ACTIVITY GUIDE 2018-2019 TOURING PRODUCTION - Arkansas Arts Center
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© David Hohn Illustration
2018-2019 TOURING PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY GUIDE
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Welcome to the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre on Tour Activity Guide for The Tortoise & the Hare (and Other
Turtle Tales).
This activity guide is designed for you—our audience! It includes exercises that are designed for both families and
classrooms. On the following pages, you will find information about the production as well as engaging activities that
reinforce themes of the play. Because we are committed to providing educational opportunities to our visitors, all activities
align with current Arkansas Department of Education Curriculum Frameworks and Arkansas State Standards. In general,
activities in this guide address standards for Kindergarten—5th Grade. The frameworks and standards are listed beneath
the activity, but the following icons provide an immediate recognition of the curriculum connections:
English Language Arts
Foreign Languages
Library Media
Math
Music
Physical Education & Health
Science
Social Studies
Theatre
Visual Arts
NOTE: Art is an ongoing process. Scripts are used as a road map, but the final destination may change based on a variety of factors.
Because the activity guides are based on the scripts, please note that the content of the educational materials may vary from the final
version of the play. Content is the intellectual property of the Arkansas Arts Center.
“Turtles all the way down.” ABOUT THE PLAY One of Aesop’s most famous fables is about a boastful bunny who learns a very important lesson: “Slow and steady wins the race.” Of course, Aesop lived in ancient Greece, but there are turtle and tortoise stories from many different cultures and traditions—from Africa to the Philippines to Japan. Through music and dance and witty turtle wordplay, this lively roundup of culturally diverse tortoise tales celebrates one thing that every culture holds in common: the fun of storytelling! ABOUT THE ORIGINAL STORIES The Tortoise & the Hare (and Other Turtle Tales) is based on a wide variety of tales from across the world. The most famous of these tales was recorded by Aesop, a Greek storyteller, who lived from approximately 620—564 BC. Though many tales were credited to him, few facts are known about Aesop’s life. Most historians agree that he was originally a slave, but was eventually freed and may have even served on diplomatic missions. None of his own writings survive, but he collected a great number of fables and tales. Many of Aesop’s tales originated long before him, but have been changed and adapted over the years. Many of the other stories featured in the play also have unclear origins, but have survived for generations. For example, “The Legend of Urashima Tarō” has been traced to the 8th century, but later appeared on scrolls in a storybook format during the Muromachi (1336-1573) and Edo (1603-1868) periods of Japanese history. The tale has been recently standardized in Kokutei kyōkasho, Japan’s nationally designated textbook for elementary schools, but many variations of the tale exist. PLAY SYNOPSIS Brother Thunder excitedly reports that he, Brother Rain, and Sister Wind were playing beside the river and found a strange creature—with skin thick and crinkled and a hard, cracked back. Though it looked just like a rock, the creature’s head, legs, and tail disappeared inside him! Mother Moon tells the children that they must have met the Turtle. She then tells them a story from India… Long ago, the wisest of the wise among the Human People decided that the World rests in the Heavens on the back of a Great Turtle. The Great World Turtle who holds the Earth afloat is said to be held up by another, greater, turtle and so forth. According to those Human People the world is “turtles all the way down” — a mystery upon a mystery, like a chain. Mother Moon says that humans make up stories to help them answer their mysteries and challenges the children to find their own stories. The children travel north, south, east and west to collect stories of Turtle and his cousin Tortoise. Throughout the play, the foursome tell stories from the Philippines (of Turtle and Monkey and their banana tree); the Chippewa (a short story about how the turtle got its shell); and two legends from Japan: “The Legend of Urashima Tarō” and the tale of the singing turtle. The final tale is perhaps the most popular story of them all — “The Tortoise and the Hare.” When the energetic Hare happens upon Tortoise, Fox tells him that this strange rock-like creature is known as the fastest in the forest. Hare finds this hard to believe so Tortoise challenges him to a race. Hare takes an early lead before stopping for a nap. The tortoise takes advantage of the hare’s distraction and inches closer and closer to the finish line — claiming victory and teaching Hare a valuable lesson. At the conclusion of the play, the children learn that there are as many Turtle tales across the Great World as there are turtles holding it up in the Heavens.
STATEMENT FROM THE AAC CHILDREN’S THEATRE
It is a small wonder that myths and stories about turtles and tortoises can be found in so many cultures across
the world. Turtles are among the most intriguing, amusing, and enigmatic characters in the animal kingdom—
qualities that can’t help but pique curiosity and create mystery. And as Mother Moon tells her young friends in the
play, “the Human People need their mysteries because mystery wakes imagination, and imagination is where
stories come from.”
The stories we have chosen for The Tortoise and the Hare and Other Turtle Tales are of three types: tales in
which turtles interact with humans; in which they interact with other animals; and in which they interact with gods
or spirits or the cosmos. In each of these classes of story we can see the storyteller exploring some question
about themselves or the world around them. In the “The Singing Turtle,” for instance, the storyteller introduces a
turtle into human society in order to examine questions of human nature, specifically mankind’s capacity for
gratitude and kindness and for greed and laziness. The second class of turtle tale, the strict fable, is found in
stories like “The Turtle and the Monkey” and “The Tortoise and the Hare.” In each of these the fabulist is again
questioning the qualities and consequences of human behavior—though this time in the guise of
anthropomorphized animal antics. In the third story type, the storytellers involve turtle-kind with beings of a
higher spiritual existence, though still in pursuit of basic human questions of ethics and identity. In the Chippewa
tale, “How the Turtle Got its Shell,” the turtle is rewarded for her kindness to the Spirit Son of the West Wind.
Nigeria’s “How the Tortoise Got its Broken Shell” uncovers the truth that deceit and gluttony lead to downfall and
disgrace. And in Indian culture we see humankind seeking to understand the mystery of its own place in the
universe by creating the myth of the World Turtle that holds the earth afloat in the heavens.
In all of these examples, we find storytellers who, in the words of Mother Moon, “let imagination fly, making up
tales to illuminate their mysteries.” It is our hope that this play will not only make children laugh and wonder, but it
will suggest new mysteries to engage young imaginations and inspire new stories or new creations of any kind.
Keith Smith, Playwright
BEFORE THE PLAY
PREPARE FOR YOUR ROLE
• Please turn off your cell phones so you can look at all the little things that make live theatre a great big experience.
Also, bright screens in a dark theater can distract actors and other audience members.
• Save all food, gum, candy, and drinks for after the performance. They are not allowed in the theater and can be
used as a reward for good behavior!
• Sit like a grown up in your seat. That way you won’t miss a thing!
• Great theatre audiences listen, laugh when something is funny, and clap at just the right time. They never talk out
loud during a performance unless the performers ask them to.
• Keep your cameras tucked away and turned off. Photography and video are not allowed. Camera flashes blind
the actors and can cause them to step off the stage.
• When the play is over, enjoy talking with your friends and grownups about all the details. See who can remember
the most about the play. What were your favorite parts? Which characters did you like the most? Parents: What a
great time to have a conversation about the difference between theatre, movies, and TV!
READ THE ORIGINAL STORY
In order to prepare for the play, read the original tale of “The Tortoise & the Hare” by Aesop. (For more fun, read some of
the stories mentioned in the “About the Original Story” section of this guide.) After reading the story, consider these
questions: What types of language were used? How did the style of writing contribute to the story? How were the
characters described? What actions took place? What was the lesson of the story?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Read, Connect, Respond, Reflect; English Language Arts—Reading, Literature: Key Ideas
and Details, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Craft and Structure
ABOUT ADAPTATIONS
An adaptation is a change made to something so it can fit a new use or situation. This performance of The Tortoise & the
Hare (and Other Turtle Tales) is an adaptation of stories (which are meant to be read or heard) into a play (which is meant
to be performed and viewed). Keith Smith is the playwright which means he transformed the ideas from the original stories
into a stage production which is now performed by the AAC Children’s Theatre on Tour.
Consider these questions for discussion before you attend the play:
• What kinds of things might a playwright have to consider when writing a script? How might the script for a live stage
performance be different than a written story?
• Describe the characters in the story. What might the characters look like on stage? Draw a picture of your favorite
character.
• What are some objects they might use to help tell the story? Draw a picture of one of the scenes in the original story
and imagine how it might appear on stage.
• If you were to write an adaptation of this story into a play, what choices would you make?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Connect, Respond; Theatre—Creating, Evaluating, Responding
LEARN THE VOCABULARY
Below is a list of words included in the play. Reviewing this list will help you gain new vocabulary and also help you better
understand the performance. Try saying these words out loud so you will know them when you hear the actors say them.
The emphasis should be placed on the part of the word in UPPERCASE letters. Once you know how to say the words,
read the definition and try using the words in a sentence or conversation.
Afloat (uh-FLOWT) – carried on or as if carried on water; being at sea
Ambitious (am-BISH-us) – showing an eagerness to achieve a particular goal
Creature (CREE-chur) – a created being
Delight (dee-LITE) – extreme pleasure or satisfaction; something that gives great pleasure
Disappear (dis-uh-PEER) – to cease to be visible; pass out of sight
Eldest (EL-dist) – oldest; of the greatest age
Hearken (HARK-in) – to listen
Mystery (MIS-tuh-ree) – something that has not been or cannot be explained; a deep secret
Victory (VIK-tuh-ree) – the overcoming of an enemy or opponent; success in a struggle
Wealthy (WELL-thee) – having riches; rich
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Reading, Foundational Skills: Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition; Language:
Vocabulary Acquisition and UseDURING THE PLAY
It wouldn’t be a play without you! Your part is to pretend that the
play is real. Part of this includes accepting certain things:
YOU HAVE AN 1. Actors tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking), and
IMPORTANT ROLE songs.
2. Actors may sing songs that tell about the story or their feelings.
TO PLAY! 3. Actors may speak to the audience.
4. An actor may play several characters by changing their voice, cos-
tume, or posture.
5. Locations may be suggested by painted panels or sculptural scenic
elements on the stage or by props (smaller hand-held items).
HERE’S HOW TO PLAY YOUR PART: A play is different than 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!
Thank you for being a great part of our audience and enjoy the show!
AFTER THE PLAY
LET’S REVIEW!
Do you remember what you learned about adaptations? Now that you have seen the play, discuss these questions. Share
your answers with friends or family who also saw the play and compare your experiences.
• In what ways was the play different than the original stories? Why do you think these changes were made?
• Describe changes made to the characters in the stories. What kinds of things might the costume designers and
actors need to consider when bringing a character from a story to life on stage?
• Describe the set. Did it match the picture you drew before the play? What kinds of things might the set designers
need to consider when bringing the story from page to stage?
• Describe the music. In what ways did the music help tell the story on stage?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Connect, Respond; Theatre—Responding; Connecting
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
Read the following questions and either write your answers or tell someone in complete sentences. Make sure to use
correct grammar and spelling.
• Which turtle or tortoise story was your favorite?
• Can you remember two of the countries listed?
• Why didn’t Monkey’s tree grow bananas?
• Why is the tortoise’s shell cracked?
• Why did the Hare lose the race to Tortoise?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Writing: Text Type and Purposes; Speaking & Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration, Presenta-
tion of Knowledge and Ideas; Language: Conventions of Standard EnglishWRITING EXERCISE
Write a brief answer to the following questions. Make sure to write in complete sentences and use correct grammar,
spelling, and organization.
People have long used stories to help teach lessons. Have you ever been told a story that helped you understand
something? What was the story about? Who told you the story? Did the story help you understand? Did it teach you a
lesson? If so, what did you learn? If you were to make up a story to help explain something, what story would you tell?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Writing: Text Types and Purposes; Language: Conventions of Standard English
ACTIVITIES
TOTAL TORTOISE
This activity is an exercise in symmetry (SIM-uh-tree) which means that two halves of an image on either side of an axis
(or line) match one another in size, shape, and placement. Study the picture to the left of the line and then continue the
design to the right of the line. Pay attention to the details of the lines and shapes. Feel free to color in your drawing once
you finish the lines! (Hint: In this image, you are looking at the turtle from above.)
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Visual Arts—CreatingWORDS FROM THE WORLD
The Tortoise & the Hare (And Other Turtle Tales) features a wide variety of turtle stories from all over the world! In this
activity, you will have a chance to learn about some of the countries featured in the play.
Select one of the countries from the list of stories featured in the ● Greece “The Tortoise and the Hare”
play. Then, select a reference material to help you answer
● India “Turtles All the Way Down”
questions about that country.
● Japan “The Legend of Urashima Taro”
● Philippines “Turtle and Monkey”
Country: _____________________________________
Continent: ___________________________________
FLAG
Mark the location with an “x” on the map:
Capital city: _______________________________
Population: ________________________________
Currency: _________________________________
Type of government: _________________________________________________________________
Current Leader’s Name: _____________________________________________________________
Languages: ___________________________________________________________________________
FAMOUS LANDMARKS FOODS
One thing I have in common with people from this country is:
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Social Studies—Geography: Geographic Representations, Global Interconnections; Library Media—Information Literacy; Foreign
Language Experiences: Cultures, ConnectionsTURTLE TRIVIA
Turtles are fascinating animals! In this activity, you will use a symbol key to learn even more about turtles. Read each
sentence then match the symbols with those in the key to fill in the blanks.
◼ — ◆ ❖
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
≈ ∞ ♦
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
1. Turtles are reptiles with hard shells that protect them from __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
∞ ◼
2. Turtles have been on the earth for more than 200 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ years.
❖❖ ≈
3. Turtles live on every continent except __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
◼ ≈ ◼ — — ◼
4. The top domed part of a turtle’s shell is called a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
— ◼ ◼ ∞ ◼ —
5. The bottom underlying part is called the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
∞ ❖◼ ≈
6. A turtle’s shell consists of 60 different bones that are covered by plates called __ __ __ __ __ __.
—
7. Turtles have good __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ and an excellent sense of smell.
8. Most turtles are __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ which means they eat a wide variety of plants and animals.
≈
9. Sea turtles travel from the ocean to lay eggs on __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
◼ —
10. The largest sea turtle species is the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ turtle which can weight 600—1,500
pounds! ❖◼ ◼ —
You may know that sea turtles lay their eggs in sand, but did you know that the temperature of the sand
determines whether the hatched turtle will be male or female?
Warmer temperatures result in more females, while cooler sand results in more males. Due to increasingly warm
temperatures, more females have been born which has led to an overall population decrease.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Science—Life Sciences: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and their EnvironmentsIF YOU ENJOYED THIS, YOU SHOULD READ...
Once There Was a Story: Tales from Around the World, Perfect for Sharing by Jane Yolen, illus-
trated by Jane Dryer (Ages 4-8)
This collection of well-known and not-so-well known stories, fairy tales, folk tales, and fables from Rus-
sia to Africa to Korea and beyond includes magic tales, homey tales, and animal tales.
The Race of the Century by Barry Downard (Ages 4-8)
Tom Tortoise challenges Flash Harry Hare, and it becomes a media event extraordinaire—the race of
the century! But while Flash Harry gets distracted signing autographs for his adoring fans, stopping for
photo ops, and snacking, Tom Tortoise keeps going, slowly and steadily, to win the race.
Scoot! by Cathryn Falwell (Ages 4-8)
While their neighbors in the pond leap! lurch! scamper! and splash!, six silent turtles sit still as stones.
Will the turtles ever move? Read this book and find out. What are you waiting for? Scoot!
The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again by Dan Bernstein (Ages 4-8)
Tired of being a celebrity, the champion tortoise challenges the lazy hare to race again, this time with
the intention of losing, so that he can return to his quiet life at the shell station.
Tortoise Races Home by Jill Atkins, illustrated by Beccy Blake (Ages 5-6)
When it’s time to go home after a day of play, Tortoise challenges the other animals to a race.
Visit your local library
for more suggestions!
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: ReadIT TAKES A TEAM TO CREATE MAGIC ON THE STAGE!
Did you know that the play you saw was the result of many people working together? There are many roles in the theatre
department and each of the people in charge of these tasks must do their very best as a team member in order to
produce a great performance. Below is a list of some of these roles:
The DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the The ACTOR is the one who performs a role or represents a
overall artistic vision of a production. character in a play.
The SET DESIGNER is the person responsible for The CHOREOGRAPHER is the person who designs the
designing and overseeing the construction of the stage dance steps to be used in a play.
setting.
The MUSIC DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the
The COSTUME DESIGNER is the person in charge of the musical content of a production.
clothing worn by the actors in a performance.
The TECHNICAL DIRECTOR is the person in charge of the
technical requirements of a production as well as the
Want to learn how to be
equipment. a part of the play?
The STAGE MANAGER is the person responsible for Ask us about theatre camps, classes,
overseeing all the backstage elements of a production and audition opportunities!
(scheduling, rehearsals, etc.)
CONTACT US
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER CHILDREN’S THEATRE
P.O. BOX 2137
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203
501-372-4000
Visit our website to enroll in children’s camps and classes, learn about upcoming programs, read about the exhibitions and
artworks in our galleries, view the entire 2018-2019 Children’s Theatre season, and more!
WWW.ARKANSASARTSCENTER.ORG
SPONSORS
Bemis Company Foundation
Diane Suitt Gilleland
U.S. Bank Foundation
Additional support provided by The Shubert Foundation
Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is supported in part by: the City of Little Rock; the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; the City of
North Little Rock; The Shubert Foundation and the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National
Endowment for the Arts.You can also read
