Anatole - First Stage

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February 20 - March 14, 2014
Enrichment Guide
Proud Cornerstone member of:
Inside the Guide
Setting the Stage
A Note to Teachers and Parents
preparing for the play
Anatole
Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7
Meet the Creative team. . . . . . . . . . . 8
Recommended Reading. . . . . . . . . . 9
Pre-Show Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
For Teachers
Curriculum connections
before or after the play
Connecting To Your
Curriculum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Audience Etiquette
Information
and Worksheet . . . . . . . 4–5
Social Studies
Setting the Stage: FRANCE. . . . . . . 10
Fun Cheese Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Dear Educators and Parents,
Respect, honor and cheese for all! Based on the beloved series of stories by Eve Titus,
Anatole is a story of how one mouse brought respect to all mice in France through hard work
and good will. With the help of his faithful friends and cherished family, Anatole proves that no
creature is too small to make a positive impact on their community.
Enclosed in this enrichment guide is a range of materials and activities intended to help you
discover connections within the play through the curricula. It is our hope that you will use the
experience of attending the theater and seeing Anatole with your students as a teaching tool.
as educators and parents, you know best the needs and abilities of your students. Use this
guide to best serve your children—pick and choose, or adapt, any of these suggestions for
discussions or activities. We encourage you to take advantage or the enclosed student worksheets— please feel free to photocopy the sheets for your students, or the entire guide for the
benefit of other teachers.
Enjoy the show!
Science
A Mousetrap is just
a Simple Machine!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Nose Knows: How does
smell affect taste?. . . . . . . . . . . 15–16
English Language Arts
Pleasing Poetry: Acrostic Poems. . . 13
Julia Magnasco
Education Director
(414) 267-2971
[email protected]
Math
Is Cheddar Better? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Physical Fitness
Cat vs. Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Curtain Call
Post-Show Questions . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Who Said It? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Who Said it? (ANSWERS) . . . . . . . . 19
First Stage Policies
• The use of recording equipment and cameras are not permitted during
the performance.
• Food, drink, candy and gum are not permitted during the performance.
• Electronic devices are not permitted in the theater space.
• Should a student become ill, suffer an injury or have another problem, please
escort him or her out of the theater space.
• In the unlikely event of a general emergency, the theater lights will go on
and the stage manager will come on stage to inform the audience of the problem.
Remain in your seats, visually locate the nearest exit and wait for the stage manager to guide your group from the theater.
Seating for people with special needs: If you have special seating needs for any
student(s) and did not indicate your need when you ordered your tickets, please call
our Assistant Patron Services Manager at (414) 267-2962. Our knowledge of your
needs will enable us to serve you better upon your arrival to the theater.
Connecting To Your Curriculum
Below is a list of the Common Core Standards, 21st Century Skills and Wisconsin Model Academic Standards addressed
in the activities throughout the ANATOLE Enrichment Guide.
Common Core State Standards—
English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story
(e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development
of main ideas or themes.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3 Describe the relationship
between a series of historical events, scientific ideas
or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text,
using language that pertains to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7 Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in
a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key events occur).
Wisconsin Model Academic Standards—
Social Studies/History
B.4.1 Identify and examine various sources of information
that are used for constructing an understanding of the
past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries,
maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral
presentations, graphs, and charts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
B.4.3 Examine biographies, stories, narratives, and folk
tales to understand the lives of ordinary and extraordinary
people, place them in time and context, and explain their
relationship to important historical events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.7 Make connections between
the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects
specific descriptions and directions in the text.
B.4.4 Compare and contrast changes in contemporary life
with life in the past by looking at social, economic, political,
and cultural roles played by individuals and groups.
B.4.5 Identify the historical background and meaning of
important political values such as freedom, democracy,
and justice.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures,
ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical
text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
B.8.1 Interpret the past using a variety of sources, such
as biographies, diaries, journals, artifacts, eyewitness
interviews, and other primary source materials, and
evaluate the credibility of sources used.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7 Interpret information presented
visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs,
diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements
on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
B.8.3 Describe the relationships between and among
significant events, such as the causes and consequences
of wars in United States and world history
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.2 Paraphrase portions of a text
read aloud or information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
B.8.5 Use historical evidence to determine and support
a position about important political values, such as
freedom, democracy, equality, or justice, and express the
position coherently
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story,
drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or
how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
21ST CENTURY SKILLS
Collaboration and Communication
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Creativity and Innovation
Leadership and Responsibility
3
Shhh…It’s Time for the Show
Audience Etiquette Information
Adapted from: http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/wp-content/uploads/audience-etiquette-activity.pdf , http://www.musical-theater-kids.com/theater-etiquette.html
There are many people involved, both on stage and behind the stage, who are working to put on the best performance
possible for you and the rest of the people in the audience. Unlike watching television or a movie, the performers and
crew can see and hear the audience members—therefore, it is the audiences’ job to watch and listen carefully to the
action on stage. The audience helps the performers and crew concentrate on doing their job when we practice the
rules of theater etiquette:
• Visit the restroom before the performance begins.
• Don't speak during the performance...whispering is still speaking, so make sure you are
only speaking in an emergency.
• Do not eat or drink in the theater.
• Do not put your feet up on the seats or balcony and do not kick the seat in front of you.
• Don't put or throw anything on the stage.
• Do laugh when the performance is funny.
• Do applaud when it is appropriate during the performance.
• Do applaud when the performance is over...this tells the performers and crew that you
appreciate their work.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Continued Activity:
1..Hand out the included worksheet to students.
2..Together as a class, go through the different event locations listed on the worksheet and discuss each event: What can
you do there? What can’t you do there? Why?
3..Fill out the worksheet using Always, Sometimes or Never. Ask students why they think we behave differently at these
different places (different atmospheres, expectations, traditions, etc.).
4..Share the theater etiquette with students and discuss in details the behavior expectations we have at the theater.
4
Audience Etiquette Activity
Student Worksheet
Adapted from: http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/wp-content/uploads/audience-etiquette-activity.pdf ,
Look at the different events listed across the first row in the table below. For each event, fill
in ALWAYS, SOMETIMES or NEVER with the listed behavior expectations. Note the different
behavior expectations there are for different events we attend.
Baseball
Game
Church/
Worship
Service
Live Theater
Rock
Performance Concert
Cheer
Clap
politely
Talk to
those
around
you
Eat
Stand up
and walk
around
5
Movie
Theater
Setting the Stage Synopsis
ACT I
Our play opens with Gaston preparing the audience to hear the
story of his best friend Anatole, whose name is pronounced, AHNUH-TOHL. The story is set in Paris and Gaston sings a song that
takes us to the City of Light! As he sings, Anatole appears riding
his bicycle, greeting his neighbors, buying a newspaper, beret and
flowers for his wife.
Gaston and Anatole greet one another and begin making plans for
the evening. Anatole announces the humans are having a party,
which means lots of cheese on sticks! Gaston warns Anatole
about the dangers of being around humans. Anatole reassures
Gaston, “Together we can do anything!” Just then news mouse
announces that Duval Cheese Factory is going out of business
because Duval’s has been producing a bad cheese. Gaston and
Anatole agree that this would be bad for the city and then agree
to meet at 8pm.
to the Duval Cheese Factory’s tasting room and begins to test
the cheese. As he sings the song Extra-specially Good, Anatole
describes the shortcomings of the cheese and makes his recommendations in this letter.
M. Duval is playing with his cat and discussing the closing of the
factory. He decides to go to the tasting room for the last time.
There is a lot of excitement there. The workers tell him someone
has placed little signs on the cheeses with changes in the recipe
to make them better. An expert cheese tester named Anatole! M.
Duval tastes the cheese and declares, “Anatole is right.”
Now the news is, “Duval announces new and improved cheeses.”
The sales go up for the first time in year! M. Duval wants to find
Anatole. Who is this Anatole? As the sales increase, M. Duval
grows more determined to find Anatole. But, Anatole knows he
must remain anonymous and sends a letter to M. Duval stating so.
Anatole hurries home and we meet his wife Doucette and children
Claude and Georgette. They sing about the joys of family as they
enjoy breakfast. As they dine, the children talk about what they
want to be when they grow up. Clause wants to be like his papa
and bike all over France and collect food for his family. He sings,
Proud of Our Papa. Anatole is so moved by the song he vows to
bring them delicious food from the biggest house in Paris! With
that, the children happily leave for school.
M. Duval writes to Anatole to thank him and make him First VicePresident in Charge of Cheese tasting and signs the letter, “Your
friend, Henri Duval.” Well, the news was spread quickly by the
news mouse boy, “Extra, extra! Local Mouse Anatole made First
Vice-President of Human Cheese Factory.” Anatole is so happy
he sings, Nothing Ever Could Go Wrong. The humans are so
happy they sing, too. They all leave and we meet Charlemagne
the cat who greet us with a big, MEEEOOOW.
That evening, Anatole and Gaston meet at 8pm and strategize
how to get the delicious party food. They sing, With my best friend
here by my side, I know nothing can go wrong. Mon Amis!
ACT II
They begin rummaging through the kitchen of the mansion and
find all sorts of delicacies. Gaston announces his Suzette will be
pleased. Suddenly they hear the voices of humans discussing
how they dislike mice! The two friends are not discouraged. As
Gaston enjoys tasty Camembert, Anatole scurries into the drawing room with the humans, who are drinking cognac. As men and
women drink they discuss the troubles at Duval’s Cheese Factory.
The quality of the cheese is inconsistent. They also discuss the
Paris mouse infestation. The Villains of France.
Hearing all this, Anatole runs back to Gaston, who is still enjoying his Camembert. Anatole wants to leave, “We’re unwelcome
guests.” He sings about the misconception of the humans about
mice. Who is this Anatole? Gaston tries to calm him, Anatole is
very upset.
Back home, Anatole tells Doucette he may no longer be able to
steal food from humans, “They call us villains.” He wants to a
role model for his children. Doucette advises him to either make
compromises or realize that he cannot make a change. Be the
Mouse You Want to Be.
These words encourage Anatole seek an honest living. After
discussing server possibilities, he comes up with an idea. He
uses a type writer to compose a letter. When Gaston stops
by to pick him up for work, Anatole asks to work alone tonight.
Gaston agrees and wishes him, good luck. Anatole makes his way
Gaston reminds us where our story last ended. Nothing Ever
Could Go Wrong Then, we continue…
Anatole and Gaston
prepare go to work at the factory. Gaston’s job is to lookout for
Anatole as he tests and collects the cheese. They work and then
hear sounds and see shadows. They hide. It is Charlemagne,
who teases them with the song, A Game of Cat and Mouse. Since
he cannot see the mice, the big cat exits.
Anatole is very afraid, but musters the courage to honor his commitment to M. Duval. Extra-Specially Good Recipe In his state of
fear, Anatole begins to write changes to the recipes that do not
make sense, “Add ear wax. Place in an old shoe.”. Then Anatole
tries to speak to Gaston, but stutters. Finally he gets it out, “There
is a cat. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Safely outside the building, they decide not to return to work
because of the cat. Gaston declares that cats are the true villains
of France! “If only the cat wore a bell so that could know when he
is near.” They went home sadly.
When the workers arrive at the factory they read the strange recipes left by Anatole.
They believe something was very wrong
and did not want to follow the recipes. Even with their reluctance,
M. Duval insisted they do exactly what was written by Anatole.
Oh, well…
The next morning, Anatole is very quiet at breakfast. Doucette is
worried. The children are concerned, too. Anatole does not tell
them about the cat because they are too young to hear such terrible things. Once they are off to school he tells Doucette about
6
Setting the Stage Synopsis
the “You know what.” He does not wish to get clawed to death,
but needed to feed his family. Doucette tries to cheer him, “You
will figure out what to do.”
the Super Alpha Strike Force. Just as they leave they hear, “Extra!
Extra! Duval cheeses make all of France sick! Company once
again may go out of business!”
Anatole goes to sleep and has a nightmare about… cats! He
dreams his friend Gaston, children and Doucette are cats!
Frightened, Anatole jumps out of bed and runs to Gaston’s house.
While Anatole has decided to return to work, Gaston chooses to
not to go with him. But he gives Anatole a bell to place on the cat.
They say good-bye and Anatole goes to the factory.
They arrive at the factory tasting room and begin to execute their
mission to build A Better Mouse Trap. With the trap set every one
leaves the room but Anatole. He holds the rope that will trap the
cat. Enter Charlemagne, who smells the catnip, enters the trap
and… BAM! He is trapped! Charlemagne wants to know who
trapped him and is out-done that a “filthy mouse” did it!
Anatole finds a note from M. Duval, “Dear Anatole, Are you quite
alright? Your signs yesterday were…very creative. Please, please
take a vacation if you are feeling run down. You are very important
to our success and we don’t want to overwork you. Sincerely,
Henry Duval.”
Charlemagne demands to be set free. Anatole asks him about
the catnip. The cat gobbles it and then begins to act strangely.
He talks about his kitty-hood, sings and passes out. Seeing the
cat passed out, Anatole climbs into the cage and places the bell
on the cat. With the Super Delta Force and Gaston enter and
celebrate the brave Anatole!
Anatole responds, “Dear M. Duval, There are some who dislike
dogs or goldfish or parakeets. Myself I do not care for cats. Last
night one of these creatures was in your factory, I was so disturbed that my work was not as good as usual. If a cat appears
again, I may have to give up my job- much as I enjoy working for
you. Sincerely, Anatole”
The news mouse boy shouts the news about the Duval cheese
recipes good and bad, the increase in sales in Paris and the biggest hit, the new cheese roll named Cheese Anatole! Anatole who
belled a cat! Mouse Magnifique!
Anatole’s family joins in the celebration. The children are proud
and tell him they learned about cats at school! Doucette expresses her pride in her brave husband. Anatole then explains he did
not accomplish the deed alone. He had the help of his friends and
family, who are all Mice Magnifique!
M. Duval responds, “Dear Anatole, Our family pet is a cat who
accompanies me to work, returning with me at closing time. Now
I know where he was the other night. I have scolded him and
he has strict orders not to remain in the factory after dark. If he
should disobey, please feel free to pick him up and put him outside. I hope that hence forward you will be able to work in peace.
Your expert judgment in cheese has made my success possible.
Sincerely, Henri Duval”
The End
Anatole has two big problems. He speaks aloud about the cat
and M. Duval believes Anatole is a human. He decides to conquer his fear and defeat the cat. He is overheard by a mouse
named Fromage, who offers the help of the brave mice of Super
Alpha Strike Force --- Cojack can outrun a cat, the foul smelling
Limburger, karate master Sacre Blue, Steve the strong and Baby
Swiss…Pow!
Anatole is very excited by the team! He tells them their mission
is to bell a cat. Sadly, they produce a contract with a “No cats”
clause because of a cat named Mrs. Snuggle Pants almost wiped
out the town’s mouse population. But, perhaps they could trap
the cat! They also talk about Francois mouse that provide them
with catnip, the perfect lure for a cat trap.
They visit Francois who warns Anatole he is being foolish trying
to trap a cat and that catnip is very dangerous. It could attract
many cats! It will cost 10 ounces of cheese. They bargain and
settle on a price. Anatole returns to Fromage with a plan to meet
at the factory, “If a man can build a Mouse trap, then a mouse can
build a cat trap!”
Anatole returns to Gaston’s house to retrieve the bell and Gaston
decides to join his friend in the mission. Anatole tells Gaston about
7
Meet the Creative team
Lee Becker: Playwright and Lyricist
Lee Becker began his professional career improvising with ComedySportz - Madison, and eventually moved to Manhattan to help found ComedySportz - NYC. Returning to Dairyland, he performed
and taught for CSz-Milwaukee, and became a core company member and playwright with Door
County’s American Folklore Theatre. Lee has performed in close to 40 original musical productions
and co-written several, including PACKER FANS FROM OUTER SPACE. He is a founding member
of Door Shakespeare, where he has played a number of roles. His roles with First Stage include
The Bear THE QUILTMAKER'S GIFT, Sharktooth HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, and Santa Claus
RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. Lee has performed at Milwaukee Rep, In Tandem, and
Bunny Gumbo’s Combat Theatre. He’s very grateful to have been asked by John Maclay to help
write a show for First Stage. The Wisconsin-born grandson of a dairy farmer, he found it easy to
get excited about a show based on a mouse’s love of cheese. Lee is part owner of the Green Bay
Packers, and a proud member of Actors' Equity Association, Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. and his beautiful family, along
with his phenomenal wife, Sara, and one-year-old cheese-lover, Wilbur.
John Maclay: Playwright and Lyricist
John Maclay is an actor, director, voice and text coach, and fight choreographer who has spent the
past 15 years working professionally in Milwaukee and Chicago. When not teaching at Carthage, he
proudly serves as Associate Artistic Director at First Stage, one of the nation's third largest and most
respected theatre for young audiences. Mr. Maclay has been working with First Stage in one form or
other since 2000 and has directed or appeared in more than 25 First Stage productions as well as
having produced more than 50 productions for the First Stage Young Company. Mr. Maclay is also
an adaptor of literature for the stage. He has co-authored ANATOLE and NANCY DREW AND THE
BIGGEST CASE EVER .
James Valcq: Composer
James Valcq is an award winning composer. His scores includes a collaboration with Fred Alley,
the Off-Broadway musical THE SPITFIRE GRILL (Playwrights Horizons, 2001) which won the
Richard Rodgers Production Award administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters
and received Best Musical nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League as well as
two Drama Desk nominations . Also Off-Broadway, James was the composer/author of ZOMBIES
FROM THE BEYOND. His credits include Fallout Follies York Theatre, SONGS I NEVER SANG FOR
MY Father Village Theatre, and The Last Leaf, a collaboration with Mary Bracken Phillips. Regionally,
James has composed music for Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Door
Shakespeare, Idaho Theatre for Youth, and the Milwaukee’s Next Act Theatre, and THE PASSAGE
(another collaboration with Fred Alley) at American Folklore Theatre in Wisconsin. Broadway credits
as conductor and/or musician include CHICAGO, FLOWER DRUM SONG, CABARET, SCARLET
http://ih.constantcontact.com/
PIMPERNEL. Other conducting credits: Maurice Sendak’s production of REALLY ROSIE (national
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tour), CANDIDE, LADY IN THE DARK, SOUTH PACIFIC, THE PRODUCERS (Skylight Opera
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Theatre), and She Loves Me (Indiana Rep). As an actor, James has played
the role of Cosme McMoon in SOUVENIR at Boise Contemporary Theatre and American Stage in
Florida, Pierre in HOW I BECAME A PIRATE First Stage Milwaukee, and Salerio in THE MERCHANT
OF VENICE Door Shakespeare. James holds an MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Program
at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Eve Titus: Author
Eve Titus was the author of numerous bestselling and beloved children's books, including the
Anatole books and many chapter books about a mouse detective--Basil of Baker Street. Ms.Titus
passed away in 2002.
http://gmdpictures.webs.com/
evememoriam.png
8
Recommended Reading
Anatole by Eve Titus
Anatole and the Cat by Eve Titus
Anatole and the Toyshop by Eve Titus
Anatole and the Piano by Eve Titus
Anatole in Italy by Eve Titus
Anatole and the Pied Piper by Eve Titus
Anatole and the Thirty Thieves by Eve Titus
The Happy Lion by Louise Fatio
Everybody Bonjours! by Leslie Kimmelman
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin
The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks
Eloise in Paris by Kay Thompson
Pre-Show Questions
1. Anatole is an expert cheese taster. Being an expert at something means you are the best at doing that specific
thing. Are you an expert at something? Is there a particular skill you would like to become an expert at?
2.Humans in the story of Anatole don’t exactly like mice—they think they are pests. What do you think mice could
do to change this misperception? If someone didn’t like you, what could you do to change their mind?
3. Anatole takes pride in working hard. What does it mean to be a hard worker? When do you demonstrate skills
of hard work?
4. Anatole and his family love each other very much, and enjoy spending time together. What is one quality you
love about each of your family members? What do you enjoy doing together as a family?
9
Setting the Stage: FRANCE
Social Studies Classroom Information
Taken directly from: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0930065.html
Continent Western Europe
Climate Mild winters and cool
summers in much of the nation;
warmer winters and hot summers
along the Mediterranean coast
School
• The school day typically runs from
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a two-hour
lunch break. Schools close Wednesday
and Sunday, and have a half-day on Saturday.
• There are no uniforms in public schools;
however, religious dress, such as headscarves for
Muslim girls or yarmulkes for Jewish boys, is banned.
Play
• Escargot (snail), or la marelle ronde, is a traditional
hopscotch game that uses a spiral shape and only one foot.
Numerous traditional card games are also played.
• Soccer, bicycling and tennis are favorite sports in France. In some areas, pelote, a traditional handball
game, is popular.
Family
• Most French mothers work; the majority of preschool children attend state-run day cares known as crèches.
• France has laws about naming children. Until 1993, all names had to be chosen from an official list. Today, public
prosecutors can still reject a child's name.
Signature foods
• Onion soup made with beef broth and topped with toast and cheese, then broiled until the cheese is melted and
browned
• Clafouti, a dessert made of fruit, such as cherries or peaches, topped with a rich cake batter and then baked.
Interesting animals
• The garden dormouse, a forest-dwelling rodent, with a bushy tail, oversized ears, and dramatic black markings
on its face
• The Pyrenean desman, a furry, swimming, rat-sized mammal that uses its sensitive, tube-like snout to catch
water insects.
Unique holiday: Bastille Day, July 14, celebrates the end of the French monarchy during the French Revolution of 1879.
Military parades and fireworks are a traditional part of this national holiday.
Did you know? There are more than 350 kinds of cheese in France. French cheese may be made of cow, sheep or
goat milk, or a combination of these. The average French person eats about 50 pounds of cheese per year (compared
with 31 pounds per American).
10
Fun Cheese Facts
Social Studies Classroom Information
Taken from: http://www.goudagirls.com/facts.html
• S
. cholars believe cheese was discovered in the Middle East by the nomadic Turkic tribes as early as 8000 BC, when
sheep were first domesticated. The animal hides caused separation into curds and whey by movement of the herders.
• .Earliest archeological evidence of cheese making has been discovered in the tomb murals in Egypt.
• T
. he United States is the top producer of cheese in the world, with Wisconsin and California leading the states in
production.
• T
. he Chalet Cheese Cooperative, located in Monroe, Wisconsin, is the only maker of limburger cheese in North
America today. (it is also the smelliest cheese variety made)
• .The United States Produces over 2 Billion pounds of cheese each year
• .The average American eats more than 27 pounds of cheese each year
• .Americans eat 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches per year, about 8.4 per person!
• .The first Cheesehead Hat was manufactured in St. Francis Wisconsin by Foamation, Inc.
11
A Mousetrap is just a Simple Machine!
Science Classroom Activity
Adapted from: http://pbskids.org/fetch//parentsteachers/activities/act/act-targetpractice.html
Simple machines are non-motorized devices that changes the direction or magnitude of a force.
A lever is a stiff bar that rests on a support called a fulcrum which lifts or moves loads.
EXAMPLES OF LEVERS: Mousetrap, scissors, toilet flusher, fork, teeter totter, crowbar, stapler, can
opener, rake, and a catapult;
Using items found around the house, create a catapult to launch mini marshmallows!
Materials
• 7 craft sticks
• 4 rubberbands
• Bottle cap
• Hot glue or double sided sticky tape
• Mini-marshmallows
Activity
1. Stack five craft sticks together and wrap a rubber band around each end so that they are tightly held together.
2. Take the remaining two sticks and wrap a rubber band around
only one end.
3. Slide the first bundle of five sticks in between the two sticks in
the second bundle, as pictured.
4. Criss-cross a rubber band where the two bundles meet to
hold your catapult together.
5.Glue the bottle cap to the top stick.
6. Place a mini-marshmallow into the bottle cap, hold down top
stick, release and watch the object fly! Set up a target and
practice your aim.
12
Pleasing Poetry: Acrostic Poems
English Language Arts Student Worksheet
Anatole’s children admire their papa. To honor him, they write a song for him:
PROUD OF OUR PAPA
PAPA RIDES HIS BICYCLE THROUGH THE DARK NIGHT
PAPA BRINGS HOME FOOD THAT WE EAT WITH DELIGHT
PAPA LOVES HIS FAM-I-LY WITH ALL HIS MIGHT
WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PAPA
Think of someone in your life that is very special to you.
Write their first name in all capital letters down the left side of your paper.
M
O
M
M
A
Think of the things you want to say about this person.
• What are 3 things that make them special?
• What are 3 words to describe their personality?
• What are things they are really good at?
Once you have brainstormed these ideas, use them to
create sentences or phrases that begin with the letters of
the person’s name. You can choose to make your poem
rhyming or not.
Most beautiful and out of sight,
Outstanding at tucking me in at night;
Maker of the best bubble bath,
My Mom also helps me with my math;
Awesome and loving is my Mom—she’s the bomb!
Give your poem to your special person!
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Is Cheddar Better?
Math Classroom Activity
As a class, talk about students’ favorite types of cheese. Discuss: what foods do you like to put
cheese on, how often do you eat cheese, what are the different colors cheese has, etc.
Take a class vote on everyone’s favorite cheese. Graph the results on the following worksheets and
create a large chart in the classroom. Have each student put their vote down under the following
cheese categories.
Mozzarella
Cheddar
American
String
Cheese
Cheez Wiz
Afterwards, answer the following questions:
1.How many students participated in the vote? ______________________________________________________________
2. What cheese was the most popular? ____________________________________________________________________
3.How many students chose mozzarella? __________________________________________________________________
4.How many votes did the most popular cheese have? _______________________________________________________
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The Nose Knows: How does smell affect taste?
Science Classroom Activity
Taken directly from: http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/does-smell-affect-way-you-perceive-taste/
An Experiment in the sense of smell
Materials
• 15 volunteers, none of whom are allergic to any of the foods you are giving them. You might ask
about strawberries especially.
• Assortment of fruit
• Knife
• Cutting board
• 3 large plates
• Q-tips
• Essential oil of peppermint
• Clipboard
• Pencil
• Plain crackers
• Water
• Cups
Procedure
1. Before you start your experiment,
make sure that each of your
volunteers is aware that he or she is participating in an experiment related to smell and taste. Ask
about any allergies to fruit or peppermint oil.
2. Create a data table you can fill in quickly as you test each volunteer. Make a copy for each
volunteer (see example below).
Fruit
Peppermint Oil
Nose plugged
Strawberry
Pear
Kiwi fruit
Tomato
Banana
Watermelon
Apple
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Control
The Nose Knows: How does smell affect taste?
Science Classroom Activity
Taken directly from: http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/does-smell-affect-way-you-perceive-taste/
3. Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces. You need three pieces of each kind of fruit for each volunteer.
4. Stick a toothpick in each piece of fruit.
5. Make sure all different types of fruit are cut into pieces of the same size and that there are no
pieces of fruit skin or seeds.
6. Make piles of each type of fruit on each of the three plates.
7. For one plate of fruit, use the cotton swab to dab a drop of peppermint oil on each piece of fruit.
8. Do not let your volunteers see the plates of fruit. They will need to shut their eyes or be blindfolded
throughout the experiment.
9. Test each volunteer separately.
10.Start with the fruit with peppermint oil on top. Hand your volunteer a piece of fruit. Give her 3
seconds to identify the fruit. If she identifies the fruit correctly, put a check mark on the data table
with her name. If she can’t identify the fruit or identifies it incorrectly, mark a 0 on her chart.
11.After testing everybody with peppermint oil covered fruit, give each volunteer some time to rest,
drink a glass of water, and eat a couple crackers.
12.Repeat the experiment, this time asking your
volunteers to close their eyes and hold their
noses as they taste each fruit.
13.Again, give your volunteers a rest before you
do the final trial.
14.For the next trial, your volunteers just need to
shut their eyes.
15.Repeat the taste test and record the results
in each data table.
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Cat vs. Mouse
Physical Fitness Classroom Game
Anatole and the other mice must make sure they stay out of the Cat’s way to avoid becoming
lunch! Play this fun tag game in the gym or on the playground to get in your daily dose of
exercise and fun!
1. In a wide open space, create 4 lines of children all facing the center.
2. Choose one student to be the CAT and one student to be the MOUSE. The will stand in the
middle of the lines to start.
3.Give the MOUSE three seconds to run away from the CAT. When “Go!” is called, the CAT tries to
tag the MOUSE. The MOUSE may run anywhere is the designated playing space. The MOUSE can
choose to get in any of the four lines of students. Whichever line the MOUSE enters, the person in
the front of that line then becomes the MOUSE and the CAT must try to tag that new MOUSE. If the
CAT tags the MOUSE, they switch roles and the game continues in the same fashion.
4. To add extra challenge, you can move the lines further apart or add an additional MOUSE.
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WHO SAID IT?
1.Our story begin in La Ville-Lumiere, the City of Light. Paris
2. …I wrote this song, Proud of Our Papa.
3. Mon Ami, my friend means Mon Ami!
4. Mice, the villains of France!
5. Who is this Anatole?
6. Be the Mouse you want to be!
7. Sales are up!
8. AAHHH! What a horrible dream!
9. I shall conquer my fear!
10.Let me introduce Super Delta Strike Force!
Post-Show Questions
1. Anatole and Gaston are best friends. How do they support each other and help one another out? Do you have a
best friend? How do you support and help your best friend, even in troubled times?
2. Mice are called the “Villains of France.” How does this make Anantole feel? What does he do about this
accusation?
3.Gaston declares that cats are the true villains of France. Why does he say this? Is this true? Why or why not?
4. Anatole decides to face his fear and conquer Charlemagne the cat, with the help of his friends and the Super Delta
Force. Have you ever conquered one of your fears? How did your family and friends help you?
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WHO SAID IT? ANSWERS
1.Our story begin in La Ville-Lumiere, the City of Light. Paris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gaston
2. …I wrote this song, Proud of Our Papa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claude
3. Mon Ami, my friend means Mon Ami! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gaston & Anatole
4. Mice, the villains of France! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Humans
5. Who is this Anatole? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anatole/M. Duval
6. Be the Mouse you want to be!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doucette
7. Sales are up!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mlle. Bouvier
8. AAHHH! What a horrible dream!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anatole
9. I shall conquer my fear!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anatole
10.Let me introduce Super Delta Strike Force!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fromage
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