Jerry Spinelli Talks About Jerry Spinelli . ... From Book to Play – Playwright Y
York on Writing, Adaptation & Jerry Spinelli's Crash .......... A Chat with Geoff Korf,
...
EDUCATOR RESOURCE GUIDE
Presents
CRASH
Table of Contents Synopsis ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3-4 Curriculum Connections & EALRs ....................................................................................................................... 5 Jerry Spinelli Talks About Jerry Spinelli ............................................................................................................ 6-7 From Book to Play – Playwright Y York on Writing, Adaptation & Jerry Spinelli’s Crash .......... 8-9 A Chat with Geoff Korf, Lighting Designer ....................................................................................................... 10-11 What Do You See? .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 About the Set ....................................................................................................................................................................12-13 About the Costumes ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Bullies and Bullying, and What You Can Do .................................................................................................... 15-16 Environmentalism and Economic Growth ...................................................................................................... 17-18 Who are the Quakers? .................................................................................................................................................19 Finding Your Team ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Thomas the Turtle ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Words & Phrases That Might Be New to You ..................................................................................................22-23 Activity Pages ...................................................................................................................................................................24-25 Booklist ............................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Evaluation Form ............................................................................................................................................................. 27 2
SYNOPSIS
John “Crash” Coogan plays football on his school’s team, gets all A’s in school and seems to ooze self-confidence. One spring day, Crash meets his new classmate Mike Deluca outside the Coogan house. The two boys bond immediately over their love of hard-hitting football and video games.
However, neither videogames nor football interest Crash’s unconventional neighbor, Penn Webb. Penn arrives with his pet turtle, Thomas, looking for Crash’s younger sister, Abby. Thomas is not his usual self and Penn has come for Abby’s help. He wants to heal Thomas by administering some mud to his shell—mud that Penn’s greatgrandfather retrieved 65 years ago from a tributary of the Missouri River. Penn and Abby share a lot, including a passion for the environment, but the only things Penn seems to have in common with Crash and Mike are gender and age. The boys ridicule Penn’s Quaker religion, secondhand clothes, environmental beliefs and his tendency to take all statements literally.
But the next day it is Penn who befriends the good-looking new girl at school, Jane. They meet on the school track where Penn explains that he is training for the Penn Relay trials—a track event he wants to run in honor of his great-grandfather who named him after the famous race. Jane has recently gone through a growth spurt that has left her feeling too tall and uncoordinated. Boys in school look at her and treat her differently, which makes her uncomfortable. Penn’s honest and welcoming demeanor draws her to him immediately. Crash and Mike approach and begin teasing Penn, who doesn’t always understand their insults. Jane, however, clearly recognizes the boys’ cruel intent and stands up for Penn. When Crash hears that Penn intends to try out for the relay team, he challenges him to a race then and there. Despite Penn’s awkward form, he is fast and nearly outruns Crash. Crash decides to enter the Relay trials himself to prove his physical superiority and win Jane’s attention away from Penn. Back at the Coogan house, Abby tries to convince her mom and dad to turn the backyard into a natural habitat. Crash comes home and is surprised to see the whole family together—a rare event. His dad is busy starting a new business that keeps him at work for long hours every day of the week. The family time doesn’t last long. Dad has to head off to work, but Crash and Abby are thrilled by the surprise arrival of their beloved Grandpa Scooter. They are doubly excited to learn that he is not just here for a visit—he has come to stay. Continued on the next page...
3
That evening Crash, Mike, Penn and Jane are all at a rec hall dance. Crash gets aggressive when Jane refuses to dance with him. Grandpa Scooter, who has come to pick Crash up, sees the behavior and reprimands him. Crash opens up to Scooter about this frustration with his father’s lack of interest in his accomplishments—he didn’t make it to any football games all season. Scooter tries to reassure Crash that his parents are proud of him, but Crash continues to nurse his grudge. The next day, Abby, Penn, Jane and Scooter prepare to protest the new mall development—despite dad’s reminder that Abby’s mom stands to make money from the project. Crash takes advantage of everyone’s presence to suggest a quick game of touch football. It’s his chance to show off for his dad and for Jane. It’s him against Scooter and Penn. But Crash gets carried away and tackles Scooter too hard. Scooter collapses and ends up in the hospital where he remains comatose from a stroke. Over the next few days, while Crash is feeling worried and guilty about his grandfather’s illness, Mike elevates his bullying of Penn from verbal taunts to stealing Penn’s essay and then his beloved turtle. Crash begins to see that he and Mike are bullying Penn—simply being mean.
Crash visits Scooter in the hospital one evening and finds Penn there. Penn has brought his jar of Missouri mud and leaves it with Crash, in case Crash wants to use it to heal Scooter. Scooter’s illness brings out a protective urge in Crash. Though he doesn’t know if his grandfather can even hear him, he promises to support Scooter, as Scooter has always been there for him. He dips Scooter’s fingers in the mud in hopes that it will make him better.
Crash heads to Mike’s house to make things right for Penn. He retrieves and anonymously returns Penn’s turtle. But Jane sees him and accuses him of turtle-napping and trying to win the Penn Relay for selfish reasons.
The Penn Relay trials at the end of the week attract a big crowd and the stakes are high. Jane has learned that Mike is the one who stole Thomas, and she has softened towards Crash. Scooter has emerged from his coma and is at the race. Penn’s great-grandfather has traveled far to watch this event and Crash’s dad has finally come to see him in action. It’s a close race. As he runs, Crash recognizes the importance of the race to Penn and gives him the victory. Still, Crash is dejected at the loss, but it’s clear to everyone, including Jane, that something new is happening to Crash and they are proud of him. Crash has found true friends and a new place in his family. 4
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS & EALRs
Crash touches on many themes and ideas. Here are a few we believe would make good Curriculum Connections: Friendship, Loyalty, Bullying, Social Hierarchy in Schools, Competition, Family, Environmentalism, Aging, Track, Football, Reading, Adaptation.
We believe that seeing the show and using our Educator Resource Guide can help you meet the following EALRs:
State Standards
Theatre
Reading
Science Communication
1. The student understands and applies arts knowledge and skills. 1.1 Understand arts concepts and vocabulary, specifically, identifies and describes characters, setting, actions, conflict, sounds. 1.2 Develops theatre skills and techniques. 1.3 Understands and applies theatre genres and styles of various artists, cultures, and times. 1.4 Understands and applies audience conventions in a variety of settings and performances of theatre. 2. The student demonstrates thinking skills using artistic processes. 2.1 Apply a creative process in the arts: Conceptualize; Gather; Develop; Organize; Reflect; Refine; Present. 3. Theatre: The student communicates through the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts). 3.1 Uses theatre to express feelings and present ideas. 1. The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read. 1.1 Use word recognition skills and strategies to read and comprehend text. 1.2 Use vocabulary (word meaning) strategies to comprehend text. 1.3 Build vocabulary through wide reading. 1.4 Apply word recognition skills and strategies to read fluently. 2. The student understands the meaning of what is read. 2.1 Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension. 2.2 Understand and apply knowledge of text components to comprehend text. 2.3 Expand comprehension by analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing information and ideas in literary and informational text. 2.4 Think critically and analyze author’s use of language, style, purpose, and perspective in literary and informational text. 3. The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes. 3.1 Read to learn new information. 3.2 Read to perform a task. 4. Life Science. Big Idea: Structures and Functions of Living Organisms 4. Life Science. Big Idea: Ecosystems
1. The student uses listening and observation skills and strategies to gain understanding. 1.1 Uses listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information. 1.2 Understands, analyzes, synthesizes, or evaluates information from a variety of sources.
Integrated 1. Ecological, Social, and Economic Systems Environmental 3. Sustainability and Civic Responsibility and Sustainability
5
JERRY SPINELLI TALKS ABOUT JERRY SPINELLI When I was growing up, the first thing I wanted to be was a cowboy. That lasted till I was about ten. Then I wanted to be a baseball player. Preferably shortstop for the New York Yankees. I played Little League in junior high and high school. I only hit two home runs in my career, but I had no equal when it came to standing at shortstop and chattering to my pitcher: “C’mon, baby, hum the pea.” Unfortunately, when I stood at the plate, so many peas were hummed past me for strikes that I decided to let somebody else become shortstop for the Yankees.
It was about that time that our high school football team won a heartstopping game against one of the best teams in the country. While the rest of the town was tooting horns and celebrating, I went home and wrote a poem about the game. A few days later the poem was published in the local newspaper, and suddenly I had something new to become: a writer. Little did I know that twenty-five years would pass before a book of mine would be published.
Not that I wasn’t trying. In the years after college I wrote four novels, but nobody wanted them. They were adult novels. So was number five, or so I thought. However, because it was about a thirteen-year-old boy, adult book publishers didn’t even want to see it. But children’s publishers did—and that’s how, by accident, I became an author of books for kids. Life is full of happy accidents.
Sometimes I’m asked if I do research for my stories. The answer is yes and no. No, in the sense that I seldom plow through books at the library to gather material. Yes, in the sense that the first fifteen years of my life turned out to be one big research project. I thought I was simply growing up in Norristown, Pennsylvania; looking back now I can see that I was also gathering material that would one day find its way into my books.
John Ribble’s blazing fastball. Dovey Wilmouth, so beautiful a fleet of boys pedaled past her house ten times a day. Mrs. Seeton’s whistle calling her kids in to dinner. The day my black snake disappeared. The creek, the tracks, the dump, the red hills. My days did not pass through, but stayed, filling the shelves of my memory. They became the library where today I do my research. I also get material from my own kids. Along the way I married another children’s writer, Eileen Spinelli, and from our six kids have come a number of stories. Jeffrey and Molly, who are always fighting, have been especially helpful. Continued on the next page...
6
Ideas also come from everyday life. And from the newspapers. One day, for example, I read a story about a girl who competed on her high school wrestling team. A year later bookstores carried a new book with my name on it: There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock.
So there you are. I never became a cowboy or baseball player, and now I’m beginning to wonder if I ever really became a writer. I find that I hesitate to put that label on myself, to define myself by what I do for a living. After all, I also pick berries and touch ponies and skim flat stones over water and marvel at the stars and breathe deeply and grin from ear to ear and save the best part for last. I’ve always done these things. Which is to say, I never had to become anything. Or anyone. I always, already, was. Call me a berry-picking, pony-touching star-marveler.
Excerpted from: Scholastic – http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/jerry-spinelli
Jerry Spinelli was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania in 1941. His first published novel was Space Station Seventh Grade. His sixth, Maniac Magee, received several honors: a Boston Globe/Horn Book Award in 1990, the D.C. Fisher Award in 1992 and the Newbery Medal in 1991 for “The Most Distinguished Contribution to American Literature for Children.” His book, Wringer, also received a Newbery Honor. The prolific author graduated from Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from Western Maryland College.
JERRY SPINELLI’S BOOKS Space Station Seventh Grade 1982 Who Put That Hair on my Toothbrush? 1984 Jason and Marceline 1986 Night of the Whale 1988 Dump Days 1988 The Bathwater Gang 1990 Maniac Magee 1990 Hallie Jeffery’s Life 1991 Fourth Grade Rats 1991 Report to the Principal’s Office 1991 There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock 1991 Do the Funky Pickle 1992 Who Ran My Underwear Up the Flagpole? 1992 Picklemania 1993 Crash 1996 Tooter Pepperday 1996 The Library Card 1997
Wringer 1997 Blue Ribbon Blues: A Tooter Tale 1998 Knots in My Yo-Yo String 1998 Stargirl 2000 Loser 2002 Milkweed 2003 My Daddy and Me 2006 Love, Stargirl 2007 Eggs 2007 Smiles to Go 2008 Third Grade Angels 2012
7
FROM BOOK TO PLAY – PLAYWRIGHT Y YORK ON WRITING, ADAPTATION & JERRY SPINELLI’S CRASH Becoming a writer
I started writing plays in my mid-thirties after being an actor for a few years. I wasn’t a natural playwright or even a natural writer. I had to make myself get up early every day and start writing even before the coffee water boiled. I tricked myself into writing each morning, and once I started, a little something good might end up on the page and that little something would keep me going through the morning when I would have to stop to face my other obligations. I learned that a writing day went better if I approached yesterday’s words armed with something—perhaps a question I wanted to ask one of the characters, or even wanting to learn the secret something that character might hide in his second dresser drawer; I might also be armed with some new knowledge that had fallen on my head during the previous afternoon or last night’s sleep. In these early days of writing, I longed to be done with it. I didn’t like writing so much as I liked “having written.” But as I continued to write, I accrued what I now call “my criteria for excellence” for a play. These Y rules might determine that a new draft of a play needed further work and study, revision, if you will. The concept of “done with it” evolved. I wouldn’t be done with it until I had approached it with each rule and changed the play until it adhered. Then I added workshops— sometimes I would be invited to a select workshop opportunity from a theater or organization, and actors, a director, a dramaturg and I would listen over and over, learn what worked, what was extraneous, cut redundancies—make better, funnier, profounder, each and every moment of the play. I like it all now; the part that is me alone, the part that is collaboration with other theater artists, and most fully, the part that is sharing the play with its audience. Adaptation and Crash
Crash started with a lunch date with Linda Hartzell (SCT’s artistic director) almost three years ago. I had loved this book for a decade and was thrilled to have this opportunity to delve into the amazing world of Jerry Spinelli once again, and bring Crash to you.
The book, any good book, is perfect, but it will not fit on the stage for, oh so many reasons: it’s too long, it’s too reflective, it’s comprised of internal monologues that, although quite poetic and moving, just don’t work in the theater. My task is adaptation, which means I am taking from one form of literature and transforming the story into dramatic literature.
If an author allows me to adapt his/her book for the stage, that author is extremely brave and generous because in order for me to accomplish the task, I’m going to have to “mess with” the perfect book. Even though I approach my task with care and gratitude, my ultimate allegiance is to play structure: if I have to cut, I cut, if I have to change, I change, and, the most difficult aspect for the original book author—I don’t use any dialogue from the book because, for me, book dialogue and play dialogue have different criteria. Continued on the next page...
8
The first thing that happens: I am asked to read a book and decide if I can be inspired to write a play. I am looking for a unique character who wants something very badly, has resources to get it and obstacles in the way. Crash and his schoolmate Penn Webb are unique characters with goals that are in conflict with one another. I say “yes,” the theater gets permission from the book author and I start. I make a chronology of the actual order of events, which, in the case of Crash, begin seven years prior to the start of the story, when Crash met Penn Webb. Making this timeline gives me a chance to review the story, get to know the characters better and try to get them into my own muscles. I read the book one or two more times, then set it aside. Something very scary is about to happen. I am about to ask Crash to talk to me.
First I have Crash describe another character, maybe a lesser character at first, but ultimately I’m going to want Crash to describe Penn Webb. (I know it’s really me doing the talking, but when it gets going really well, it won’t feel like me, it will feel like Jerry Spinelli’s version of a boy named Crash.) I might spend a day or two with Crash, having him tell me things about other characters, or even things about himself. Some of this information is directly from the book, but some of it is new, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the new information was also known by Mr. Spinelli, but it wasn’t needed to tell the story in the book. I go through this “talking exploration” with each of the characters who I think might be in the play. This talking/writing gives me confidence that I can write in the voice and with the cares of each of the characters. I am not going to let the characters talk to each other until I know how they speak, what they care about and, most importantly, what they want. When I have this information, I am ready to let them talk to each other. I look at my chronology list and see if there’s a scene where two of these characters can engage, and I give it a try. I might write a dozen scenes before I begin to think about the story I need to tell, the story that I read when I first read the book. As you can imagine, I might veer onto some wrong path. I have been lucky with Crash, Stargirl and Eggs that Jerry Spinelli has read drafts and given me good advice to make the play more reflective of his original story. He has also been very understanding that the needs for the stage differ greatly from the needs for a book.
At some point, I invite actors to read the play to me, and from this reading, I make changes, get input from the theater and the director, and begin the process of collaboration with designers to finally bring the three dimensions to this story that started its life between the cover of a book.
Since inaugurating the Charlotte Martin Theatre with Afternoon of the Elves, Y has returned to SCT with seven more plays for children and their families. In addition to Crash, other third millennium plays include: Stargirl; Eggs; Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly; The Final Testimony of Henry Samson; Fork in the Road; Late in the Game; Getting Near to Baby; Woof; …and LA is Burning; River Rat and Cat; Bleachers in the Sun; Framed; Nothing is the Same; Mask of the Unicorn Warrior; and The Othello. These and earlier plays are happily still produced in theaters across the country and available from Broadway Play Publishing, Dramatic Publishing, St. Martin’s Press, Smith and Kraus, or from the literary team at Bret Adams, Ltd. Y still lives with Mark Lutwak to whom most things are still dedicated. www.yyork.com 9
A CHAT WITH GEOFF KORF, LIGHTING DESIGNER Please tell us a little bit about your working process.
When I read a play, images develop in my head. I “see” the characters and places in my imagination. Sometimes those images are very clear, but often they are just fuzzy impressions. Many of my ideas about light are inspired by the place: What’s the place like where the story happens? When I read the script for Crash, I imagined the backyard with a lot of trees around the yard; it seemed green and lush. Later I tried to “look” at that image more carefully, and I “saw” bright sunlight shining through the trees. The color of the light was pale yellow—warm light—and it reflected off of all the green leaves and made a kind of pale green reflected light. Even though it starts as imagination, those early images of light are often what I end up trying to create on stage. When I start to meet with the director and other designers, something similar happens again. Their ideas and designs create new images in my head. Later when I see the actors in rehearsal, they will inspire more lighting images. The final design is like a big mash-up of all of these images that I’ve collected throughout the process. What is a particularly interesting or unusual challenge on this project, and how are you setting out to solve it?
In the example of the backyard, I was thinking about light in a realistic way. I imagined a real kind of place with a real kind of light. In this play, there is a place we visit that isn’t like any real location I could go to: inside the mind of Crash. What an exciting challenge! How can we create the feeling that the audience will suddenly be in the private, secret world inside of Crash’s head? If the world around Crash seems to stop or slow down, how would the other characters appear? I want those moments to feel like Crash is practically the only person in the world, but it is also important for the audience to be aware of the other characters, because Crash is aware of them. Somehow they need to appear differently than in the other parts of the play. Some tools I can use are the angle, brightness and color of the light. I want to make the angle and color of light on the other characters new and different, while creating clear focus on Crash. I also think that if the other characters are moving in slow motion, maybe the light on them should be pulsing in some way. I know for sure that Crash should be brighter than anything else for those moments. What in your childhood got you to where you are today?
My mother and my father were both teachers of theater, so I spent a lot of time in my childhood acting and seeing plays. I saw a lot of students struggle trying to make a career as an actor. By the time I was a teen, I knew that I didn’t want to struggle like that. I thought I should do something more “serious”—something that would have a bigger impact on the world, so I went to college to Continued on the next page...
10
study physics. I was miserable and dropped out in my freshman year. I returned to college a year later and refused to declare a major and only took courses I wanted to take. That soon led me back to theater. I came to see that I had a special talent for theater more than for physics or math. I discovered that what I was good at and what I liked and what I could make a living at could all be the same thing. A successful career in theater depends mainly on three things: talent, personality and grit. I’ve known talented people who simply thought it was too difficult and gave up. I’ve known less talented people who worked hard and were great people to be around who have had long careers. The part of the formula I’ve had since childhood is grit; I don’t give up easily. (My parents would probably say that I was really stubborn.) When I feel like I have a great idea or that I know a really good way to do something, I try hard to explain to other people what I think or feel. I try to convince others about my ideas when I think my ideas are strong. I keep working at things even when they are challenging. Geoff Korf has designed lighting for almost three hundred productions in his career. This is his fifth design at Seattle Children’s Theatre. He also teaches lighting design at the University of Washington. WHAT DO YOU SEE? If it wasn’t for light, we couldn’t see anything. Everyone knows that. But we don’t always pay attention to the way that light tells us a story.
In Crash there are many different locations where the action takes place. What kind of light do you imagine when you think of these places? School’s race track on a cloudy day Rec hall dance at night Hospital room Room in a house where someone’s playing a video game Front door of a house in the early evening
Think about where the light is coming from. Is the source from the sky or is it man-made? Is there more than one source? What color is the light? Is there anything blocking the light that casts shadows? Imagine how places might be lit differently in a play depending on what’s happening. How can the light in a backyard change when the mood changes? Someone is playing with their best friend Someone is very angry about a person’s behavior Someone just got hurt really badly 11
ABOUT THE SET
From Carey Wong, Set Designer The action of Crash takes place in several different locations: Crash Coogan’s backyard, the school’s race track, a rec hall dance, a hospital, Mike Deluca’s house and at Penn Webb’s front door. Most of those locations are only used for one scene, but the Coogan’s backyard re-appears many times. We needed to figure out a scenic approach that would make the show visually interesting, serve the action of the show and permit rapid, almost cinematic scene changes. Also, we hoped to present a fresh visual style that people haven’t often seen on stage before. Crash Coogan is aggressive and direct. The set design for Crash should reflect that. The play doesn’t need fully realistic settings. But it does need something recognizable as a visual anchor for the show. Crash’s house serves that purpose. It makes sense to create a set that has the backyard always present, but can easily represent all the other settings; we can go to other locations with the addition of simple pieces of scenery or furniture at various places on the stage, with lighting helping us define and isolate those spaces. I felt that the backyard might benefit from being on a rake (a raised, ramped platform) so that it has a dynamic sense to it and the action on it would be enhanced. And I wondered if there might be a way to have the image of a running track intersect with the backyard and loop back around behind the house in a sort of unrealistic, stylized way— like a ribbon floating into the air.
I began looking at some graphic novels with interesting illustration styles that might influence the way in which we create the visual world of Crash. I found an artist/writer, Rutu Modan, whose book, Exit Wounds, has an interesting way of treating color in a flat, comic book style. The color palette is controlled to make the characters in the images stand out strongly in the foreground. I was also attracted to the 1960s paintings of Roy Lichtenstein whose work was inspired by the flat graphic style of comic book motifs. This inspired me to use forced perspective in the set design, which gives more power to an image by creating an illusion of distance and size. Another inspiration was the cover of a book entitled American Dream Houses. The rigid geometric shape of the lawn and walkway leading to the house incorporate the kind of look that I felt could be useful for the Crash set design. Continued on the next page...
12
Frame from Rutu Modan’s graphic novel, Exit Wounds
Roy Lichtenstein’s painting Okay, Hot Shot, Okay. Artificial perspective makes it look like the plane is right behind the pilot.
Cover of the book American Dream Homes
All of this led me to the images you see here. As I write this, it is almost nine months before Crash opens. We don’t know yet if all the ideas we are starting with will be what we end up with. If this concept is not within the budget for the show, or if there are changes in the script that affect locations and action for example, we will need to re-imagine elements of the design. The set model of the opening look of the show uses a comic-book style image of the title. This helps to reinforce both the graphic look of the set and Crash’s hard-hitting personality.
This model of the set shows the Coogan home at the top of the ramp that represents their backyard. The house stays onstage for almost the entire show.
13
The hospital room is created by adding a hospital bed. Lighting isolates the area to take focus away from the rest of the set.
ABOUT THE COSTUMES
From Melanie Burgess, Costume Designer It might seem an easy task to design costumes for a play like Crash that is set in the present time—one just has to go out and buy some clothes from the store, right?
This Coogan family collage shows a few items to give a sense of the kind of style they each wear. Melanie also created collages like this for each character in the play.
In fact, it’s not that simple. First I have to take the time to analyze the play to discover how to help the audience understand each character and their place in the story, and from there I begin my research. In the case of contemporary clothes (what is worn today), I start by thinking of where these characters might purchase their clothing. In Crash, the Coogan family is financially comfortable and might shop at Macy’s, while the play tells us that Penn Webb, due to his circumstances, is shopping at thrift stores.
Penn’s clothing is comfortable and has personality, but it is not what Crash and his friends would consider fashionable. Look at the difference between Penn’s and Crash’s running clothes. (Crash’s running clothes are in the Coogan family collage.)
Sketch for the outfit we first see Penn wearing
I then gather the research I have found in various places—catalogs, on the Internet or in magazines, for example—and create a collage of images for each character in order to have a discussion with the director. We look at all the collages together, and often look through even more sources as we are meeting, to see what seems best for each character in terms of things like style, shape and color. With the information from that conversation, I start sketching specific costumes. When the costumes for a show are built from scratch by a theater, they are made to match my sketched designs. When the costumes for a show are bought in stores, however, the clothes are never exactly like my sketches. I have to buy pieces of clothing that are already made that best fit the guidelines the director and I decided on, so I am dependent on what stores have in stock at the time. The costumes end up being similar to my original sketches, but the finished products are always a bit of a surprise—sometimes they turn out much better than my original idea! 14
BULLIES AND BULLYING, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
Most kids aren’t bullies. Most kids don’t get bullied. But most kids do see it, or know about it happening. If that describes you, then you can choose to do something about it. But before you learn what you can do, you need to know what bullying is. Bullies aren’t always bigger and stronger than their victims. They don’t always attack physically. They might spread rumors, exclude people from groups, insult people or make threats. But however they bully, they will usually do it again and again. Bullying can happen between all kinds of children, both girls and boys, starting around age 6.
Both bullies and their victims believe that the bully is more powerful, and that there isn’t much the person being bullied can do to stop them. All sorts of kids can be bullied. But when young people are seen as “different,” and they don’t get support from the adults and other children around them, they are more likely to be bullied. People seen as “different” can include lesbian and gay youth, students with special health needs and students from religious or ethnic groups that aren’t part of the dominant group. Schools and communities can help protect children by respecting diversity. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs or rural towns. It can take place in cyberspace, through mean text messages, rumors posted on social networking sites and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites or fake profiles. Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person as well.
Why do people bully others? Sometimes children bully to fit in. Sometimes, when these kids get involved in sports or clubs they learn to make friends and become leaders without feeling the need to bully. Other times kids act out because something else— problems at home, abuse, stress—is going on in their lives. Often bullies have been bullied themselves. If you see someone being bullied, you have the power to help them. You don’t have to confront the bully. In fact, that is usually a bad idea. If you use insults or physical violence to defend someone, you will most likely only make it harder for them. Better to approach the person being bullied. Let them know they are not alone. If you can, help them get away. If that is impossible, leave yourself—bullies gain more power from an audience that watches, but Continued on the next page...
15
doesn’t interfere. Later, go up to the person who was bullied and let them know you didn’t think it was cool. Spend time with them. Talk with them, listen to them, sit with them at lunch or play with them at recess. Tell them you don’t like the bullying and ask if you can do anything to help. And set a good example, by not bullying others.
If you see bullying or are being bullied yourself, it is important to tell an adult you trust—a parent, teacher or coach. You can leave a note if you don’t feel comfortable saying something in person. Do not get discouraged if you have already talked to teachers and nothing happened. Keep trying. Teachers and other school authorities will respond if they find out that the bullying is happening again and again. Try talking to other teachers and counselors so that you can get more people involved in trying to stop it. It takes courage, generosity and persistence to help someone being bullied. But if you feel that bullying is none of your business, put yourself in the victim’s shoes. Bullying can turn someone’s life into a nightmare. You wouldn’t want to feel that way, and they shouldn’t have to.
For Teachers: The information and advice in this article is taken from the U.S. Department of Health Human Services website www.stopbullying.gov, which provides very complete, accessible and well-researched information on what bullying is, the best ways to deal with it and how to get help.
If you are being bullied, you should know that bullying can affect you in many ways. You may lose sleep or feel sick. You may want to skip school. You may even be thinking about suicide. If you are feeling hopeless or helpless or know someone that is, please call the LIFELINE at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
16
ENVIRONMENTALISM AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
ABBY: Developers are pulling out the forests and putting in houses and shopping malls. The animals and birds need a place to live, too. MOM: Those developers are putting in houses that I sell so that I can help support us. – from Crash, adapted by Y York from the novel by Jerry Spinelli
Who is right, Abby or her mom? Does protecting the environment mean opposing economic growth? Many environmentalists believe so. According to Gus Speth, co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, “growth in America today... is at the root of environmental losses.”
But sometimes economic growth and environmental health go hand in hand. For example, between 1970 and 2006, the size of the U.S. economy doubled, the number of cars and trucks in the country more than doubled and the number of miles those cars and trucks covered almost tripled. But did they spew out more pollution? No. The government began to regulate what came out of all those tailpipes, the car companies developed new technology and the total amount of poison those vehicles spewed into the atmosphere fell by over half. In the case of lead, one of the most dangerous poisons, it fell by 98 percent. Not only that, a study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that states with stronger environmental standards have higher rates of economic growth. But why? How can putting restrictions on economic activity lead to more of it? Actually, it probably goes the other way around. In a democracy, as people become richer, they demand a better environment. A lot of people want jobs, money and houses in the suburbs with nice lawns, but those people also want to breathe clean air, drink pure water and live free from the worry that some chemical they can’t see might be giving them cancer.
Economics and the environment interact on a global level as well. Take deforestation, for example. In countries that have an average family income of at least $4600, forests don’t decrease in size— because, all over the planet, people love their countries’ forests and want to preserve them. But if people in richer countries buy wood from poorer countries where forests are disappearing, that doesn’t help the environment of the planet. And, so far, we only have one habitable planet. To solve environmental problems we can’t think just about our own nation, or our own backyard.
And what about those backyards—and front yards, too, for that matter? In America, a lot of them are covered with lawns. In Crash, Abby begs her family to stop mowing the grass, to turn their Continued on the next page...
17
yard into a haven for plants and animals. But ever since Thomas Jefferson first imitated the green grass lawns of England at his home in Virginia, Americans have loved them. On lawns many of us play, relax and feel pride in our own patch of beauty.
Do lawns cause environmental problems? Sure. Huge amounts of chemical fertilizer and pesticide poisons spread from lawns into the wider world. Many lawns contain only one species of grass, and many of those species are not native to the area in which they grow—they crowd out local plants and reduce biodiversity. Americans also spill 17 million gallons of gas each summer while re-fueling lawn mowers. That’s more than the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled off the coast of Alaska. However, lawns bring environmental benefits as well. For one thing, they are better for the environment than pavement or dirt with no plants at all. They produce oxygen, filter out pollutants that might otherwise flow into streams and rivers, and reduce flooding and erosion. American lawns grow healthier each year. Since the U.S. Congress passed the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996, people have put fewer and fewer poisonous chemicals on their lawns. The spread of organic lawn care could make lawns into outstanding environmental citizens. “Grasscycling,” mulching and bringing in beneficial insects all helps. Plant more than one native grass species and your lawn could actually contribute to biodiversity. Use hand-powered or electric lawn mowers, or even a modern gas mower, and another lawn-related problem diminishes dramatically (as long as you don’t spill gasoline).
The conflicts between economic growth and taking care of our planet are not going to go away. Billions of people all over the world are striving for a better life for themselves and their families, consuming more and more energy, food and other resources, and putting billions of tons of pollutants into the air, water and earth. That presents a huge challenge. But we need strong economies to help produce the innovations that can meet this challenge. And we need concerned citizens, willing to get involved: to think, learn and understand multiple points of view in order to find solutions. References:
Book on organic lawn care – http://www.amazon.com/dp/0300086946/ref=rdr_ext_tmb Most accessible article on trying to analyze the environment with economic tools (What’s a Polar Bear worth?) – http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2012/0510/ Green-accounting-of-economic-growth Gus Speth’s anti-growth view – http://neweconomicsinstitute.org/publications/letter-liberalsliberalism-environmentalism-and-economic-growth Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project on Environmental Politics and Policy – http://web.mit.edu/polisci/mpepp/environment_&_economy.htm 18
WHO ARE THE QUAKERS?
Quakers are the members of the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian denomination which emerged out of the religious turmoil of mid-1600s England. The Quaker religion is practiced today in a variety of forms all around the world. To members of this religion, the words “Quaker” and “Friend” mean the same thing.
Quakers have no leaders, priests or ministers. They believe everyone ought to decide for himself or herself how to worship God, and that people should worship God directly, not through another person. So different Quakers might believe very different things; they hold beliefs that range from very liberal to conservative. But common themes re-appear, in different ways, again and again through the generations of Friends. These themes are called “testimonies” because they testify to the guidance of God as Friends have experienced it. There is no “official” list of testimonies, but a common acronym used in many Friends schools is SPICES: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship of the earth.
• The Testimony of Simplicity guides Friends to lead lives of material simplicity, because they believe that material luxury leads to spiritual deprivation and environmental destruction. • Quakers are best known for the Peace Testimony. Friends oppose war in all forms. Not only do Friends refuse to fight in wars, they seek to let their whole lives be expressions of peace in the world. • The Testimony of Integrity is a recognition that Quakers must lead lives of honesty in all their dealings—speaking clearly and honestly, and showing consistency between their religious faith and the way that they live. • The Testimony of Community holds that living by faith is not a private matter. It calls Quakers outward to meet the needs of the outside community as well. • The Testimony of Equality emphasizes the fundamental brotherhood and sisterhood of all people. Friends reject titles designed to elevate some individuals above others. For some Quakers this means never using any titles at all, even Mr. or Ms. Some will identify a person by their job, for example calling a judge “Judge”, but will not say “Your Honor.” Similarly, they believe that they are to treat with love and respect those whom the wider society rejects or considers inferior. • The Testimony of Stewardship is relatively new, although strands of it are woven through the other testimonies. But taking care of the planet for future generations is emerging as a testimony in its own right.
There are not very many Quakers compared to the number of people in other religious groups. The United States contains about 125,000. The states with the highest number of Quakers are Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California. Pennsylvania, the state where Crash is set, is sometimes known as the “Quaker State” and has a strong historical association with Quakerism. Pennsylvania, meaning “Penn’s Woods,” started as a grant of land from the King of England to William Penn, a noted early Friend, who wanted to establish a place where Quakers and others could worship free from persecution. Research and excerpts from: Quaker Information Center – http://www.quakerinfo.org/ Quaker Maps – http://www.quakermaps.com/info Cape Cod Quakers – http://capecodquakers.org/intro_quakers.html 19
FINDING YOUR TEAM
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde
Say the word “team” and many people think of football and basketball. Maybe sports aren’t your thing. That’s okay. There’s a team—and a connection—for everyone. For most activities, there are teams, clubs or informal groups of people who share the same interests. It’s great to find something you like and people you can share that with. You can make friends, build confidence and get better at your activity while learning from others. Find what you like. Think about what you like to do most. Whether you love science, cooking, robotics or working with animals, there’s sure to be a place where people get together to do the things you like.
Want to try something new? What would you like to learn to do? You won’t know whether you like something until you’ve tried it. Some kids assume drama is not their thing. They may change their mind when they actually get on stage, or when they learn about different aspects of theater, like building props or sewing costumes. Other times, you try something new and know it isn’t something you want to continue. That’s fine, too. Keep exploring. Everyone’s different. And that’s a good thing. Find where to do it. Teams and clubs are everywhere. They may meet at your school, a community center or a specialized place. Here are just a few ideas:
• Book clubs – If you love reading, think about joining a group to talk about books. Check out kids’ book clubs at public libraries and bookstores or start your own. • Specialty clubs – Check your school website, local community center and other organizations for afterschool programs. From art to chess to knitting and learning Japanese, there’s likely an activity you’ll like. • Service organizations – You might offer to help at an animal shelter, with a homeless shelter or with anything you feel is important. • All sort of sports – There are hundreds of different sports you can try. We’re lucky enough to have lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, gymnastics, fencing and many other sports teams and clubs in our area. • Sing, dance, act or perform – If you play an instrument or like to perform, look into the Drama Club at your school, classes at a local theater or consider gathering a group for a talent show. • Cooking – Like the kitchen? Try a cooking class. They’re often offered at grocery stores, kitchen stores and community centers. • Others – We can’t even begin to list all of the options that are available. If you’re still looking to explore an activity, check your local Boys & Girls Clubs, community centers and YMCA programs. Whatever you choose, feel good about what you do and who you are. You are the one and only YOU. 20
THOMAS THE TURTLE
In Crash, Penn Webb enjoys sharing information about his pet, Thomas, an eastern box turtle. It’s no wonder—they are fascinating animals.
Box turtles are land dwelling reptiles which get their name from the structure of their shells. The high, rounded upper shell (the carapace), grows to a maximum length of seven inches. The shell itself is bone, but the colorful overlay that we see is actually a layer of keratin (same stuff as our fingernails). Eastern box turtles have a carapace that is usually a darker brown with bright yellow, orange and/or red markings. Box turtles are unique in that their lower shell (the plastron) has a hinge on it that allows adult turtles to retract their head, tail and limbs into their shell and clamp it shut when frightened by predators—or a curious human. They wait in this position, like little, rounded boxes, until the threat is gone. A young turtle’s shell is not completely hardened until it is seven years old, but very few animals can harm an adult when it protects itself this way.
The underside of a box turtle. You can clearly see the hinge where the plastron clamps shut. The turtle’s head is in the left side of the shell.
Box turtles can live in a wide variety of habitats from damp forests to dry grassy fields. They live in the eastern United States, from southern Maine to Florida along the East Coast and as far west as Michigan, Illinois, eastern Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Due to its popularity as a pet, the eastern box turtle is sometimes found far outside this range. Although Penn Webb has given Thomas a good home after finding him on a road trip, you should not remove a box turtle from the wild. Box turtles have a homing instinct which causes them to return to the place of their birth. If they are moved from one habitat to another, they will spend the rest of their lives trying to go back to their original habitat. If you see a box turtle crossing the road, place him safely on the side of the road in the direction he was going, and leave him there.
Penn is right to be concerned when Thomas is inactive and has little appetite in spring. In the wild, box turtles usually emerge from hibernation in April. To hibernate, they burrow as much as two feet deep into loose earth, stream bottoms, old stump holes, mammal burrows or mud. In the spring and fall, they may be out foraging during all daylight hours and they sometimes bask in the sun to get warm. In the heat of the summer, box turtles are usually active only in the morning and after it rains. When it gets too hot, they hide under decaying logs and leaves, or crawl into mammal burrows or mud. When it is very hot, they go into shady pools and puddles to cool off. Like other turtles, eastern box turtles can live a long time, possibly up to 100 years. Researchers have discovered that unlike other animals, a turtle’s organs do not gradually age over time. They have the power to almost stop the ticking of their personal clock. A turtle’s heart doesn’t need to beat constantly—the turtle can actually turn it on and off. Turtles don’t really die of old age. In fact, if not for accident or illness, turtles might just live forever. Sadly, for many in captivity, 30-40 years is more typical—even shorter with less than ideal care.
As tempting as it might be to have a pet turtle, it is not generally recommended for young children to interact with box turtles. Like all reptiles, they carry salmonella bacteria, which can cause illness in humans. Always wash your hands after touching a turtle. Information and excerpts from: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology – http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/ information/Terrapene_carolina.html 21
WORDS & PHRASES THAT MIGHT BE NEW TO YOU He’s lethargic, and he won’t eat. – unenergetic, listless
Sixty-five years ago come the 25th of May, my great grandfather retrieved magic dirt from a tributary of the Missouri River. – stream flowing into a larger stream or a lake This mud has curative properties. – healing
MIKE: Are your parents quacks? ABBY: His parents are not quacks. PENN WEBB: They’re Quakers. And I’m a Quaker, too. quacks – persons who pretend to have medical skill Quakers – a branch of Christianity called the Religious Society of Friends, founded in England during the 17th century. (See the related article in this study guide.) We’re going to see what’s blooming in the Habitat Garden. – place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows It’s a chance to see the tiny flowers unencumbered by foliage. – unburdened by, free of
He’s a couple months older than me, he’s just a pipsqueak. – small or insignificant person
See, Mom, developers are pulling out the forests and putting in houses and shopping malls. – people who purchase land, divide it and build on it
You kids don’t know what puts the food on your plates. It’s development. – construction of houses or other buildings Are you planning to forage for your food when the development stops? – hunt, search
First you give Grandpa a stroke then you don’t get him a birthday present. – sudden weakening or loss of consciousness or the power to feel or move caused by the breaking or blocking of a blood vessel in the brain They want to move him to a long-term facility. – place that provides nursing care and other services for long periods of time for people who cannot care for themselves It’s a coma. – sleeplike state of unconsciousness caused by disease or injury Pencil will be obliterated. – wiped out
Continued on the next page...
22
FOOTBALL WORDS & PHRASES CRASH: I’m a running back. MIKE: A back needs to be quick and fast. CRASH: I am. MIKE: Maybe you’re fast, but you’re too big to be quick. CRASH: Famous last words. You offense? MIKE: The line. For now. When I get to high school I’m going defense. I want to sack the quarterback. And tackle the running back. offense – team that has possession of the football and attempts to advance it toward the goal line for a touchdown defense – unit that is responsible for keeping the opposition away from the goal line. The defense is the unit that does not have possession of the football. running back – offensive player who runs with the football the line – players who start each play lined up on the line of scrimmage (an imaginary line stretching the width of the field that separates the two teams) sack the quarterback – to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. The quarterback is the player who directs the offense of the team. He either hands the ball to the running back, throws it or runs with it himself. tackle – bring down an offensive player who has the ball He plays football and he’s a great offensive lineman, and he’s really cool. – player that lines up on the line of scrimmage whose primary job is to block the defensive players
Hey, I know, let’s play a couple downs while we’re waiting. – actions that start when the ball is put into motion and end when the ball is “dead.” Basically, a down is one play. TRACK WORDS & PHRASES
JANE: What are we supposed to do with these blocks? PENN WEBB: They’re the ready-set-go blocks. Everybody starts from the blocks so it’s fair. Penn has taught himself how to run so he doesn’t know the technical terms for things. The supports on which sprinters place their feet at the beginning of a race are actually called the starting blocks.
But now I’m old enough to go to the Penn Relays. Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It regularly attracts more than 15,000 participants from high schools, colleges and track clubs throughout North America and abroad, most notably Jamaica, competing in more than 300 events over five days. Historically, the event has been credited with popularizing the running of relay races. It is held during the last full week in April, ending on the last Saturday in April. He’s running the anchor, so you know he’s good. – last leg of the relay race. It is usually run by the fastest runner on the team. 23
C i r c l e o f F ri e nd s What connects us to our friends and family? Often it is a shared interest or experience. We might make friends at soccer practice, get to know our science partners during class or bond with cousins over our love for music. In the box below, brainstorm some interests and experiences that are part of your identity. Do you like to play sports? Make art? Enjoy a certain kind of food?
In the diagram below, write your name in the center circle and then add one of your brainstorm ideas on each line connecting your name to an outer circle. In the outer circles write names of friends and family with whom you share that interest or experience. When you’re finished, look at your diagram and celebrate all the different parts of your identity that connect you to the people you know!
In this activity, students learn things they may not know about their classmates. Each student writes one sentence about an interest or talent they have or activity they do. Ask them to pick something that their classmates might not know. Make it clear that they only share what they feel comfortable sharing; we all have so much that makes us special that we have plenty of interesting stuff to share. Give some examples of possible statements: I once ran a five-mile trail run. I speak more than one language. I make science-fiction movies with my sister. I know how to make tamales. My family has 5,000 bees in our backyard. I volunteer at an animal shelter. Collect these statements and write them on a board with plenty of blank space around them. Give students a list of all student names to cut apart, or individual small pieces of paper they can write each student’s name on. Ask students to post or write the name of the student they think wrote the statement next to the statement—not writing their own name anywhere, of course. They can’t repeat a student’s name on more than one statement and must match all names with statements. Students can compare and discuss which student submitted which statement before they try to guess, or after, or both. If a student knows for sure which statement a student made, ask them to avoid announcing that to the class so everyone can have the fun of trying to match things up. At the end of the session, read the correct answers and allow time for the student to share something about their statement. For example, why they like to do a certain activity, or how they learned to do it. Ways to extend the activity: Students can count/chart who was matched with the most/least of the correct statements. Put all the statements in a box and have each student choose one blindly, returning their own statement to the box if they happen to draw it. Have them do additional research on the topic they drew and report back to the class.
BOOKLIST
For Children & Young Adults:
For Adults Working With Children & Young Adults:
Fiction: Bystander James Preller
Fiction: Firefly Lane Kristin Hannah
Confessions of a Former Bully Trudy Ludwig
Nonfiction: Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom Jennifer S. Holland
Facts of Life: Stories Gary Soto Lunch Money Andrew Clements
Why Good Kids Act Cruel: The Hidden Truth about the Pre-Teen Years Carl E. Pickhardt, Ph.D.
Powerless Matthew Cody
The Unwritten Rules of Friendship: Simple Strategies to Help Your Child Make Friends Natalie Madorsky Elman and Eileen Kennedy-Moore Colorfully written and practical, this book offers many tips for anxious parents.
The Truth about Truman School Dori Hillestad Butler The View from Saturday E.L. Konigsburg
Website: http://www.stopbullying.gov
8th Grade Superzero Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich Reggie (aka “Pukey”) is trying hard to stay under the radar in middle school because of an embarrassing start to the school year. But when he’s drawn into the school election he comes face to face with doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences. What really makes a wimp, or a bully, or a kid just trying to grow up? Nonfiction: Bullying and Me: Schoolyard Stories Ouisie Shapiro; photographs by Steven Vote We Want You to Know: Kids Talk About Bullying Deborah Ellis
26
Booklist prepared by Judy Nelson, Pierce County Library System
HOW DID WE DO?
We’d love to know what was helpful to you as you read and used this guide. Please fill out and return this short survey to us. We appreciate your feedback. 1. For which play/plays did you use the Educator Resource Guide? □ Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat □ The Edge of Peace □ Danny, King of the Basement □ Adventures with Spot □ The Wizard of Oz □ Crash □ Dot & Ziggy 2. Was it easy for you to find and download the Educator Resource Guide?
□ Very
□ Somewhat
□ Not very
□ Not at all
3. On a scale of 1 – 5 (5 being the highest), how useful was the Educator Resource Guide? □ 1
□ 2
□ 3
□ 4
□ 5
4. What did you use from the Educator Resource Guide?
5. Is there something you would like to see included in the Educator Resource Guide that wasn’t here?
6. Which of the following best describes you? I teach: □ Preschool □ High school
Other Comments:
□ Elementary school □ Home school
THANK YOU!
MAIL to: or EMAIL: Seattle Children’s Theatre
[email protected] 201 Thomas Street Seattle, WA 98109 Attention: School Shows
27
□ Middle school
or FAX: 206.443.0442
