Wiley and the Hairy Man Teacher Information Packet by Long Wharf Theatre

1 TEACHER INFORMATION PACKET

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THE PLAY WHO IS IN WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN?

SYNOPSIS

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY THE SWAMP

THE SET

THE PEOPLE

THE STORY BEFORE THE PLAY

THE ORIGINAL ENDING

INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM

LESSON PLANS K-3 LESSON PLANS

4-6 LESSON PLANS

7-8 LESSON PLANS

SOURCES

FOCUS QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR K-6

FOCUS QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR 4-8 2

FOCUS QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR K-8

WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN BY SUSAN ZEDER CREATIVE TEAM DIRECTOR SET DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN SOUND DESIGN TECHNICAL DIRECTOR PROPS MANAGER STAGE MANAGER ASSISTANT STAGE MANGER/ HEAD OF MARKETING

ELIZA ORLEANS KEVIN GRAB CARL RAMSEY CHRIS D’ANGELO JESSICA ROSSO JAMES HICKS BETSY RIPP REBECCA PFEIL JOHN MARSALIS

CAST WILEY MAMA HAIRY MAN DOG CHORUS

RYAN RONAN BRITTANY AYERS ROB GRGACH JESSE GABBARD TOM BRYDA JESSICA STERN LAUREN YOUNG

TEACHER INFORMATION PACKET COMPILED,WRITTEN, AND FORMATTED BY ANNIE DIMARTINO DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION MALLORY PELLEGRINO EDUCATION PROGRAMS MANAGER KRISTIANNA SMITH RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST BARBARA SONENSTEIN RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST 3

WHO IS IN WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN? WILEY

WILEY: Our hero. Wiley is a small, loving, energetic, imaginative boy with a big fear of the Hairy Man. He lives with his Mama and wants to please her. He loves his dog and loves to play. The Hairy Man got Wiley’s Papa, and Wiley is afraid he’s next!

DOG

DOG: Wiley’s beloved dog. He is described as “extremely fierce looking but moves with the lumbering playfulness of an overgrown puppy. Full of energy and then fast asleep.” Dog is Wiley’s best friend. He is loyal and protective. Dog is also Wiley’s security blanket. Without Dog, Wiley might never feel safe. Wiley brings Dog with him everywhere because the Hairy Man CAN’T STAND dogs.

HAIRY M AN

MAMA M AMA: Wiley’s Mother. She’s “the best conjure woman in the whole southwest county”. She uses magic as a tool to both protect Wiley and to aide him in his ability to face his own fears. She insists that Wiley face his fears and she teaches him magic so that he can protect himself on his journey to face his fears of the Hairy Man. Mama is no-nonsense, tough, loving, and magical.

HAIRY M AN: He is goofy, clumsy, and eager to outconjure everyone. There is something both silly and menacing about him. Hairy Man likes to play games, but only when he has the upper hand. Hairy Man is quick tempered and doesn’t like to be tricked or outsmarted, but he has no problem cheating if it’ll help him win. He got Wiley’s Papa and now he wants to get Wiley too!

Character Images by Carl Ramsey

WHO IS IN WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN? THE CHORUS

Formless creatures, part of the swamp, made up of moss, vines, and odd bits of swamp grass. The Chorus can become everything and anything. They create the environment through movement and sound. The Chorus creates both the physical swamp and the world of Wiley’s imagination. The Chorus also gives the audience a lot of important information. For example, they tell us the Hairy Man doesn’t like dogs.

Take A Guess ♦ Wily means clever and full of tricks. ♦ Hairy can mean causing fear or tension or dangerous. Knowing those definitions what do you think the show Wiley and the Hairy Man might be about?

The Chorus ♦ The use of a Chorus to help tell a story can be traced from Ancient Greek theatre to today! Can you think of a movie, book, or TV show that uses a Chorus to help tell its story? ♦ What types of things do you think the Chorus in Wiley and the Hairy Man will become? ♦ Anyone can create a Chorus! How can your classroom work together to create a Chorus-version of The Three Little Pigs. Costume Magic All of these drawings are from the Costume Designer of Wiley and the Hairy Man. He made some interesting choices– for example he did not give the character of Dog a tail, but still made him look like a Dog. Pick one character from the show and use their description to sketch a new costume design for them.

SYNOPSIS WILEY, the hero of our play, lives in a swamp with his Mama and beloved companion, Dog. At the very start of the play, Wiley struggles with a nightmare about the Hairy Man who lives in the depths of the swamp. It’s the Hairy Man, a boogie man-like creature who has the ability to conjure spells, that got Wiley’s Papa. Afraid to get out of bed, Mama finally convinces Wiley to face his Hairy Man fears and go into the swamp to cut wood to make a hound house for Dog. Before leaving, Mama teaches Wiley a few magic conjuring spells he can use for protection. Not feeling confident or completely safe, Wiley eventually does as his mother asks, bringing Dog with him for added security because the Hairy Man can’t stand dogs. While in the deepest part of the swamp, we learn that Wiley has many talents. He is the best at “wigglin’ and squigglin’ in the whole southwest county”; he can stand still without moving, as if frozen by stone; and he can leapfrog better than frogs. But the games Wiley has been playing with Dog are soon interrupted when the Hairy Man appears. Having lured Dog away with a conjured bone, Wiley must now face the Hairy Man alone. Luckily, Wiley remembers and uses the conjures Mama taught him, and with a little help from Dog, the two are able to escape and return home. Mama, who saw everything in her conjure pot, is worried that they are all now in trouble because the Hairy Man is MAD. Mama tries to teach Wiley more conjures, but the results are frustratingly unsuccessful. Consulting her magic book, Mama finally learns that in order to get rid of the Hairy Man for good, they must trick the Hairy Man three times. Sending Wiley back into the swamp, Wiley is able to trick the Hairy Man two times in a row, which makes the Hairy Man MAD. Afraid, Wiley runs home to find Mama in a trance and in the middle of a conjure to trick the Hairy Man for a third time. The trick works, but the Hairy Man will not allow it to count because it wasn’t performed by Wiley. In anger, the Hairy Man conjures a spell to freeze Dog into stone, tricking Mama who he likewise freezes. Once again, Wiley must face the Hairy Man alone. Outraged that the Hairy Man got the better of his Dog and Mama, Wiley finds his courage because he is too angry to be scared. The Hairy Man gives Wiley one last chance to earn his freedom. Using his special talent of standing still, Wiley pretends to turn himself into stone which the Hairy Man believes. Thinking he got the better of Wiley, the Hairy Man “unfreezes” his prey and, in doing so, accidentally unfreezes Dog and Mama too! Dog bites and chases Hairy Man away, never to return. Finally, Wiley has successfully tricked the Hairy Man three times using his own talents and newfound courage!

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY : THE SWAMP! Wiley and the Hairy Man takes place in the swamps in the Southern United States. Read a little about swamps and the critters that can be found there. According to the National Geographic Encyclopedia:

SWAMPS are lowland filled with water. They are neither totally land nor totally water. Swamps are covered in trees and shrubs. The two types of swamps are Freshwater (typically found inland) and Saltwater (typically found on coasts). IN FRESHWATER swamps, you will find cypress trees, tupelo trees, Spanish moss hanging from branches and duckweed covering the water.. Abundant with wildlife, you will find alligators, frogs, turtles, snakes, insects (like mosquitoes and spiders), fish, birds, etc. IN SALTWATER SWAMPS, you will find mangrove trees because their thin root system can tolerate tidal flooding. Marine animals will find shelter in saltwater swamps due to the rich shellfish and fish populations. Animal life you may find are saltwater crocodiles, flamingos, sea snakes, crabs, egrets, etc. SWAMPS are very important because they protect our coasts and inland areas from flooding. Swamps act as sponges for the surrounding land and absorb excess water to prevent flooding. The plants of swamps help to filter water naturally of unwanted chemicals.

SWAMP CYPRESS TREE

TUPELO TREE

NEW ORLEANS SWAMP 7

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY : THE SWAMP!

Above are some animals found in a swamp. Pick one and research the following: 1. The scientific name & part of the animal kingdom they belong to 2. A description of what they look like 3. What they eat 4. Which swamp they live in (Fresh or Saltwater) 5. What predators they have

FUN FACT ALLIGATORS live in mainly freshwater habitats. Their jaw is shaped like the letter “U”. Their upper teeth are visible when the mouth is closed. CROCODILES live in freshwater and saltwater habitats. Their jaw is shaped like the letter “V”. Their upper and lower teeth are visible when the mouth is closed. 8

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY: THE SET

Audience Above is a model of the set design for Wiley and the Hairy Man at Long Wharf Theatre. Take a look at the model and answer some of these questions! ♦ What do you notice first about the set design? ♦ How many locations are in this one set? Why do you think it is important to have multiple locations? ♦ What elements did the Set Designer use to let us know we are in a swamp? ♦ What do you think different parts of the set will be made out of? If you were creating a set design of a house in a swamp what would it look like? Draw your own set for Wiley and the Hairy Man! Make sure to include: • At least three (3) locations • Levels (stairs and platforms) • Ideas for the backdrop behind the set pieces 9

Set Design by Kevin Grab

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY : THE PEOPLE WHERE DO WILEY, DOG, MAMA, AND THE HAIRY MAN COME FROM? Alabama’s Cajun folklore gathered during the Works Project Administration (WPA) in 1944. SO, WHAT’S A CAJUN? Alabama Cajuns are a blended people of uncertain racial identity (but usually a combination of White, Black, and Native American). Alabama Cajuns have no direct link to the Cajuns of Louisiana; and they have no coherent set of customs, religion, or traditions that unite them. Instead, they are bonded through their own consciousness as a group apart from greater society. Most Alabama Cajuns live in isolated rural areas, often in poverty conditions. LET’S CONNECT: ♦

Are you a part of any group other than your family? How are you bonded to that group? What customs do you share with the other members of that group? i.e. Your classmates!

♦

How does knowing Wiley and Mama’s cultural background explain their situation? (Hint: where they live, the mixed nature of their culture, what they rely on to survive, the language they use, etc.)

♦

Is Wiley and the Hairy Man similar to any other folktales you know? List the stories and choose one. ♦ Compare and contrast: How are they alike? How are they different ♦ Construct a Venn diagram to show your results.

THE STORY BEFORE THE PLAY WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN is inspired by an African-American folktale of the same name. The original story was written down by a man named Donnell Van de Voort but was not created by him. Unlike a book, a folktale does not have an accredited author. Like many folktales, Wiley and the Hairy Man was told orally for many years before it was put down on paper. In 1935, the Federal Government created the Federal Writers’ Project as part of the New Deal. The goal of this project was “to provide employment for historians, teachers, writers, librarians, and other white-collar workers” (Federal Writers’ Project, 2011). The project ended up extending its reach and collecting stories from all over the country. One of these stories was Wiley and the Hairy Man. FOLKTALES ♦ Before there was writing, people all over the world used stories to pass down their history. Is there a story about the history of your family that someone has told you? Write it down! How is that different than someone else telling it to you? ♦ Some folktales were saved by the Federal Writers’ Project, but others may have been lost! Write your own lost folktale. Make sure to have ♦ A beginning, middle, and end ♦ A hero: A good guy that learns something ♦ A villain: A bad guy who gets in the way ♦ A lesson: Something that is learned AFTER COMING TO SEE THE PLAY read the original ending to Wiley and the Hairy Man and answer the questions below. ♦ What is the largest difference between the ending of the play and the text? ♦

Why do you think the playwright, Susan Zeder, changed the ending?

♦

What do you think the moral of the story is? Why would mothers tell this story to their children? Why would this story need to be preserved and passed down to future generations?

♦

Write your own ending to the play Wiley and the Hairy Man. 11

ORIGINAL ENDING TO WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN

INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR Many people work behind the scenes of a play. There are designers, technicians, a marketing team, and many more. However, every show needs one vision to connect everything together. The job of unifying the production goes to the director. He or she makes sure everything the audience sees on the stage fits in the same world. We sat down for a talk with the Director of Wiley and the Hairy Man, Eliza Orleans. Here are some of her thoughts on the show and rehearsal process. What is something that we didn’t ask that you would like to know? LONG WHARF EDUCATION: Why Wiley and the Hairy Man? Why now? ELIZA: I was a pretty jumpy kid when I was younger. I was scared of a ton of things: the dark, really loud music, a possible alien invasion, and a boogeyman with four horns that I was sure lived in my closet. I’ve found that fear is a completely universal feeling, and we are susceptible to it at any age. Today, I’m not afraid of monsters, but there are plenty of things that still frighten me, like driving my car in a snowstorm or not knowing what my future holds. In Wiley and the Hairy Man, our hero learns that the best way to conquer what scares him is to face it head on armed with creativity and wits. It is Wiley’s brain and not his axe that helps him defeat the Hairy Man in the end. This is a beautiful reminder to us all that we are already equipped to face our fears. Everything we need is already within us.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: HOW ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CHORUS? ELIZA: I love the Chorus, and I think they’re one of the most interesting parts of the play. They are magical creatures of the swamp and help to narrate the action of the story. I imagine them as the swamp’s watchful eyes. When Mama or the Hairy Man cast a spell, they often use the Chorus to carry out their magic. For instance, when the Hairy Man turns into an alligator, he claps his hands and instantly the Chorus helps him create it. When Mama is making breakfast, she snaps her fingers and the Chorus immediately turns into a table and chairs. The Chorus also has to become slurping quicksand, violent gusts of wind, snow, early morning roosters, toads, and more. It requires a lot of creative physicality, so we have been exploring how the Chorus moves. When do they move in unison? What are their individual personalities? How can they transition from mud to a sticker bush quickly and cleverly? It’s challenging but a lot of fun. 13

INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR LONG WHARF EDUCATION: WHAT IS THE MOST FUN THING TO WORK ON? WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING? ELIZA: There are so many fun things about this play, but my favorite is probably the use of sound. My dad is a musician, so music has always been a huge part of my life, and I try to incorporate it into any play that I’m working on. The play calls for a lot of different soundscapes* that the Chorus is responsible for creating. So we’ve had to ask ourselves, what does a swamp sound like? What does it feel like to be in a swamp? Are there animal noises? How can we use both the voice and body of the actor to create the sound?

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THE “MAGICAL” ASPECTS OF THE PLAY? ARE THE CONJURES (MAGIC SPELLS) HEIGHTENED THROUGH LIGHT, SOUND, LANGUAGE, ETC? ELIZA: We’re using a variety of technical elements to help us with the conjures. We have sound effects, light cues*, and even a flying book! Sometimes, the Chorus will move or speak in a really heightened way to let us know that there is something magical going on. Mama and the Hairy Man have also been working on their “conjure positions.”

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE CHILDREN IN THE AUDIENCE TAKE HOME WITH THEM (AFTER SEEING THE SHOW)? ELIZA: I really hope audiences leave feeling inspired to face whatever scares them. Whether it’s a monster under the bed, a bully at school, or your boss at work, I hope people will look inside themselves, call on their inner strength, and confront their fears head on.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: FILL IN THE BLANK… YOU ARE THE BEST “BLANK” IN THE WHOLE NORTHEAST COUNTY. ELIZA: I’m the best chocolate-chip cookie baker in the whole Northeast County! LONG WHARF EDUCATION: THANK YOU ELIZA! WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN!

INTERVIEW WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM When we see a play we often think of the actors on stage, the playwright who wrote the play, and probably the director who put all the pieces together. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more! Every play has a team of people designing, stage managing, building, and marketing! Here are some interviews with other members of the Creative Team for Wiley and the Hairy Man.

REBECCA PFEIL, STAGE MANAGER LONG WHARF EDUCATION: Can you please explain what you do on the show? REBECCA: I am the Stage Manager for Wiley and the Hairy Man. My job is helping the director's vision become a reality. This involves taking blocking* notes in rehearsals of where and when the actors move. I also keep the designers updated on any changes made during rehearsals by sending out rehearsal reports.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: How is this important in a way we might not know or see during the performance? REBECCA: During performances the I will be "calling" every cue*. This means that whenever the lights change, a sound starts playing, or something flies in from above, the stage manager's goal is to tell that cue to happen at the precise moment it is suppose to happen.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What is the most fun thing to work on? What is the most challenging? REBECCA: The most fun thing to work on has been working with the Chorus members as they become many different things, such as inanimate objects and animals throughout the course of the play. It is great to work with a director who is open to suggestions when we hit challenging areas of the text, such as how do three people become identifiable as quicksand that two other actors then need to leapfrog over safely? It has been a fun and enjoyable process. The most challenging thing has been finding places to hide props* on the set before they are revealed. Since the Chorus members are on stage for the vast majority of the show, we wanted to minimize the times they needed to exit the stage in order to retrieve a prop, unless it fit the moment for them to exit. 15

INTERVIEW WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What do you hope the children in the audience take home with them after seeing the show? REBECCA: I hope that the kids in the audience take home the message that they can find their own bravery in order to face the "Hairy Man" in their own lives.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: FILL IN THE BLANK… YOU ARE THE BEST “BLANK” IN THE WHOLE NORTHEAST COUNTY. REBECCA: I’m the best cardboard craft-er in the whole Northeast County!

JOHN MARSALIS, MARKETING & ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER LONG WHARF EDUCATION: Can you please explain what you do on the show? JOHN: I serve as the Head of Marketing and Assistant Stage Manager. As Head of Marketing, I’m basically in charge of spreading the word about the show. The stage manager is in charge of the total execution of the show. I assistant her by taking charge of the operations backstage (where props go, the actors’ welfare in the case of injury, scenic shifts, stage effects, etc).

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: How is this important in a way we might not know or see during the performance? JOHN: Well, I think we know what would happen without marketing*, no one would come. However, without the Assistant Stage Manager handling the aspects of the performance outside of acting and calling the show, then it would be up to one person to call the show, set every prop, take care of the actors, do scene changes, and ensure the show is running smoothly. I help the Stage Manager with the backstage portion of the job so that she can look at the big picture.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What is the most fun thing to work on? What is the most challenging? JOHN: It was pretty fun to learn a new way of thinking and a new function, as far as marketing goes. However, this was also the most challenging because this was my first time ever being a part of marketing; and I’m not from the area. 16

INTERVIEW WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What do you hope the children in the audience take home with them after seeing the show? JOHN: I hope they take home a sense of courage. There are other types of strength besides physical, and it’s possible to be stronger and bigger than their “Hairy Man.”

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: FILL IN THE BLANK… YOU ARE THE BEST “BLANK” IN THE WHOLE NORTHEAST COUNTY. JOHN: I’m the best Head of Marketing/Assistant Stage Manager in the whole Northeast County!

JAMES HICKS, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR & CO-PRODUCTION MANAGER LONG WHARF EDUCATION: Can you please explain what you do on the show? JAMES: I am the Technical Director and Co-Production Manager. As Technical Director, I take the scenic design and make it a reality. Everything on the stage is designed and then built by carpenters and Technical Director (TD). The TD takes the design draftings* and translates them into structural draftings that can be used as guides to build the scenic elements. As a Production Manager, I act as a liaison to the various people involved in producing a show. Production Managers over see meetings, keep track of budgets, and attempt to keep the show's progress on schedule.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: How is this important in a way we might not know or see during the performance? JAMES: Technical Direction is important for a production by being the source that builds and creates the scenery that is seen on stage. Audiences see the set in its final form; however, the TD makes sure everything is safe and built to what the scenic designer has designed. Production Managers are important because they keep every department on a schedule and makes sure they know about deadlines and other important details vital to a shows success. They keep track of the overall budget and ensure that the show stays within the budget limitation. This is important so that all departments get a fair share of the budget for what they need to create costumes, sets, props, and lighting/sounds needs. 17

INTERVIEW WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What is the most fun thing to work on? What is the most challenging? JAMES: For Wiley and the Hairy Man, I enjoyed building the various wood pieces that represent the trees. It was fun to create a sort of mosaic of material I represent this swamp. The most challenging aspect was figuring out a way to make the swinging piece open and close with all the weight that was going to be on it. I ended up using heavy barn door hinges and heavy duty wheels. We also cut a layer of wood planks to make the weight less and much more manageable.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: What do you hope the children in the audience take home with them after seeing the show? JAMES: I hope they walk away with knowledge of a folk tale and story from the South, a region that is very different from New England. I hope they walk away with a new perspective on what life was like in the South. I also hope that they walk away with an appreciation for theatre and the power of story telling. If one child could walk in with no idea what a show is or what theatre is about, and then walk away with an understanding that this is a form of storytelling and with thoughts about fear and acting on them, then I think we have done our job as theatre professionals.

LONG WHARF EDUCATION: FILL IN THE BLANK… YOU ARE THE BEST “BLANK” IN THE WHOLE NORTHEAST COUNTY. JAMES: I’m the best Taco Maker in the whole Northeast County! REVIEW In your own words, what is the responsibility for the 3 of the following theatre jobs? DIRECTOR HEAD OF MARKETING

STAGE MANAGER TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

THEATRE TERMS Look through the interviews again and see if you can find the theatre terms below marked with an (*). Define them using your own words? Do you know other terms? SOUNDSCAPE PROP

CUE MARKETING

BLOCKING DRAFTING 18

CALLING A CUE

K-3 LESSON PLANS RHYME MAGIC In Wiley and the Hairy Man, Rhyme time = Magic time! Make large posters of the various chants from Wiley and have students find the rhymes. I shakes, I shakes, That tree is full of snakes! Branches, Branches, Brittle as ice. Snap in two when I clap twice! Wind, wind, rise and howl. Make those branches creak and growl. Statue, statue, turned to stone. Unfroze you now to flesh and bone. Chip chop, chump blubber. Turn this tree trunk into rubber. Ashes, embers, soot in my face. Make me right there a fireplace. After you find the rhymes, find the MAGIC! Walk around the room and physicalize chants. How can you use your voice to make the magic in the chant come to life? Try these ways: Loud/Soft Fast/Slow Brave/Fearful Giant/Mouse Wizard/Child. ♦ If you could cast a magic spell on yourself, what magic power would you want? To fly? To be invisible? To transform? Create your own chant for the magic you would want to use. ♦

FACE YOUR FEARS Wiley is afraid of the Hairy Man and he has to learn to outsmart him. What are you afraid of and how can you outsmart it? Make a plan! 1. Draw what your fear looks like 2. Draw you next to your fear. 3. Think of the three things you can do better than anyone else. That’s what you can use to defeat your fear!

FILL IN THE BLANKS! I, ______________________, am the best at YOUR NAME

_______________________________________________________ YOUR TALENT(S)

in the whole northeast county! 19

K-3 LESSON PLANS MONSTERS Monsters can be scary, but they can also be fun! Create your own Monster Puppet! 1. 2. 3. 4.

Think of a name for your monster What power do they have? Draw a sketch of what they look like With recycled materials (paper towel rolls, milk cartons, boxes) create a puppet version of your monster!

AFTER YOUR CLASS AS MADE THEIR PUPPETS have them put on a show! Some students play the children afraid of the monster, some play the monster. Use the activities in Face Your Fears to help invent creative solutions to defeat the monsters you’ve made! Remember every play needs ♦ A beginning, middle and end ♦ A hero ♦ A villain ♦ A conflict– a problem that the villain makes for the hero to solve

LITERARY CONNECTIONS Books

Poetry

Go Away Green Monster By Ed Emberley

My Dog May Be a Genius I’m Not Afraid of Anything I Am Gooboo A Bear Is Not Disposed By Jack Prelutsky

The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Boa Constrictor The Voice Batty Listen to the Mustn’ts By Shel Silverstein

Where the Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak Owl Babies By Martin Waddell

READ ONE OF THE PIECES ABOVE AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING. ♦ What lesson does this story have? ♦ Are there monsters in this story? If yes, who are they? Are they bad? ♦ Is there something scary in this story? How is it defeated? ♦ How is this story like Wiley and the Hairy Man?

4-6 LESSON PLANS LITERARY CONNECTIONS FOLKTALES What are Folktales? They are stories that teach a lesson. In our play Wiley and the Hairy Man, our hero of the play, Wiley, learns that he has the power to overcome his own fears. Popular Folktales: ♦ Little Red Riding Hood ♦ Strega Nona ♦ The Mitten ♦ Goldilocks and the Three Bears ♦ Rapunzel ♦ Anansi the Spider: A Tale from Ashanti ♦ Zen Shorts ♦ Tikki Tikki Tembo ♦ Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears

By Trina Hyman By Tommy dePaola By Jan Brett By The Brothers Grimm By Paul O. Zelinsky By Gerald McDermott By Jon J. Muth By Arlene Mosel By Verna Aadema

BREAK UP INTO SMALL GROUPS and choose a Folktale. • What is the lesson to be learned? • How does the main character or Hero learn to overcome their obstacle? • Cast the Folktale within your group. • Perform or tell the story to the class using 5 tableaus (frozen pictures that tell a story). • Have the class guess which Folktale you’re performing!

POETRY ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

My Dog May Be a Genius I’m Not Afraid of Anything I Am Gooboo A Bear Is Not Disposed Boa Constrictor The Voice Batty

By Jack Prelutsky By Jack Prelutsky By Jack Prelutsky By Jack Prelutsky By Shel Silverstein By Shel Silverstein By Shel Silverstein

PICK ONE OF THE POEMS ABOVE then divide the students into groups of six. 1. Have one student, the narrator, read the poem. 2. The rest of the group will create the action of the poem through tableaus (frozen pictures that tell the story). 3. How does activating the poem change or inform its meaning?

4-6 LESSON PLANS SWAMP ECOSYSTEM DISCUSS: • • • •

Types of ecosystems, animals and plant life in a swamp. What it would be like to live in a swamp (day to day life)? Where would you live, what would you eat, how would you survive? Are there cultures of people that live in swamps? What are they like?

EXPLORE the sensory environment with Soundscapes. Have each person in the classroom create a different sound of the swamp. Build until each person in class is contributing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORDS AND LISTENING Wiley must remember specific chants and conjures that his Mama arms him with to protect him from the Hairy Man. Wiley isn’t always able to correctly remember or even repeat the instructions. The following are games and activities to help us sharpen our listening and skills.

WHEN I GO TO THE SWAMP 1. Have your students sit in a circle. (If you have a large class, we suggest dividing the group in two to allow for easier memorization). 2. The opening words each person will say is “When I go to the Swamp, I’m going to take…”. 3. Choosing one student to start, he or she will begin with “When I go to the Swamp, I’m going to take ___________. It can be whatever the student decides: bug spray, a backpack, water bottle etc. 4. Going around the circle clockwise, the next student will add to the list, repeating everything that was said prior in perfect order. EXAMPLE Student A> When I go to the Swamp, I’m going to take bug spray Student B> When I go to the Swamp, I’m going to take bug spray and a boat Student C> When I go to the Swamp, I’m going to take bug spray, a boat and a backpack. The key is to keep the objects in exact order until you complete the trip around the circle. This game centers around focus, sequence and memory.

4-6 LESSON PLANS I’M HAVING A PICNIC: A WORD PUZZLE 1. All participants make a circle. The leader will think of a rule. This rule will dictate what people can and cannot bring to the picnic. 2. The leader will begin saying three objects that fit the rule. FOR EXAMPLE: “I’m having a picnic and I am bringing a dog, a cat, and a mouse.” 3. The other players will have to guess, and the leader will simply reply yes or no. Each student will have multiple turns to guess so they can try and figure out an appropriate object FOR OUR EXAMPLE: a fish, a bird, and a whale are not allowed. But feel free to bring an elephant, a frog, or a hippo. The rule is “Things with four legs,” 4. The rules can be based on the actual object OR the written word. SOME EXAMPLE RULES ARE: • Object with double letters (balloon, moon, book, foot) • Objects of the same color (an apple, a stop sign, a fire hydrant) • People whose name start with a letter (Cathy, Carl, Claire) The goal of the game is to have students continue to guess items until everyone knows the rule.

MRS. MUMBLES (A GIBBERISH GAME) 1. Have each member of the group hide their teeth on the top and bottom with their lips. Everyone must keep their teeth hidden from view for the entire game. 2. Standing in a circle, the first person turns to the next person and says, “Have you seen Mrs. Mumbles? She has a _____”. The person fills in the blank about Mrs. Mumbles. Example: “Have you seen Mrs. Mumbles? She has a wart on her chin.” 3. The question moves around the circle with the next person turning to their neighbor saying, “Have you seen Mrs. Mumbles?” stating the first fact given and adding a fact of their own. Example: “Have you seen Mrs. Mumbles? She has a big wart on her chin, and she has long, curly, purple hair.” 4. The question moves on to the third person, and so on, with each person repeating the facts about Mrs. Mumbles already offered and adding on a new fact of their own. 5. The game is over when everybody in the circle has had the opportunity to add a fact about Mrs. Mumbles. The idea is to listen and remember all the facts presented about Mrs. Mumbles (while keeping teeth covered). This game centers on communication, teamwork, focus, and fun! 23

7-8 LESSON PLANS EXPLORE THE SWAMP ECOSYSTEM. RESEARCH Use “The Swamp” article as a jumping off point for exploring the ecosystem of a swamp. Create a diagram showing how 6 different plants/animals in the swamp are connected.

CREATE THE LANDSCAPE OF

A SWAMP

Begin with one player as a swamp feature (for example an alligator) and add one player at a time until the entire environment of the swamp is created. Make sure that you use: • Physical gesture to create the animal or plant life with your body • Sound (what sounds does your feature make and what do you hear in the swamp?) Think about your senses as well: • What do you feel around you? (temperature, mist, humidity, rain) • What do you see? (light, dark, water, trees, animals) • Is there an odor to the swamp?

DISCUSS AND WRITE DISCUSSION In Wiley and the Hairy Man, the major theme of the play is overcoming your fear. Wiley has personified his fear through the Hairy Man. What does that mean? What are you afraid of? Have your fears changed as you’ve grown older? Is it important to face your fears? Does facing your fears help you to become your best self? Does naming a fear help you overcome it? Does everyone possess the power to overcome fear?

CREATIVE WRITING Write a story about a way to conquer your fear. In this story personify the fear that you have. What are creative ways to personify fear? What power does your fear have? What weaknesses? (The Hairy Man is Wiley’s personified fear.)

THINKING FURTHER WHAT IS A BULLY? Sometimes our fears are real people– not an invisible boogey man. In Wiley and the Hairy Man, Wiley has to trick or outsmart the Hairy Man three times before he finally leaves. What tactics can you use to overcome a Bully?

SOURCES Below are the sources for the articles found in this packet.

SYNOPSIS •

Wiley and the Hairy Man by Susan Zeder

THE SWAMP •

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/swamp/?ar_a=1

PICTURES Tulepo Tree • https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images? q=tbn:ANd9GcSZihV1yOR3WXBFd69iz_Apc2YmWDd4TPeB2Ae0PGARapEGBK7TQ Swamp Cypress • http://icons.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/c/cmrbg06/351-800.jpg New Orleans Swamp • http://pan-am.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/new_orleans_swamp.jpg Animals in the swamp • http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/swamp/swamp.shtml

THE PEOPLE • •

http://www.city-data.com/states/Alabama-Ethnic-groups.html The Formation and Development of an Ethnic Group: The "Cajuns" of Alabama: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED133119.pdf

THE STORY BEFORE THE PLAY • •

http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/newdeal/fwp.html The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales told by Virginia Hamilton

ORIGINAL ENDING •

http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/wpa/id/868/rec/1