1 STUDY GUIDE - Arts Council of Hillsborough...

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STUDY GUIDE

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About Creative Arts Theatre Company

Creative Arts Theatre is the City of Tampa’s resident, professional theatre company for young

audiences dedicated to presenting outstanding theatre experiences that encourage a lifelong love

of reading and the performing arts. A staff of four professional artists create and perform plays

inspired by children's literature or drawn from children’s non-fiction. Each year, Creative Arts

Theatre Company presents over 200 performances at community centers, libraries, and schools

throughout Hillsborough County. Productions often incorporate puppets, masks, live actors,

original music and dance. These powerful mediums strengthen the bonds between families,

schools, and communities in the areas of education, literacy and the performing arts. Over the

past 50 years, Creative Arts Theatre Company has performed for more than one million children

and their families.

In addition, Creative Arts Theatre Company offers classes, camps, and workshops for children

and adults throughout the year at the City's community centers. Topics include puppet making,

storytelling, acting, improvisation and musical theatre. They are a member of the Theatre for

Young Audiences/USA and the Educational Theatre Association.

A Note to Educators

This Study Guide has been prepared by Meg Heimstead, Artistic Director of Creative Arts

Theatre Company. The intent of this guide is to foster further exploration and research as the

audience prepares and then reflects on the performance of Wild Florida, Alive!

The questions, activities, and materials have all been prepared with the student audience in

mind. Please feel free to use/copy any of the pages in this guide, as you reflect with your

students on the play.

This production of Wild Florida, Alive! Is made possible by the City of Tampa Parks & Recreation

and Friends of Tampa Recreation.

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Table of Contents

A Note to Educators………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….….2

About Crea�ve Arts Theatre Company………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...2

The Role of the Audience………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…....4

Tips for the Best Theatre Experience………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….…..4

Theatre Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…...5

BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE

Wild Florida, Alive! Synopsis………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….6

Pre-Show Discussion Ques�ons………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6

Wild Florida, Alive! Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...7

Endangered Species Pre-Show Discussion Ques�ons……………………………………………………………………………………....8

Shadow Puppetry……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

Post-Show Discussion Ques�ons…………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………….10

Post-Show Ac�vi�es………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….10

CURRICULUM CONNECTION

Language Arts Ac�vi�es………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....11

∗ Word Search…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….....11

Science Ac�vi�es…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12

∗ Adapta�ons: Physical & Behavioral………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...12

∗ Whooping Crane Worksheet………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….....13

∗ Florida Panther Worksheet………………………………………………………………………………………………………………........15

∗ Sea Turtle Worksheet……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………........….17

What’s Your Habitat? Ac�vity……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….…....19

Addi�onal Ac�vi�es…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….21

∗ Coloring Time!...............................................................................................................................................21

Ac�vi�es that Make a Difference…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...21

Resources for More Informa�on………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...22

Panther Coloring Page……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………...23

Whooping Crane Coloring Page……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………........24

Sea Turtle Coloring Page………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...25

Sea Turtles and Lights Word Find…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...26

Sea Turtles and Lights Word Find—Answers……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...27

CPALM Standards Connected to this Guide…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….28

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The Role of the Audience

Educators, please read the following to your students before you travel to see the show.

As an audience member YOU have a very important role to play! Without you there would be no

performance. You are an active collaborator in the live theatre experience, as your applause and

laughter feed the actors vital energy and subtly makes each performance unique!

Live theatre is very different than watching something on TV or at the movie theatre. When you

watch TV at home you may leave the room or discuss what you are seeing with family and friends.

As a member of the audience while attending a play, you must watch and listen carefully because:

• You need to concentrate on what the performers are saying or else you might miss something

important.

• The actors on stage can hear you and are affected by your behavior. Talking and moving

around is very distracting for the actors and for those seated around you.

Tips for the Best Theatre Experience

Here are a few tips for the BEST possible experience at the theatre:

♦ Remain in your seat once the performance has begun.

♦ Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

♦ Don’t talk to your neighbor during the show. You might miss something

important!

♦ Reward the cast with applause when you like a scene or at the end of the

show.

♦ Laugh if something is funny.

♦ HAVE FUN!

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Theatre Vocabulary

ACTOR

CAST

CENTER STAGE

CHARACTER

COSTUME DESIGNER

DIRECTOR

DOWNSTAGE

HOUSE

LIGHTING DESIGNER

PLOT

PROSCENIUM

PROP

SET

SOUND DESIGNER

STAGE CREW

UPSTAGE

any theatrical performer whose job it is to portray a character

the group of actors in a play

the middle of the stage

any person portrayed by an actor onstage. Characters may also

be animals, and sometimes things.

the person who creates what actors wear in the performance

the person in charge of the entire production

the area at the front of the stage, closest to the audience

the area of the theatre where the audience sits

the person who creates the lighting for a play to simulate time of

day and location

the story line

the opening framing the stage

an object used by an actor in a scene

the background scenery for the show

the person who provides music and/or sound effects like birds

chirping, a phone ringing, or thunder

the people who change the scenery during a performance

the area at the back of the stage, furthest from the audience

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BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE

Wild Florida, Alive! Synopsis

Before your students see the performance, we suggest reading the synopsis out loud to

the class (grades K-2) or having students take turns reading it (grades 3-5.)

Explore the wild side of Florida and discover the

animals that make our state so unique! Wild Florida, Alive! is

an environmental adventure, highlighting Florida’s endangered

species through live theater, shadow puppetry, and music.

The story centers around Flamingo, a feisty bird from a New

Jersey zoo, who is really worried about animals in Florida that

are on the Endangered Species list. Having recently returned

from her Florida vacation with Florence, the naturalist,

Flamingo recounts what she has learned about her Florida animal friends that are in trouble.

Inspired by the people and animals that Flamingo met on her travels, she and her pals will talk

about the plight of the Florida panther, the whooping crane, and the sea turtle. More importantly,

Flamingo will share what is being done to protect these creatures and what we can all do to help

them.

Pre-Show Discussion Questions

• Based on the synopsis above, what characters do you expect to see in the

show?

• What do you think the set will look like?

• Do you think the show will be funny or serious?

• Will there be music? If so, how do you think it will sound?

• What do you think shadow puppetry is? How do you think it will be used in the

show?

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Wild Florida, Alive! Vocabulary

AIR BOAT

COPASETIC

ECOSYSTEM

ENDANGERED SPECIES

EVERGLADES

EXTINCT

GENES

MIGRATE

NOCTURNAL

SOLITARY

SPECIES OF SPECIAL

CONCERN

WETLANDS

A flat-bottomed boat propelled in a forward direction by an aircraft-type

propeller and powered by either an aircraft or automotive engine.

Very good.

An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals and

organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with

their non-living environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate,

atmosphere.)

An Endangered species is a species which has been categorized by the

International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as likely to

become extinct.

A wetland area located in the southern part of Florida. The area

provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species

like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther.

No longer in existence. Often referring to a species of animal or plant

that has died out.

Each cell in the human body contains about 25,000 to 35,000 genes.

Genes carry the information that determines your traits which are

features or characteristics that are passed on to you — or inherited —

from your parents.

When an animal—typically birds or fish—move from one region or

habitat to another, especially regularly according to the seasons.

Active at night instead of during the day.

Existing alone. By oneself.

Although the species is not endangered or threatened, it is extremely

uncommon, or has unique or highly specific habitat requirements and

deserves careful monitoring of its status.

Wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world.

Some common names for different types of wetlands are swamp, marsh

and bog. Depending on the type of wetland, it may be filled mostly with

trees, grasses, shrubs or moss. To be called a wetland, an area must

be filled or soaked with water at least part of the year.

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Endangered Species

Pre-Show Discussion Questions

Students may already have some ideas about endangered species. The

following questions will get children thinking about what they already know

and will give them the opportunity to share information with each other or

receive clarification from the teacher on facts.

• What does endangered mean?

• What are some animals that are endangered? Do any of these animals live

in Florida?

• What are some reasons that plants or animals might become endangered?

• What are some ways that people help endangered animals?

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Shadow Puppetry

Shadow puppetry is considered the oldest form of puppetry in the world. It began thousands of

years ago in China and India. In China the shadow plays are often folk-tales and legends of the

past, many based on Chinese opera themes. In Indonesia shadow plays are an integral part of

traditional culture. The plays are taken from two religious epics where there is often a struggle

between good and evil. Turkey and Greece also have a history of shadow puppetry, where plays

are based on everyday life and contain much physical comedy. In Western Europe shadow

puppetry enjoyed popularity during the 1800's when the art of cutting silhouettes out of paper was

fashionable. In 1926 German shadow puppeteer Lotte Reiniger made the first full length

animated film The Adventures of Prince Achmet. She hand-cut beautiful opaque silhouette

figures that were moved on an animation table.

Traditional shadow puppets are flat and made of leather. Areas within the puppet are punched

out with sharp knives. These areas suggest facial features and help define clothing. The puppets

are made from separate pieces and joined together with wire or string. They are controlled by

long rods and moved behind a white translucent screen made from paper or cloth. A lamp on the

puppeteer's side of the stage provides the light: the audience on the other side sees the moving

shadows. Cut-out areas within the figures allow light to shine through.

Contemporary shadow puppets may be made combining a variety of materials including paper,

plastic, wood, colored theatrical lighting filters, cloth, feathers, dried plants or found objects

ranging from silk scarves to kitchen utensils. Shadow puppets have been made with

three-dimensional wire heads and cloth bodies.

Contemporary shadow puppeteers might employ a host of specialized lighting effects, including

various theatrical lighting instruments, overhead projectors, reflected light, projected films, head

lamps and hand-held lights.

From oregonshadowtheatre.com

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AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

Post-Show Discussion Questions

Post-Show Activities

• What was the first thing you noticed when you walked into the theatre? Was it what

you expected? If not, how was it different?

• Draw or write about what you remember about the set. Did the set look the way that

you thought it would?

• What did you think of the costumes? Do you think that they fit the story? What things

do you think the costume designer had to consider before creating the costumes?

• Was there music in the play? If so, how did it add to the performance? What did you

think of it?

• What did you think of the actors? Do you think that they were able to bring the

characters to life? Did you feel caught up in the story? Did anything surprise you?

• Why do you think some characters were puppets? Would you do things another way?

How would you stage this play?

Hold a class discussion when you return from the show. Ask students

the following questions and allow them the opportunity to write or draw

pictures of their experience.

• Draw a picture of the audience from the stage. How might things look from where

the actors are standing?

• Write a letter to the cast, telling them what you thought of the performance.

• Which job would you like to try? Actor, director, lighting or sound crew, costume

designer, or another role? What skills might you need to complete your job?

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CURRICULUM CONNECTION

Language Arts Activities

Write About It!

♦ Imagine that you live in the Everglades. Write a story about your

adventures.

♦ If you visited a wetland, what animals would you find? Take a walk through

your imagination and write a story of your journey.

♦ What if you were out hiking and saw a Florida panther? Write a story using

your five senses to describe what it would be like to be out in nature and see

this big cat.

♦ Frogs like to leap and hop. Have you ever seen a frog? What did it look

like? Write a funny poem about a frog.

♦ Imagine a world without either the whooping crane, the Florida panther, or

the sea turtle. Write about how their absence affects the eco system.

The activities below are all creative writing exercises. Some of these

activities may also require a bit of student research.

Word Search Have students complete the Sea Turtles and Lights Word Find on page 26.

Answers are located on page 27.

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Science Activities

Adaptations: Physical & Behavioral From arbordellpublishing.com

Adaptations help animals live in their habitat: to get food and water, to protect

themselves from predators, to survive weather and even to help them make their

homes.

Physical Adaptations:

◊ Body Parts

- teeth—depends on the type of food it eats

- feet, flippers, fins—ability to move

- placement of eyes

- how does it get oxygen? - gills, lungs, osmosis

◊ Body Covering & Insulation

- hair

- feathers

- fur

- scales

- blubber

◊ Camouflage

- color of skin or pattern to blend into the background

- mimicry: pretending to be something else to fool predators

Behaviors:

◊ Instinct: behaviors or traits that the animal is born with

◊ Learned behavior: traits that animals learn to improve their chances of survival or to make

their life easier

◊ Social groups versus solitary living

◊ Communication with other animals

◊ Defense/camouflage

◊ Reactions to cycles (day/night, seasons, tides, etc.)

◊ Migration: the seasonal movement of animals from one location to another

◊ Hibernation: a long, deep sleep in which the animal’s breathing and heartbeat are slower

than usual.

Research Time!

Ask students to research (individually or as a group) one of the following three

animals talked about in the show and answer the adaptation questions for each

animal.

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The Whooping Crane

Have you ever seen one of these animals in real life? _________yes __________no

If so, where did you see it? ____________________________________________________

What are the babies called? ___________________________________________________

How are the animals born? ________hatched from eggs ________born alive

How many brothers and sisters might be born at the same time? _________________________

How big is the baby (length, height, weight, etc.) when born? ____________________________

Who raises the young: _____both parents _____mother only ______father only

_____neither parent—the baby survives on pure instinct

What does the baby eat and for how long? __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

How long will the babies stay with the parent (if parents are involved)? ____________________

When is the “baby” considered an adult? ____________________________________________

How will it find a mate and have babies? ____________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Who prepares the nest/den/burrow and how (if applicable)? _____________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Some animals are only born at specific times of the year (to coincide with food availability.) This

baby is born: ______anytime of the year or _______usually in the month of ___________or

the season of____________________________

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In what type of habitat and ecosystem does this animal live? ______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does it move and what parts of its body does it use to move? __________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What are some of the behaviors that were discussed in the play? ___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does it see? ________________________________________________________________

How does it hear? _______________________________________________________________

How does it eat? ________________________________________________________________

How does it get its food? __________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does it protect itself from predators? _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Where does the animal live and does it make a house (burrow/nest/etc.)? ___________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Does it live alone or with a group? ___________________________________________________

How does it communicate with others of its kind? _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How and when does it sleep? ______________________________________________________

Is food easily available all year? ____________________________________________________

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The Florida Panther










_____________________________________________________________________________




_____________________________________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________________________________



the season of____________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does it see? ________________________________________________________________

How does it hear? _______________________________________________________________

How does it eat? ________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________



_______________________________________________________________________________



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The Sea Turtle










_____________________________________________________________________________




_____________________________________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________________________________



the season of____________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does it see? ________________________________________________________________

How does it hear? _______________________________________________________________

How does it eat? ________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________



_______________________________________________________________________________



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From nfw.org

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From nfw.org

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Additional Activities

Coloring Time!

Have your students color either a Florida panther, whooping crane or

sea turtle and then hang their work around your classroom. Coloring

sheets are on pages 23-25.

Activities that Make a Difference

These activities are meant to be done as a class.

⇒ Adopt an Animal - Let your class pick an animal to adopt through National Wildlife Federation's Adoption Center. Receive a poster and certificate of adoption and spend time learning about the animal with your students.—www.shopnwf.org/Adoption-Center/index.cat

⇒ Organize a Beach Cleanup Day! - As a class, travel to a local beach to pick up trash to make it a welcoming place for sea turtles. Here is a website on how to do it safely—www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/international-coastal-cleanup/.

⇒ Make New Laws! - As a class, come up with new “laws” that would help protect whooping cranes, sea turtles, and panthers. Discuss the laws as a class, including the pros and cons of each proposed piece of legislation. Finally, vote on which ones to pass.

⇒ Educate your School! - Educate the students at your school about what they can do to help whooping cranes, panthers, sea turtles or other endangered animals in Florida. Make posters to hang on the school’s walls that illustrate the problem and what students can do to help.

⇒ Donate Money to an Animal Protection Charity—Organize and have a fundraiser at your school for either the sea turtle, whooping crane, the Florida panther or another endangered animal that calls Florida home. Send the money raised to a charity that works to protect these endangered animals. (A list of select organizations can be found on page 22.)

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Resources for More Information

Books

365 Ways to Live Green for Kids: Saving the Environment at Home, School, or at Play--

Every Day! by Sheri Amsel

Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by

Steve Jenkins

Can We Save Them? by David Dobson

Deep in the Swamp by Donna M Bateman

Everglades by Jean Craighead George (author) & Wendell Minor (illustrator)

National Geographic Kids Mission: Sea Turtle Rescue: All About Sea Turtles and How

to Save Them by Karen Romano Young

Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons

Organizations

Defender’s of Wildlife—www.defenders.org

National Wildlife Federation—www.nfw.org

The Nature Conservancy—www.nature.org

Operation Migration—www.operationmigration.org

PantherNet—www.floridapanthernet.org

Seaturtle.org— www.seaturtle.org

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CPALM Standards Connected to this Guide

Standards Connected to Performance:

TH.K.C.2.1—Respond to a performance and share personal preferences about parts of the

performance.

TH.1.C.2.2—Iden�fy elements of an effec�ve performance.

TH.2.O.2.1—Re-tell what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of a story a@er viewing a play.

TH.3.S.1.1—Demonstrate effec�ve audience e�queBe and construc�ve cri�cism for a live

performance.

TH.4.S.1.3—Use theatre terms to evaluate a live performance and discuss the quali�es that directly

impacted the audience's response to the produc�on.

TH.5.O.1.3—Evaluate how an actor’s or designer’s choices about a character affect the audience’s

understanding of a play.

Standards Connected to Theatre E�que6e:

TH.K.S.1.1—Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior at a live performance.

TH.1.S.1.1—Exhibit appropriate audience e�queBe and response.

TH.2.S.1.1—Exhibit the behavior necessary to establish audience e�queBe, response, and

construc�ve cri�cism.

TH.3.S.1.1—Demonstrate effec�ve audience e�queBe and construc�ve cri�cism for a live

performance.

TH.4.S.1.1—Exhibit proper audience e�queBe, give construc�ve cri�cism, and defend personal

responses.

TH.5.S.1.1—Describe the difference in responsibili�es between being an audience member at live or

recorded performances.

Standards Connected to English Language Arts:

LAFS.K12.W.3.7—Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused

ques�ons, demonstra�ng understanding of the subject under inves�ga�on.

LAFS.K12.W.3.9—Draw evidence from literary or informa�onal texts to support analysis, reflec�on,

and research.

LAFS.K.SL.2.4—Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with promp�ng and support,

provide addi�onal detail.

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LAFS.1.W.1.3—Write narra�ves in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events,

include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and

provide some sense of closure.

LAFS.2.L.3.5—Demonstrate understanding of word rela�onships and nuances in word meanings.

LAFS.3.W.3.7—Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

LAFS.3.RL.2.5—Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when wri�ng or speaking about a text,

using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier

sec�ons.

LAFS.4.SL.2.4—Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized

manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descrip�ve details to support main ideas or themes;

speak clearly at an understandable pace.

LAFS.5.SL.2.4—Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using

appropriate main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Standards Connected to Science:

SC.K.L.14.3—Observe plants and animals, describe how they are alike and how they are different in

the way they look and in the things they do.

SC.1.L.16.1—Make observa�ons that plants and animals closely resemble their parents, but varia�ons

exist among individuals within a popula�on.

SC.2.L.17.2—Recognize and explain that living things are found all over Earth, but each is only able to

live in habitats that meet its basic needs.

SC.3.L.15.1—Classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, rep�les, amphibians, fish,

arthropods, vertebrates and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs)

according to their physical characteris�cs and behaviors.

SC.4.L.16.3—Recognize that animal behaviors may be shaped by heredity and learning.

SC.5.L.15.1—Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow

some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new loca�ons.

Standards Connected to Ac�vi�es That Make a Difference:

SS.912.FL.2.6—Explain that people may choose to donate money to charitable organiza�ons and

other not-for-profits because they gain sa�sfac�on from dona�ng.

SSP.PK12.US.9.2a—Select and engage in volunteer ac�vi�es in school or community, such as

recycling, liBer patrol, or collec�ng money for a charity.

SP.PK12.US.9.2b—Choose and engage in volunteer ac�vi�es, such as coastal cleanup, visi�ng elderly

persons, or sor�ng recyclable products.

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SS.1.C.1.1—Explain the purpose of rules and laws in the school and community.

SS.2.C.2.4—Iden�fy ways ci�zens can make a posi�ve contribu�on in their community.

SS.3.C.2.1—Iden�fy group and individual ac�ons of ci�zens that demonstrate civility, coopera�on,

volunteerism, and other civic virtues.

SS.4.C.2.2—Iden�fy ways ci�zens work together to influence government and help solve community

and state problems.

VA.5.F.3.1—Create artwork to promote public awareness of community and/or global concerns.

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