Teacher Resource Materials PDF

nd.”
Fluff
THE ADVERTISER
A STORY OF LOST TOYS
DEVISED & PERFORMED BY
CHRISTINE JOHNSTON
LISA O’NEILL
PETER NELSON
SHOW LENGTH
60 MINUTES (NO INTERVAL)
AGE SUITABILITY
3 - 12 YEARS AND FAMILIES
PRESENTED IN
ASSOCIATION
WITH
“ENCHANTING…
JOHNSTON’S VOCAL FEATS A MARVEL.”
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
TEACHER RESOURCE MATERIALS
FOR KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR 3
Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...……2 Classroom Suggestions for Drama…………………………………..…………..6 Section 1 – Pre-­‐Performance…………………………………………..…………..8 Section 2 – Post-­‐Performance……………………………..………………………9 General Activities……………………………………...………………………………11 Thematic Exploration………………………………………………………………..14 Appendix A – Common Symbols Appendix B – Images of theToys Appendix C – Pitch, Volume and Tempo Cards Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 1 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF ‘FLUFF’ RESOURCE MATERIALS FOR KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR 3 INTRODUCTION A set of teacher resource materials has been developed to support attendance at ‘Fluff’. The teacher notes include pre and post performance activities as well as resources and are designed to prepare students, engage and extend their thinking in regard to the performance. Activities included in the teacher notes engage primarily with the curriculum areas of English and the Creative Arts (Dance, Drama, Visual Arts, Music) as well as connecting with elements of Social Science/Human Society and Its Environment as well as the Personal Development component of PDHPE. Due to variations in curriculum documents for each state, broad curriculum areas only are referred to in this document rather than specific outcomes. The main body of activities are written as suitable for lower to middle primary school (years K-­‐3). As the production is suitable for a wide range of ages and associated abilities, suggested adaptations for younger and older students are included where relevant. Teachers are encouraged to adapt these ideas for their specific curriculum area, student cohort and expectation for ‘product’ and outcomes. Due to the unique nature of this performance, teachers are encouraged to explore the wide variety of opportunities engagement with the themes can offer. Allowing students to explore individual response is also strongly encouraged. An integrated approach to the use of theatre and drama in the classroom is encouraged along with an art form approach to drama as a way of appreciating and responding to the performance. These materials are designed to be ‘teacher-­‐
friendly’, guiding you through step-­‐by-­‐step learning experiences. In addition, suggested classroom management strategies for doing drama in the classroom have been included to assist with the implementation of the creative arts activities. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 2 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF SYNOPSIS The Gingham family is very concerned for all the lost and discarded hand-­‐made toys in the world and travel the globe to find them. They bring them to their colourful home of odd shaped boxes and welcome them to the family. Each toy is introduced one-­‐by-­‐one, and after seeing a short film of how they came to be lost, they are given a vocal sound, a movement, a piece of music, a night-­‐light......and a nice comfy bed. FLUFF is a unique, simple, joyful and humorous tale told with a twist. It has been acclaimed for its originality, warmth, clever use of comedy and extraordinary combination of song, movement, new technology and audience participation. THE CAST Christine Johnston Christine Johnston is a performing artist/vocalist/writer/musician who has created a diverse range of works for events, festivals, art galleries, theatre, film and cabaret around Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Known for her singing and experimental use of voice, dramatic visual style, her birdcalls and particular bent on humour, Christine has combined music and performance with her visual arts background in creating stand out work. Christine’s commissioned works include DECENT SPINSTER; FLUFF; WARM AND FUZZY (QPAC); MYRTLE BY THE WATER (QLD Art Gallery as part of Kids APT) and PIANISSIMO co-­‐created with Lisa O’Neill (QPAC). Christine is co-­‐creator/writer of the multi-­‐award-­‐
winning comedic trio THE KRANSKY SISTERS who continue to tour nationally and internationally, including regular television appearances. Their Awards include Sydney Theatre Award 2008, Herald Angel Award for Excellence (Edinburgh) 2006, Australian Mo Award 2005, and The Age Critics Award, Best Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 3 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF Newcomers Award, and Green Room Award for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2004. Christine’s one woman show MADAME LARK continues to tour around Australia and New Zealand. In 2011 she played Pru Hollows, Fairy Queen and Narrator for Queensland Music Festival’s LITTLE GREEN ROAD TO FAIRYLAND. Christine is currently developing a new work with co-­‐creators Lisa O’Neill and Peter Nelson called RRAMP – THE COLLECTOR, THE ARCHIVIST, THE ELECTROCRAT which will be touring Australia in 2012. Lisa O’Neill Lisa O’Neill is a performer, choreographer, performance director and teacher working extensively across forms in dance, theatre, contemporary performance and new-­‐media. She has developed a broad and comprehensive body of work informed by her diverse arts practice. Lisa has received numerous performance commissions, touring her solo and collaborative works nationally and internationally to festivals in Europe and Asia. Lisa worked and toured internationally as an actor with FRANK THEATRE from 1995 – 2007. She is a founding and core member of the new media company, TRANSMUTE COLLECTIVE which has presented interactive art installations in galleries across Australia, Europe, Asia and the USA. Her tour-­‐ready performance works include acclaimed solo dance pieces, SWEET YETI, FUGU SAN and PIANISSIMO, a dance/musical theatre piece co-­‐created with Christine Johnston. Most recent productions include the solo dance/theatre work THE PIPE MANAGER; and theatre work, The PINEAPPLE QUEEN. Lisa has also published an electronic GRAPHIC NOVEL of The Pipe Manager through Playlab Press. Peter Nelson Peter Nelson has been involved in live performance and production within the Brisbane music industry for nearly 20 years. His bands receiving JJJ airplay with regular appearances at Woodford Folk Festival, Livid, Big Day Out and The Valley Fiesta. Following this Peter began collaborations on a variety of theatre, film and sound art projects as musical composer including LIVES AND LOVES (Brisbane Powerhouse); BOREDOM PATROL (Dendy Cinema) and art installation piece K:\012044 (QLD Museum). In 2000 Peter began work with Christine Johnston, as musician/performer creating the music score for her highly acclaimed show DECENT SPINSTER (QPAC). A creative partnership was sparked between Christine Johnston, Lisa O’Neill and Peter, when they joined to collaborate on Christine’s first children’s production FLUFF. Since it’s commission in 2002 by the Out Of The Box Festival at QPAC, FLUFF has continued to tour nationally and internationally to high acclaim. Peter is currently the sound designer for Kite Arts Education YONDER program, and runs an assisted music program for Queensland Cerebral Palsy League, fusing modified controllers with live and electronic music. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 4 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF THE PRODUCER Cre8ion is a dynamic and energetic company specialising in producing and touring theatrical shows and events of scale in Australia and internationally. Theresa Famularo and Will Sheehan are the founding directors of the company with a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for creating, producing and bringing together innovative and vibrant teams to develop a diverse range of unique productions. Cre8ion has produced and managed major events over multiple years including Vivid Sydney, World AIDS Day, World Malaria Day, Helpmann Awards and 100 Mile Challenge. The company has also delivered the art direction for Sydney New Year’s Eve from 2005 to 2010. Cre8ion has also produced a number of theatrical tours including Argentinean singer Barbara Luna for the Amanece Tour (Music), Dirty Pretty Songs and Songs to Self-­‐Destruct to… with Virginia Gay (Cabaret), The Fabulous Frances Faye in Australia with Nick Christo (Cabaret), Double Exposure featuring comedians Paul “Flacco” Livingston and Marty Murphy (Comedy), Flacco & Sandman Live featuring Paul Livingston and Steve Abbot (Comedy). Cre8ion also represents a number of productions including The Trouble with Harry by Lachlan Philpott (Drama) and The 7 Sopranos (Operatic Concert). Cre8ion is proud to be producing the national and international tours of Fluff by Christine Johnston. Further details about the company can be found at Cre8ion.com.au Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 5 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF Classroom Management Suggestions for Drama Drama, along with other areas of the creative arts, can be used to support learning through integration with a variety of key learning areas. Physical theatre can also be used to enhance classroom-­‐based learning by giving students the opportunity to explore ideas and issues in different, expressive ways. Engagement in the creative arts has been considered to assist with the development of self-­‐esteem, communication skills, problem-­‐solving abilities and in the development of focus and team building through fun activities. Incorporating drama and/or physical theatre in school classrooms presents a number of challenges for teachers. The following suggestions are designed to help support their inclusion and are intended as a guideline only. When doing drama and/or physical theatre in the classroom: - ensure a clear workspace is available for the activity. If desks cannot be moved in the classroom, try to use the hall or a contained outside open area. - talk to the students about the creation of a ‘safe space’. In this space students don’t laugh at each other, but support and encourage (forming a circle at the beginning and end of a session or sitting with eyes closed are simple ways to focus students for a drama/physical theatre session) - always begin every session with a warm-­‐up. For physical theatre this should include a physical warm-­‐up, but it is also helpful to begin with a focus/team building activity. For a drama session this could include a focus activity, drama game or pure physical warm-­‐up. - incorporate a reflection session at the end of every drama activity. This allows the students to consider what has been done and take more meaning away from the activity than it just being fun (which it will be!) - be firm with the students. If a student does not follow instructions, they should be removed from the activity. This will allow the other students to see that you as the teacher are assisting in maintaining the safe space for them to work. - don’t be afraid to participate in the activities yourself. The students like to see you as the teacher taking a role in an activity. For drama, this can also allow you to help any improvisations or role-­‐plays flow and move forward more easily. (Dorothy Heathcote’s work on Mantle of the Expert and Teacher in Role discusses this in more detail). If possible, conduct a ‘risk assessment’ with your class before embarking on any physical work. As a class it would be good to discuss the personal, group, physical, and psychological risks inherent in the working space. Together, the Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 6 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF class could devise the measures that would help to minimise these risks. This collaboration would help the students to realise that physical work can actually be dangerous, and encourage them to take responsibility for themselves, the group, and the space in which they are working. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 7 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF SECTION 1 -­‐ Pre-­‐performance The following two activities are designed for completion prior to attending a performance of ‘FLUFF’. Introduction to ‘FLUFF’ Creative Arts Discuss the title of the production ‘FLUFF’. Brainstorm what the production may be about (ideas could be recorded on a large sheet of paper for later reference). • Discuss their favourite toy and what it means to them. Year 2-­‐3 • Identify key themes in the production: identity, uniqueness (individuality), relationships/nurturing, symbolism. Drawing on these themes, compile a list of what the production may be about. This list can be used for post-­‐
performance comparison. •
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Introduction to Performance Creative Arts •
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Elicit student past experiences of theatre performances. Discuss expectations in relation to being an audience member in this style of professional performance e.g. speaking during the performance, appropriate response during and at the conclusion and for younger students going to the bathroom before entering the theatre. Brainstorm differences between drama in the classroom and the ‘drama’ of theatre performance. Consider the difference between theatre performances versus television. Discuss links between theatre and storytelling e.g. that live theatre provides another medium for telling a story. Brainstorm other ways that stories can be told (books, radio, television, face to face etc) Adaptation for older students -­‐ Introduce terms ‘physical theatre’ and ‘comedy’. Elicit what may be meant by these terms and how the students believe they could be embedded within the production of ‘FLUFF’. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 8 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF SECTION 2 – Post-­‐performance PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND RESPONSE General notes – evaluation activities All evaluation/response activities could be conducted in small groups or as a whole class depending on the age of the students and the desired focus of the teacher. Evaluation and Response to performance Creative Arts •
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Discuss student response to the performance considering themes and the personal impact. Engage students with their emotional response. How did they feel during the performance? How has that feeling changed since the performance finished? What was the highlight of the performance for them and was there anything they did not engage with? Consider the impact of the music, lighting and interactive aspects of the performance and the influence they have on their overall response? What would the performance have been like if any of the elements had been removed? Written Representation of performance Creative Arts, English Write a review of the performance with language and structure appropriate to publishing in a newspaper. NB It is important to discuss the style of writing appropriate for newspapers and/or provide students with some examples of theatre reviews as a model for their work. • Publish the written reviews. Consider placing best reviews in the school newsletter or submitting them to the local paper. •
Adaptation for Younger Students -­‐ Collaboratively construct a review as a class. Visual Representation of performance Creative Arts, English •
Create an artwork representing their emotional response to ‘FLUFF’. The Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 9 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF title of the piece should be incorporated in the artwork. A discussion considering colour, texture and shape in other artwork may assist less confident students to engage with this task. NB Students should be encouraged to plan their work (design) and use multi-­‐
media materials where possible. • Explain each artwork to the class justifying style and choice of materials. Discuss how personal response to the performance influenced their artwork. Performance Narrative Creative Arts, English •
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Elicit meaning of the terms ‘narrative’/‘story’. Discuss the narrative/story of ‘FLUFF’. Brainstorm the key ‘story’ elements in ‘FLUFF’. Was the narrative clear or did it require the whole performance to then understand the story in hindsight? If this was the case, how did this either assist to engage the audience or in turn distract the audience? Adaptation for Older Students -­‐ Discuss ‘storyboards’ e.g. a brief pictorial/textual representation of the story. Students create a storyboard of images/words in small groups to represent the narrative of ‘FLUFF’. Students could present their storyboard using cartoon elements, stylised drawings and/or words. Present completed storyboards, display in the room or collate as a class book. Adaptation for Younger Students -­‐ The storyboard creation may be difficult for very young students. The teacher could prepare in advance a series of images representing the narrative of ‘FLUFF’ that students could then order either working in small groups or as a whole class activity. Theatre Design/Technical Elements of performance (older students) Creative Arts, Science and Technology Discuss the set used for the performance of ‘FLUFF’. Consider times in the performance that used specialised equipment (iPads, musical instruments), lighting, multi-­‐media (slides), music and props. • Students select a favourite sequence in the performance considering any special or unusual effects required for that scene and discuss. • Students develop a model set (using an open box as the theatre) for their selected scene/moment. Students should be encouraged to create their own and not reproduce the set from the production. If desired, student should be encouraged to follow correct design and make processes including planning their set and choosing materials prior to construction taking place. NB If the technology is available, students could be given the option to design their set using computer programs. Drawing programs could be used or more specialised software programs such as those found at http://students.autodesk.com This organisation provides student and professional versions of their products many of which are free. •
Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 10 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
Students to explain their design to the class justifying their choices. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 11 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF GENERAL ACTIVITIES Toys, their place and meaning Personal Development, English, Human Society and Its Environment/Social Science •
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Students to bring in a toy from home. Elicit from students what the toys mean to them. It would be helpful for the teacher to also bring in a selection of older and newer style toys. Consider as a class the different kinds of toys – work to create categories which could be determined by a variety of criteria such as: o material they are made out of o their age o their use o whether they need batteries etc Discuss with students whether the toys might be the same for children in different parts of the world. NB – Photographer Gabrielle Galimberti recently collected images of children around the world and their toys – the images on his website would provide a wonderful discussion point for students of all years -­‐ http://www.gabrielegalimberti.com/projects/toys-­‐2/ His website, plus the article at the following link has a nice discussion/summary of what he was aiming to do. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/children-­‐world-­‐
show-­‐favorite-­‐toys-­‐article-­‐1.1310055 Construct your own toy Science and Technology, Creative Arts OPTIONAL – This activity could be done stand-­‐alone or the toys could be used within the thematic sequence outlined later in these resource materials. • Collect a variety of recycled materials or have students bring in materials from home. Discuss their different possible uses including what they had been used for previously. Consider textures, colours, shapes and size of different materials. • Engage students in the design of a toy following correct design processes. o Sketch/plan the design of the toy Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 12 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF o Decide on materials and label the design o Construct the toy based on the design o Reflect on the design and any changes that were required during the construction process. • Encourage students to reflect on their initial discussion in ‘Toys, their place and meaning’ to help guide and focus the design process. NB If being done as a stand-­‐alone activity, use the categories in the ‘Toys, their place and meaning’ outline to guide student thinking about the kind of toy they want to make. • Created toys should then be given a name and displayed around the room. The unique toys created in this activity could be used for the thematic sequence outlined later in these resource materials if desired. Toys come alive – making the inanimate animate through puppets Creative Arts, English Discuss with students what the word ‘puppet’ means to them. Have they seen puppets before? Do they have a puppet at home? • Consider with students what puppetry actually is. Elicit the idea that puppetry involves the process of making an inanimate (still) object animate – or giving it life through movement. • Discuss how the toys were ‘animated’ or ‘brought to life’ in the performance of ‘FLUFF’ e.g. Disco Frog, Scarey Cheeks, Flatsy, Fluff, Humpty Hotpants etc For information on different kinds of puppets – a comprehensive list can be found at http://www.schoolofpuppetry.com.au The following two activities are good for engaging students in the process of making objects animated and would assist in the development of giving identity to their own toy characters in other activities included in these resource materials. Hand Puppets • Have students sitting in a circle with their eyes closed. While closed explain that you are going to introduce them to a friend of yours – you could use a variation on the following text to do so •
I would like to introduce you to Bob. Bob is very shy, but as I know you are all so kind I am happy to bring him along. On the count of three I want you to open your eyes and say hello to Bob. • Students open their eyes and as they do, be holding your hand like you would a sock puppet. Using a character voice, Bob can begin interacting with the students asking and answering questions. • Encourage the students to sit in silence and think about a character for their own puppet – a name and an emotion they would feel meeting someone new. Have the students hold their hand like a puppet and introduce their puppet to a friend. Human Puppets (Years 2-­‐3) Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 13 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
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This exercise has half the students standing on chairs as the ‘puppeteer’ with the other half a marionette-­‐style puppet. Discuss what a marionette puppet looks like and how it moves (via strings being pulled). Explain that the ‘puppet’ (student) has strings attached to their knees, elbows, wrists and top of their head. The puppeteer (student) needs to describe which string they are slowly moving, miming the pulling of the string to give the impression of a puppet/puppeteer. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 14 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF THEMATIC EXPLORATION Through the following explorations, students will be connecting with personal experiences and emotions. To allow for effective engagement in activities, it is important to establish a ‘safe space’ for all discussion and drama work. It is also important to conduct an effective warm-­‐up as per ‘Classroom Management Strategies’ for all work involving physical activity. The following activities will be engaging with the themes of the production: a)
identity b) uniqueness (individuality) c)
relationships/nurturing d)
symbolism General Thematic Overview Creative Arts, English •
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In class or small groups, students to discuss and report on the key themes within ‘FLUFF’. Aim to elicit the key themes of: identity, uniqueness (individuality), relationships/nurturing, symbolism Record and discuss each of these themes in relation to the play (it may help to use a large sheet of paper to write brainstormed ideas on for each theme – these can be referred to later). Comparing the new ideas with those generated in the pre-­‐performance activities would be an interesting exercise. Reflect on themes and how they may be played out in their lives and society in general today. Uniqueness (individuality) Personal Development, English, Creative Arts •
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Discuss with the students the wide variety of toys used in the set and the toys featured in the performance. Consider what was ‘unique’ or different about each. Elicit from students what they believe is referred to by the term ‘uniqueness’ and ‘individuality’. Reflect on what is unique or different about each of the members of the class. Discuss with students how they might represent those differences through colours or shapes, eliciting examples. Students need to work in pairs and create a piece of art about their partner. The work of art, however is not of the way their partner looks, but to represent what is special or unique about them. Students should be encouraged to consider colour, line and shape when building their works of art and could use multi-­‐media if available. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 15 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
Artworks should be displayed around the room with an accompanying statement describing positively the unique aspects of each student. Adaptation for younger students – younger students could be encouraged to focus on only one aspect e.g. line or shape or colour rather than combining elements in their representations. Extra time spent discussion the relationship between the way they feel about their partner, what is unique and how they might represent that would be helpful. Relationships/Nurturing Personal Development, English, Creative Arts • Elicit from the students the relationships revealed in the performance of ‘FLUFF’. In particular consider the relationship and role of each member of the Gingham Family to each other as well as to the toys. What role did each take in relation to the toys being introduced? Who took on a leader or mother figure? Did all members of the ‘family’ engage equally with the toys? • The toys were clearly loved and cared for by the Gingham family. What actions and words were used by the performers to indicate they cared for each other and the toys? How do we show we care to our own friends and family? • Students are to select one of the toys introduced through the performance of ‘FLUFF’. Students need to imagine they are that toy and discuss (from the toy’s perspective) how it felt to be ‘lost’ and then ‘found’ by the Gingham Family. Students should also be encouraged to talk about how the previous owner might feel having lost their special toy. • Students should then be encouraged to write a letter as their selected toy to their previous owner talking about the Gingham Family and their first day in their new home. Adaptation for older students – Encourage older students to set up a role-­‐play news story (similar to 60 minutes or Australian Story). Students take on different characters including the journalist or interviewer, prior owner, Gingham Family member, actual toy etc The experience can be improvised or scripted, but should focus on the feelings the different members have in either losing, finding (being lost or found) and the relationships that have developed between different characters along the way. Some role-­‐play scenario examples may include: • a toy is brought in by a member of the Gingham Family to be reunited with its previous owner • small group of lost toys are discussing their experiences over the dinner table at the Gingham Family house • Australian Story episode including a sequence of small interviews – interviewer with Gingham Family member, toy, friend of toy and prior owner Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 16 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF Symbolism Personal Development, English, Creative Arts • Elicit from students what might be referred to by the term ‘symbol’. Focus in particular on a consideration of symbol as a physical object or sign as well as series of actions that may be repeated. • Identify with students the various examples of symbolism identified in ‘FLUFF’. o Every bed looks the same (physical symbols) o People were in black and while while the toys and set were in bright colours – created a contrast and connected the performers as part of a group or ‘family’ o Each bed had a unique nightlight – matching the individuality of the created toy characters o Each bed was set in the same way – use of ritualistic movement for positioning the pillow and doona. • Students to consider where in the world they see symbols and as a class, record examples such as uniforms as symbolic of school attendance, heart as a symbol for love, image of a sun on a weather forecast to indicate a nice day. • Each student should select a symbol that has been discussed (or come up with another) and that has meaning to them. Students should be given the option to either create an artwork or write a poem that incorporates the symbol. It can be either clearly seen (or described) within the artwork or poem OR the symbol can be implied through the work. Adaptation for younger students – provide the students with a number of common symbols already identified (Appendix A). Elicit from students their meanings and discuss where else they see those particular examples. Adaptation for older students -­‐ discuss with students the concept of universal symbols as well as symbolism over time. Symbols within theatre were seen all through history. Drawing on symbols through masks and role of Greek Chorus in Ancient Greece could be considered along with symbols as revealed in the Medieval Pageant Plays. ‘FLUFF’ – Combined thematic sequence Personal Development, English, Creative Arts This sequence of activities allows students to mimic the sequence they saw within the production of FLUFF including the construction of their own lost toy’s identity through giving of a name, sound, action/movement and story/journey. The various activities could be done individually or you could choose to do them as a sequence. Some activities rely on work from the previous section, however options for each being standalone are also given. Adaptation for younger students – this process could be followed as a whole class experience if desired where the teacher takes on the role of finding a toy, Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 17 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF introducing it to the students and have them assist collectively in the sequence of activities below. Identity – General Students are to bring in a toy from home or use the toy they have constructed for the following activities. • Discuss with students what makes us who we are – introduce the concept of ‘identity’. Elicit from students what information we give to ‘identify’ or introduce ourselves. Guide students in terms of questions such as: o What is your name? o What kinds of things do you like to do? o What is your favourite food? o What is your favourite colour? o Where do you live? o How do you stand? o How do you speak? etc NB For older students you could extend the discussion to include cultural identity considering if the country we live in or ‘culture’ we associate with impacts on aspects of our identity. • Discuss how the toys in ‘FLUFF’ were given an identity. Elicit some of the tools used including: o Name (including personality) o Sound o Movement/Action o Nightlight o Individual journey • Images of each toy can be found in Appendix B to help remind students of the different toys introduced during the performance. Identity -­‐ Character building (Hotseating) NB Hotseating is an activity where students can work in either small groups or as a whole class. One individual sits in the middle of a circle and is asked questions. They need to respond in character as if they were being interviewed. A student could also sit at the front of the class if the activity is being facilitated as a whole class exercise. • Students are to spend some time individually considering their own toy (either brought in or created). Having the questions discussed above up in the room may help them in their decision making process. • Students are to participate in a Hotseating activity where their toy becomes the individual being ‘hotseated’. • Students can begin to explore the way their toy will move as it responds, but focus predominantly on voice and the building of character or identity. Students asking questions should draw on the list of questions developed by the class earlier in the activity. All students should have the opportunity to have their toy ‘hotseated’. • To culminate the activity, students should create a ‘LOST’ poster of their toy. They should be encouraged to plan what information they need to include. Students could use create the posters by hand or through the use of technology. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 18 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF Adaptation for older students – Older students could extend the characterisation activity into improvisation through an activity titled ‘The Toyshop shelf’. Two toys are placed side by side (along with their student owners) and they need to engage in a conversation where they learn about each other. The toys should be the ones ‘speaking’. After a period of time, one of the toys is bought and another takes its place. This continues to rotate until all the ‘toys’ in the group have had a chance to be on the shelf. NB This activity is often done with people exploring characters as they come and go from a bus stop, shop queue etc Sounds -­‐ General NB The activities in this sequence will require students to engage in vocal work. It is important to ensure students warm-­‐up their voices prior to engaging in these activities – tongue twisters, sirens and breathing exercises are all good. • Discuss the difference between music in the performance and sound effects e.g. what had a melody line or recognisable/predictable rhythm or were just random sounds. • Discuss the different sounds that were given to each toy in ‘FLUFF’. What did the sounds do to our understanding of the character or personality of the different toys? • Elicit from the students some of the different sounds that were used and discuss the relationship to the way they looked as well as their story as revealed through the slides. o Rock sounds for ‘Scarey Cheeks’ o Angelic sounds for ‘Joy’ o Wobble board sounds for ‘Flatsy’ • Discuss with students the terms ‘pitch’, ‘volume’ and ‘tempo’. o Pitch – high or low o Volume – loud or soft o Tempo – fast or slow • Elicit from students the various pitch, volume or tempo of the sounds from different toys in ‘FLUFF’. o Scarey Cheeks -­‐ Loud, Fast with mixed pitch o Joy – high, slower, softer o Humpty Hotpants – slower, low, loud Sounds – Character building • Have images of a variety of toys (not ones from the performance). Working in their own space around the room, the teacher should hold up each toy and instruct students to make the first sound they think of to represent that toy. NB Students should be encouraged to use voice as well as body percussion or instruments (real or constructed) if available. • Selecting one of the images the teacher should then have cards to represent pitch, tempo and volume (Appendix C). Holding up one of the cards and indicating where on each scale the sounds should be, the students should adjust the sound they are making accordingly. • Students should take time to consider a sound for their toy (either brought or made) and take into consideration the pitch, volume and tempo of the sound and how that relates to the character they have Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 19 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
developed. Each toy should be reintroduced to the class using its relevant sound. Encourage students to discuss the different sounds that had been created by the class and their associated toys. Were there similar sounds and were the toys they were linked to similar? Were there similar toys with very different sounds? Adaptation for older students – students could be encouraged to bring in short excerpts from songs or compose and record short pieces using voices/objects/instruments available to represent their toy. Adaptation for younger students – conduct this activity as a whole class with all students making the same sounds based on student suggestions. Movement – Character building • Elicit from students the relationship between sound and movement in the performance of ‘FLUFF’. Did they make sense? Were there toys movement in a fast, jerky way with a gentle, slow piece of music or sound being played? • Ask the students to find a space in the room and stand with their eyes closed. Explain you are going to play a variety of short pieces of music and they are to move on the spot (with their eyes closed) as they feel is appropriate to the music being played. You could also use percussion instruments to encourage different styles of movement if recorded music is unavailable. NB Any short excerpts of music suitable to the age of the students would work as long as there are variations in tempo, pitch and volume. • Discuss with students how listening to the different sounds made them feel and how that influenced the kind of movement they chose. • Students take their own ‘lost toy’ and think of the sound associated with it. (If this is taking place as a standalone activity either provide students with sounds or have them make one up). Working in pairs, students are to teach their partner the sound for their toy. They are then to work in a call and response activity where one student makes the sound for a toy and the other explores an associated movement. They should repeat this activity until they feel comfortable about a movement to link to their selected sound. • Once all students have decided on the movement for their toy, volunteers can be encouraged to demonstrate it for the class. Students should reflect on the different movements and whether it matched their expectation based on the associated sounds. Journey -­‐ General • Discuss with students what might be referred to by the term ‘journey’. Consider how different journeys were represented in the performance of ‘FLUFF’. Elicit from students the story of some of the journeys such as: o Flatsy falling out of the car and being run over o Chicken Maria being left in the carpark o Tiny Toy Fluff being dropped then sucked up in the vacuum cleaner o Scarey Cheeks riding on the back of a motorcycle and falling off Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 20 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
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Discuss what things students like in a story – encourage conversation around a crisis point or climax (link to narrative structure). Work with students to identify the different crisis points for each of the toys. Discuss with students the way the stories of each toy were told in ‘FLUFF’ – using words or images? Ask individual students to volunteer and tell in words the stories of the different toys from ‘FLUFF’. Adaptation for older students -­‐ Older students could also write their stories as either a narrative or recount (where they take on the role of the toy and write from its perspective). Journey -­‐ Storyboard • Discuss with students the concept of a storyboard – series of images/words to represent a storyboard • Students to individually/or in pairs create the storyboard to represent the journey of their toy. In developing the storyboard, students could be shown pictorial books such as those by Jeanie Baker -­‐ http://www.jeanniebaker.com/picture_books_index.htm that tell a story in pictures only. Students should be encouraged to storyboard using a variety of media including sketch, paint, computers, photographs, mosaic • Students should be encouraged to consider what their toy likes to do, and what it was doing when it became ‘lost’. Re-­‐visiting their responses to the questions in the ‘hotseating’ activity may help them shape the characters involved in their storyboard. NB If this activity is being conducted as standalone, providing students with the questions from activity (a) would assist them in making decisions about the character of the toy they will be including in their storyboard. • Storyboards can be displayed or used as the foundation for a writing task (narrative, recount, script). Creative writing could extend their thinking about their toys event further e.g. ‘The night my toy came to life’. Adaptation for younger students – complete the storyboard as a whole class based on a selected toy and collaboratively building each storyboard image. Journey – Storyboard (tableaux or still image/role play) • Students need to work in small groups and select one of the storyboards to be a focus for this activity. • Students to each select one of the ‘characters’ indicated in the storyboard and recreate an image from the storyboard (tableaux/still image) using themselves as the different characters. Selected images should then be shown to their class. The audience should have their eyes closed while each tableaux/still image is set up to allow a ‘photograph’ style experience. For multiple tableaux, eyes should be closed between each. • If students are confident with the creation of tableaux/still image, they could work to recreate three key images from the storyboard that they feel demonstrate the story. Their classmates would then need to describe what they believe the story was about. NB Students should be encouraged to consider the various ‘elements of drama’ when constructing their tableaux/still images – in particular focus, space, contrast, symbol, mood, time and tension. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 21 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF •
Storyboard tableaux/still images could be photographed and displayed either as picture books with accompanying text or alongside their storyboard inspiration. Adaptation for older students – older students, or those more confident with drama, could extend this activity to include role-­‐play where the story is ‘acted out’ based on the storyboard scenes. Adaptation for younger students – teacher could co-­‐construct each tableaux/still image with the whole class allowing modelling of the different elements in practice and allowing students to work in the role of ‘director’. Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 22 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF Prepared by Rachel Perry APPENDICES Cre8ion © 2013 23 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF APPENDIX A – COMMON SYMBOLS From top left (clockwise) – heart=love, equal cross=medical/hospital, sun=good weather, anchor=hope, arrows=recycling, dove=peace Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 24 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF APPENDIX B – IMAGES OF THE TOYS Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 25 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF APPENDIX C – PITCH, VOLUME AND TEMPO CARDS PITCH VOLUME Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 26 Teacher Resource Materials -­‐ FLUFF TEMPO S F Prepared by Rachel Perry Cre8ion © 2013 27