Musical Readers' Theatre - The Polar Express 2nd 6 weeks unit of inquiry: Theme: How we organize ourselves

Line of Inquiry: individual/group actions a!ect change Key concepts: Change, causation, perspective Cast Thomas - Adam Sanchez Conductor - Jose Deleon ! Cindy - Ashley Castillo Mark - Gilbert Flores! Girl on train - Samantha Garcia Boy on train - Luis Lazo! Kids on train - Angelica Rosas, Alexis Ramirez, ! Narrators - Emmaly Nunez, Andrea Pequeno, Angel Ahumada, Teresa Cantu, Dayna Ochoa! Dancing Elves - Ciara Soto, Jesus Olivares, Brianna Arballo, Rodrigo Velazquez, David Padron,! Felipe Uresti, Rocio S., Queen, Jesus Olivares, Jerry Cortez, Michael H., Jasmin Aguilar, Sara G. ! Servers - Jesus Olivares, ! Main Elves- Bryan Salinas, Ciara Soto, Mark Arredondo ! Mother - Samantha Quellar Father - Javier Rodriguez ! Sarah - Nyla Elizondo! Reindeer Soloists - Angelica Rosas, Alexis Ramirez, Teresa Cantu, Samantha Garcia! ! Script! Thomas (pre-recorded) - On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound-a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. My friend would always insist that there was no such thing as Santa, but I knew he was wrong. Late that night, I did hear the sounds, though not of ringing bells. (steam engine sound e!ects) From outside came the sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal. I looked through my window and saw a train standing perfectly still in front of my house.! ! enter conductor Narrator 1 - The train was wrapped in an apron of steam. Snowakes fell lightly around it. A conductor stood at the open door of one of the cars and took a large pocket watch from his vest, then looked up at the window. Thomas put on his slippers and robe, tiptoed down the stairs and out the front door.! ! Conductor - All Aboard!!!! boy runs to conductor Conductor- Well, are you coming?! ! Thomas - Where?! ! Conductor - Why to the North Pole of course! THIS is the Polar Express!! ! Narrator 2 - Thomas took his outstretched hand and the conductor pulled him on board. ! Set change to inside train! The train was lled with other children, all in their pajamas and nightgowns. They were singing and laughing and were so excited!! ! Song - The Polar Express

Cindy - (to Thomas) Hello, my name is Cindy. What's yours? ! ! Thomas - Hi, I'm Thomas. Cindy - You can come sit with me (walking to seat). This is so exciting! Can you believe it?! We're going to the North Pole! I wonder if we get to see Santa!! ! Thomas - Are you sure? Are we really going to the North Pole?! ! Mark - Hey, you, ya, you...do you know what kind of train this is? TRAIN, do you know what kind of train this is? Do ya?! ! Thomas - Uh...! ! Cindy - Of course. It's a magic train. We're going to the North Pole!! ! Mark - Ah, I know it's a magic train. Actually it's a Baldwin 2-8-4 S3-class steam locomotive built in 1931 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It weighs 456,100 pounds and...! ! Conductor and Thomas- Tickets please, tickets. (walks to Thomas) Try your pocket. (Thomas looks) Your OTHER pocket. (Thomas nds it) Thank you sir. (punch punch)! ! Conductor/Mark- (walks to Mark and other kids for punching tickets) Tickets, please. (punch) ! ! Narrator 3 - Outside the lights of towns and villages ickered in the distance as the Polar Express raced northward. Inside the passenger car, the children were getting ready for...! ! Conductor - Your Attention please! Are there any passengers in need of refreshment?! ! boys and girls - Yes! Yay! We are!! ! Song - Hot Chocolate (Hot Chocolate Servers roll out the carts of cups) Narrator 4 - With everyone content with full tummies, the Polar Express traveled through cold, dark forests...no more city lights to be seen...only the eyes of wolves and white tailed rabbits in the quiet wilderness. (ashlights for eyes shown by choir) The train climbed mountains so high it seemed as if we could scrape the moon! But the Polar Express never slowed down. Faster and faster it ran along, rolling over peaks and through valleys like a car on a roller coaster! (projected image from movie?)! (children on train act as if train makes sudden moves up, down, etc.) Narrator 5 - (light e!ects?) (projected images?) The mountains turned into hills, the hills to snow covered plains. The Polar Express crossed a barren desert of ice - the Great Polar Ice Cap. Lights appeared in the distance. They looked like the lights of a strange ocean liner sailing on a frozen sea.! ! Conductor - There...is the North Pole.! ! Narrator 1 - The North Pole! It was a huge city standing alone at the top of the world, lled with factories where every Christmas toy was made by elves.! ! Conductor - All the elves right now are gathered in the center of the city, where Santa will give the rst gift of Christmas.!

! Girl on train - Who receives the rst gift of Christmas?! ! Conductor - He will choose one of you.! ! Mark - Oh, I hope he chooses me! I want the rst gift of Christmas!! ! Boy on train- (looking outside train window) Look! The elves!! ! Song - Small Group of Elves Dancing to "Rockin' on top of the World" - get audience involved with dancing! ! Narrator 2 - The train started slowing down as hundreds of elves could be seen crowding the streets. And nally, the train came to a stop right in the center of the crowd.! ! Conductor leads kids o! train, o! stage, through crowd of elves (5th grade choir), and to the front Narrator 3 - The children pressed through the crowd of elves to what seemed like the center of a large circle. An elf came forward to welcome them.! ! Main Elf - (on stage center so all can see, and speaking to entire audience) Welcome to the North Pole! We are so delighted to have you visit us! Now, would you be so kind to help us call for Santa? ! ! Song - "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" (sung by EVERYONE)--pass out some bells? (Santa and his sleigh comes in from outside)---With BELLS ringing!! ! Narrator 4 - The silver bells on Santa's reindeer and sleigh were ringing for all to hear. Their sound was almost magical. ! ! Narrator 5 - Santa marched over to the children and pointing to Thomas, said:! ! Santa - Let's have this fellow here. (pause) Now, what would you like for Christmas?! ! Thomas - (thinking)! Narrator 1 - Thomas knew he could have any gift he could imagine. But the thing he wanted

most for Christmas was not inside Santa's giant bag. What he wanted more than anything was...(pause)! ! Thomas - (whispers to Santa)! ! Santa smiles and motions to main elf to cut a bell from a reindeer harness The main elf brings bell to Santa Santa - The rst gift of Christmas! This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas--as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart. ! (Santa gives bell to hero boy and he puts it in his pocket)! ! Song - "Jingle Bells" (sung by everyone) Santa leaves, children and conductor wave to elves and get in line to board train(stairs) Conductor/Mark - (punching ticket) ! Mark - "Lean"? What in the world is that supposed to mean?!

! Conductor - I believe I punched a 5-letter word... (crew holds up large ticket for LEARN)! Mark - (interrupting) What? oh, yes, Learn, my mistake.! ! Conductor - Lesson learned.! (next child-Cindy) (punching)! ! Cindy - It says "Led"?! Conductor - I believe it is also pronounced "Lead" as in Lead-er, leadership, lead the way. (crew holds up large ticket for LEAD) (Cindy smiles and gets on train)! ! Conductor - Ticket? (punching)! Thomas - It says... (crew holds up large ticket for BELIEVE)! Conductor - (interrupting) Ah...it's nothing I need to know. Just remember, boy, seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see. Narrator 2 - As soon as the children were back inside the Polar Express, they asked Thomas to see the bell. He reached into his pocket...! ! Thomas - It's not here! I've lost the bell from Santa's sleigh!! ! Cindy - Don't worry, we'll nd it. C'mon everyone, let's look for it.! ! Narrator 3 - But the train gave a sudden lurch (children on train jerk suddenly) and started moving. They were on their way home. It broke Thomas' heart to lose the bell. ! ! Song - When Christmas Comes to Town - Thomas and Cindy (with choir at the end)! ! Narrator 3 - When the train reached Thomas' house, he sadly left the other children. He stood at the doorway to wave good-bye as he heard the conductor yell...! ! Conductor - Merry Christmas!! ! Song?Scene change - christmas tree with Mom and Dad and sister and Thomas! ! Narrator 4 - On Christmas morning, Thomas and his sister, Sarah, opened their presents. When it looked as if everything had been unwrapped, Sarah found one last small box behind the tree. ! ! Sarah - Look, there's one last present...it has your name on it!! ! Thomas - The bell from Santa's sleigh! Wow! There's a note! ! ! Santa (pre-recorded) - Found this on the seat of my sleigh. Better x that hole in your pocket. Mr. C! ! Narrator 5 - Thomas shook the bell; it made the most beautiful sound they had ever heard.! ! Mother - Oh, that's too bad.! Father - Yes, it's broken.!

both children look at each other Narrator 5 - When Thomas shook the bell, his parents had not heard a sound. (parents move o! stage, Sarah and Thomas stay sitting next to tree) At one time, most of Thomas' friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. But, the bell still rings for Thomas, as it does for all who truly believe. ! song - "Believe" with soloists ! ! ! !
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