“let our stage be your classroom.” - arvada · pdf file“let our stage be...
TRANSCRIPT
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6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
Arvada Co 80003
School Programs-- 720-898-7240
Based on the book by
E.B. White
Adapted by
Joseph Robinette
February 12 – April 10, 2015
This study guide is also available online at
arvadacenter.org/education/study-guides
“Let our stage be your classroom.”
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This study guide was developed for
the Education Division of the
Arvada Center for the
Arts and Humanities
by Cyndi Branson and Becky Nelsen
with excerpts from the 2003 study
guide by Cayle Townsend.
Additional support provided by:
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Arvada Center Hospitality Volunteers
Virginia W. Hill Foundation
Kinder Morgan Foundation
Target
Wells Fargo Foundation
Schlessman Family Foundation
Linda and Terry Stevinson
Greetings and Salutations - Welcome to Charlotte’s Web A play for young audiences based on the book by E.B. White
This study guide provides ideas for turning a day at the theater into an interactive
educational experience. It includes information about the plot, appropriate
audience behavior, important words to know about theater and reproducible
activity pages for helping students better understand the story. Ideas presented
in this study guide provide excellent strategies for extending and developing
vocabulary and comprehension in all content areas. We hope you find the activities
transferable across your curriculum. In addition, the guide provides information
and classroom connections. This guide will help prepare students for the
performance and then facilitate reflection afterward.
Children’s Theater and the Arts Day program are sponsored in part by:
TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome 2 Audience 101 3 About the Book & Author 4-5 Links to Charlotte’s Web Activities
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Vocabulary 7-9 Discussion Questions 10-11 Classroom Adventures 11-12 Definition of Terms 13 Reproducible Activities 14-18
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Audience 101
As members of the audience, you play an important part in the success of a theatrical
performance. Please help your students understand that the rules of attending a live
theater performance are different from watching television at home or a movie in the
cinema. As it is a live performance, it cannot be stopped and restarted. Audience members
should laugh, cheer, clap and enjoy the performance, but there are a few rules that need to
be followed. Please review the following theater etiquette with your students prior to your
visit:
• Food, drinks, candy and gum chewing are not permitted in the theater
• Do not talk, whisper, sing or hum during the performance unless
encouraged by the actors on stage
• Keep feet on the floor, not on the seats
• Performers appreciate enthusiastic applause, but not whistling or shouting
• No photography or videotape recording of any kind
• Please turn off all cell phones
Theater Words to Know Backstage - the part of a theater that is not seen by the audience, including the dressing rooms, wings, and
the green room
Blocking - the instructions that actors use to know exactly where they are supposed to be on stage at all
times
Box Office - the place that sells tickets to a performance
Cast - the people who perform in a play
Choreographer - the person who creates dances and arranges movements for a musical
Control Booth - the place in a theater from which all the sound and lights are controlled
Crew - all the people who work together on a production except the cast
Cue - signals that are given to the actors, the crew, the musicians and any others working on a production
Director - the person who provides the vision of how a play should be presented, who works with the actors
on their roles, develops the blocking, and is in charge of the rehearsals
Green Room - a place for the performers to relax while waiting to go on stage (it is not always painted
green! )
Marking Out or Spike Mark - when the stage is marked with tape to show where furniture and props should
be placed during the performance
Props - all the items used in a play to tell the story not including the scenery or costumes, the short forms
of "Properties"
Rehearsal - the period of practice before the opening of a production in which the actors and director work
on the development of the play
Sound Effects - the noises that are produced to accompany a scene in a play, usually produced by a
machine but can be produced by actors or cast members off stage
Being part of the audience is a very important job. Enjoy the
performance!
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About the Book Author: E. B. White
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Copyright: 1952; renewed 1980
Publisher: HarperCollins
Received the Newbery Honor Award in 1953
Other books by E. B. White: Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan
Play is based on Charlotte’s Web: A One Act Play
Plot Summary of the Book
Charlotte’s Web is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death. Wilbur,
the pig, is born the runt of his litter on the Arable’s farm. Fern Arable, the
youngest daughter of the family, saves little Wilbur and makes him her pet,
which was very unusual on a farm over sixty years ago. Fern loves Wilbur and
takes very good care of him. Wilbur is an affectionate, sometimes bashful
pig who is playful and happy until he learns about what happens to grown pigs
on a farm. All of Fern’s love cannot save Wilbur from a sure death when it
becomes time for Wilbur to be sold and made into meat. Then, in comes
Charlotte! Charlotte is a very smart, talented spider that becomes Wilbur’s
barnyard friend and helps him from being killed. Some Pig. Humble. Radiant.
These are words that Charlotte spins into her beautiful webs. Charlotte’s
spider webs tell of her feelings for Wilbur, and Wilbur is grateful for
Charlotte’s friendship, bravery, and hard work. Determined to save her
friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads Some Pig, convincing the farmer and
surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be
saved. Since its publication in 1952, Charlotte's Web has endured as one of
America's best-loved children's books. For over sixty years, this timeless
story of the pig named Wilbur and the wise spider named Charlotte has
continued to warm the hearts of readers of all ages all over the world.
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About the Author
E. B. White (1899-1985) was born in Mount Vernon, New York. During his
lengthy writing career, he wrote for magazines, was a sports writer, and he wrote
children’s books. He was also a reporter and an editor. In the late 1930s, Mr.
White started writing children’s fiction for of his niece, Janice Hart White. Mr.
White is best known for his children’s books.
In 1970, Mr. White received the Laura Ingalls Wilder medal from the U.S.
Professional Children’s Librarians. They recognized his “substantial and lasting
contributions to children’s literature.” He also won the international Hans Christian
Andersen Award. In 1978, he won a special Pulitzer Prize for his letters, essays,
and his other extensive work.
In 2012, the School Library Journal sponsored a survey of readers that identified
Charlotte’s Web as the top fictional title for readers 9-12 years old. The librarian
who conducted the survey said, “it is impossible to conduct a poll of this sort and
expect [Charlotte’s Web] to be anywhere but #1.” Mr. White wrote true classics –
his children’s books have endured in popularity since 1945 when he wrote his first
children’s book, Stuart Little. Mr. White was 86 when he died in 1985.
Other Children’s Books by E.B. White
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Classroom Activities and Reproducibles
There are many pins on Pinterest for activities related to the book
Charlotte’s Web.
Below are some additional links you may find useful:
Activities and lesson plans
https://www.teachervision.com/childrens-book/activity/1732.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/charlottes-web-
teachers-guide
http://www.bu.edu/ccsr/files/2011/08/Charlottes-Web-lesson-
plan.pdf
Lesson plans based on the book and movie
http://www.walden.com/wp-
content/uploads/2006/12/CW_EdGuide.pdf
Interactive games
http://www.scholastic.com/charlottesweb/
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Play Vocabulary and Phrases
Use realia, photos, videos, internet resources, and/or examples to help students
gain understanding of these terms.
Ax - a very sharp cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged steel head fixed to a handle
that is used for chopping and splitting wood
Conspiracy – a secret plan made by two or more people to do something harmful or against
the law
County Fair – an event usually held every year at the same location in the countryside,
especially for the competitive showing of livestock (animals) and farm products
Egg Sac – a silken pouch made by a spider where they put their spider eggs
Gosling – baby goose
Hired hand – someone hired or employed to work on a farm
Humble – not proud; not thinking of yourself as better than other people
Injustice – a wrong doing; unfair treatment
Radiant - glowing
Slop – waste food used to feed pigs on a farm
Runt – the smallest baby animal of a litter
Miraculous – a very amazing event, thing, or achievement
Salutations – greetings; different ways to say hello
Schemer – someone who creates a clever, sometimes dishonest plan to get what they want
Spinnerets – the part of the spider used to spin webs
Discuss life on a farm. Who has been to a farm? What animals usually live on a
farm? Engage in some Internet research and look at pictures of farms and farm
animals.
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Frayer Model
Use any of the vocabulary words in a Frayer Model as depicted below:
Have groups of students complete a Frayer Model (template included in
the Reproducibles Section), for different vocabulary words and let
students teach each other about their word.
Definition (in own words)
Description
Examples Non-examples
runt
Small and weak animal
Wilbur – “Charlotte’s Web” Fiver – “Watership Down” Wolverine – “X-Men”
Usually used to talk about piglets or puppies, the smallest or weakest of the litter
Arnold Schwarzenegger
T-Rex
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Vocabulary Sentence Frame
After reading the book, insert a vocabulary word into the first
blank in this sentence frame and have students work together to
complete the frame and draw a picture as modeled below.
An injustice is an unfairness that
(is/has/does) happening to a person or animal.
(Template included in Reproducibles Section)
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Discussion Questions to Get at the Heart of the Story
Ask comprehension questions before, during, and after reading the
story aloud. Encourage children to ask their own questions during
classroom discussions or while sharing with a partner.
Retelling – Literal
1. Who are the main characters of the story?
2. Is Charlotte a real spider? Does Charlotte act like a real spider?
3. Where do Wilbur, Charlotte, and the other animals live?
4. Who are some of the other characters in the story?
Predictive
1. Have a class discussion about the title and cover illustration. Ask
questions that will lead students to predict what will happen in the
story and what the theme or author’s message is in the story.
2. Stop at various places in the book. Ask: ‘What do you think will happen
next?”
3. How will Wilbur’s problem get solved?
Main Idea
1. What does the author want you to learn from reading this story?
2. Why do you think the author wrote this story?
3. What does the author seem to want his readers to really think about?
4. Many people in the story believe Wilbur should die like the other pigs
on the farm. How does Charlotte change people’s minds about Wilbur’s
future?
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Discussion Questions (continued)
Inferential
1. Do the animals in this story behave the way animals really behave?
2. Why do you think the author portrayed the characters in this way?
3. What do you think will happen to Charlotte’s babies?
4. Who do you know that would like this book?
Pre-Performance and Post-Performance Classroom Adventures
Have students look up information about spiders and insects. Have students
complete a Venn Diagram or a Double Bubble Map* (included in the
Reproducibles section) to compare and contrast the two creatures. This
activity can be used to then prompt a discussion about whether they are
more alike or more different.
After reading the book and attending the play, have students complete a
Venn Diagram or a Double Bubble Map* (included in the Reproducibles
section) to compare and contrast the book and the play. After students have
completed their comparison, have them decide if they are more similar or
more different.
Spiders are arachnids. Have your students research the distinguishing
characteristics of arachnids. Pigs are mammals. Have your students research
the distinguishing characteristics of mammals. (Science)
Have students compare the similarities and differences between arachnids
and mammals. A Venn Diagram or a Double Bubble Map* can be used for this
activity also.
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Pre and Post-Performance Classroom Adventures (continued)
A major theme in this story is friendship. As a class, brainstorm important
attributes of a good friend. What makes a good friend? Make a list and use
for the following activities:
Write a newspaper ad seeking a good friend.
Make a wanted poster
Write a Friendship Cinquain* about a good friend
Write a commercial advertising for a good friend.
Charlotte uses her special talents to save her friend, Wilbur. She makes a
plan, organizes the animals, and spins words in her web. What special talent
do you have that you could use to help a friend?
Write a short story in which you use your special talent to help a
friend.
Act out your story
When E.B. White wrote the book Charlotte’s Web, he studied the behavior
of spiders for over a year. Among the things he observed was how the
spiders make webs. Study a spider or a video of a spider spinning a web.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5iN0ZaoW7M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y9K1H6Yn6o
After this research, draw your own spider web using black paper and
chalk. Include a word in your spider web that describes an attribute of a
spider.
Use this site to create crossword puzzles for your students using vocabulary
from Charlotte’s Web.
http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/
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Definition of Instructional Terms
*Double Bubble Map – you can use the template provided in the Reproducibles
Section but it’s actually better if students draw the map themselves so they can
add as many bubbles as they need instead of just filling in the ones that are
provided.
*Friendship Cinquain
Line 1: Person’s name
Line 2: 2 adjectives describing that person
Line 3: 3 action words describing that person
Line 4: 4 words about friendship
Line 5: Nickname or noun