AC T I V I T Y GUIDE

ALLIANCE THE ATRE / / BE AUTIFUL BL ACKBIRD LIVE HOME ACTIVIT Y GUIDE 2

Recommended Book List:• What a Wonderful World by Ashley Bryan

• The Dancing Granny by Ashley Bryan

• Let It Shine by Ashley Bryan

• Beat the Story-drum, Pum-pum by Ashley Bryan

• This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt

• Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe

Read the book that inspired the play:

ALLIANCE THE ATRE / / BE AUTIFUL BL ACKBIRD LIVE HOME ACTIVIT Y GUIDE 3

Make your own Djembe (jem-bei) DrumWhat you’ll need:• 2 paper cups

• Tape

• 2 balloons

• Markers, crayons, stickers

• Scissors for grown-ups (or safety scissors for little birds)

Tape two cups together, bottom to bottom so you make the shape of an hourglass.

Instructions:

Cut the open end of the balloon off to make a wider mouth, and fit the mouth over the open cups.

Draw designs around the top, middle and bottom of the drums. Add stickers and any other flair to make the drums your own!

Can you play along with Blackbird in “Fly”?

ALLIANCE THE ATRE / / BE AUTIFUL BL ACKBIRD LIVE HOME ACTIVIT Y GUIDE 4

Beak to Beak MasksWhat You’ll Need:• 1 paper plate

• Feathers or colored paper cut into feather shapes

• 1 piece of colored paper for the beak

• Glue

• Scissors for grown-ups (or safety scissors for little birds)

• Ribbon or twine

Cut the paper plate in half, with a little curve in the center for your nose.

Instructions:

Cut small eye holes.

Poke 1 hole on each side of the plate, and string your ribbon or twine through to attach. Measure the string around your head to make a snug fit.

ALLIANCE THE ATRE / / BE AUTIFUL BL ACKBIRD LIVE HOME ACTIVIT Y GUIDE 5

Cut a triangle out of paper, fold in half, and glue the edges to the nose of your mask.

Add feathers around the face, or cut paper feathers and fringe the sides for texture.

Learn the Beak and Wing Dance here.

ALLIANCE THE ATRE / / BE AUTIFUL BL ACKBIRD LIVE HOME ACTIVIT Y GUIDE 6

Sing Songs as AnimalsPick a familiar song, such as ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ and choose different ways to sing it. Explore how a bird might sing, Is it high? Fast? With a tweet? Let’s sing our song as a bird! How does your voice change when you sing like a bear? Or a lion? Or a teeny tiny mouse?

10,000 Ways to Cross a RoomThe Blackbird Band sings about flying, but there are more than 10,000 ways to move and groove. Families choose different situations in which they will have to move through, either to the other side of the room, or until someone says freeze. How does the environment change your movement?

• It’s Hot/Cold

• Sticky Mud on Floor

• Lots of flies

• Scary Cave

• Swinging from Vines

• Marshmallow Goo

• Swimming Pool

• Attacked by flying arrows

• Lava on floor