Pinocchio

Supplemental Study Materials

Dear Educator,
We are excited that you have chosen to attend Theatre Bristol's production of Pinocchio. This story of fantasy, deception, imagination and fun is a must see for every young person.

Included in this study guide are questions and activities to help your students analyze and understand the play Pinocchio. We have students from diverse age groups attending the show ranging from pre-school to sixth grade. You know best the needs and abilities of your students.

Please feel free to adapt the suggested materials to fit the needs of your students. You are invited to make copies of the enclosed materials for other teachers as well as your students. We hope you will enjoy Pinocchio.

Sincerely,
Rebecca L. Greasby
Director of Education

Visit our Website at www.TheatreBristol.org

Theatre Bristol is the region's oldest children's theatre! Educating, inspiring and entertaining children of all ages for 35 years!

Pinocchio is sponsored by a generous donation from:
Fred Hayes Mechanical Contractors
Highlands Union Bank
Electrolux
McDonald's

Please support these companies who support the arts and education.

Theatre Bristol is a not-for-profit cultural and educational organization whose activities are made possible in part by generous support from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport, the City of Bristol, Tennessee, the City of Bristol, Virginia and corporations, foundations and individuals from throughout our region.

Teachers:
Book a free in-the-classroom workshop for Pinocchio.
Call Rebecca at (423) 968-4977 for more information.
Workshops are limited, book early!

The teaching artists in the schools program is made possible by a generous grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport and the Masengill-DeFriece Foundation.

All Theatre Bristol productions and workshops meet or exceed both Tennessee and Virginia state educational standards.

Spring 2000 Showbiz Saturday
May 20th
Showbiz Saturdays is a day filled with excitement and new experiences. Youth learn about the many parts of the performing arts - dance, singing, painting, make-up and much, much more! Each session has diverse workshops that encourage children to explore new ideas and grow in self-confidence as they work with one another. Our talented instructors possess numerous talents in several arts areas that can boast of both good preparation and a wealth of experience in their respective fields.
For youth ages 6 to 12, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (with lunch included), $40 each.
For youth ages 13 to 17, 9:00 a.m. to Noon, $20 each.
Mark your calendars and register now! Space is limited.
Call (423) 968-4977

School of the Arts Theatre Summer Camp 2000
Take all the fun of a Showbiz Saturdayand stretch it into a week long learning experience and you get the idea of Theatre Bristol's Theatre Summer Camp 2000. This is a great experience for youth to meet and make new friends, gain self-confidence and learn skills that they can use the rest of their lives.

June 26-30
Ages 6-8, 9:00 a.m. to Noon, $75 per person

July 10-14
Ages 9-11, 9:00 a.m. to Noon, $75 per person

July 17-28
Ages 12-17, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., $150 per person

Register NOW! Space is limited. Call 423.968-4977 for info.

Background Information
A Brief Summary of the Play
Gepetto, the wood-carver, creates a wooden puppet, Pinocchio, who unexpectedly assumes a life of his own. Pinocchio longs to be a real boy; but the Blue Fairy tells him he must earn his right. His adventures are numerous and exciting! Pinocchio is led through many crazy predicaments before he is able to achieve his goal of becoming a real boy. Gepetto sends him to school, but Pinocchio runs off with a group of troublemakers. The boys get into mischief and turn into donkeys. Pinocchio narrowly escapes from an evil puppeteer; he is swallowed by a whale; and, of course, every time he tells a lie his nose grows!

Vocabulary
AMUSE - to entertain, to make laugh, smile
CONSCIENCE - aware of oneself as a thinking being
DISOBEY - refuse to follow directions
DONKEY - an animal resembling a horse but with long ears and a short mane, also; a stubborn or stupid person
IMAGINATION - images you can see in your mind
PATIENCE - ability to wait
PUPPET - a small human-like doll that is moved by strings or wires
THIEVES - people who steal
TRADE - a work-skill such as weaving, baking, etc.
VAGABOND - a person who wanders from place to place who does not have a permanent home

Pre Show Activities
Discussion Questions
In the play, Pinocchio cannot avoid telling a lie to cover his mistakes. Have you ever told a lie that got you in trouble? What happened? What would have happened if you had told the truth instead?
What is imagination? Discuss with your class what is real and what is make-believe. Can puppets really talk and walk?

Activities
Pinocchio tells many lies throughout the play. Can you decide what is a lie and what is the truth? Pass out three index cards to each student. Have them write a statement about themselves on each one. One of the statements must be true and the other two must be lies. Encourage students to really use their imagination here. The object is to try to make the true and false statements difficult to differentiate. Have someone read the three cards aloud and vote on which statement you think is true. This is a variation on the game Balderdash and it really gives students a chance to be outrageous.

Pinocchio takes place in Italy. Find out where Italy is located. What kinds of foods and customs does Italy have? What foods do we enjoy that originally come from Italy?
Pinocchio was carved out of a log. Research trees and how they grow. National Arbor Day, the day we celebrate trees, is the last Friday in April. Log onto the Arbor Day website at www.arborday.org to find out what you can do to celebrate. Plant a tree at your school or help to make the rest of your school aware of the day.

Post Show Activities
Discussion Questions
In the play, Pinocchio decides that he doesn't want to go to school. He then gets himself into all kinds of trouble. Have you ever disobeyed your parents or a teacher? What happened? What if you would have followed directions instead?

Use your imagination and describe what the inside of a whale would look like. What do you think the inside of a whale looks like? Draw a picture for us.

The Blue Fairy tells Pinocchio that there are five things that make a good boy: being obedient, working hard, helping their parents, going to school, and telling the truth. What do you think makes you good? Is it easy or difficult to be good?

Mr. Cricket acts as Pinocchio's conscience. We all have a conscience that helps us decide right from wrong. When have you listened to your conscience? When have you ignored your conscience? What happened in both cases?

Pinocchio lets strangers influence his decisions throughout the play. Have you ever listened to a strangers advice? Why is it dangerous to talk to strangers? What should you do if a stranger approaches you?

Activities
What would the play have been like if it had been told from the Fox or Cat's point of view? Rewrite the story of Pinocchio from either the Fox or the Cat's pont of view. Be creative and share your stories with your classmates when you have completed them.

Create math counting problems using fish crackers. Distribute fish shaped crackers to each of the students. Create math problems such as "If Pinocchio counted five cod fish and three perch in the whales' belly, how many fish total were in the whales stomach?"

There are many different kinds of puppets. Some have strings, some are made of socks, some are worn by actors and some are made out of paper cut-outs. Research the different kinds of puppets around the world. Make your own puppets using available materials. Preform your own puppet show using your puppet creations.


Books of Interest
The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Stan Berenstain
Wishful Lying, Rose Blue
The True Francine, Marc Brown
Molly's Lies, Kay Choarao
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Katherine Evans
The Lie, Ann Helena
I'll Tell on You, Joan Lexau
I Know You Cheated, Valjean McLenighan
The Tree in the Wood, Christopher Manson
Honesty, Jane Moncure
Awful Thursday, Ron Roy
A Big Fat Enormous Lie, Marjorie Sharmat
Honest Andrew, Gloria Skurzynski
A Tree is Nice, Janice Udry
Who Will Believe Tim Kitten?, Jan Wahl

Cool Websites
www.candlelightstories.com/radio.htm - full audio ofthe story of Pinocchio and other classic tales.

www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown - a resource for children's literature.

www.pinocchio.it/uk/ - official Pinocchio website with background on the author and the story.

www.puzzlemaker.com - make your own word games at this site.