Education takes center stage

Monday, March 18, 201310:00 am - 11:00 am12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Rainbow Fish what’s insidE:

sandler center for the Performing arts the rainbow Fish +How Many People Does It take? How Do We Behave at a Performance? Meet the author: Marcus Pfister some Fun Fish Facts the Magic Mirror Write a Letter to artsPower Oceans Project

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about thEsandler center for the Performing arts

at the heart of every great city are its arts institutions – the centers of culture where residents and visitors can share great works of music, dance and theatre from the classics to the cutting edge. now in its sixth season, the sandler center for the Performing arts at town center provides these arts experiences to the students of Virginia Beach and beyond.

expansive yet intimate, with not a bad seat in the house, the sandler center is the perfect setting for every kind of performance, from classical recitals and symphony concerts to modern dance and ballet, theatre and more. and while audiences of every kind are welcome, the sandler center offers a special invitation to the region’s young people. With the ultimate goal of “every child, every grade, every year,” the sandler center, in partnership with the Virginia arts Festival’s Worldclass® education Department, presents specially priced student matinees and public performances making world-class artists accessible to school children in Hampton roads. and the excitement reaches beyond the stage as well, as the sandler center brings these renowned artists into area schools for performances free uk football betting tips and master classes. For teachers, the opportunities are immeasurable, offering exciting new ways to inspire and enhance their classroom teaching as they weave the arts into their lessons on history, language arts, math and science.

thank you for joining us this season as we spark your students’ imaginations with the joy and power of the performing arts.

With his lovely coloring and shimmering scales, the rainbow Fish is used to being the most beautiful creature in the ocean. so when the other fish ask him for some silver scales, he refuses. How can he sacrifice the one thing that makes him so unique?

Will some good advice from the wise old Octopus persuade the rainbow Fish to share his gifts with those around him?

artsPower has turned Marcus Pfister’s bestselling book into a delightful and touching musical about the value of sharing true friendship with others.

thE Rainbow Fish

a long way out in the deep blue sea there lived a fish….

not just an ordinary fish, but the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean….

the other fish were amazed at his beauty. they called him rainbow Fish…

Some questions to talk about before you read, The Rainbow Fish:How many of you have ever owned something you didn’t want to share?

If you were made to, did it make you happier or sadder?

Would you rather do the right thing or do the thing you want to do?

Would you rather have something really special all to yourself or have friends? Is being unique more important than being liked?

Questions during reading: When rainbow Fish refuses give the blue fish one of his scales…

Was rainbow Fish wrong?

Was the blue fish acting out of line for asking for something so dear to rainbow Fish’s heart? Was he asking too much of rainbow Fish?

What’s the point of being beautiful if you have no friends to admire them?

When the Octopus tells rainbow Fish to give away his scales…

Is the octopus right in saying having friends is more important than being beautiful?

When the octopus says, “… You will discover how to be happy,” is she saying that what rainbow Fish thought of as happy before wasn’t actually true happiness? after the blue fish receives a scale… Is it selfish of the other fish to demand rainbow Fish of all his scales?

the book says that rainbow Fish grew more and more delighted as he gave away his scales. Is this true in all cases? If not, give examples. Questions after reading: Was rainbow Fish’s decision to share worth it?

rainbow Fish was happy with his scales, and he was happy with his new friends. are there different kinds of happiness?

are they true friends if one of the main reasons they like rainbow Fish is because he gave them something pretty?

If rainbow Fish refused to give the blue fish the scale politely, would this have changed the other fish’s perception of him?

Do you share with your friends? Do you share everything with them?

thE Rainbow FishLet’s talk about It

how ManY PEoPLE doEs it taKE to Put on a show?some theatre vocabulary!

It takes a lot of people to put together a theatrical performance. First, a playwright writes the story of what will happen, telling the performers what they are to say and how they should move around the stage. then, a director chooses which actors will play which parts. the chosen actors make up the cast.

If the show has music it’s called a musical, and requires a whole extra group of people: a composer, who writes the music, and a conductor to lead the group of musicians called an orchestra.

the cast practices the show over and over again until they know all the words they’re supposed to say, and how they are to move around on stage. this practice is called the rehearsal, and it’s very important. It takes a long time to memorize all the instructions.

there are other very important jobs in the theatre. the set, or the things you see on stage that tell you where the characters are pretending to be, is designed and made by a crew, or team of people. there are people who work the lights, and the microphones for sound, and people who open and close the curtains.

a costume designer decides what the actors will wear and a makeup artist puts on their makeup. there are ticket takers, and ushers who show you to your seat, and a clean-up crew who come in later to get the theatre ready for the next show. When you come to the theatre, you only see a few of the many people it took to put on the show!

Let's talk about it...Which of these jobs do you think you would like best? Why?

What kind of special skills do you think it takes to be an actor? a director?

Look around your classroom. this is your setting. In a play, we know what the setting is by the things we see on stage. What are some of the things in your classroom that let you know it’s in a school? What things would you include on your set if you wanted the audience to know the setting is a jungle? How about a doctor’s office?

How many people does it take to make a school? What are some of the jobs people do at your school?

One day, a little blue fish followed after him. “rainbow Fish,” he called, “wait for me! Please give me one of your shiny scales. they are so wonderful and you have so many.”

For some of you, this will be your very first time at a theatrical performance, and you’re probably very excited! It’s important for you to know what to expect and how to behave to have the best time possible.

Be sure and take your seat quickly and quietly. In front of you will be the stage, with the curtains pulled closed to hide the set. as soon as the music starts and the curtain opens, it’s your job to sit silently and watch. the performers have worked long and hard to get everything just right for you, and you can show your appreciation by paying close attention to every detail.

Listen carefully to the things the performers say. It’s ok to laugh if they’re funny, but no calling out, this is their turn to perform, not yours. Listen to the music, admire the costumes and the set, and notice how the lights brighten the stage. You can talk to your friends about the show when it’s over – you don’t want to miss anything!

Watching a play is not the same as watching a movie or a television show. In the audience, you can see the performance as it is happening; it is live and not on tape. For this reason, actors use special ways of telling the story onstage. this production is called a musical. that means the actors use music and songs instead of simply talking. they can sing to each other or to the audience. Often, music helps to show how a character is feeling. Why might music be a good way to show feelings? How might it be better than talking?

When one person acts out more than one part, this is called doubling. artsPower uses only four actors to play eleven parts. For example, the green Fish and the shark are played by the same actor. Why didn’t artsPower just use eleven actors? Why might doubling be a better way?

the rainbow Fish and her friends live under the sea, but this play does not actually bring you underwater! Instead, props are used. Props are objects used by the actors as they perform. You, in the audience, have an important job: you must use your imagination to help turn props into the real thing. What if you had to pretend the stage were really underwater? What props might you use? During the performance, see if artsPower used any of your ideas!

this play is called an adaptation. that means it came from a different source and was changed. Marcus Pfister’s book The Rainbow Fish is the source for artsPower’s play. read the book! after you read the rainbow Fish, you can watch to see how the play is different. Why do you think some parts were changed?

When the curtains close, it’s time to applaud and show the whole theatre company how much you enjoyed the show!

how do wE bEhaVE at a PERFoRMancE?

Marcus Pfister was born in switzerland. When he was in his twenties, he spent six months traveling across the United states, canada and Mexico. soon he came up with his first idea for a picture book which became The Sleepy Owl. It was published in 1986.

In 1992 he wrote and illustrated The Rainbow Fish, which has been enjoyed by children around the world ever since. He is currently the author of more than 50 books which have been translated into more than 50 languages. there is always a surprise for his readers with new and exciting illustrations.

Marcus Pfister has four children and lives with his family in Bern, switzerland. His book signing tours have taken him to korea, Japan, the United states and many european countries. His hobbies are photographing wildlife in the rainforest and playing basketball.

MEEt thE authoR: MaRcus PFistER

other books by Marcus Pfister:Milo and the Magical StonesSun and MoonThe Magic BookDazzle the DinosaurJust the Way You AreAll About Theatre

“i have the best job in the world! My job is it to bring a little bit of joy to children and their parents. what could be better? Even after 20 years i enjoy every morning!” —Marcus Pfister

“the story only wants to show us the joy of sharing. we all enjoy making presents for holidays and birthdays and the warm feeling it gives us when we do so. i want to show children the positive aspect of sharing. to share does not only mean to give away something (which is quite hard for a child) but above all to make someone else happy – and themselves happy by doing it. “

—Marcus Pfister

Fish are covered in hard plates called scales. these scales protect the fish.

How can fish breathe underwater? they use small slits called gills. through the gills, fish can breathe water as easily as you breathe air!

Did you know that fish were around before the dinosaurs? they come in many different shapes and sizes. a whale shark, for example, can grow to more than fifty feet long!

soME Fun Fish Facts!

the rainbow Fish shared his scales left and right. and the more he gave away, the more delighted he became.

When the characters in The Rainbow Fish look into a magic mirror, we can see them as they really look. Imagine your own magic mirror. When you look into it, what do you see? What do you like most about yourself, and what would you like others to see when they look at you?Draw yourself in the imaginary mirror below.

thE MaGic MiRRoR

Teachers: Please photocopy this page and distribute it to your students.

artsPOWer would love to hear from you. Please let them know what you thought of the play!

send your letters to:artsPower271 grove avenue, Bldg. aVerona, nJ 07044

Or e-mail us at info@artspower.org.

teacher’s name:Your school:city, state:Date:

Dear artsPower,

My name is . I am years old. My favorite

character in the rainbow Fish was . My favorite part

was when

.

Here’s what else I have to say about the show:

.

sincerely,Your name:

wRitE a LEttER to aRtsPowER

Did you know that almost three quarters of the earth is covered in salt water? the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic, and Arctic Oceans make up this world-covering ocean. each of these oceans is home to millions of unique and wondrous plants and animals, some of which humans have never seen!

choose one of the 5 oceans from the list above and do some research.

1st Graders: First, make sure you can locate your ocean on the globe. then, collect 5 facts about your ocean to share with the class. Use dictionaries, encyclopedias, and online sources like national geographic’s http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com.

2nd Graders: create a scene from your ocean inside a shoe-box or other medium-sized box.

Include at least 3 examples of animal life. You can print out pictures from the internet, or use plastic toys, or draw your own! What plant life exists in your ocean? Be sure and include that, too.

Decorate the inside of the box to look like it’s underwater. Draw the water, the ocean floor, rocks, coral, seaweed, fish – whatever you might find in your ocean!

thE ocEans PRoJEcta project for 1st and 2nd graders

a review is a written opinion. We read book and movie reviews in the newspaper to decide whether or not to go see a movie or buy a book. television shows are reviewed, and so are exhibitions in museums. restaurant owners hope for good reviews of their food so people will come and eat there.

the reviewer’s job is to tell the reader what he or she thought about something. It isn’t enough to say, “It was good,” or “I was bored.” a good review shares details about its subject, and makes clear why the reviewer came to his conclusion.

Make some notes as soon as you return to school from the show. these notes will help you remember important details. think about all the different aspects of the performance.

What did you think of the set? What did you think of the black light effect? Were the colors exciting? Did you enjoy the story? What were your favorite parts? How about the music, did it keep your interest?

Would you recommend the show to a friend? Would you want to see it again?

review your notes and compose your review. remember to support your opinions with details about the show.

wRitE a REViEw a project for 2nd and 3rd graders

Finally, the rainbow Fish had only one shining scale left. His most prized possessions had been given away, yet he was very happy.

FEEdbacK FoRM

We need your feedback to make our education Programs even better! Please take a moment to complete this form and either return it to the sandler center education Department at | 440 Bank street norfolk, Va 23510, fax it to (757) 282-2787 or e-mail your answers to education@sandlercenter.org. 1. complete form

2. attach or include student work (optional)

3. return both to sandler center education Department by mail, fax, or e-mail.

education event:

(please check) Matinee In-school Performance/Master class

How did your students respond to the performance?

How did you prepare your students for this performance? Did you use the education guide?

Which activities did you use? Were they helpful? Did students enjoy the materials?

How did this performance contribute to experiential learning in your classroom?

What role do the arts play in your school community? In your classroom?

If you could change one thing about your experience, what would it be?

Please include student work with this form, including letters, artwork, activity responses, and

anything inspired by the performance.

(Optional)name:

school:

city:

Would you like to be part of our database? Yes no

www.sandlercenter.org

sandler center for the Performing artseducation Department440 Bank streetnorfolk, Va 23510

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student education guides team

Christine FousteDUcatIOn DIrectOr

Lisa HartzresearcH anD WrItIng

Lisa DagleyPage DesIgn anD LaYOUt

Photocopying and duplicating for educational purposes only. student education guides. all rights reserved. ©2012

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Education takes center stage