Resource Guide

A Performing Arts Series for Students

Room on the Broom

Tue, Nov 17, 2009

ABOUT OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Overture Center for the Arts fills a city block in downtown Madison with world-class venues for the performing and visual arts. Made possible by an extraordinary gift from Madison businessman W. Jerome Frautschi, the center presents the highest-quality arts and entertainment programming in a wide variety of disciplines for diverse audiences. Offerings include performances by acclaimed classical, jazz, pop, and folk performers; touring Broadway musicals; quality childrens entertainment; and world-class ballet, modern and jazz dance. Overture Centers extensive outreach and educational programs serve thousands of Madison-area residents annually, including youth, older adults, people with limited financial resources and people with disabilities. The center is also home to ten independent resident organizations. Internationally renowned architect Cesar Pelli designed the center to provide the best possible environment for artists and audiences, as well as to complement Madisons urban environment. Performance spaces range from the spectacular 2,250-seat Overture Hall to the casual and intimate Rotunda Stage. The renovated Capitol Theater seats approximately 1,110, and The Playhouse seats 350. In addition, three multi-purpose spaces provide flexible performance, meeting and rehearsal facilities. Overture Center also features several art exhibit spaces. Overture Galleries I, II and III display works by Dane County artists. The Playhouse Gallery features regional artists with an emphasis on collaborations with local organizations. The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letter s Watrous Gallery displays works by Wisconsin artists, and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art offers works by national and international artists. Resident organizations Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Children's Theater of Madison Kanopy Dance Company Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company Madison Ballet

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art Madison Opera Madison Symphony Orchestra Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

Credits: Executive Editor: Beth Racette Editor/Designer: Lauri Brenning Writers: Lauri Brenning and Rae Atira-Soncea Other sections provided by Tall Stories Productions

SPOTLIGHT ON LEARNING: Educators Resource Guide

ROOM ON THE BROOM

Dear Teachers
This Spotlight on Learning: Educators Resource Guide for Room on the Broom OnStage performance is designed to: Maximize students enjoyment and appreciation of the performance; Extend the impact of the performance by providing discussion ideas, activities, and further reading that promote learning across the curriculum; Promote arts literacy by expanding students knowledge of music, storytelling and theater; Illustrate that the arts are a legacy reflecting the values, customers, beliefs, expressions, and reflections of a culture; Use the arts to teach about the cultures of other people and to celebrate students own heritage through self-reflection. In this Resource Guide, you will find valuable information and suggestions for activities that can help prepare students to see this performance, ideas for follow-up activities and resources you can access on the web. Weve also included Wisconsin Academic Standards for each activity in order to align the experience with your curriculum requirements.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 2 3 4 6 8 10 11 Letter to Teachers About the Artists Pre-Performance Book Activities Art Activities Witch Background and Activities Post-Performance Activities Additional Resources Wisconsin Academic Standards

We Want Your Feedback!

OnStage performances can be evaluated online! Evaluations are vital to the future and funding of this program. Your feedback educates us about the ways the program is utilized and we often implement your suggestions. CLICK HERE to fill out an online evaluation. We look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy the show! Overture Education Team

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Tall Stories Theatre Company of London was founded in 1996. They present old, new and timeless stories in fresh and exciting ways. The goal of the company is to create lively theatre including original music, physical movement and laughter, all the while engaging the audience. Tall Stories Theatre has presented their works at festivals, schools and theatres and toured internationally. Visit Tall Stories Theatre Company. Their website provides a good introduction to the performance. Learn about the artists who are performing in the show. Read more about the companys arts education outreach.

Room on the Broom has been translated into 21 languages and has won five book awards. The audio version, which includes the Room on the Broom song, also won the Spoken Book Award for the best audio for ages six and under. Visit author Julia Donaldson on the web. Find the book at the Madison public library. Find the book at your local Madison school library.

BOOK SUMMARY
A witch and her cat take a ride on her broomstick. While traveling, the witch drops some of her valuable items (her hat, then her wand, etc.) and lands the broom to find them. While on the ground, she picks up some animal friends (a dog, frog, etc.). After too many characters ride on the broom, the broom snaps in two sending the witch soaring through the air and landing near an evil dragon. Her animal friends join together to save the witch and scare off the evil dragon. To show her gratitude, the witch uses her brew to cast a spell and make a new broom for her and all of her friends.

PRE-PERFORMANCE BOOK ACTIVITIES

GETTING STARTED
As a class, read the book Room on the Broom.

PREDICT THE STORY

Show the students the front cover of the book and have them predict what characteristics the witch will portray in the story (example-- Is she an evil witch or a friendly witch?). During reading, stop and have students guess which animal the witch will add next to her broom based on the setting of the story that is depicted.

RHYME THE WORDS

Read the first two pages to the class. At the end of a few of the rhymes, leave out some of the rhyming words while reading aloud. Have students predict which rhyming word will fill in your blank. Make a list of the rhyming pairs in the book. Have students think of more rhyming words to add to the pairs to make a rhyme bank, which you can keep as a resource in the classroom. Make pockets for particular sounds and ask children to write their rhyming words on cards and place them in the pockets.

REPEAT THE CHORUS

During reading, emphasize the two refrains that begin Down! cried the witch and Yes! cried the witch. Encourage students to join in with these sections, always using the same intonation and emphasizing the rhythm, so that they become very familiar with the repetition of the chorus through the story. Clap out the rhythm with the children as you read. Add simple hand, face or body actions to accompany the chorus. These can be done with students sitting or standing in their places, or part of a more physical drama/music/movement activity. Challenge students to think of simple ways of miming the movement of the different animals as they climb on the broomstick.

LISTEN FOR SOUND

During reading, ask students to signal every time they come across a sound in the narrative, (include sounds deriving from the weather, and consider whether to include sound to build tension or show atmosphere). Encourage them to create the sounds using, voice, body percussion, tapping on the table or floor. Give students time to practice making the sound effects and then rehearse a performance of the story with a sound track to accompany it. One group could read or retell the story while others make the sound effects.
Wisconsin Academic Standards: Music Singing (A), History and Culture (I); Language Arts Writing (B), Oral
Language (C)

ART ACTIVITIES
DESIGN A NEW BROOM
Have students design a new broom for the witch. The broom must address the following guidelines: The broom must be able to fly The broom must hold at least three people/animals. The broom must have safety equipment (seatbelts, lights, etc). The broom may have any luxury items you wish to include (ex. Radio, air conditioning, heat) Optional: Create a life-size model of their new brooms.

ROOM ON THE BROOM FOR YOU

If you had a place on the witchs broom, what would your seat be like? Can you think of a way to make it special just for you? What special object would you have with you? Would other people be able to say something about your personality by looking at your seat? Optional: Cut out a very long broom and pin it to the wall. Ask students to draw themselves on their very own seats. Pin these in position on the broom. Have students guess which seat belongs to who.

BEST-DRESSED HAT
Have students create their own witches hat and decorate it using an assortment of materials: foil, glitter, felt, pompoms, ribbons, etc.

CREATE A NEW MONSTER

Read the description of the monster emerging from the ditch and let students study the illustration. Talk about how four friendly creatures have combined to make something very fierce looking. In groups of four, have each student choose one animal, which they will combine to make their group monster. They can draw, paint, a find a picture from the computer or magazines. Combine the pictures together on a large piece of paper to make the basic shape and size of their own group monster, and invent a new name.

EXTENDED ACTIVITY
Have students write descriptive sentences about their own or another groups monster, considering the sounds it makes, its texture and appearance, what it likes to eat, how it moves and what sort of personality it has.
Wisconsin Academic Standards: Art - Visual Communication and Expression (E), Personal and Social Development
(I), Visual Imagination and Creativity (L); Language Arts Writing (B), Oral Language (C)

STUDENT HANDOUT
ROOM ON THE BROOM
by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler The witch had a cat and a hat that was black, And long ginger hair in a braid down her back How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind.

WITCHES AND PAGANISM

Witches in fairy tales and other fictional literature are often shown as mean, ugly old crones who cast evil spells with their magic wands, keep black cats and fly on broomsticks. This interpretation was founded in the prejudices and misunderstandings that became popular in what is sometimes referred to as the burning times: the times when witches were hunted, persecuted, tortured and killed by the thousands both in New England and in Europe. Witchcraft is a religion that is much older than Christianity. The word witchcraft originates from the Celtic word wicca which means to bend or shape. Witchcraft does not contain or acknowledge the existence of the Satan or devil figure contained in the Christian religious structure. Some witches are also Christians. The Wiccan motto of Do no harm is analogous to the Christian Golden Rule. Witchcraft is a religion that does NOT worship the devil or Satan or any all-evil deity. Most witches believe there is a God and Goddess, entities which represent the male and female energies of all things. They do use spells, but they are prayers, thoughts or projections, not hexes or curses. This is similar to the meditations, incantations and prayers of other religions. Several Christian holidays are arranged at the same time as Wiccan holidays. The most famous is Christmas, which was put in December in order to have a Christian counterpart to the popular Pagan/Wiccan Yule Festival. This celebration of the Winter Solstice included cutting down a large tree and having the festivities last as long as the log burned. The secular holiday of Halloween is the witches New Year. Because witches had traditionally performed services that Christian leaders wanted done by religious people, persecution of witches began. The burning times happened in many places throughout Europe and New England during the 1400s to 1700s. A book, titled Malleus Maleficarum, published in 1486, convinced people that women were witches and made people afraid of all women. This book spread fear and made neighbors and families turn against each other. Currently, there are about 50,000 witches in the US and thousands more around the globe. Some wear a piece of jewelry which contains a five-pointed star with a circle around it (pentacle) as a symbol for protection. This represents the human body and the earth surrounded by the protection of the God/Goddess. Some witches use brooms, but they are used for cleaning negative energies, not riding across the sky. Witches come from every socio-economic, ethnic and racial background. Like many other religions, members live in all areas and hold a wide variety of occupations. In 1993 at the World Congress of Religions, Paganism and Witchcraft were acknowledged as valid religions.

WHICH WITCH IS WHICH ACTIVITY

Read each of the following characteristics of a witch and ask students to decide which witch (make-believe, real, or both) these statements are true for. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Wear black robes sometimes. Fly on broomsticks. Wear pointed hats. Use their knowledge of herbs to heal. Perform rituals during the full moon. Use a magic wand. Cast evil spells. Worship a Satan/devil figure. Believe there is a God and Goddess. 10. Traditionally help to deliver babies and care for the dying. 11. Keep black cats. 12. Eat small children. 13. Generally use their knowledge to do good. 14. Generally use their knowledge to do evil. 15. Were killed by the thousands during the "burning time."

TEACHERS ANSWERS TO WHICH WITCH ACTIVITY

1. Both: Many real witches do wear black robes as they believe it helps them to concentrate on healing energies. 2. Make-believe: Brooms have limited aerodynamic properties. Real witches do use hand made brooms to clean out the ritual area of negative energies, just like you and I use a broom to clean dirt from our homes. 3. Make-believe: Its only in the story books. 4. Real: For a long time and in many places, a witchs knowledge of herbal cures was the only medicine available. 5. Both: There are other days for rituals, too; e.g., solstices, yule, etc. 6. Both: The difference is in the purpose of the use. Make-believe witches use it to cast evil spells; real witches use it to concentrate and direct healing energies. 7. Make-believe: Real witches follow the creed Do no harm just like the Golden Rule Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 8. Make-believe: Real witchcraft is older than the idea of a devil or Satan. 9. Real: The God and Goddess represent the male and female energies of everything. 10. Real: They acted like modern midwives and hospice care workers. Some real witches are nurses or doctors and have modern medical training. 11. Both: Anyone can keep a black cat. Black cats have nothing to do with witchcraft. They are associated with evil from prejudicial and superstitious belief that if a black cat crosses your path, you will have bad luck. 12. Make-believe: Real witches live by the motto Do no harm. 13. Real: The focus of witchcraft is to heal and live in harmony. An example of a good witch in literature is Glenda in the Wizard of Oz. 14. Make-believe: They are often the antagonist in a story. 15. Real: Even today, people who practice witchcraft are concerned about being misunderstood and possibly oppressed because of their religious beliefs.

POST-PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES
DISCUSS THE ENDING
Ask students about their reactions to how the dragon treated the witch and how her friends came to her rescue. Discuss the modifications that were made to the witchs broom at the end of the story to accommodate all of her riders.

LOSING THINGS
The witch loses several things that are important to her. Have you ever lost something special a favorite toy, perhaps? How did you feel? What did you do? Did you ask anyone for help? Did you find it again? Think about strategies for looking for lost possessions. Do you have a lost property box at school? How can we take care of our things?

HELPING EACH OTHER

The animals in the story all help the witch by finding her things. Can you remember when someone has helped you? What kind things did the witch do for the frog, the dog, and the bird in return? Can you think of anything else the animals did to help the witch? Why is it good to help each other?

BEING SCARED
When the witch saw the dragon, how do you think she felt? Have you ever been scared of anyone who was unkind to you? What can you do if you are scared? Could you tell anyone?

ADD ANOTHER ANIMAL

Have students think of other animals that might encounter the witch on her journey. As a shared writing activity, make up a rhyming couplet for each animal. These can connect together to make a string of verse.

DRAGON POINT-OF-VIEW
Ask students to imagine they are the dragon and retell the story from the dragons point of view. Questions to consider: Where do you live? Have you got any children? How big are you? Have you seen a witch before? Why were you scared of the monster? Why did you want to eat the witch? Were you very hungry? What else do you eat? Where did you fly to?
Wisconsin Academic Standards: Language Arts Writing (B), Oral Language (C); Social Studies - The Behavioral
Sciences (E)

POST-PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES

REVIEW THE PERFORMANCE

Write a review of the Room on the Broom performance. Start by writing down everything you remember from the show. What kinds of songs and dances did they perform? Who were your favorite characters? Why? What did you think of the music in the performance? What was your favorite part of the performance? Did you have a least favorite part of the performance? Why? Were there any additional aspects of the show that stood out to you (e.g. sets, lighting, costumes and/or a specific dance sequence)? What did you like most about those aspects of the show? How did the performance make you feel? Give the performance a rating, out of five stars. For each positive star, discuss one thing you liked about the performance. (Example, for a fivestar rating, describe five things you liked and why you liked them.) For each star under five, discuss one thing you did not enjoy about the performance. (Example, for a three-star rating, list three things you liked and two things you do not enjoy.)

DRAW OR PAINT YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE PERFORMANCE

Draw or paint a picture that expresses how the performance made you feel. Or draw or paint your impression, using shapes, lines, colors, patterns and other elements from your imagination that convey qualities of the performance.

PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK
We love to hear from you. Send you performance reviews and/or drawings to: Education Department Overture Center for the Arts 201 State Street, Madison, WI 53703
Wisconsin Academic Standards: Art Visual Communication and Expression (E), Personal and Social Development (I); Language Arts Writing (B), Theater Play Analysis and Reading (A)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Julia Donaldson, Book Author
Early Readers Poems and Songs Educational Books

WITCH BACKGROUND
Witchcraft World of Wicca Whether youre a Witch, Wiccan, Pagan, Christian, or what ever, the information on this site is relevant to anyone and everyone with an open mind and a desire to look outside your own box. Witchcraft.Net A community of serious practitioners of various pagan paths and magical systems. Witchcraft Persecutions before Salem The history of witchcraft persecutions from 560 B.C.E. to 1682 created by Douglas Linder from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

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WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS

MUSIC
Singing A.2 Sing expressively with appropriate dynamics, phrasing, and interpretation A.3 Sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles from diverse cultures A.5 Sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of the conductor A.7 Sing with rhythmic accuracy History and Culture I.1 Demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed I.3 Describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples from various cultures of the world I.4 Identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use

ART
Visual Communication and Expression E.1 Communicate basic ideas by producing studio art forms, such as drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, jewelry, fibers, and ceramics E.5 Use the visual arts to express ideas that cannot be expressed by words alone Personal and Social Development I.1 Use art to understand how they feel I.2 Make art that shows how they sometimes feel I.3 Talk or write about feelings in a work of art I.4 Recognize their own feelings when they look at work of art I.7 Work alone and with others to develop visual ideas and objects Visual Imagination and Creativity L.1 Use their knowledge, intuition, and personal experiences to develop ideas for artwork L.7 Exhibit imagination by interpreting situations from more than one point of view

SOCIAL STUDIES
The Behavioral Sciences E.2 Explain the influence of factors such as family, neighborhood, personal interests, language, likes and dislikes, and accomplishments on individual identity and development E.3 Describe how families are alike and different, comparing characteristics such as size, hobbies, celebrations, where families live, and how they make a living E.4 Describe the ways in which ethnic cultures influence the daily lives of people E.7 Explain the reasons why individuals respond in different ways to a particular event and the ways in which interactions among individuals influence behavior E.8 Describe and distinguish among the values and beliefs of different groups and institutions E.9 Explain how people learn about others who are different from themselves E.10 Give examples and explain how the media may influence opinions, choices, and decisions E.11 Give examples and explain how language, stories, folk tales, music, and other artistic creations are expressions of culture and how they convey knowledge of other peoples and cultures E.13 Investigate and explain similarities and differences in ways that cultures meet human needs E.14 Describe how differences in cultures may lead to understanding or misunderstanding among people

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WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS

LANGUAGE ARTS
Writing B.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes Write expressive pieces in response to reading, viewing, and life experiences (narratives, reflections, and letters) employing descriptive detail and a personal voice Write creative pieces (poetry, fiction, and plays) employing basic aesthetic principles appropriate to each genre Oral Language C.1 Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposes Read aloud effectively from previously-read material Participate in group readings, such as choral, echo, and shadow reading Perform dramatic readings and presentations Distinguish between fact and opinion and provide evidence to support opinions

THEATER
Play Reading and Analysis A.1 Attend a live theatre performance and discuss the experience explain what happened in the play identify and describe the characters say what they liked and didnt like describe the scenery, lighting and/or costumes

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THEaTER ETIQUETTE aND EXpERIENcES

We have a wonderful opportunity at this performance to help youth learn about attending live performances. Please discuss the following with your students: 1. Sometimes young people do not realize how a live performance differs from watching a movie or television show. A live presentation has not been pre-recorded with the mistakes edited out. This makes it riskier for the performer and more exciting for the audience. It also means the audience has a real contribution to make to the overall event. Each audience member affects those around him/her as well as the performer. Concentrate to help the performers. The audience gives energy to the performer who uses that energy to give life to the performance. 2. An usher will show you where to sit. Walk slowly and talk quietly as you enter the theater. 3. For safetys sake, do not lean over or sit on the balcony railings or box ledges. Please be careful on the stairs. Avoid horseplay and running throughout the building. 4. If necessary, use the restroom before the performance begins. Adults need to accompany young students. 5. You may talk quietly to the people next to you until the performance begins. 6. When the lights in the theater begin to dim, it is the signal that the performance is about to begin. Stop talking and turn your attention to the stage. 7. Stay in your seat throughout the entire performance. 8. During the performance, listen quietly and watch closely. Talking during the performance will distract other audience members and performers. Try not to wiggle too much and dont kick the seat in front of you. These disruptions make it hard for others around you to concentrate on the show. 9. Sometimes during a performance you may respond by laughing, crying, or sighing. By all means feel free to do so! LAUGHING IS APPROPRIATE. (Teachers, please do not hush the students while they are laughing.) If something is funny, its good to laugh. If you like something a lot, applaud. This will let the performers know that you are enjoying the show. 10. At the end of the show, applaud to say thank you to the performers. The performers will bow to acknowledge your appreciation and thank you for coming. 11. When the lights get brighter in the theater, the show is over. Stay in your seats until the OnStage Coordinator dismisses your school. 12. Please remember: Taking photographs or using recording devices is strictly prohibited. Beverages and food, including gum and candy, are not allowed in the theater. You are only one person among several hundred in the audience. Please respect the performers and your fellow audience members. Please inform your adult chaperones that ushers will be available throughout the performance if there are any difficulties.

American Girls Fund for Children

Funding for this resource guide and the OnStage Performing Arts Series for Students is provided by a generous grant from American Girls Fund for Children, a philanthropic foundation created to support programs and services for school-age children in Dane County. Since its founding in 1992, American Girls Fund for Children has supported programs in the arts, culture, and environment.
OVERTURE CENTER FoR THE ARTS

Tom Carto, President & CEO Susan Crofton, Vice President of Programming & Communications Tim Sauers, Director of Education and Community Engagement Beth Racette, Education and Community Program Coordinator Lauri Brenning, Resource Guide Writer
2009 Overture Center for the Arts

201 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 | 608.258.4165 onstage@overturecenter.com | overturecenter.com