The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University engages audiences across the university, the state of Alabama and beyond with curated arts experiences that inspire, enlighten and unite.
Our annual K–12 School Performance Series provides opportunities for students to enjoy exclusive performances by some of the most talented and accomplished artists from around the world. Prior to each K–12 school performance, teachers receive a study guide containing details about the performance, artist and company, supplemental information about the art form and its history, and grade-appropriate activities designed to spark conversation and exploration in the classroom.
To learn more about education and engagement initiatives at the Gogue Center, visit goguecenter.auburn.edu/education.
produced by Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University 910 South College Street Auburn, Alabama 36849
k–12 school performance series contact Andrea Jarmon, D.M.A. Education Coordinator telephone: 334.844.7371 email: gpac.education@auburn.edu
Catapult
PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE
GRADES K— 8
Catapult performances
The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University
Where will we go?
GOING TO THE GOGUE CENTER
The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, otherwise known as the Gogue Center, is located on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.
The Gogue Center houses the 1,200-seat Woltosz Theatre. The theatre was built with exceptional acoustics so that it is possible to hear well from every seat.
WHO WILL YOU SEE HERE?
Ushers
These are the people who will greet your bus, lead your class into the building and help you find your seat. Be sure to say “hello!”
Stage Crew
These are the people who work backstage, so you won’t see them in the lobby, but you might see them before or after the performance, and sometimes, they even come on stage during the performance to move things.
Lighting & Sound Operators
These are the people who control the lighting and the sound for the performance. You may see them in the middle of the auditorium at the big sound board or in the back of the auditorium in the booth. Sometimes, the spotlight operators are in the back way above your head.
Performers
These are the people on the stage who may be dancers, musicians, singers, actors or acrobats. It is their job to communicate using their bodies, instruments and voices.
Audience Members
This includes you, your classmates, and other students and teachers from around the state of Alabama and maybe even Georgia.
What Does the Audience Do?
Alabama Course of Study
GMu3-5.15
GMu6-8.14
National Standards
MU:Pr6.1.3-8b
The audience is an important part of the performance. Without the audience, who would watch the performers? Who would clap and sing along and appreciate what the artists bring to the stage? When you are a member of an audience at the theatre, there are a few things to know about what to do and what not to do.
Sit in your seat and look around, but please keep your feet toward the ground.
Listen and watch, but do not talk.
Have a camera or phone? Please turn it off.
The performers will take to the stage, and we know they will engage. You can laugh, you can sing, you can get up and dance, but just make sure that you give them all a chance!
BRAVO!
THANK YOU!
When the song is done, or the show comes to an end, make sure that you give the performers a hand! Applause is the way that we can say thank you for all that they did today!
Stanley and Virginia Katharyne Evans
Walter
Woltosz Theatre
Acoustics: The Science of Sound
Alabama Course of Study Standards
SC1.1
National Standards
NS.K-4.1 NS.5-8.2
Acoustics is the study of sound and how that sound reacts in spaces, particularly rooms and buildings. What is sound? Sound is vibration. That vibration travels through the air and into our ears where we hear it.
Vibration begins through movement—for example, strumming a guitar string. That vibration creates a sound wave. In a theater or concert hall, acoustics are important so that everyone can hear the performers.
There are two ways that acoustics are controlled. The first, reverberation, is controlling how sound waves bounce off surfaces, like walls and floors. Hard surfaces cause more reverberation and make spaces louder. The second way, absorption, is the opposite of reverberation. Soft surfaces absorb sound waves and make rooms quieter.
Let’s see if we can figure out which of these materials cause reverberation and which cause absorption of sound:
• Tile
• Carpet
• Marble
• Curtains
• Cushions
• Wood
The controlling of reverberation and absorption of sound waves is how acoustics are controlled in the Woltosz Theatre.
Who to know at the show
CATAPULT
Catapult is a shadow illusion performance company. They were propelled into the limelight and into the homes of millions of people around the world by the television show America’s Got Talent. Catapult’s performances are an amalgamation of dance, theater, illusion and storytelling. They’ve toured the world with their hit show, Magic Shadows, and their stunning visuals coupled with whimsy, heart and athleticism create spellbinding arts entertainment perfect for all ages.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Adam Battelstein, the founder and director of Catapult, has worked as a dancer, actor, choreographer and writer for more than three decades. Before creating Catapult in 2009, he spent 19 years with the world-renowned dance company Pilobolus. Battlestein has traveled the world as a performer and director, soloed at Carnegie Hall, performed at the 2007 Academy Awards, and danced on The Oprah Winfrey Show. (He can also fit his entire body inside a suitcase!) He has been a master teaching artist for the state of Connecticut, has taught classes in school systems, universities and communities all across America, and was named Artist of the Year in 2011 by YA CT, Connecticut’s largest arts and education organization. Battlestein has integrated arts into educational curricula and used dance to teach buoyancy, friction, the Bernoulli principle, history, reading and language arts, ESL, physics, nutrition, health and more.
What to know before the show
What is Shadow Theater?
MODERN DANCE
Modern dance is a style of dance that was created in the United States in the early 20th century. It evolved as a rebellion against the traditional style of dance as well as the traditions of classical ballet. Modern dance emphasizes freedom of movement and expression and celebrates improvisation. Choreographers may use elements from several styles of dance or even choose to focus on one specific movement like the contraction of the torso.
Modern dance does not involve one established technique like ballet. Instead, each pioneer of the art form created their own language and technique around their personal expressive style. Rather than pointe shoes, modern dance is frequently performed with bare feet. Instead of tutus, modern dance uses costumes that are less constrictive.
Today modern dance is still evolving as new choreographers continue to add to the art form’s ever-expanding vocabulary of movement and expression.
What is a shadow?
CONTEMPORARY SHADOW DANCE
Artists use puppets or cut-outs made of paper or leather to make a shadow on a screen and tell stories. This art form has been around for THOUSANDS of years! That ’s right people in India, China, Thailand and Malaysia and many other places have been using shadows to tell stories for over two thousand years.
Contemporary shadow dance is a new take on a very old art form. Combining elements of modern dance with classical ballet, it is a storytelling medium that includes dance, theater and techniques for sculpting with light that evolved from the ancient art form of shadow theater. In shadow theater, artists use puppets made of paper or leather to create shadows on a screen to tell their stories. Shadow theater has been around for thousands of years and originated in Asia.
How Does It Work? It’s pretty simple, really. A light source such as a lantern, candle, flashlight, projector or other is pointed at a semi -translucent screen made of cloth, paper or vinyl. In between the screen and the light source, puppeteers manipulate cut -outs and make them move around and seem to interact. It’s a lot like watching a movie and in fact this ancient art form is what led to projections and eventually to the films we watch today. Hand Here try in
WHAT IS CATAPULT? What kind of performing arts group are we? And what exactly do we do? Are we a Dance Company or a Theater Company or a Shadow Puppet Company? Well, we are kind of all three and something more. We do and express but mostly
A shadow is a dark area that is created where the light from a light source is blocked by an object. To create a shadow in the theater, a light source—like a lantern, flashlight, projector or stage light—is pointed at a semi-translucent screen made of cloth, paper or vinyl. In between the light source and the screen, puppeteers manipulate puppets by making them move around and interact with each other. The shadows of the puppets appear on the screen. Viewing shadow theater is like watching a movie. In fact, this ancient art form is what led to projections and eventually to the films we watch today.
Catapult primarily uses their bodies to create the shadows and shapes seen in their performances.
Can you identify which body parts are being used to make this cat shadow? How many different people do you think are in this image and where can each of them be found? Can you and your classmates make this cat shadow by yourselves?
Turkish shadow theater
Classroom
1. Can make the ture and
2. Also shape make light you our shape.
Examples of Hand Shadows
Hand shadows allow you to create illusions of different animals or objects by shaping your hands between a light source and a screen or wall. Here are some examples of easy and more challenging types of hand shadows to attempt in class or at home.
CHASING SHADOWS
Alabama Course of Study Standards
OBJECTIVE
By completing this activity, students will:
• Use standard and non-standard units of measure to determine the lengths of shadows at different times throughout the school day
• Tell time to the nearest five minutes to compare shadow appearances throughout the school day
• Graph collected data on a bar or line graph and draw conclusions about the length of shadows with relation to the time of day
MATERIALS
For this activity, you will need the following items:
• “Shadows Throughout the Day” worksheet on page 15
• What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Bulla
• Rulers, yard sticks, meter sticks and measuring tape
• Analog clock or watch
• Digital clock or watch
• Tall stick
• Chalk or something with which to mark the length of the shadows
PROCEDURE
To complete this activity, follow these steps:
1. Read aloud or individually and discuss the informational text What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Bulla or another age-appropriate text about shadows.
2. Complete the “Shadows Throughout the Day” activity and worksheet—ensure that time-telling and measuring tools match grade-level standards for students. Make any necessary changes to ensure the activity is gradeappropriate.
3. After completing the graph of the collected data, either individually or collectively, discuss the findings as a class. What time of day created the longest shadow? What time of day created the shortest shadow? Why?
Shadows Throughout the Day
On a sunny day, complete this activity by following these steps:
1. Put a tall stick or post in the playground or other outdoor area at the school.
2. Let the stick or post cast a shadow.
3. With chalk or other appropriate material, trace around the shadow on the ground.
Use this table to record your findings:
4. Measure the length of the shadow using the appropriate measuring device (e.g., ruler, meter ruler, tape measure, etc.).
5. Return every hour during the school day to draw and measure the shadow as it changes.
6. After collecting all the data, graph your findings on the line graph.
CREATING SHADOW DRAWINGS
Alabama Course of Study Standards
OBJECTIVE
By completing this activity, students will:
• Further develop their fine motor skills
• Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials
• Understand how shadows are created by the Sun’s movement across the sky
MATERIALS
For this activity, you will need the following items:
• Drawing paper
• Crayons, pencils and/or markers
• A variety of small toys or action figures
• Tape or clipboards to hold paper down while drawing outside
• A sunny day!
PROCEDURE
To complete this activity, follow these steps:
1. Have students choose their favorite small toys from the classroom (or bring them from home) and take them outside with paper and drawing materials.
2. Stand their chosen toys up at the edge of the paper and challenge students to trace the shadows their toys cast before the Sun moves. Make sure to instruct students to stand on the opposite side of the paper from their toys to help keep their own shadows out of the way of their tracing.
3. Allow students to finish their compositions by coloring, painting or drawing other details.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Leave the toys with the paper taped to the ground outside and revisit them a few hours later to see how the Sun and shadows have moved. Remember, shadows are longest in the early morning and late afternoon.
Share your students' colorful creations with us.
We'd love to see the masterpieces your talented students create. Send us a photo of their shadow drawings and other projects from this performance study guide. Be sure to include each student's name, age, grade and school with your submission. You can send all submissions to the Gogue Center via email at gpac.education@auburn.edu.
STORYTELLING
Storytelling is an integral part of our society. It can be used for entertainment, education or preserving history. Stories typically involve plot, setting, characters, theme, tone, a point of view and conflict.
The plot is the series of events that make up the story. Plots are typically divided into five parts:
CLIMAX
BEGINNING
The characters are introduced, the setting is established, and the general story set-up begins.
RISING ACTION
This is the buildup to the climax, all of the things that lead to the main action of the story.
FALLING ACTION
This is the height of the story, the conflict, the most exciting part. This is what moves the story from the climax towards the end. This is the conclusion of the story.
RESOLUTION
The setting is where the story takes place. This can be specific or general, it all depends on the story. Sometimes the settings change throughout the story. Sometimes, the setting remains the same. Establishing the setting helps the audience better understand the story.
The characters in a story are the people or other personified things that experience the story. They complete the action; the story is about them, and they move the story forward.
The theme is the overall message of the story. It is the “why.” A theme can be a lesson or a warning, or it can be a message of love or hope.
Tone is the overall feeling of the story. Is it romantic or mysterious? Is it ominous or optimistic? The tone is created through word choice and sentence structure, as well as setting and character descriptions.
Stories are typically told from either the first-person or third-person point of view. First-person tells the story from a character’s perspective using firstperson pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours).
It does not have to be from the perspective of the main character to be first-person. Any character telling the story from their personal perspective is first-person. Third-person point of view tells the story of the characters using third-person pronouns (he, him, his, she, her, hers, they, them, theirs).
Conflict is what propels the story forward. There are internal conflicts that the characters have to overcome and there are external conflicts that the characters face. Conflict is what makes the story interesting. How the characters deal with these internal and external conflicts is what propels the plot. The conflict can be between two of the characters (for example, two players competing for one spot on the team). The conflict could be between a character and nature, like someone trying to learn to surf big waves. The conflict could be between a character and something supernatural, such as someone fighting ghosts. Or the conflict could be within the character (for example, an actor fighting their own stage fright). Whatever the conflict, how the characters face and overcome that conflict is what engages the audience about the story.
Alabama Course of Study Standards
OBJECTIVE
By completing this activity, students will:
• Understand the elements of a story
• Write a story that includes the elements of a story including a clear plot, setting, characters, theme, tone, point of view and conflict.
MATERIALS
For this activity, you will need the following items:
1. Begin with a discussion about the elements of a story. Write each element on chart paper or a whiteboard: plot, setting, characters, theme, tone, point of view and conflict.
2. Ask students to share examples of these elements from stories they know.
3. Show students a visual catalyst, such as a painting or photograph. Discuss what they see and how it could inspire a story.
4. Have students imagine walking into the illustration and engaging their senses to brainstorm ideas about the theme, message and emotions of the characters.
5. Provide students with a story planning template to help them organize their ideas.
6. Guide students through each element of the story, prompting them with questions:
• Plot: What happens in your story? What is the sequence of events?
• Setting: Where and when does your story take place?
• Characters: Who is in your story? What are their traits?
• Theme: What is the main idea or message of your story?
• Tone: What is the mood or feeling of your story?
• Point of View: Who is telling the story?
• Conflict: What challenge or problem do your characters face?
7. Allow students time to write their stories using their plans.
8. Encourage them to be creative and use descriptive language to bring their stories to life.
9. Invite students to share their stories with the class or in small groups.
10. Discuss how each story incorporated the elements and what made each story unique.
ADAPTATION FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS
Read a story together and discuss the different elements as is appropriate for the age group. Then allow students to create a story together as a class with the teacher writing the story on the board. Once the story is completed, have students draw illustrations.
Story Planning Template
Setting
Characters
Plot
Beginning
Theme
Middle End
Tone
Point of View
Conflict
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
SEASONS
One of Catapult’s pieces you will see is titled Four Seasons. This choreographed journey through the year is performed to The Four Seasons, a series of concertos written by classical composer Antonio Vivaldi.
There are four seasons in a calendar year: winter, spring, summer and autumn. The seasons are divided according to weather patterns and daylight hours that result from the changing position of Earth in relation to the Sun. As Earth orbits the Sun, it remains tilted in the same direction. This positioning means that the Northern Hemisphere, where the United States is located, is tilted towards the Sun for six months of the year and away from the Sun for the other six months of the year. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, the result is longer and warmer days. Positioning away from the Sun results in shorter and colder days.
Vernal Equinox
CHANGING SEASONS: SCIENCE AND SOUND
Alabama Course of Study Standards
OBJECTIVE
By completing this activity, students will:
• Understand the scientific reasons behind the changing seasons
• Explore how Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons musically represents each season
• Express their understanding through a creative art or movement project
MATERIALS
For this activity, you will need the following items:
• “Seasons” worksheet on pages 24 and 25
• Audio recordings of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
• Globe and flashlight (to demonstrate Earth’s tilt and orbit)
• Art supplies (e.g., paper, crayons, markers, paint, etc.)
• Whiteboard and markers
PROCEDURE
To complete this activity, follow these steps:
1. Begin with a brief discussion about the four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Copy and distribute the “Seasons” worksheet. Ask students to share what they know about each season and their favorite activities during those times, using the worksheet to outline their thoughts.
2. Discuss the scientific aspects of the seasons, such as Earth’s tilt, rotation and orbit around the Sun. Use a globe and flashlight to demonstrate how Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun cause the seasons. Show how different parts of Earth receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year, leading to seasonal changes.
• Older students can collect data about typical weather conditions for each season in Alabama and display that data on a graph.
• Older students can explore how the unequal heating of Earth’s surface due to the planet’s rotation creates regional climates.
3. Introduce Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Explain that each piece of music represents a different season. Play a short excerpt from each movement and ask students to identify which season they think it represents and why. Discuss musical elements like tempo, mood and instrumentation that suggest each season.
4. Divide students into groups and assign each group a season. Ask them to create a visual or movement-based representation of their assigned season, inspired by both the scientific characteristics and the musical mood of Vivaldi’s composition. They can create a drawing, painting, collage, short dance or even a tableau.
5. Have each group present their representation to the class. Encourage them to explain how they incorporated both scientific and musical elements into their work.
6. Lead a discussion on how music, art and science can complement each other in understanding the world around us. Ask students to reflect on what they learned about the seasons and how Vivaldi’s music enhanced their understanding. Encourage students to think about how music can tell a story or convey a feeling about the natural world.
SUMMER AUTUMN
Brundidge, Alabama
Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival
Why we go to the show
THE TRADITION OF STORYTELLING
Storytelling is the act of sharing stories. These stories could be personal narratives, fairytales, a means of sharing cultural traditions, and much more. Storytelling is a human experience that has existed throughout history and across cultures. It has been a way of preserving heritage, teaching morals and instilling values.
Good storytelling is an art and can be great entertainment. Before mankind had a system of writing, storytelling was an oral tradition. The art of telling stories, rather than writing them, has evolved through the years, but at its core remains an effective means of communication.
To be a good storyteller, the story itself must be well-constructed. There must be an identifiable
beginning, middle and end, with well-defined characters and a clear point of view.
The popularity of storytelling continues to grow because of its unique ability to unite and entertain people. In 1973, a high school journalism teacher in Tennessee established the first storytelling festival. A storytelling festival is an event that features local and regional oral storytellers. In Alabama, there are storytelling festivals in Athens, Florence, Troy, Shorter and many other places. Storytellers come to these festivals to weave their engaging tales of life in the South or stories of faith, share traditional fables or a yarn from a distant land, sing songs, whisper about ghosts, and enthrall their listeners through it all.
Athens Storytelling Festival Athens, Alabama
UNLEASHING CREATIVITY THROUGH ORAL STORYTELLING
Alabama Course of Study Standards
OBJECTIVE
By completing this activity, students will:
• Actively listen and collaborate to create an oral story with key storytelling elements
MATERIALS
For this activity, you will need the following items:
• Video of a storyteller telling a story
• Technology that allows the class to watch the video clip
• Whiteboard and markers
• Art supplies (optional)
PROCEDURE
To complete this activity, follow these steps:
1. Introduce oral storytelling and its significance in Alabama.
2. Discuss the characteristics of a great storyteller—listen as a class to a great storyteller and create a chart to jot down what the class notices. Some possible responses may be:
• Uses voice effectively—gets louder, softer, faster and slower to match the mood or action in the story
• Changes voices for different characters
• Uses rhythm to add to the meaning
• Uses sound effects
• Uses repetition
• Takes time, pauses
3. Have the class form a large circle.
4. Create a class story by going around the circle and ask each student to state a single word or phrase that moves the story forward. Having each student say only one word will result in a more random story, while each student saying a phrase or sentence can help the development of story structure. This exercise can be done with the whole class, or with small groups to support oral language development. Begin the story by telling the first few sentences, then choose a direction and proceed, student by student, with each adding to the story. As the story makes its way around the circle, coaching may be needed. For example, if a student gets ahead of the story, say “Let’s slow down and stick with this part a little longer so we can include more details” or “can you say more about that?” The students may need prompting to include dialogue or more details about what a character is thinking or feeling.
5. Once the story has come to its conclusion, revisit the chart from the opening discussion about storytellers and reflect on what characteristics the class successfully implemented in their story.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Have students create pieces of art to illustrate the story that the class created and display them in the classroom.
What to do after the show
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
Included in this section are some post-performance activities you can share with your students.
Ask students if they enjoyed Catapult. Ask them to share their thoughts about the following:
1. Which part of the performance did you like best? Why?
2. What surprised you most about the performance?
3. Did you find the stories easy to follow and understand?
4. What questions do you have after seeing the performance?
5. Did seeing this performance make you curious about learning something new? What?
6. Did the performance make you want to see more performances in the future?
Alabama Course of Study standards index
ARTS EDUCATION
AE17.D.K.4 Illustrate an idea, feeling, or image through improvised movement.
AE17.D.1.1 Respond with movement to a variety of prompts.
AE17.D.1.4
AE17.D.2.4
AE17.D.3.4 Create a dance phrase that communicates an idea or feeling and discuss the effect of the movement choices.
AE17.D.4.1
AE17.MU.4.18
and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities.
Demonstrate and explain how responses to music are informed by its structure, the use of the elements of music, and context.
and explain how expressive qualities, including dynamics and tempo, are used in performers’ and personal interpretations to reflect expressive intent.
and explain, citing evidence, how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.
Demonstrate and explain, citing evidence, how responses to music are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context.
Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or wholeclass settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
Actively listen and speak using agreed-upon rules for discussion, with guidance and support.
ELA21.K.2 Actively engage in teacher-led reading experiences and collaborative discussions with peers to build background knowledge needed to be successful as they learn to read and, later, read to learn.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (CONTINUED)
Actively participate in teacher-led choral and shared reading experiences.
ELA21.K.4 With guidance and support, ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify information presented orally, through text, or other media.
ELA21.K.5 With guidance and support, present information orally, using complete sentences in correct word order.
With prompting and support, manipulate words and/or phrases to create simple sentences, including declarative and interrogative, to help build syntactic awareness and comprehension at the sentence level.
Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.
ELA21.K.28 With prompting and support, use text clues to determine main ideas and make predictions about an ending in a literary text.
ELA21.K.30 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in
Express ideas orally and connect these ideas through drawing and emergent writing.
Use content knowledge built during read-alouds of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through drawing and writing.
words and/or phrases to create simple sentences, including declarative and interrogative, to help build syntactic awareness and comprehension at the sentence level.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (CONTINUED)
Identify who is telling the story, using
from the text.
With prompting and support, use textual evidence to explain the central message or moral of a literary text.
ELA21.1.34 With prompting and support, write a narrative that recounts two or more appropriately sequenced events using transitions, incorporating relevant details, and providing a sense of closure.
Present information orally using complete sentences, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.
ELA21.2.3 Demonstrate oral literacy skills by participating in a variety of oral language activities.
ELA21.2.4 Orally answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about a text or conversation, using complete sentences to provide key ideas and details.
Use visual aids and technology in oral presentations to present key ideas and details about a text or conversation and add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate
Read and reread grade-appropriate text accurately, automatically, and with meaningful expression at a rate which supports comprehension.
ELA21.2.40 Write a personal or fictional narrative using a logical sequence of events, including details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings and providing a sense of closure.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (CONTINUED)
ELA21.3.5 Express ideas, opinions, and feelings orally in a logical sequence clearly, accurately, and precisely, using appropriate volume, clear pronunciation, and standard English grammar.
ELA21.3.10 Read and reread grade-appropriate text accurately, automatically, and with meaningful expression at a rate which supports comprehension.
ELA21.3.18 Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
Determine the explicit or implied main idea and supporting details of a text.
Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.
ELA21.3.28 Identify the narration of a literary text as first person or third person.
ELA21.3.33 Write personal or fictional narratives with a logical plot (sequence of events), characters, transitions, and a sense of closure.
Interpret words and phrases, including figurative language, as they are used in a text.
ELA21.4.14 Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Analyze in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.
Identify the narrator’s point of view in a literary text and explain how it differs from a character’s perspective.
Identify the point of view
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes, and speaking clearly with adequate volume, appropriate pacing, and clear pronunciation.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (CONTINUED)
Demonstrate comprehension of text by asking and responding to questions about literary elements used in the text.
ELA21.5.19 Interpret how authors use literary elements throughout a text, including character, setting, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
ELA21.5.34 Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.
Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.
ELA21.6.5 Evaluate the development of central and supporting ideas in recorded or live presentations by examining the speaker’s rhetorical choices regarding point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
ELA21.6.6 Support interpretations of recorded or live presentations by examining the speaker’s use of hyperbole, tone, symbolism, imagery, mood, irony, and onomatopoeia.
ELA21.6.7 Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.
Assess a
Use vocabulary to create specific reactions or effects when speaking in various classroom and digital situations.
ELA21.7.3 Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.
ELA21.7.5 Evaluate rhetorical strategies used to develop central and supporting ideas in recorded or live presentations, including point of view, purpose, comparison, categories, and word meanings (figurative, connotative, and technical).
ELA21.7.6 Evaluate the speaker’s use of hyperbole, tone, symbolism, imagery, mood, irony, and onomatopoeia in a live or recorded presentation.
ELA21.7.7 Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (CONTINUED)
ELA21.7.13 Interpret language through active listening to determine subject, occasion, audience, purpose, tone, and credibility of digital sources.
ELA21.7.19 Evaluate a speaker’s organizational choices to determine point of view, purpose, and effectiveness.
ELA21.7.20 Identify a speaker’s formality of language in order to comprehend, interpret, and respond appropriately.
Create written work using standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics.
ELA21.7.33 Select and utilize effective words and phrases that are suitable for purpose and audience to communicate clearly in a variety of situations..
ELA21.8.3 Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.
ELA21.8.6 Evaluate the development of central and supporting ideas in recorded or live presentations by examining the speaker’s rhetorical strategies and choices regarding point of view, purpose, comparisons, analogies, categories, allusions, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
ELA21.8.7 Critique the speaker’s use of hyperbole, tone, symbolism, imagery, mood, irony, and onomatopoeia in a live or recorded presentation.
ELA21.8.8 Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.
Analyze a speaker’s formality of language in order to comprehend, interpret, and respond appropriately.
ELA21.8.19 Evaluate a speaker’s rhetorical and organizational choices in order to determine point of view, purpose, and effectiveness.
ELA21.8.21 Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.
Analyze and connect word meanings through active listening in various contexts for purposeful, effective communication.
ELA21.8.32 Utilize appropriate vocabulary in various classroom, digital, and real-world situations to facilitate effective communication.
Identify and describe measurable attributes (length, weight, height) of a single object using vocabulary such as long/short, heavy/light, or tall/ short.
MA19.K.17 Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common to see which object has more of“ or “less of” the attribute and describe the difference.“
Determine the length of an object using nonstandard units with no gaps or overlaps, expressing the length of the object with a whole number.
the length of an object by selecting and using standard units of measurement shown on rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, or measuring tapes.
to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference of the two objects using standard units of length.
Measure lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch to generate data and create a line plot marked off in appropriate units to display the data.
and use an appropriate unit of measurement for a given attribute (length, mass, liquid volume, time) within one system of units: metric - km, m, cm; kg, g, l, ml; customary - lb, oz; time - hr, min, sec.
(1/2, 1/4, 1/8).
Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve mathematical and real-world problems (including but not limited to percent, measurement conversion, and equivalent ratios) using a variety of models, including tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number lines, and equations.
MA19.6.24 Represent numerical data graphically, using dot plots, line plots, histograms, stem and leaf plots, and box plots.
Calculate unit rates of length, area, and other quantities measured in like or different units that include
and determine whether the two quantities are
SC15.K.7 Observe and describe the effects of sunlight on Earth’s surface (e.g., heat from the sun causing evaporation of water or increased temperature of soil,
and water).
SC15.K.9 Observe, record, and share findings of local weather patterns over a period of time (e.g., increase in daily temperature from morning to afternoon, typical rain and storm patterns from season to season).
SC15.1.2 Construct explanations from observations that objects can be seen only when light is available to illuminate them (e.g., moon being illuminated by the sun, colors and patterns in a kaleidoscope being illuminated when held toward a light).
SC15.1.8 Observe, describe, and predict patterns of the sun, moon, and stars as they appear in the sky (e.g., sun and moon appearing to rise in one part of the sky, move across the sky, and set; stars other than our sun being visible at night, but not during the day).
SC15.1.9 Observe seasonal patterns of sunrise and sunset to describe the relationship between the number of hours of daylight and the time of year (e.g., more hours of daylight during summer as compared to winter).
SC15.3.13 Display data graphically and in tables to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season (e.g., average temperature, precipitation, wind direction).
SC15.3.14 Collect information from a variety of sources to describe climates in different regions of the world.
SC19.5.13 Analyze data and represent with graphs to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky (e.g., shadows and the position and motion of Earth with respect to the sun, visibility of select stars only in particular months).
SC15.6.1 Create and manipulate models (e.g., physical, graphical, conceptual) to explain the occurrences of day/night cycles, length of year, seasons, tides, eclipses, and lunar phases based on patterns of the observed motions of celestial bodies. 6
SC15.6.13 Use models (e.g., diagrams, maps, globes, digital representations) to explain how the rotation of Earth and unequal heating of its surface create patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
Supplemental books
Anna Maria and Maestro Vivaldi by Jan
L. Coates
The Art of Shadow Puppets (Smithsonian Informational Text) by Dona
Rice
Dance by DK Children Publishing
I, Vivaldi by Janice J. Shefelman
The Science of Seasons (Living Science) by Weigl Publishing
Some Creatures Have all the Luck: Antonia Vivaldi by Ana Gerhard
Using Light to Make Shadow Puppets (Makers as Inventors) by Kristin Fontichiaro
Vivaldi and the Invisible Orchestra by Stephen Costanza
What Makes a Shadow by Clyde Bulla
Online resources
If you would like to continue to learn and explore, here are some resources that might be helpful.
A Mini-Crash-Course on Oral Storytelling X https://twowritingteachers.org/2014/04/06/a-mini-crashcourse-on-oral-storytelling/
The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM X https://learn.artsintegration.com/
Credits
All images featured in this performance study guide are wholly owned and copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The Gogue Performing Arts Center does not claim ownership of any images unless explicitly stated otherwise. If you have concerns about the use of any image included herein, please contact us immediately.
For a list of additional image sources and credits, please contact our Department of Communications and Marketing by telephone at 334.844.7234 or via email at jaosborne@auburn.edu.
The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University serves students and educators across the state of Alabama and beyond with its annual K–12 School Performance Series.
These high-quality and transformative arts experiences are further enriched with performance study guides that provide meaningful cross-curricular connections.
Developed by our Department of Education and Engagement, in collaboration with the Gogue Center Curriculum Council, each performance study guide contains information about the featured performing artist(s) or company, the art form, and relevant, grade-appropriate lessons and activities designed to help incorporate academic and arts standards into the classroom.
Our sincerest thanks to the members of the 2024–25 Gogue Center Curriculum Council.
2024–25 Gogue Center Curriculum Council
Lacey Basgier
Secondary Art
Lee-Scott Academy
Alabama Independent School Association
Stacey Blakemore
Secondary ELA
Oak Mountain High School
Shelby County Schools
Brooke Braswell
2nd Grade
Cary Woods Elementary School
Auburn City Schools
Euri Carr
Arts Specialist
Alabama State Council on the Arts
State of Alabama
Jennifer Dempsey Media Specialist
Wrights Mill Elementary School
Auburn City Schools
Abbie Gaston
4th Grade
Creekside Elementary School
Auburn City Schools
Cynthia Jackson ELA, Curriculum & Instruction
W.F. Burns Middle School
Chambers County Schools
Martin McKay
Assistant Principal Headland Middle School
Henry County Schools
Amber Pickard Social Studies
Lee-Scott Academy
Alabama Independent School Association
Josh Roberts Head of School
Alabama Christian Academy
Private School, Montgomery
Ruth Marie Romero
Pre–K
Peter Crump Elementary School
Montgomery Public Schools
Charlotte Ellison Williams Retired Educator/Administrator
