Helping people in need.Spreading joy.Inspiring others.

We hope you and your early learners will use these show-related activities to get inspired about being a hero.

Study Guide

a story about

being a heroFor Sophie and The BFG, being

a hero means:

Theatre and the arts are full of creative possibilities. We hope that this guide and production are inspiring for you and your students!

Welcome to Emerald City Theatre and our presentation of The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). We are thrilled that you have decided to support live theatre.

We hope that this show will be a gateway for your students to a lifetime enriched by the arts. In addition to creating theatre of the highest standards, Emerald City is dedicated to providing creative educational tools to enhance your experience.

Please use this guide to prepare your class before the production and help them continue their understanding of concepts after their visit, making your field trip more than just a one-day experience. Developed with the National Standards and Illinois Common Core Standards in mind, the themes of this production are introduced and explored throughout our guide.

A Letter from Emerald City

A Note From Our Artistic and Education Directors:

2

Introduction Letter & Show Theme....................................... 2 National/Common Core Standards Guide................................... 3How to Be a #1 Audience.................... 4 Theatre Words........................................ 5About the Play/Author Bio.................... 6Fascinating Facts!.................................. 7Discussion Questions............................ 8Theatre Games...................................... 9A Vocabulary Lesson............................ 12Welcome to Dream Country! ............... 13Create Your Own Actor Bio................. 14Become a Costume Designer............. 15Write Your Own Theatre Review.......... 16About Emerald City.............................. 17

Ernie Nolan Jacqueline StoneProducing Artistic Director Education Director

guiDe ContentsguiDe Written by:Rachel Sherman, Education Manager

guiDe Design by:Joelle Weber

shoW Cover art by: Charles Riffenburg IV

Teachers: Here’s a map for you to match the National Standards and Common Core Standards to the icon you’ll see on several of the pages throughout this study guide!

National Theatre Standards in this Guide:1. Script writing by planning and recording improvisations based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history.

2. Acting by assuming roles and interacting in improvisations.

3. Designing by visualizing and arranging environments for classroom dramatizations

5. Researching by finding information to support classroom dramatizations.

7. Analyzing and explaining personal preferences and constructing meaning from classroom dramatizations and

from theater, film, television, and electronic media productions.

Common Core Standards in this Guide:

Reading Standards

ELA RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

ELA RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

ELA RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

ELA RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

ELA RL.K-2.9 Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story by different authors or from different cultures.

ELA RI.K-2.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.

Writing Standards

ELA W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

ELA W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

ELA W.K-2.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

ELA W.K-1.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects.

Speaking and Listening Standards

ELA SL.K-2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

ELA SL.K-1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

ELA SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

ELA SL.1.4 Describe people, places, things and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.

ELA SL.2.4 Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

ELA SL.1.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

National Standards and Common Core Standards

3

1. Stay sitting in your seat. 2. Keep your hands and feet to yourselves.3. If the actors ask the audience a question, it’s okay to answer! 4. You can laugh when something is funny! 5. Pay attention! Watch and listen carefully to what is going on. 6. Get ready to clap at the end of the show when the actors bow.7. Have fun, and enjoy the show!

Whether it’s your first play or your fiftieth, here are a few guidelines for being a respectful audience member. Every person has a job to do to make sure the live performance goes on! Here is how you can play your part!

Teachers, here’s a theatre game to play with your students. It’s a fun way to reinforce what it means to be a #1 listening audience and prepare for watching a play in the theatre.

#1 Audience is quiet, stays still, and pays attention to what is going on.

#2 Audience whispers, fidgets a little, and looks around.

#3 Audience talks loudly, moves around, and doesn’t really care about what’s happening on the stage.

After explaining the differences among the different audience behaviors and having your class practice each one, hold up one, two, or three fingers to signal which audience the class should pretend to be. Switch from one audience number to another to get the appropriate response. To be tricky, you can hold up the same number finger twice or change numbers really quickly!

You can also have students, one at a time, take your place, allowing them to be the leader of the group by holding up fingers and directing the class themselves.

The Audience GameLearn the difference between a #1, #2, and #3 audience

How to be a #1 Audience!

I’m a

#1

4

ELA SL.K-1.1

Actor – a person who uses their mind, body, and voice and pretends to become a character on stage to tell a story.

Adaptation – when a story is changed from one form into another; for example, a book can be changed into a play or movie.

Audience – the people who are watching the show on stage.

Bio – a short paragraph about the actor put in a show’s program for the audience to read.

Choreography – the dance steps and movements performed by actors in a musical.

Designer – the people who create everything we see in a play besides the actors; there are light, sound, set, and costume designers.

Director – the person who tells the actors where to go and how to move and thinks about how all parts of the play come together to best tell the story.

Headshot – a photograph of an actor smiling or looking serious, usually just of their head and shoulders.

Musical – a special kind of play that includes song, music and dance to help tell the story.

Play – a live story put on by actors in front of a group of people.

Playwright – the person who writes a script which has lines, or sentences, that the actors memorize.

Program – a small book given to audience members at the theatre that has information about the actors, crew, and the play.

Review – written by a person who has seen the show to tell what they liked and didn’t like about it.

Set – the background scenery that is on the stage to show where the story takes place.

Theatre Words!

How many theatre words and their definitions do you know?

A

p

r s

H

b

5

m

c d

ELA RI.K-2.4

About the Play/Author Bio 5 ELA RL.K-1.3

ELA RL.2.5

6

One night, lonely orphan Sophie is snatched away to an enchanted land by a giant who

blows magical dreams into children’s bedrooms. Her harmless, large-eared

captor is none other than The Big Friendly Giant (or The BFG, as generations of Roald

Dahl fans know him). When more menacing giants threaten to munch on human beings,

the pair of misfits embark on an unforgettable adventure proving heroes

come in all shapes and sizes!

Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, South Wales, of Norwegian parents, in 1916, and educated in English boarding-schools. At the beginning of his writing career, Dahl

wrote successful novellas and short stories for adults, such as Tales of the

Unexpected, before concentrating on his marvelous children’s stories. The first of these, James and the Giant Peach in 1960, was followed by Charlie

and the Chocolate Factory, and an unbroken string of hugely successful, best-selling titles. He was always brimming with new ideas

and his many books continue to bring enormous enjoyment to millions of children throughout the world.

summary

about the author

Fascinating Facts!7

5 ELA RI.K-2.4ELA S.K-2.1

The BFG, Roald Dahl’s much-loved story about the dream-catching Big Friendly Giant and young orphan Sophie, was first published in 1982. That much you already know, but do you know these other fascinating facts?

1. the bFg began liFe as a sCribble in a ‘iDeas book’:

Throughout his life, Roald Dahl kept an ‘Ideas Books’ – a book that he used to write down any inspiration for a story that came to him. This is how The BFG began - as a note in one of Roald’s books, scrawled in pencil. The note was revisited years later and published when Roald was sixty-six years old!

2. ‘sophie’ Was originally ‘JoDy’:

In early drafts of the story, the child snatched by the BFG from an orphanage bedroom was not Sophie, but a little boy named Jody. Jody soon transformed into Sophie. Roald chose to name her Sophie after his first grandchild.

3. the bFg speaks his oWn language, anD it has a name:

Roald created long lists of words for The BFG to speak, known as ‘gobblefunk,’ which is what the BFG’s language is officially named!

4. the bFg Was roalD’s Favorite CharaCter - anD he even pretenDeD to be the big FrienDly giant:

Roald once said that, of all his stories, The BFG was particularly close to his heart. Roald was telling the story of the dream-catching giant to his own children and, later, his grandchildren! He would climb a ladder outside their bedrooms and pretend to blow good dreams in through the window, just like the BFG!

Discussion Questions

Before the Show

5. What is something heroic you have done for someone?

1. Have you ever read the book The BFG? What was your favorite part of the story, and why?

2. What is your favorite dream? How did it make you feel?

3. What is a good dream that you would like to mix for someone else?

4. Do you think that it is important to listen and learn from others? Why or why not?

1. Why do you think the BFG mixes up some of his words when he talks? Did some of his sentences confuse you? Why or why not?

2. If you could pick a food that you had to eat for the rest of your life, what food would it be, and why?

3. If the BFG were to make a dream for you, what do you hope would happen in the dream?

4. If you were to meet the King or Queen of another country, what would you say? What questions would you ask?

8

After the Show

7 ELA SL.K-2.2

Here are some ways to engage your

students in conversation after the show!

Teachers, below are some ideas to help your students

start thinking about Sophie’s journey, The BFG, and making discoveries. Discuss these questions before the

play, on the bus, or in the classroom!

Theatre Games for Students!

1, 2, 7Dear Teacher,

Here’s your chance to put a little drama into your classroom! (The good kind!)

On the following pages are drama games for theatre-goers. When you explain the games to your students, make sure to give clear instructions and model what a good example looks like! (Try it! It’s fun!) The goal is to encourage students to explore the world of the play with a dramatic flair!

Let The Play Begin!

ELA SL.K.1ELA SL.1-2.4ELA SL.1.5

9

A Recipe for Dreams 10

Objective: Students will practice listening and following directions in this fun and creative activity! This game incorporates students’ imaginations and instructs them to concentrate for a prolonged period of time.

Materials needed: A clear classroom space

Begin with having your class stand in a circle. Start the game by explaining that you will all be traveling to Dream Country to make a recipe for a brand new dream, just like our heroes, the BFG and Sophie! Each student will get the opportunity to add one ingredient into the Dream Jar. The questions to ask each student are listed below:

1. What is the ingredient you would like to add to the Dream Jar?2. How many of the ingredients would you like to put into our recipe: 1, 2, or 3?3. Is the ingredient coming from up high or down low?

After these questions have been answered, students will throw the ingredient in, acting out how they would move if the object were actually in their hands. (Is it a heavy object? Is it light? Is it slimy?) After an ingredient has been tossed in, the students (and yourself!) can stir the recipe. (The recipe can get ‘harder to stir’ as more ingredients are thrown into the Dream Jar!)

Please repeat each step until every student has had a turn to put an ingredient into the Dream Jar. Once the recipe is complete, students can take out their magic spoons, and taste their creation!

For an additional challenge: Once students have had a taste, their recipe can transform them into whatever they choose: an animal, a character from The BFG, or something else from their imaginations!

1, 2 ELA SL.2.2ELA SL.2.4ELA SL.1.5

1stINGREDIENT 2nd

INGREDIENT

3rdINGREDIENT

4thINGREDIENT

5thINGREDIENT

6thINGREDIENT

A Character Journey11

Objective: Students will practice their listening skills and following directions in this fun, adventure-inspired, movement-based activity!

Materials Needed: A clear classroom space.

1. Clear enough space in your classroom so that students can move about the room easily and safely.

2. Explain to the students that you are going to give directions to them as they move about the space, and that they will be going on a journey to become characters from The BFG!

3. Introduce the first command to them - “Go.” When you say go, the students move around the room without touching each other.

4. The next direction to give is - “Stop.” When you say stop, the children should stop moving immediately.

5. Once they have mastered those two commands, introduce the next command - “Mrs. Clonkers.” When this command is spoken, students must point their finger at someone and say, “Go to bed!”

6. The next command is “BFG.” When you say these words, have the students mime heroically catching a dream in the air! They should perform this motion only once when you say the command.

7. Have the students practice these commands, integrating them with “Stop” and “Go.”

8. When they are comfortable with those commands, introduce the last two - “Queen” and “Sophie.” Have the students create a movement for each command. Encourage them to be creative and active; the sillier the movements, the better! Have the students practice performing these last two movements when you say the words.

9. As the students walk around the room, you now have six different directions to give them: “Go. Stop. Mrs. Clonkers. BFG. Queen. Sophie.” Play around with the order and tempo! Have fun!

For an additional challenge: Once the students know how to play the game outlined above, you can change the rules so that some commands are opposite! For example, go means stop and stop means go! Have fun!

2, 7ELA SL.K-2.1,

ELA SL.K-1.2, ELA SL.2.2, ELA SL.1.4, ELA SL. 2.4,

ELA SL.1.5

A Vocabulary Lesson 7 ELA W.K.2

ELA SL.K-1.5

12

Part of being a hero is having a creative mind so you can share your thoughts with others. The BFG sure uses a lot of made up words! It is now

time for YOU to discover some made up words of your very own! What are your words, how are they spelled, and what do they mean? Write down

your new words and their meanings in the dictionary below!

DICTIONARY DICTIONARY

Welcome to Dream Country!

7

13

The BFG takes Sophie to Dream Country and explains that he is able to hear, and understand, the special music in each and every dream.

Can you describe YOUR favorite dream? What happened? How did the dream make you feel? What would the music sound like in your favorite

dream? Feel free to write/draw your ideas in the Dream Jar below:

ELA W.K.2ELA SL.1.5

WelCome toDream

Country!

Create Your Own Actor Bio!

Actors write bios or short paragraphs about themselves for the programs so that we learn about who they are, what other plays they

have been in, and what sorts of things they like to do!

Now is your chance to write a bio about yourself!

14

is a student at and is in (name) (school)

the grade. He/She loves going to see Emerald City Theatre shows,(number)

because (favorite subject)

favorite subject at school is (name’s)

After school, he/she really loves to play (activity)

especially (title of the play you just saw!) .

(why?) .

and also (activity) .

All actors get photos taken of themselves either smiling or looking serious. The photos are usually of the actor’s head

and shoulders – that’s why they’re called headshots!

Draw a photo of yourself-smiling or serious-on a blank piece of paper. Or, get your own “Star Performer” coloring

page from the Emerald City Website: www.EmeraldCityTheatre.com/TeacherMaterials

Create Your Own Actor Headshot Too!

7 ELA W.K-2.2

Become a Costume Designer!

Draw the costume design for The BFG’s outfit below. What do you think this friendly giant would wear?

15

ELA W.K.23, 7

Play reviewed by:

Write Your Own Theatre Review!

A reviewer’s job is to see a play and write about what they liked and what they

didn’t like. Now it’s your turn to write or draw a review and share your ideas

about The BFG!

Emerald City News

16

7 ELA W.K-2.2ELA W.K-2.6

Write what your favorite part of the play was and why! If you could change one

thing about the play to make it even better, what would you change?

Emerald City Theatre School’s Outreach ProgrammingAt Emerald City Theatre School, we want to be your partner in raising an imaginative, loving, and confident student. Emerald City offers several outreach programs that bring drama to your classroom including our popular Read, Write, & Act Residency Program and After School Drama Classes. See below for more information.

Read, Write, & Act Residency (for pre-k through 5th grade)Bring the gift of creative drama and literacy to your school! Emerald City Theatre’s Read, Write, & Act Residency program focuses on developing confident readers, writers, and actors in your classroom during the school day. Our professional teaching artists help your students to develop academic, artistic, and life skills during multiple visits over a period of several weeks. Students focus on comprehension, creative and dramatic exploration, vocabulary acquisition and oral language practice, ensemble building, self-esteem, and awareness of actor, author, and playwright’s tools. For more information about residencies, contact Education Director Jackie Stone at 773-529-2690 x815 or jstone@emeraldcitytheatre.com.

After School Drama Classes Our world-class teaching professionals come directly to you! We offer a wide array after school drama classes for all age levels with exciting new themes each session! Bring the gift of theatre to your school by providing students with classroom opportunities to dive into acting, singing, and dancing after the bell rings! Our weekly programs heavily focus on team building, communication and listening skills, storytelling techniques, and self-esteem. Each class session culminates in an informal performance open to family and friends. For more information about after school programs, contact: Jacqueline Stone, Education Director at 773-529-2690 x15 or jstone@emeraldcitytheatre.com.

About Emerald City Theatre

Emerald City TheatreEmerald City creates theatre experiences to inspire early learners through play. Our programming includes professional productions at the Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park, The Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, and The Little Theatre in Lakeview. Emerald City Theatre School offers classes, camps, and in-school programming year-round. The 2014 - 15 Season at the Apollo Theatre is Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Big Friendly Giant, Fancy Nancy The Musical, and Elephant and Piggie’s We Are In A Play!

For more information, visit www.EmeraldCityTheatre.com. 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago 60657 | P 773.529.2690 | F 773.529.2693

17