy Loxy learn important lessons about friendship as they strive to
deal with some of the most important issues in life—staying fed and avoiding apocalyptic bombardment!
Chicken Little and the Little Red Hen is adapted for the stage by Pamela Adam.
About the Original Stories
“Henny Penny”, more commonly known as “Chicken Little”, is a folk tale about a chicken who believes the sky
is falling. There are several versions of the story, but the most common features a chicken who believes the
sky has fallen when an acorn drops on its head. Because of the chicken’s overreaction and resulting mass
hysteria, the group falls into the sights of the fox. The phrase “The sky is falling!” has been used in literature
since at least the 1800s to indicate a mistaken belief of impending disaster.
“The Little Red Hen” is most likely of Russian origin. The best-known version in the United States was
popularized by Little Golden Books in the 1940s, but the story was popular well before that date. During the
1880s, the story was often used in reading instruction in the United States. The story encourages the virtues
of hard work and cooperation.
Play Synopsis
Henny Penny is outside enjoying a sunny spring day. Though she isn’t the smartest chicken in the coop, this
sweet bird enjoys everything and has a habit of talking to herself. She is having one of these discussions
when she feels something fall on her head and immediately determines that the sky is falling! She yells for
help and Ducky Lucky rushes in from the pond. He is annoyed at the interruption, but is himself quite quick to
interrupt his friend as he tries to figure out a solution. Goosey Loosey hears the two discussing the urgent
matter and sneaks up on them to offer one of his many jokes. Ducky Lucky proposes that they tell the king,
for he will know just what to do. Goosey Loosey, however, asks Henny for proof before they go off to tell the
king—just where is this piece of sky that fell on her head?
While the group ponders their next step, Foxy Loxy quietly enters. This sneaky carnivore is always on the
lookout for his next meal. Because of his complicated speech patterns and use of big words, the others rarely
understand what he is saying. The feathered friends often miss that the sly fox is more interested in them as
a meal rather than helping with their problem. They all look to the fox for advice. He suggests that they first
find shelter to protect themselves from any more falling pieces of sky—and he knows just the place!
Henny stops to rest while the others continue toward the hiding place. As she starts
after them, she notices some golden kernels of wheat. At that moment, she forgets
all about the falling sky and hurries off to show her prize to her friends. But where
are they? She meets Foxy Loxy who is very full from a very large meal! As he drifts
off to sleep, Ducky Lucky and Goosey Loosey make their grand reappearance—
turns out they have managed to give the sly fox the slip! Henny shows the group
her kernels, but they will not help her plant the wheat. She pleads with them to put
aside their differences, but they will not. When they smell the baked bread,
however, they all want a piece. But because they did not help, she will eat it all
herself! Foxy begs for forgiveness and vows not to continue his attempts to eat the
others. They all apologize to each other and to Henny. The play ends with the
group enjoying the true treasure of friendship...and a delicious loaf of golden bread.
Statement from the AAC Children’s Theatre
JOHN ISNER
DIRECTOR
Music to my ears…
If you've ever seen a play from the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre, then you've heard music.
Sometimes it's really easy to notice, like if it's part of a song. But often, you might not even be aware of
it at all! That's called underscoring (un-dur-skor-ing). Underscoring is music that is played to help the
audience (and the actors) feel rhythms, emotions and even give us a hint about what is about to
happen. Think about the last TV show or movie you saw, there was probably music everywhere! Music
really helps to tell the story.
Where does all of this music come from? At the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre, we have a
resident composer and her name is Lori Isner. Just as the playwright takes a story and transforms it into
a script, the composer tells the same story through music. Lori works with the script, and her piano, until
the emotions and actions come alive in the form of musical notes. During the process, the composer,
playwright and director all work together to make sure that the story is communicated. They also work
hard to make sure their artistic visions and concepts are shared and cohesive. Then the music is
worked into the play during rehearsals. We record the music for our tour shows and it is played through
our sound system. However, the music is played live for our plays at our theater in Little Rock.
The music within a play can tell us a lot. It can tell us when a character is sad or happy, it can tell us
when something good or bad is around the corner, and it can even be there just for pure fun!
After you see the play, think back and see if you can remember where the music was. Ask
yourself if it made you feel a certain way or how it helped to tell the story.
BEFORE THE PLAY
Review Theatre Etiquette

Please turn off your cell phones so you can look at all the little things that make live theatre a great big
experience.

Save all food, gum, candy and drinks for after the performance. These items may cause a distraction during the
performance.

Sit like a grown up in your seat. That way you won’t miss a thing!

Great theatre audiences listen, laugh when something is funny, and clap at just the right time. They never talk out
loud during a performance.

Keep your cameras tucked away and turned off. PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED. Camera flashes blind the
actors and can cause them to step off the stage.

When the play is over, enjoy talking with your friends and grownups about all the details. See who can
remember the most about the play. Start by sharing two things that an actor said that made you smile and two things
that you remember about the stage set. Parents: What a great time to have a conversation about the difference
between theatre, movies, and TV!
Read the Original Stories
In order to prepare for the play, read the original stories of “Chicken Little” and “The Little Red Hen.” Think about how the
original stories were written: What language was used? How were the characters described? Begin thinking about how
these stories compare. Also consider the ways in which they are different.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Library Media—Connection: Read; English Language Arts—Reading, Literature: Key Ideas and Details,
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Craft and Structure
About Adaptations
The performance that you will see is a variation of the story, or an ADAPTATION. An adaptation is a change made in
something so that it can fit a new use. This performance of Chicken Little and the Little Red Hen is an adaptation of two
stories (which are meant to be read) into a play (which is meant to be performed and viewed). Pamela Adam is the
playwright (play-rite), meaning that she transformed the scenes from the original story into a script for the stage
production which is now produced and performed by the Children’s Theatre on Tour.
Consider these questions for discussion before you attend the play:
? What kinds of things does a playwright have to consider when writing a script?
? What might the characters look like? What challenges might there be when representing talking animals?
? What are some objects (props) that the actors might use to help tell the story?
? Draw a picture of one of the scenes in the original story and imagine how it might appear on the stage.
? If you were to write an adaptation of this story into a play, what choices would you make? How would you act
out the story?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Library Media—Connection: Associate; Theatre Creating, Evaluating, Reading
Learn the Vocabulary
Below is a list of words included in the play. Reviewing this list will help you gain new vocabulary and also help you
better understand the performance. Try saying these words out loud so that you will know them when you hear the
actors say them. Once you know how to say the words, read the definition and try using them in a sentence.
Clever (klev-ur) – smart; being a quick learner
Energy (in-ur-gee) – power; ability to be active
Feast (feest) – a large meal
Fellow (fell-oh) – a male; a person of equal rank
Flour (like “flower”) – a fine soft powder of wheat used for baking
Fowl (like “foul”) – bird
Glee – happiness
WOW!
Kernel (ker-null) – inner part of a seed
Labor (lay-bur) – work
Proof – evidence of truth
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
English Language Arts—Reading, Foundational Skills: Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition; Language:
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use; Foreign Language Experiences—Connections: Cross-Cultural Connections
DURING THE PLAY
It wouldn’t be a play without you! Your part is to pretend that the play is
real. Part of this includes accepting certain things:
You have an
important role
to play!
1. Actors tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking),
props (objects), and songs.
2. Actors may sing songs that tell about the story or their feelings.
3. Actors may speak to the audience.
4. An actor may play several characters by changing their voice,
costume, or posture.
5. Places are suggested by panels on the set and by props.
HERE’S HOW TO PLAY YOUR PART: A play is different than television or a movie. The actors are right in front of you
and can see your reactions, feel your attention, and hear your laughter and applause. Watch and listen carefully to
understand the story. The story is told by the actors and comes to life through your imagination!
Thank you for being a great part of our audience and enjoy the show!
AFTER THE PLAY
Review
Do you remember what you learned about adaptations? Now that you have seen the play, discuss these questions.
Share your answers with friends or family that also saw the play and compare your experiences.
? In what ways was the play different than the original stories?
? Were there any characters or events that were in the story but not in the play? Were any characters different?
Why do you think these choices were made?
? What did the set look like? Did it match the picture that you drew before the play? What do you think the set
and costume designers need to consider when bringing the story to the stage?
? What objects (props) helped tell the story on stage?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Library Media—Connection: Associate; Theatre—Creating, Evaluating, Reading
Critical Thinking Questions
Read the following questions and either write your answers or tell someone in complete sentences. Make sure to use
correct grammar and spelling.
? How were the two stories of “Chicken Little” and “The Little Red Hen” combined to make one story? What
tied them together?
? Why did Henny Penny think the sky was falling? What really happened?
? How did Foxy Loxy offer to help Henny Penny and her friends? Why does Henny not realize that the fox
wants to eat them? How could this dangerous situation have been avoided?
? Why did Henny Penny at first say that she would eat the bread alone? Why did she decide to share her
bread with the others?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
English Language Arts—Writing: Text Type and Purposes; Speaking & Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration; Language:
Conventions of Standard English
Writing Exercise
Write a brief answer to the following question. Make sure to write in complete sentences and use
correct grammar, spelling, and organization.
Recall a time when you reacted to something before you knew all of the facts or reasons. What
was the situation? How did you react? What happened when you tried to tell other people?
What happened in the end? What did you learn? What would you have done differently?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
English Language Arts—Writing: Text Types and Purposes; Language: Conventions of Standard English
A TALE OF TWO CHICKENS
The play, Chicken Little and the Little Red Hen, is a combination of two well-known stories. Though the play features
only one chicken, there are actually two characters in the original stories: Henny Penny and the Little Red Hen. Think
about some of the characteristics of each character and write them in the circles marked either “Chicken Little” or “The
Little Red Hen.” Next, think about how the characters are similar. Write these characteristics that both characters share
where the two circles meet (marked “Both”).
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Library Media—Application: Organize; English Language Arts – Writing: Text Types and Purposes; Language: Conventions of
Standard English
FLEE THE FOX
In the play, Henny Penny and her feathered friends encounter a very clever, and very HUNGRY fox. In this role-playing
game of tag, one participant will play the role of Foxy Loxy. The fox will chase all other participants around a specified
playing area. Once tagged by the fox, the participant must remain frozen until everyone has been tagged. You may take
turns playing Foxy Loxy in order to spread the fun!
DID YOU KNOW?


Regular physical activity improves
strength and endurance, helps creates
healthy bones and muscles, helps
control weight, and increases selfesteem.
Young people aged 6-17 years should
participate in at least 60 minutes of
physical activity each day.
VARIATIONS

FROZEN FOODS. Once tagged, participants may be
“unfrozen” by being tagged by anyone other than the
fox.

FAINTING FOWL. Once tagged,
the participant lays on the ground
with two feet in the air. In order for
the poultry to wake up, two people
must tag one leg each.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Physical Education—Movement Concepts, Health-Related Fitness, Lifetime Activities and Recreation
GOOSEY LOOSEY’S COMEDY CLUB
Goosey Loosey considers himself to be quite the comedian! Can you recall some of his favorite jokes?
He often laughs at his own jokes, but it’s definitely more fun to make other people laugh! Now it’s your turn to tell the
jokes! In this activity, you will either create or recall jokes that you will then present for a group. In addition to
performing the jokes, you will also design a poster to advertise your routine at the comedy club.
Goosey Loosey
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
What jokes will you tell?
Use your imagination to create new jokes, ask others to tell you their
favorite jokes, or with adult supervision, try
visiting these websites if you need help choosing
jokes for your comedy club act:
PERFORMING
FOR ONE
NIGHT ONLY
http://www.funology.com/jokes-and-riddles/
http://www.ducksters.com/jokesforkids/
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
English Language Arts—Writing: Text Types and Purposes; Language: Knowledge of Language; Visual Arts—Creative Processes;
Theatre—Creating, Reading
HOW THE SKY REALLY DOES FALL
In the story of “Chicken Little,” Henny Penny thinks that the sky is falling. By the end of the story, we know that what she
felt was not the sky falling, but some things really do fall from the sky! Precipitation (pre-sip-ih-tay-shun) is water that
falls to the earth as hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow. In this activity, you will learn how water forms in clouds
and then falls to the earth as rain.
Materials:
Shaving cream
Blue food coloring mixed with water
Pipette or eye dropper
Clear glass or cup
ACTIVITY
Process:
1. Fill the glass jar 3/4 cup of the way with cold water.
2. Spray the shaving cream on top of the water, making sure that it
covers the entire surface.
3. Squeeze several drops of the blue food coloring on top of the
shaving cream and observe.
4. Keep adding drops of food coloring to the shaving cream until you
start to see streams of blue falling into the water.
Keep an experiment log.
1. Estimate how many drops of food coloring it will take to make the “rain” fall from the shaving cream cloud.
2. Record the actual number of drops.
3. What is the difference between your estimate and the actual number?
How does it work?
The shaving cream represents the CLOUD and the blue food coloring represents the RAIN.
As the water droplets gather inside clouds and continue to grow, they eventually become
heavy enough to fall to earth. The same thing is happening in this experiment. The shaving
cream becomes so saturated that the blue food coloring eventually pushes through the cold
water. The molecules in the cold water are moving slowly, therefore it takes longer for the
blue food coloring to spread throughout the water. This makes the blue food coloring look like
streams (drops of rain) as it pushes into the water.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Science—Nature of Science: Characteristics and Processes of Science; Earth and Space Science: Weather
bread beginnings
Shortly after the group decides to seek shelter on the way to visit the king, Henny Penny finds a few golden kernels of
wheat that she then uses to make bread. Bread is a very common food—we eat it almost every day. But have you ever
stopped to wonder HOW bread is made? In this activity, you will learn about the process of growing, cultivating, and
harvesting wheat which is then milled into flour and used to bake bread.
ACTIVITY
Review the images of the wheat-growing process. Write the order of the steps in the line next to the image.
For example, the first step in the process will be marked “1”, the last process will be marked “4”.
Harvesting the wheat
Growing the wheat
____________________
____________________
Using flour to bake bread
Milling the wheat into flour
____________________
____________________
ACTIVITY
Research which countries produce the most wheat. Create a chart and locate the countries on a map.
ACTIVITY
Now it’s your turn to bake the bread! THIS ACTIVITY REQUIRES ADULT SUPERVISION.
Bread has been a staple in the diet of many people throughout the world for over 30,000 years! Even today, it is the
most widely consumed food in the world. Not only is it an important source of carbohydrates (car-boh-hi-draytz), but it is
portable and compact, meaning that it can be carried and easily eaten. As you will soon discover, making bread requires
a bit of patience, but the payoff is well worth it!
(BE SURE TO CONSIDER POSSIBLE FOOD ALLERGIES.)
Ingredients:
2 cups very warm water
Large spoonful of honey
1 Tablespoon yeast
4 cups flour
Pinch of salt
DID YOU KNOW? Yeast (yeest) is what makes the bread rise. Yeast floats
around in the air, looking for a nice place to make a home—like a starchy bowl
of flour and water. Yeast is a live, single-celled fungus. Baker’s yeast lies
dormant (non-active) until it comes into contact with warm water. Once
activated, the yeast feeds on sugars in the flour, and releases carbon dioxide (CO 2)
that makes bread rise. The yeast bubbles are contained by the proteins in the flour.
Process:
1. “Make it count” : Measure the ingredients and set them aside.
2. “Make a snack for the yeast” : Mix the warm water and honey in a large mixing bowl.
3. “Feed the yeast” : Sprinkle the yeast over the water and honey mixture. Let the yeast mixture foam.
4. “Let it snow” : Start adding flour into the bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt, too. Keep adding the flour—taking breaks to
knead the dough—until the dough is stiff and no longer sticky.
5. “Taking a nap” : It’s time for the dough to take a “nap” under a blanket (i.e. covered loosely with a towel and set in a
warm spot to double in size for an hour or two).
6. “Make shapes” : Peek under the blanket. Has your dough doubled in size? If so, you are ready to knead
OF dough
UREthe
A PICTM
!
with your fists for a bit and then shape it into either a loaf, buns, or shaped breads.
S
K
U
S
A
D
SEN IN YOUR
7. “Make a toasty bed” : Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
YOU
8. “Another rest” : Rest the dough for approximately 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
9. “Ready to bake” : Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until light brown. Keep an eye on the
bread because it may take more or less time to bake, depending on the size and shape of the loaf.
10. “Share the bread” : Carefully remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Slice the bread and share
with friends!
Adapted from a recipe by “Simple Kids”
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Mathematics—Measurement & Data, Matter: Properties and Changes, Earth Systems: Structure and Properties; Social Studies—
Geography: Physical and Spatial, Economics: Markets
Further Reading
The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philomen Sturges, illustrated by Amy Walrod (Ages 3-5)
The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can
of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new
twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the
cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza—shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding
the toppings.
Ouch! by Ragnihild Scamell, illustrated by Michael Terry (Ages 4+)
Hedgehog has finished building a cozy nest for winter. Unfortunately, a ripe apple falls from the tree
above and gets stuck in her spines—making it impossible for her to fit in her new digs. She has
several friends to whom she can go for advice, but their instructions simply make her situation worse.
Can she find the help she needs to remove the foods from her spines?
Louise: The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Harry Bliss (Ages 4-8)
Louise longs for adventure so she leaves her home and ventures out into the world. The pleasures
and perils she meets prove plentiful: marauding pirates on the majestic seas, a ferocious lion under
the bright lights of the big top, a mysterious stranger in an exotic and bustling bazaar. Follow along on
the many adventures of this not-so-chicken chicken.
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack, illustrated by Kurt Wiese (Ages 4-8)
On a day like any other, Ping sets off from the boat he calls home with his comically large family in
search of "pleasant things to eat." On this particular day, he is accidentally left behind when the boat
leaves. Undaunted, the little duck heads out onto the Yangtze River in search of his family, only to find
new friends and adventures—and a bit of peril—around every bend.
With Love, Little Red Hen by Alma Flor Ada, illustrated by Leslie Tyron (Ages 5-8)
Hidden Forest has a new resident. Little Red Hen and her seven little chicks have moved into a
cottage and plan to grow a bountiful crop of corn in the nearby field. The problem is that none of the
Red Hen's neighbors are willing to help with the hard work. So Goldilocks, who has heard about the
new arrivals from her friend Little Red Riding Hood, comes up with a neighborly idea: Why don't all the
residents of Hidden Forest chip in and work on the garden? Better yet, why not make it a surprise?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Library Media—Personal Growth: Read
Visit your local library for more suggestions!
What Was Your Favorite Part of the Play?
Did you know that the play you saw was the result of many people working together? There are many roles in the
theatre department and each of the people in charge of these tasks must do their very best as a team in order to
produce a great performance. Below is a list of some of these roles:
The DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the overall
artistic vision of a production.
The STAGE MANAGER is the person responsible for
overseeing all the backstage elements of a production
(scheduling, rehearsals, etc.)
The SET DESIGNER is the person responsible for
designing and overseeing the construction of the stage
setting.
The ACTOR is the one who performs a role or represents
a character in a play.
The COSTUME DESIGNER is the person in charge of the
clothing worn by the actors in a performance.
The CHOREOGRAPHER is the person who designs the
dance steps to be used in a play.
The TECHNICAL DIRECTOR is the person in charge of
the technical requirements of a production as well as the
equipment.
The MUSIC DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the
musical content of a production.
Which of these roles most closely matches your favorite part of the play?
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
If you would like more information about the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre, visit our website at:
WWW.ARKANSASARTSCENTER.ORG
or call
501-372-4000
We would love to hear from you! Write to us at::
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER
CHILDREN’S THEATRE
P.O. BOX 2137
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203
TOURING SEASON SPONSORED BY:
Target
Entergy Arkansas, Inc.
Central Arkansas Planning and Development District, Inc.
Nucor Steel, Inc.
Union Pacific Foundation
Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is supported in part by: The Shubert Foundation, the City of Little Rock; the
Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; the City of North Little Rock; Arkansas Arts Center Board of Trustees; and
the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the National Endowment for the Arts.