A Teacher s Guide to Missoula Children s Theatre s The Frog Prince, Grades K-12 The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 1
Arts for Youth program The Lancaster Performing Arts Center offers many ways to integrate the arts into your lesson plan through our Arts for Youth program. Our School Shows, Workshops and study guides are aligned with the California Department of Education's Common Core Standards, as well as the Content Standards for Visual and Performing Arts (and more) for K-12 education. We emphasize Education through the Arts by utilizing music, theatre and dance as a tool for students to learn such core subjects as math, science, history and literature. Students will receive a high quality, curriculum-based learning experience in an enjoyable setting. Introduction Dear Educator, As you make plans for your students to attend an upcoming presentation of the Arts for Youth program at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, we invite you to prepare your students by using this guide to assure that from beginning to end; the experience is both memorable and educationally enriching. The material in this guide will assist in preparing students before the day of the event and extending the educational value to beyond the walls of the theatre. The activity and/or discussion ideas, and other resource will help to prepare students to better understand and enjoy what they are about to see, and to help them connect what they see on stage to their studies. We also encourage discussion with students on the important aspects of the artistic experience, including audience etiquette. Your students will find that their imagination comes alive as lights shine, curtains open, and applause rings through Lancaster Performing Arts Center. As importantly, this curriculum-based Guide helps to bring the arts alive in your classroom! Thank you for helping to make a difference in the lives of our Antelope Valley youth. Arts for Youth Program Lancaster Performing Arts Center, City of Lancaster What s Inside: Introduction... 2 Overview of the California Content Standards for Public Schools... 3 Theatre Etiquette... 4 Be a Theatre Critic... 5 About Missoula Children s Theatre... 5 Summary... 6 Play Your Part... 7 Suggestions for Discussion......8 Lesson plans... 12 Coloring Pages / References....15 The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 2
Pre-performance Overview of applicable California Content Standards for Public Schools Curriculum connections: Visual and Performing Arts, Music, Theater, and Dance. English-Language Arts Kindergarten: Reading 3.1 Distinguish fantasy from realistic text. 3.3 Identify characters, settings, and important events. Grade 2: Listening and Speaking - Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication 1.5 Organize presentations to maintain a clear focus. 1.7 Recount experiences in a logical sequence. 1.8 Retell stories, including characters, setting, and plot. 1.9 Report on a topic with supportive facts and details. Visual and Performing Arts Theatre (please note that revised California Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) content standards will be available by January 31, 2019) Grade 5: Creative Expression - Development of Theatrical Skills 2.1 Participate in improvisational activities to explore complex ideas and universal themes in literature and life. Grade 5: Connections, Relationships, Applications Connections and Applications 5.1 Use theatrical skills to dramatize events and concepts from other curriculum areas, such as reenacting the signing of the Declaration of Independence in history social science. Grade 5: Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre, Film/Video, and Electronic Media to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers - Careers and Career-Related Skills 5.2 Identify the roles and responsibilities of performing and technical artists in theatre, film, television, and electronic media. I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Thornton Wilder (1897 1975), Pulitzer Prize winning American playwright and novelist The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 3
Theatre Etiquette Thank you for coming to Lancaster Performing Arts Center! We are glad you are visiting. Please Arrive on time: Plan for possible delays in travel and parking. Arrive 30 minutes prior to show time. Students: Leave recording devices of any kind at home or in your backpack at school Video or audio recording and photography, including camera phones, are often prohibited by law and may disrupt the performance. They are not permitted and are considered rude to the others around you. Teachers: Turn off or silence all personal electronics Beeps, clicks, tones and buzzes and light pollution emanated by personal electronics such as watches, Bluetooth devices, cell phones, etc. interrupt the performance and spoil the theatre experience. Observe the instructions of ushers The ushers are volunteers who are present to ensure rules are observed and provide guidance in the case of an emergency evacuation. Please show them kindness and consideration. You will be asked to exit to the right of the theatre at the end of the performance. Be respectful While entering and exiting the theatre: please fold your arms or put your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Talk very quietly. Once seated: Do not talk. Keep your feet on the ground. Put your hands in your lap or fold your arms. Abstain from eating or drinking inside the theatre Crackling wrappers and containers and food messes in the auditorium are unwelcome. Food, candy, gum and drinks should never be brought inside the theatre. Avoid talking, waving and shouting during the performance Laughing and applauding and expressing ooh and ahh sounds are encouraged at appropriate times. Shouting to actors/friends is disrespectful to others. Save personal conversation for after the show. If you must talk, whisper very quietly. Do not exit the auditorium during the performance except in the case of emergency If you must leave, wait for an appropriate break in the performance. Teachers- arrive early enough to escort students to the restroom prior to the start of the show. Do not get onto the stage or place items on the edge of the stage To ensure the safety and security of performers and audiences, this behavior is strictly prohibited unless expressly permitted by a performer or staff member. Dispose of garbage in proper receptacles Help preserve a pleasant environment by depositing all debris in appropriate receptacles. Extend common courtesy and respect to your fellow audience members Civility creates a comfortable and welcoming theatre experience for all. Bring very small children only to age-appropriate performances Small children easily become restless at programs intended for older children and may cause distractions. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 4
Be a Theatre Critic During the performance watch for: Facial expressions and actions Costumes and props Use of the stage Music and sound effects Vivid stories and word pictures About Missoula Children s Theatre The Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT), the nation s largest touring children s theatre, has been touring extensively for nearly 50 years from Montana to Japan, and will visit nearly 1,200 communities this year with up to 44 teams of Tour Actor/Directors. A tour team arrives in each town in their little red truck loaded with a set, lights, costumes, props and make-up, everything it takes to put on a play...except the cast. The team holds an open audition on Monday and casts 50-60 local students to perform in the production. The show is rehearsed throughout the week and a school performance is presented on Friday, and a public performance is presented on Friday night. All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children s stories and fairytales... a twist on the classic stories that you know and love. Also included in the residency are three enrichment workshops at local schools presented by the Tour Actor/Directors. Creativity, social skills, goal achievement, communication skills and self-esteem are all characteristics that are attained through the participation in this unique, educational project. MCT's mission is the development of life skills in children through participation in the performing arts. The Missoula Children's Theatre is based in Missoula, Montana, and runs many local programs. These include musical theatre day camps and performing arts classes for local children, a summer residency Performing Arts Camp for students from around the world and the Missoula Community Theatre which creates an arena for local talent of all ages to participate in large-scale productions and attracts audiences from western Montana. For students interested in a career in the performing arts, MCT has developed Next Step Prep The Academy for Musical Theatre providing high school students an affordable opportunity to train and study with well-known professionals in the field of music, dance and acting to prepare for college. Students Kindergarten through 12 th grade are encouraged to audition the Monday prior to the performance and must be available for a student show Friday morning. Visit lpac.org for details. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 5
Summary Deep in the royal swamp, a lonely Frog retrieves a golden ball for Princess Prim in exchange for friendship and comfort. The spoiled princess doesn't want to live up to her part of the bargain and puts her royal Knights on alert. And so, the trouble begins. Luckily, Frog gets some good advice from Ollie the wise old Aspen tree, the well-read Alligator, and the kindly Swamp Things. The Ducks, a busy Fly and dancing Flamingos also come to Frog's assistance as the Frog's kindly servant tirelessly tries to set things right. Even the Queen, kindly Princess Proper, and spunky Princess Peppy get involved and, despite the trouble caused by the nasty Venus Fly Traps, all ends happily. Our hero becomes a Prince (formerly known as Frog) and he realizes that friendships are made, not bought--and he discovers that it is not what you are but who you are that counts. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 6
Performance Play Your Part You have an important role to play; it wouldn t be a play without you! Your part is to pretend the play is real. Part of this includes accepting certain theatre ways, or conventions: 1. Actors tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking), and songs. 2. Actors may sing songs that tell about the story or their feelings. 3. Actors may speak to the audience. 4. An actor may play several different characters (doubling) by changing their voice, costume or posture. 5. Places are suggested by panels on the set, and by props. How to play your part: A play is different from television or a movie. The actors are right in front of you and can see your reactions, feel your attention, and hear your laughter and applause. Watch and listen carefully to understand the story. The story is told by the actors and comes to life through your imagination. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 7
Post-performance Suggestions for Discussion Grades K-8 Have students read one of the original story versions of The Frog Prince (e.g. below) and put on short skits of the story. They could bring in props and costume pieces from home. Have the students write a rhyming poem about Iron Henry. Create a mural that reflects a fairy tale prince and princess theme. Decorate the classroom walls with thematic creations from each student. Have a dress-up day where students come dressed as a character from the story. Read and talk about fairy tales from cultures around the world. Contrast and compare Brother Grimm story of The Frog Prince with the Missoula Children s Theatre adaptation. Write a new ending or twist to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Grades 5-8 After reading the original story below, discuss the themes and values of integrity, honesty, and selfishness. Have students write about the importance of keeping their integrity in various situations. Encourage students to write a new ending to the story below, if the princess had not kept her word. What might have happened? Research adaptations and versions of the story; discuss similarities and differences. What themes or characters remained in MCT s version? Original Story "The Frog Prince; or, Iron Henry" (German: Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich, literally "The Frog King; or, The Iron Heinrich") is a fairy tale, best known through the Brothers Grimm's written version; traditionally it is the first story in their collection. Plot In the tale, a spoiled princess reluctantly befriends the Frog Prince (meeting him after dropping a gold ball into a pond), who magically transforms into a handsome prince. Although in modern versions the transformation is invariably triggered by the princess kissing the frog, in the original Grimm version of the story the frog's spell was broken when the princess threw it against a wall in disgust. In other early versions it was enough for the frog to spend the night on the princess' pillow. The frog prince also has a loyal servant named Henry (or Harry) who had three iron bands affixed around his heart to prevent it from breaking in his sadness over his master's curse, but when the prince was reverted to his human form Henry's overwhelming happiness caused all three bands to break, freeing his heart from its bonds. A Russian folk version Tsarevna Lyagushka (The Frog Princess) has the male and female roles reversed: the male prince Ivan Tsarevich discovers the enchanted female frog who becomes Vasilisa the Wise, a female sorceress. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 8
Brothers Grimm: The Frog Prince One fine evening a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs and went out to take a walk by herself in a wood; and when she came to a cool spring of water with a rose in the middle of it, she sat herself down to rest a while. Now she had a golden ball in her hand, which was her favorite plaything; and she was always tossing it up into the air and catching it again as it fell. After a time, she threw it up so high that she missed catching it as it fell; and the ball bounded away, and rolled along on the ground, until at last it fell down into the spring. The princess looked into the spring after her ball, but it was very deep, so deep that she could not see the bottom of it. She began to cry, and said, 'Alas! if I could only get my ball again, I would give all my fine clothes and jewels, and everything that I have in the world.' Whilst she was speaking, a frog put its head out of the water, and said, 'Princess, why do you weep so bitterly?' 'Alas!' said she, 'what can you do for me, you nasty frog? My golden ball has fallen into the spring.' The frog said, 'I do not want your pearls, and jewels, and fine clothes; but if you will love me, and let me live with you and eat from off your golden plate, and sleep on your bed, I will bring you your ball again.' 'What nonsense,' thought the princess, 'this silly frog is talking! He can never even get out of the spring to visit me, though he may be able to get my ball for me, and therefore I will tell him he shall have what he asks.' So she said to the frog, 'Well, if you will bring me my ball, I will do all you ask.' Then the frog put his head down and dived deep under the water; and after a little while he came up again, with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the edge of the spring. As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick it up; and she was so overjoyed to have it in her hand again, that she never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she could. The frog called after her, 'Stay, princess, and take me with you as you said,' But she did not stop to hear a word. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 9
The next day, just as the princess had sat down to dinner, she heard a strange noise - tap, tap - plash, plash - as if something was coming up the marble staircase, and soon afterwards there was a gentle knock at the door, and a little voice cried out and said: 'Open the door, my princess dear, Open the door to thy true love here! And mind the words that thou and I said By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.' Then the princess ran to the door and opened it, and there she saw the frog, whom she had quite forgotten. At this sight she was sadly frightened, and shutting the door as fast as she could came back to her seat. The king, her father, seeing that something had frightened her, asked her what was the matter. 'There is a nasty frog,' said she, 'at the door, that lifted my ball for me out of the spring this morning. I told him that he should live with me here, thinking that he could never get out of the spring; but there he is at the door, and he wants to come in.' While she was speaking the frog knocked again at the door, and said: 'Open the door, my princess dear, Open the door to thy true love here! And mind the words that thou and I said By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.' Then the king said to the young princess, 'As you have given your word you must keep it; so go and let him in.' She did so, and the frog hopped into the room, and then straight on - tap, tap - plash, plash - from the bottom of the room to the top, till he came up close to the table where the princess sat. 'Pray lift me upon chair,' said he to the princess, 'and let me sit next to you.' As soon as she had done this, the frog said, 'Put your plate nearer to me, that I may eat out of it.' The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 10
This she did, and when he had eaten as much as he could, he said, 'Now I am tired; carry me upstairs, and put me into your bed.' And the princess, though very unwilling, took him up in her hand, and put him upon the pillow of her own bed, where he slept all night long. As soon as it was light the frog jumped up, hopped downstairs, and went out of the house. 'Now, then,' thought the princess, 'at last he is gone, and I shall be troubled with him no more.' But she was mistaken; for when night came again she heard the same tapping at the door; and the frog came once more, and said: 'Open the door, my princess dear, Open the door to thy true love here! And mind the words that thou and I said By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.' And when the princess opened the door the frog came in, and slept upon her pillow as before, till the morning broke. And the third night he did the same. But when the princess awoke on the following morning she was astonished to see, instead of the frog, a handsome prince, gazing on her with the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen and standing at the head of her bed. He told her that he had been enchanted by a spiteful fairy, who had changed him into a frog; and that he had been fated so to abide till some princess should take him out of the spring, and let him eat from her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights. 'You,' said the prince, 'have broken his cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish for but that you should go with me into my father's kingdom, where I will marry you, and love you as long as you live.' The young princess, you may be sure, was not long in saying 'Yes' to all this; and as they spoke a brightly colored coach drove up, with eight beautiful horses, decked with plumes of feathers and a golden harness; and behind the coach rode the prince's servant, faithful Heinrich, who had bewailed the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst. They then took leave of the king, and got into the coach with eight horses, and all set out, full of joy and merriment, for the prince's kingdom, which they reached safely; and there they lived happily a great many years. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 11
Lesson Plan: Frog Fun Preschool - 1 st grade Science - Life Science Let s have some fun learning about frogs! Students will have a blast exploring a model habitat and learning about the frog life cycle. Learning objectives Students will be able to identify the different stages in the frog life cycle. Materials and preparation Large sensory bin set up with the following materials: Sand, water, foam, or dirt Large rocks, Smooth sticks Real or paper leaves Frog life cycle manipulatives (e.g. plastic frogs and tadpoles) Crayons Key terms frog eggs tadpole froglet life cycle Related books and/or media VIDEO: Pollywog in a Bog by Barenaked Ladies Introduction (20 minutes) Let your students know that this lesson will be about frogs and their life cycles. Ask them to stand up and hop around the room like frogs as a warm-up activity. Explicit instruction / Teacher modeling (5 minutes) Using the Frog Life Cycle sheet as a visual aid, teach students about the life cycle of a frog, or the stages it goes through as it grows. Frogs lay their eggs under lily pads. Hatched babies emerge as tadpoles. Over time, the tadpoles grow legs and become froglets. As the froglets grow, they lose their tails and become frogs The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 12
Guided practice/interactive modeling (10 minutes) Ask students to gather around the sensory bin you've set up. Allow them to examine different parts and ask them to look for places where frogs would go at different stages of their life cycles. For example, you can ask them to find the place where frogs lay eggs. Give them some more specific questions to think about. A great example is, where would frogs lay their eggs? Discuss these questions with students as they explore the sensory bin. Independent working time (20 minutes) Have students return to their seats. Distribute crayons and copies of the Frog on Lily Pad coloring page to the class. Ask students to color in their pages. Encourage them to discuss the topic of frogs with their peers as they work. Differentiation Enrichment: Ask advanced students more challenging questions. For example, you can ask: At which stage can the frog climb onto rocks? Support: Ask struggling students simpler questions. For example, you can ask: At which stage is the frog smallest? Assessment (10 minutes) Bring out the Life Cycle of a Frog sheet once again. Ask for volunteers to explain each stage of the cycle. Review and closing (5 minutes) Go over all the stages yourself, correcting any mistakes that students made in their explanations. Ask students to share some of their experiences from the lesson. Great discussion starters are: What part of the lesson did you like best? Do you remember where each stage of the frog life cycle takes place? The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 13
Lesson Plan: Frog Footprints Preschool - 1st grade Arts & Crafts (Painting & Drawing); Science (Plants, Animals & the Earth) Frogs are intriguing creatures, especially for curious young learners. They are the best jumpers of all vertebrate species (animals with spines), and their webbed feet make them excellent swimmers as well. This activity will have your child hopping frog footprints all over her paper. She can use her prints to decorate cards or drawings, or even to create homemade wrapping paper! This is also a great time to share some fun frog facts with kids and learn a little froggy science along the way. What You Need: Sponge Scissors Washable paint, such as finger paint Finger paint paper or newsprint paper Plastic bowls butter or margarine containers work great What You Do: 1. Cut out a frog footprint from the sponge. Start with 3 webbed toes then make the rest of the stamp oval shaped. 2. Put the paint into plastic bowls, one bowl for each color that your child will be using. 3. Show your child how to use the sponge to stamp frog prints onto the paper. Wash the sponge out to change colors. Alternately, if you want to make multiple stamps, cut one stamp for each color you will be using. 4. Hang your artwork up to dry. Did You Know? Almost all frogs live partially on land and in the water. Frogs can absorb water and oxygen directly through their skin. This makes them highly susceptible to pollution which may contribute to their declining numbers. Baby frogs live in the water as tadpoles. These amphibians croak for different reasons but each species (kind) has a unique voice. Some frogs can be heard up to a mile away. The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 14
Coloring and Activity Pages The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 15
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Color and cut out the pieces on this coloring page, then put them together to create a 3-D alligator craft. Directions: 1. Print out this page and color the shapes with crayons or markers. Cut out one each of shapes A, B, C, D, and E, one side of the tail, and the top of the alligator s body. Glue them to a piece of thin cardboard, such as a recycled cereal box or manila folder. Let the glue dry. Cut out the shapes from the cardboard. 2. Cut out the bottom of the body, the other side of the tail, and the other A, B, C, D, and E shapes from the paper. Glue the matching paper shape to the back of each cardboard piece, making note of which piece went with each letter, and where the letters were on the body pieces. 3. Cut a slit on each dotted line. Fit the pieces together by matching the letters and sliding the slits into each other The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 19
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References: Eastoftheweb.com Wikipedia.org Education.com Crayola.com Mctinc.org Lpac.org 750 W Lancaster BLVD www.lpac.org Lancaster, CA 93534 661.723.5950 The Frog Prince Lancaster Performing Arts Center Study Guide pg. 22