We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
STUDY
GUIDE
Pinocchio
Production Information: Birmingham Children’s Theatre presents a new adaptation of the classic
tale Pinocchio, March 31 to May 1, 2009, on our MainStage at the Birmingham-Jefferson
Convention Complex Theatre. The play was written by Ms. Leah Luker and Mrs. Jean Pierce,
based on the story by Carlo Collodi. Tickets for school groups and the two public performances,
on April 18 and 25, may be purchased by calling 205-458-8181.
Summary:
Geppetto is a kindly woodcarver who longs to have a son. After creating many puppets with the
hopes they would come to life, his dream finally comes true. With the help of the Blue Fairy,
Geppetto’s puppet, Pinocchio, becomes alive. It is not an easy world for the puppet, though. He
must learn what it means to be a real and good person, including: going to school, working hard,
making friends and putting others’ needs before your own. In the end, after learning some
important life lessons, Pinocchio is transformed from the wooden puppet into the real boy
Geppetto had always wanted.
About the Author: Carlo Collodi is the pen name (an assumed name used by a writer instead of
their real name) of Carlo Lorenzini. Collodi is the name of the little village in Tuscany, Italy,
where his mother was born. Born in Florence, he was the son of a cook and a servant, and spent
his childhood in the rough and tumble of the streets of his native Florence. Collodi started his
writing career as a newspaperman. He wrote for other papers, and also started his own satirical
(using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices,
particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues) paper Il Lampione
(The Lantern), but the government closed it down. Later he became a government official
himself, working for the education department and trying to push through much-needed
educational reforms. In the 1850’s, he began to have a variety of books published. His first
major success was Giannettino, which is an educational fairy-tale. He devoted himself to writing
for children “because adults are too hard to please.” In 1881, he sent a short episode on the life
of a wooden puppet to a newspaper, wondering whether the editor would be interested in
publishing this “bit of foolishness.” The editor did and the children loved it. The Adventures of
Pinocchio were serialized (publish or broadcast (a story or play) in regular installments) in the
paper and then published in 1883 with huge success. Since then, the story has been translated
and published throughout the world.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
A Chat with the Playwrights, Leah Luker and Jean Pierce:
When did you write the play and was it a commissioned piece; if so, for whom?
“The Play was written in January, 2009, exclusively for Birmingham Children's Theatre by Leah
Luker and Jean Pierce.”
When/where did it receive it premiere?
“The world premier will be on March 31st, 2009, at Birmingham Children's Theatre.”
What prompted you to write this particular story about Pinocchio? What was/is your hope
audiences will take away from the play?
Ms. Luker: “Jean and I were inspired to write the play after reading the original story by Carlo
Collodi. We saw so many wonderful things in the book that we felt needed to be shown on stage.
More than just lying- Pinocchio is called on to be brave, selfless and work hard. We just wanted
to give people a more well rounded view of the character rather than an innocent, but dishonest
puppet.”
Mrs. Pierce: “A good script was needed, one that would allow Pinocchio, through hard work and
determination, to earn the right to be a real boy. This was my co-writer’s vision for the play. I
hope our audiences will remember the lessons Pinocchio learned about truth, loyalty,
responsibility and making wise choices.”
Pinocchio is based on story written by Carlo Collodi... how was the original inspirational and
in what ways did you make changes to the original to suit the needs of your script? What
excited you about the original to make an adapted play about it?
Ms. Luker: “Well, Jean and I made changes to the original story because it is a very long story
to fit into an hour. We did not want to loose the author's intention, so we kept the themes of the
story in tact by combining Pinocchio's lessons into five main story lines (The Puppet Master, The
Fox and Cat, The Land of Fun, The Whale, and the Medicine Woman). The Medicine Woman
was invented by Jean and I to help keep the Blue Fairy actively involved in the story, and to help
Pinocchio learn the act of selflessness. There are many times in the Pinocchio story when he
helps someone who is in need at the cost of his own happiness... we wanted to show that in one
great action. Also, we knew that the Blue Fairy and Cricket (though small parts of Collodi's
story) are important teaching characters and personify conscience and discipline, which
Pinocchio lacks at first. Personification is one of the best tools of a playwright. Especially when
writing for young audience. [Personification is] making an idea into a character trait of a person
(The Blue Fairy=Conscience. The Cricket=discipline). Any time you can replace an explanation
of an idea with action or a character is always a good idea.”
Mrs. Pierce: “The story, originally published as a magazine serial, is filled with enough
appealing characters and fantastic adventures to inspire any playwright. It was necessary to
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
A Chat with the Playwrights, Leah Luker and Jean Pierce, continued:
choose only the most stage-worthy episodes and to compress the whole into an hour-long play
that would appeal to today’s young audience. I can imagine the eagerness of those children long
ago as they waited to read the next exciting chapter. I hope our audience will be just as eager to
follow Pinocchio’s amazing adventures as they unfold on stage.”
Characters:
Narrators - the storytellers of the play
Geppetto - a kind, elderly woodcarver who greatly wants a son
Cricket - a magical talking cricket who is one-hundred years old
Pinocchio - a puppet made of wood who wants to be a real boy
Blue Fairy - a special and magical person who helps Pinocchio become a real boy
Crow - a character that the Blue Fairy becomes to teach Pinocchio
Medicine Woman - a character that the Blue Fairy becomes to teach Pinocchio
Lampwick - an orphan who befriends Pinocchio
Ensemble - the group of actors who take on different characters to tell the story
Maestro - the owner of a puppet show
Punch - one of the Maestro’s puppets
Judy - another one of the Maestro’s puppets
Fox - a trickster
Cat - the Fox’s partner
Coachman - a greedy man
Donkey Driver - one of the Coachman’s workers
Vocabulary:
Absolutely - |ˌabsәˈloōtlē| ; adverb ; with no qualification, restriction, or limitation; totally
Accusation - |ˌakyәˈzā sh әn; ˌakyoō-| ; noun ; a charge or claim that someone has done
something illegal or wrong
Advantage - |әdˈvantij| ; noun ; a condition or circumstance that puts one in a favorable or
superior position
Bandana - |banˈdanә| ; noun ; a large handkerchief or neckerchief, typically of silk or cotton,
often having a colorful pattern
Blacksmith - |ˈblakˌsmiθ| ; noun ; a person who makes and repairs things in iron by hand
Brave - |brāv| ; adjective ; ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage
Bored - |bôrd| |bɔ(ә)rd| |bɔːd| ; adjective ; feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks
interest in one's current activity
Canyon - |ˈkanyәn| ; noun ; a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it, as
found in North America
Coach - |kō ch | ; noun ; a horse-drawn carriage, esp. a closed one
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Vocabulary, continued:
Commotion - |kәˈmō sh әn| ; noun ; a state of confused and noisy disturbance
Cranky - |ˈkra ng kē| ; adjective ; ill-tempered; irritable
Cure - |kyoŏr| ; noun ; a substance or treatment that cures a disease or condition
Dangling - |ˈda ng gәl| ; verb ; hang or swing loosely
Decide - |diˈsīd| ; verb ; come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration
Determine - |diˈtәrmin| ; verb ; cause (something) to occur in a particular way
Disappoint - |ˌdisәˈpoint| ; verb ; fail to fulfill the hopes or expectations of (someone)
Distracted - |disˈtraktәd| |dәˈstrøktәd| ; adjective ; unable to concentrate because one's mind is
preoccupied
Donkey - |ˈdô ng kē; ˈdä ng-| ; noun ; a domesticated hoofed mammal of the horse family with
long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden
Earache - |ˈi(ә)rˌāk| ; noun ; pain inside the ear
Embarrass - |emˈbarәs| ; verb ; cause (someone) to feel awkward, self-conscious, or
ashamed
Entertainment - |ˌentәrˈtānmәnt| ; noun ; the action of providing or being provided with
amusement or enjoyment
Fever - |ˈfēvәr| ; noun ; an abnormally high body temperature, usually accompanied by
shivering, headache, and in severe instances, delirium
Field of Wonders - (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_Chudes)
Gentleman - |ˈjentlmәn| ; noun ; a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man
Greedy - |ˈgrēdē| ; adjective ; having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something
Headache - |ˈhedˌāk| ; noun ; a continuous pain in the head
Hero - |ˈhi(ә)rō| ; noun ; a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for
courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities
Impertinent - |imˈpәrtn-әnt| ; adjective ; not showing proper respect; rude
Impatient - |imˈpā sh әnt| ; adjective ; having or showing a tendency to be quickly
irritated or provoked
Island - |ˈīlәnd| ; noun ; a piece of land surrounded by water
Lame - |lām| ; adjective ; (of a person or animal) unable to walk normally because of an injury or
illness affecting the leg or foot
Lazy - |ˈlāzē| ; adjective ; unwilling to work or use energy
Maestro - |ˈmīstrō| ; noun ; a distinguished musician, esp. a conductor of classical music; a great
or distinguished figure in any sphere
Marionette - |ˌmarēәˈnet| ; noun ; a puppet worked from above by strings attached to its limbs
Medicine - |ˈmedisәn| ; noun ; a compound or preparation used for the treatment or
prevention of disease, esp. a drug or drugs taken by mouth
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Vocabulary, continued:
Mischievous - |ˈmis ch ivәs| ; adjective ; (of a person, animal, or their behavior) causing or
showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way
Misfortunate - |misˈfôr ch әn| ; adjective ; having bad luck
Mistake - |mәˈstāk| ; noun ; an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong
Mule - |myoōl| ; noun ; the offspring of a donkey and a horse (strictly, a male donkey and a
female horse), typically sterile and used as a beast of burden. Compare with hinny
Nagging - |ˈnøgɪŋ| ; verb; annoy or irritate (a person) with persistent fault-finding or
continuous urging
Nonsense - |ˈnänˌsens| ; noun ; spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense
Ocean - |ˈō sh әn| ; noun ; a very large expanse of sea, in particular, each of the main areas into
which the sea is divided geographically
Opportunity - |ˌäpәrˈt(y)oōnitē| ; noun ; a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do
something
Orphan - |ˈôrfәn| ; noun ; a child whose parents are dead
Picky - |ˈpikē| ; adjective ; fastidious, esp. excessively so
Plethora - |ˈpleθәrә| ; noun ; an excess of (something)
Plowing - |plouɪŋ| ; verb ; turn up the earth of (an area of land) with a plow, esp. before sowing
Potion - |ˈpō sh әn| ; noun ; a liquid with healing, magical, or poisonous properties
Proud - |proud| ; adjective ; feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own
achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely
associated
Puppet - |ˈpәpәt| ; noun ; a movable model of a person or animal that is used in entertainment
and is typically moved either by strings controlled from above or by a hand inside it
Repeating - |riˈpēt| ; verb ; say again something one has already said
Requite - |riˈkwīt| ; verb ; make appropriate return for (a favor or service); reward
Respect - |riˈspekt| ; noun ; a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by
their abilities, qualities, or achievements
Ruffian - |ˈrәfēәn| ; noun ; a violent person, esp. one involved in crime.
Rules - |roōl| ; noun ; a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing
conduct within a particular activity or sphere
Simple Simons - http://www.rhymes.org.uk/simple_simon.htm
Spoiled - |spoil| ; verb ; harm the character of (a child) by being too lenient or indulgent
Swallow - |ˈ sh alō| ; adjective ; of little depth
Syndrome - |ˈsinˌdrōm| ; noun ; a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a
condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms
Tease - |tēz| ; verb ; make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Vocabulary, continued:
Thieves - |θēvz| ; noun ; a person who steals another person's property, esp. by stealth and
without using force or violence
Type- |tīp| ; noun; a category of people or things having common characteristics
Whale - |(h)wāl| ; noun ; a very large marine mammal with a streamlined hairless body, a
horizontal tail fin, and a blowhole on top of the head for breathing
(Definitions: Dictionary, Version 2.0.2 (51.4), © Copyright 2005-2007 Apple Inc., All rights
reserved.)
Settings:
Geppetto’s house
An Italian Village
A Marionette Theatre
The Land of Fun
The Ocean
Inside a Whale
Themes present in Pinocchio:
A testing ground for Foreigners
A Machiavellian view of the world
The creation of a national identity
“Puppet-People-Italy”
Selflessness
Lyrics to "Simple Simon"
Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair;
Said Simple Simon to the pieman "Let me taste your ware"
Said the pieman to Simple Simon "Show me first your penny"
Said Simple Simon to the pieman "Sir, I have not any!"
Simple Simon went a-fishing for to catch a whale;
All the water he had got was in his mother's pail.
Simple Simon went to look if plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much which made poor Simon whistle.
He went for water in a sieve but soon it all fell through;
And now poor Simple Simon bids you all "Adieu"
(http://www.rhymes.org.uk/simple_simon.htm)
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Classroom ACTivities : 1
Life Lessons explored in Storytelling: Pinocchio : Grades K-4
Language Arts Skills Addressed: Making Connections, Sequence of Events, Building Background
Knowledge, Compare and Contrast, Story Elements.
Pinocchio is a story that explores many different situations where the characters must learn life
lessons, just like we do everyday.
Pre-show ACTivities:
1) Before seeing our production at the Birmingham Children’s Theatre, discuss with your class
the idea of “life lessons.” How do you define a life lesson? What sort of life lessons have they
already experienced this year?
2) With their help, create a list of life lessons to keep for future reference.
3) Preview the summary provided of the show with the class. How would a puppet made out of
wood be different from you? What problems might he face? What ways might Pinocchio be
similar to (or like) you?
Performance ACTivities:
4) As they watch the show, ask your students to quietly think about the life lessons the characters
encounter (unexpectedly experience or are faced with) on stage.
5) At the performance, remember that the actors love to hear laughter when they do or say
something funny, but please, no talking or whispering during the performance unless you are
helping the actors.
6) It is rude to chew gum, eat or have a drink in the theatre.
7) For the actors safety, do not use cameras, laser pointers or recording devices during a
performance. It is also rude to use a cell phone or beeper during the show.
8) Actors love to hear applause! Show your appreciation by clapping at the end of the play.
Post-show ACTivities:
9) After seeing the production on our stage, pull out the list of life lessons. Then, with your
class, draw out a sequence of events, or a vertical timeline, that chronicles the important life
lessons the characters learned during the play.
10) Once you have created the timeline, discuss each life lesson and specifically what the
character learned. What life lessons are on the list you created before you came to see the play?
What life lessons can you add to the list after seeing the play?
11) Let each student pick their favorite character and life lesson from the play. Give them an
opportunity to make a real still “picture” in front of the class that demonstrates the lesson.
12) End with applause!
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Classroom ACTivities : 2
Elements of Literature: Pinocchio : Grades 5-8
Language Arts Skills Addressed: Making Connections, Sequence of Events, Building Background
Knowledge, Compare and Contrast, Story Elements.
Pinocchio, like many folk tales (a story originating in popular culture, typically passed on by
word of mouth), while specific to the Italian national character, utilizes many functions of
storytelling that have been handed down through the tradition of oral and written literature. You
and your class will see a version of Pinocchio on stage at the Birmingham Children’s Theatre.
Pre-Performance ACTivities:
1) Explain to your class that they will see a “version” of a Italian folk tale.
2) All stories have a definite “beginning,” “middle” and “end.” Ask for examples of beginnings,
middles and ends that occur in their everyday life.
3) Choose a movies or television program with which your class is familiar. Excite your class’
imagination and creativity by defining the following in relation to the movie or television
program: character, someone in a book, play, or movie; compare, to examine two or more
people or things in order to discover similarities; contrast, to examine two or more people or
things in order to discover differences; non-traditional, not based on tradition (a certain way of
doing things); scene, a small part of a story that occurs in one time and place; setting, the time
and place of a story; traditional, handed down from one generation to the next; archetype, a
very typical example of a certain person or thing.
Performance ACTivities:
3) Remind your class that they will see a “version” of story of Pinocchio. As with many stories
that are adapted (the process of making (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; to
modify) for the stage, only certain highlights of the original story will be presented. During the
performance, ask your students to quietly think about the why the playwrights selected the
particular highlights they did for this production.
4) At the performance, remember that the actors love to hear laughter when they do or say
something funny, but please, no talking or whispering during the performance unless you are
helping the actors.
5) It is rude to chew gum, eat or have a drink in the theatre.
6) For the actors safety, do not use cameras, laser pointers or recording devices during a
performance. It is also rude to use a cell phone or beeper during the show.
7) Actors love to hear applause! Show your appreciation by clapping at the end of the play.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Post-performance ACTivities:
8) After seeing the production, remind your students of the terms discussed earlier: character,
compare, contrast, non-traditional, scene, setting, traditional, archetype.
9) Separate your class in to small groups of four or five students. Working as a team, or
ensemble, ask the groups to create a chart placing the terms on the left side and a definition of
the term as it applies to Pinocchio on the right side. What was the groups favorite aspect (a
particular part or feature) of the play. How would they define the “beginning,” “middle” and
“end” of the play?
10) Let each group present their chart to the class.
11) End with applause!
Classroom ACTivities : 3
Writing Prompts: Grades K-4
A time I felt different was…
If I were made out of wood, I would…
If my friend was a puppet, I would...
Classroom ACTivities : 4
Writing Prompts: Grades 5-8
Narrative- Tell the story of an inanimate object that suddenly comes to life.
Descriptive- Describe a friend you would like to build. What characteristics would you want
your friend to have?
Expository- The puppet Pinocchio is coming to your house for a spend-the-night party. Explain
what preparations you and your parents will need to make before his arrival.
Persuasive- The puppet Pinocchio is new at your school. Your friends make fun of him because
he is made of wood. Persuade them why they should get to know him and become
friends.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Dear (who was your favorite character?)___________________________,
I am (how old are you?)_________ and am in the ________ grade at (to what school
do you go?)_____________________________________________________________.
I came to see you on stage in Pinocchio at the Birmingham Children’s Theatre on
_____ (date) _______________ (month) _______(year)! I thought the play Pinocchio was
(how did it make you feel and why?)________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
My favorite part of the play was (what was something that was real to you?)_______________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
I really liked your character because (what was it that made you like them?)_______________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
The set looked like (what did you see?)_____________________________________________.
The music sounded like (what did you hear?)________________________________________.
Something else that I really loved about the play was_________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
I would like to come back to the Birmingham Children’s Theatre and see (what is a play
that you think is fun?)___________________________________________________________.
Love,
________________________________
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Alabama Course of Study
Alabama Content Standards for Pinocchio
Kindergarten
English Language Arts Standards
4.) Use words that describe and represent real-life objects and actions.
5.) Demonstrate listening comprehension of passages, including retelling stories and answering
questions.
6.) Identify various forms of narrative texts, including nursery rhymes, poetry, and stories.
10.) Use print and nonprint classroom, library, and real-world resources to acquire information.
11.) Follow one- and two-part oral directions.
12.) Select appropriate voice level when interacting with others.
Arts Education Standards
1.) Identify body, mind, and voice as the three tools of classroom drama.
4.) Identify appropriate audience behavior in a variety of settings.
6.) Identify a variety of dramatic productions.
First Grade
English Language Arts
6.) Recognize a variety of narrative text forms, including fairy tales, adventure stories, and
poetry.
12.) Collect information from print and nonprint resources to investigate a teacher- or studentselected topic.
13.) Listen for meaning in conversations and discussions, including looking at the speaker
without interrupting.
14.) Use appropriate intonation when speaking and interacting with others.
Arts Education Standards
1.) Explain how the body, mind, and voice are used in classroom drama.
3.) Demonstrate ways that voice, space, and movement are used to create emotions, characters,
or objects.
5.) Portray individual characters from an oral reading in literature.
7.) Retell the sequence of events in a story or theatrical performance.
8.) Relate a personal experience to an incident in a dramatic production.
9.) Demonstrate behavior appropriate to specific types of performances.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Second Grade
English Language Arts Standards
4.) Demonstrate comprehension of second-grade reading materials across the curriculum,
including drawing simple conclusions, classifying ideas and things, identifying sequence, and
retelling directions and information from informational and functional reading materials.
6.) Differentiate among folktales, tall tales, fables, realistic fiction, and other narrative texts.
15.) Select appropriate voice tone, gestures, and facial expression to enhance meaning.
Arts Education Standards
1.) Demonstrate ways to use the body and voice to communicate character actions, emotions, and
sounds in a drama.
2.) Demonstrate locomotor and nonlocomotor movements that suggest specific images or ideas.
3.) Create classroom dramatizations based on personal experiences, imagination, literature,
heritage, and history; including characters, settings, dialogues, and situations.
4.) Describe different elements in a dramatization.
5.) Communicate in an appropriate manner regarding aspects of a dramatization.
Third Grade
English Language Arts Standards
3.) Use a wide range of strategies, including using context clues and predicting outcomes, to
comprehend third-grade recreational reading materials in a variety of genres.
4.) Use a wide range of strategies and skills, including retelling information, using context clues,
and making inferences to identify main idea, to comprehend third-grade informational and
functional reading materials.
7.) Compare fictional characters and events to real-life experiences.
14.) Demonstrate eye contact, articulation, and appropriate voice intonation with oral narrative
presentations.
Arts Education Standards
1.) Use the primary tools of mind, body, and voice in an appropriate characterization for a simple
classroom production.
4.) Dramatize universal subjects and ideas in stories from different cultures.
6.) Identify different elements in a theatrical performance.
7.) Evaluate the effectiveness of the theatrical elements of a performance using accurate,
respectful, supportive, and constructive comments.
8.) Describe effects that sounds, movements, and visual images have on an audience.
10.) Identify ways in which the arts are used for personal pleasure and enrichment.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Fourth Grade
English Language Arts Standards
3.) Use a wide range of strategies, including distinguishing fiction from nonfiction and making
inferences, to comprehend fourth-grade recreational reading materials in a variety of genres.
7.) Compare story elements and the experiences and feelings of literary characters to students'
lives.
8.) Compose descriptive texts using an introductory paragraph, sensory details, vivid language,
and a conclusion.
13.) Demonstrate eye contact, articulation, and appropriate voice intonation with descriptive
presentations.
14.) Identify strategies of a skillful listener, including attending to the listening task and
assigning meaning to the message.
Arts Education Standards
1.) Demonstrate ways in which an actor communicates character and emotions.
2.) Improvise short scenes while working cooperatively in groups, including the use of role play.
5.) Identify thoughts and feelings evoked by a performance.
6.) Evaluate audience behavior of self and others to determine appropriateness.
Fifth Grade
English Language Arts Standards
2.) Use a range of strategies, including drawing conclusions such as opinions about characters
based on their actions and summarizing passages, to comprehend fifth-grade recreational reading
materials in a variety of genres.
7.) Compose expository texts using an introductory paragraph that includes a main idea;
supporting paragraphs with a minimum of three reasons, explanations, or steps in a process; and
a conclusion.
8.) Express meaning through writing varied sentence structure, detailed paragraphs, and multiparagraph compositions in an organized manner.
12.) Demonstrate eye contact, articulation, and appropriate voice intonation with expository
presentations.
13.) Apply strategies of a skillful listener, including maintaining eye contact, attending to the
listening task, and assigning meaning to the message.
Arts Education Standards
5.) Analyze a dramatic performance to identify its intended personal emotional response.
6.) Compare ways in which ideas and emotions are expressed in theatre, dramatic media, dance,
music, and visual arts.
10.) Identify universal themes in literature.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Sixth Grade
English Language Arts Standards
1.) Apply strategies, including making complex predictions, interpreting characters' behaviors,
and comparing and contrasting, to comprehend sixth-grade recreational reading materials.
5.) Analyze short stories, novels, plays, myths, and nonfiction materials for distinguishing
characteristics.
8.) Compose in persuasive mode for a specific purpose and audience, including clearly stated
opinions with supporting details and reasons or examples to influence thought or action.
17.) Use listening skills for remembering significant details, directions, and sequences.
Seventh Grade
English Language Arts Standards
1.) Apply strategies appropriate to the type of reading material, including setting purposes for
reading and making generalizations, to comprehend seventh-grade recreational reading materials.
8.) Compare selections of culturally diverse literature and their characteristics.
9.) Compose in descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive modes with a thesis sentence
and introductory, supporting, and concluding paragraphs when appropriate.
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts Standards
1.) Apply strategies, including making inferences to determine theme, confirming or refuting
predictions, and using specific context clues, to comprehend eighth-grade recreational reading
materials.
6.) Analyze works of literature for character motivation, mood, tone, theme, similarities across
texts, and literary devices.
8.) Write in narrative, expository, and persuasive modes with attention to descriptive elements.
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre
We Educate, Entertain and Enrich
the lives of children through
the magic of professional theatre.
Birmingham Children’s Theatre is the resident professional theatre company
at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
Founded in 1947, BCT is one of the nation’s oldest continuously run children’s theatre.
BCT has over six decades of making a positive difference in the lives of over
twelve million of our children.
Dane Peterson
Artist-In-Residence / Director of Education
Birmingham Children’s Theatre
P.O. Box 1362
Birmingham, AL 35201
205-458-8183 www.bct123.org education@bct123.org
© 2009 - Birmingham Childrenʼs Theatre