A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD
Applause Series Curriculum Guide
January 12-13, 2017
GUIDE CONTENTS
About Des Moines
Performing Arts
Page 3
Dear Teachers,
Thank you for joining us for the Applause Series presentation of A
Year With Frog and Toad. A hit on Broadway, it was nominated for
three Tony Awards, including ‘Best Musical’. Part vaudeville, part
make-believe, and all charm, A Year With Frog and Toad tells the
story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.
See you at the theater,
Des Moines Performing Arts Education Team
Support for Des Moines Performing Arts education programs and the
Applause Series is provided by:
American Enterprise Group, Arts Midwest, Bradford and Sally Austin,
Bravo Greater Des Moines, Clive Community Foundation, The Coons
Foundation, EMC Insurance Companies, EquiTrust Life Insurance
Company, Hy-Vee, Inc., Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, John Deere,
Richard and Deborah McConnell, Nationwide, Polk County, Prairie
Meadows, Principal Financial Group, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo & Co., West
Bancorporation Foundation, Windsor Charitable Foundation, and
Mutteringretreat.wordpress.com
We thank you for sharing this very special
experience with your students and hope
that this study guide helps you
connect the performance to your
in-classroom curriculum in ways that
you find valuable. In the following
pages, you will find contextual
information about the performance and related
subjects, as well as a variety of discussion questions
and assessment activities. Some pages are appropriate to
reproduce for your students; others are designed more specifically
with you, their teacher, in mind. As such, we hope that you are able
to “pick and choose” material and ideas from the study guide to
meet your class’s unique needs.
Going to the Theater and
Theater Etiquette
Page 4
Civic Center Field Trip
Information for Teachers
Page 5
Vocabulary
Pages 6
About the Performance
Page 7
The People Behind the Production
Page 8
About the Author, Arnold Lobel
Page 9
Frogs and Toads
Page 10
Pre-Show Exploration
Pages 11-12
Post-Show Discussion and
Assessment
Page 13-15
Reproducible Pages
Pages 16
Resources and Sources
Page 17
more than 200 individual donors. This study guide was compiled and written by Bethany Banks and Michelle McDonald; edited by Karoline Myers.
Adapted from Casa Mañana’s “Show Study Guide For: A Year With Frog and Toad”
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Page 2 of 18
ABOUT DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS
Des Moines Performing Arts is a private, nonprofit organization and is an
important part of central Iowa’s cultural community. It is recognized
nationally for excellence as a performing arts center and is committed to
engaging the Midwest in world-class entertainment, education, and cultural
activities.
DID YOU KNOW?
Des Moines Performing Arts presents professional touring productions,
including theater direct from Broadway, world-renowned dance companies,
family programming, comedy, and concerts.
Des Moines Performing Arts
opened in 1979.
Education and Community Engagement programs are core to Des Moines
Performing Arts' mission as a nonprofit performing arts center.
Public education programs allow audience members and local artists to
make meaningful and personal connections to the art they experience on
our stages. Guest lectures and Q&As with company members allow
audiences to explore the inner workings of the performance. In addition,
master classes, workshops, and summer camps taught by visiting
performers give local actors, dancers, and musicians the chance to
increase their skills by working directly with those who know what it takes to
succeed on the professional stage.
Through its K-12 School Programs, Des Moines Performing Arts strives to
ensure that central Iowa students have affordable access to high quality
arts experiences as part of their education. More than 55,000 students and
educators attend curriculum-connected school matinee performances
through the Applause Series annually. In addition, Des Moines Performing
Arts sends teaching artists into the schools to provide hands-on workshops
and residencies in special opportunities that engage students directly in the
creative process. And, through its partnership with the John F.
Kennedy Center, Des Moines Performing Arts provides teachers with
in-depth professional development training on how to use the arts in their
classrooms to better impact student learning. The Iowa High School
Musical Theater Awards is Des Moines Performing Arts’ newest initiative to
support the arts in Iowa schools, providing important learning tools and
public recognition to celebrate the achievements of students involved in
their high school theater programs.
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
More than 300,000 people visit
Des Moines Performing Arts
venues each year.
Des Moines Performing Arts
has three theater spaces:
 Civic Center, 2744 seats
 Stoner Theater, 200 seats
 Temple Theater, 299 seats
(located in the Temple for
the Performing Arts)
No seat is more than 155 feet
from center stage in the Civic
Center.
Cowles Commons, situated just
west of the Civic Center, is a
community gathering space.
Features include the
Lauridsen Fountain, the
Crusoe Umbrella sculpture by
Claes Oldenburg, and the Swirl
sculpture by Jim Campbell.
As a nonprofit organization,
Des Moines Performing Arts
depends on donor funding to
support facilities, programming,
and education programs.
The Applause Series started in
1996. You are joining us for our
21st season of school
performances Page 3 of 18
GOING TO THE THEATER . . .
YOUR ROLE AS AN
AUDIENCE MEMBER
Attending a live performance is a unique and exciting
opportunity. Unlike the passive experience of
watching a movie, audience members play an
important role in every live performance. As they act,
sing, dance, or play instruments, the performers on
stage are very aware of the audience’s mood and
level of engagement. Each performance calls for a
different response from audience members.
Musicians and dancers may desire the
audience to focus silently on the stage and applaud
only during natural breaks in the performance.
Audience members can often take cues from
performers on how to respond to the performance
appropriately. For example, performers will often
pause or bow for applause at a specific time.
As you experience the performance, consider the
following questions:
 What kind of live performance is this (a play, a
dance, a concert, etc.)?
 What is the mood of the performance? Is the
subject matter serious or lighthearted?
 What is the mood of the performers? Are they
happy and smiling or somber and reserved?
 Are the performers encouraging the audience to
clap to the music or move to the beat?
 Are there natural breaks in the performance
where applause seems appropriate?
A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
Seeing a live performance is a very special
experience. Although it is not required, many people
enjoy dressing up when they attend the theater.
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
THEATER ETIQUETTE
Here is a checklist of general guidelines to follow
when you visit the Des Moines Civic Center:
 Leave all food, drinks, and chewing gum at school
or on the bus.
 Cameras, recording devices, and personal
listening devices are not permitted in the theater.
 Turn off and put away all cell phones, pagers, and
other electronic devices before the performance
begins.
 Do not text during the performance.
 Respect the theater. Remember to keep your feet
off of the seats and avoid bouncing up and down.
 When the house lights dim, the performance is
about to begin. Please stop talking at this time.
 Talk before and after the performance
only. Remember, the theater is designed to
amplify sound. Other audience members and the
performers on stage can hear your voice!
 Use the restroom before the performance or wait
until the end. If you must leave the theater during
the show, make sure the first set of doors closes
before you open the second — this will keep
unwanted light from spilling into the theater and
causing a distraction.
 Appropriate responses such as laughing and
applauding are appreciated. Pay attention to the
artists on stage — they will let you know what is
appropriate.
 Open your eyes, ears, mind, and heart to the
entire experience. Enjoy yourself!
GOING TO THE THEATER information is adapted from the Ordway Center for the
Performing Arts study guide materials.Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 18
CIVIC CENTER FIELD TRIP INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
Thank you for choosing the Applause Series with Des Moines Performing Arts.
Below are tips for organizing a safe and successful field trip to the Civic Center.
ORGANIZING YOUR FIELD TRIP
 Please include all students, teachers, and chaperones
in your ticket request.
 After you submit your ticket request, you will receive a
confirmation e-mail within five business days. Your
invoice will be attached to the confirmation e-mail.
 Payment policies and options are located at the top of
the invoice. Payment (or a purchase order) for your
reservation is due four weeks prior to the date of the
performance.
 Des Moines Performing Arts reserves the right to
cancel unpaid reservations after the payment due date.
 Tickets are not printed for Applause Series shows.
Your invoice will serve as the reservation confirmation
for your group order.
 Schedule buses to arrive in downtown Des Moines at
least 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance.
This will allow time to park, walk to the Civic Center,
and be seated in the theater.
 Performances are approximately 60 minutes unless
otherwise noted on the website and printed materials.
 All school groups with reservations to the show will
receive an e-mail notification when the study guide is
posted online. Please note that study guides are only
printed and mailed upon request.
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
 Directions: From I-235, take Exit 8A (Downtown Exits)
rd
and the ramp toward 3 Street and 2nd Avenue. Turn
rd
onto 3 Street and head south.
 Police officers are stationed at the corner of 3rd and
Locust Streets and will direct buses to parking areas
with hooded meters near the Civic Center. Groups
traveling in personal vehicles are responsible for
locating their own parking in ramps or metered (nonhooded) spots downtown.
 Buses will remain parked for the duration of the show.
At the conclusion, bus drivers must be available to
move their bus if necessary, even if their students are
staying at the Civic Center to eat lunch or take a tour.
 Buses are not generally permitted to drop off or pick up
students near the Civic Center. If a bus must return to
school during the performance, prior arrangements
must be made with Des Moines Performing Arts
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
ARRIVAL TO THE CIVIC CENTER
When arriving at the Civic Center, please have an
adult lead your group for identification and check-in
purposes.
 Each group will be assigned a specific location in the
hall, and ushers will escort groups to their seats upon
arrival. Various seating factors including group size,
grade levels, arrival time, and special needs seating
requests may be used to assign a group’s specific
location in the hall.
 We request that an adult lead the group into the
theater and that other adults position themselves
throughout the group. This helps with supervision
purposes and is especially important in the event a
group must be seated in multiple rows.
 Please allow ushers to seat your entire group before
rearranging individuals’ seat locations or taking students to the restroom. This helps ensure that
everyone has a seat in your designated section, as well
as allows us to more efficiently seat other arriving
groups. This helps us to start the performance on time.
 As a reminder, children under the age of three are not
permitted in the theater for Applause Series
performances.

IN THE THEATER
 In case of a medical emergency, please notify the
nearest usher. A medical assistant is on duty for all
Civic Center performances.
 We ask that adults handle any disruptive behavior in
their groups. If the behavior persists, an usher may
request your group to exit the theater.
 Following the performance, please wait for your group
to be dismissed prior to exiting the theater.
 If an item is lost at the Civic Center, please see an
usher or contact us after the performance at
515.246.2355.
QUESTIONS?
Please contact the Education department at
[email protected]
or 515.246.2355.
Thank you!
Page 5 of 18
VOCABULARY
SHOW TERMS
hibernation:
to spend the
winter in a
dormant or
sleeping state
bamboo shoot:
the hardy, woody
stems of the
bamboo plant—a
tall tropical grass
THEATER TERMS
A mouse hibernating.
www.bbc.co.uk
volnomuvolya.com dusky:
somewhat
dark
Ospreys.org.uk
The birds migrate south
for the winter in A Year
With Frog and Toad.
migration:
to move
from one
area to
another at
different
times of the
year
Wikimedia.org escargot:
an edible
snail dish,
often
served as
an
appetizer
before a meal.
(pronounced es-kar-goh.)
rutabaga: a
root vegetable
that grows in
the ground,
somewhat like
a turnip
Ebay.com
Spring, summer, fall and
winter are the four
seasons in A Year with
Frog & Toad.
www.superiorthan.com
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
character: a
person, animal
or figure in a
story. Often
times, actors
can play the
role of multiple
characters in a
production.
Frog and Toad are
characters in A Year
with Frog and Toad.
tygertale.wordpress.com
choreographer: the person who
creates and teaches the dance
move to the actors in a
production.
diynetwork.com seasons:
divisions of
a year,
defined by
changes in
weather and
the position
of Earth in
orbit around
the Sun
lnxxcpa.com A choreographer teachers dance moves in
a class for children.
Page 6 of 18
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE
Photo Credit: Chris & Sco Morris Nominated for three Tony
Awards, including best musical,
this whimsical musical follows
two great friends—the cheerful
Frog and the curmudgeonly
Toad—through four, fun-filled
seasons. Part vaudeville, part
make believe, and all charm,
A Year With Frog and Toad tells
the story of a friendship that
endures — weathering all
seasons.
THE STORIES
THEMES
The songs and scenes in A Year
With Frog and Toad correspond to
stories from the Frog and Toad
books. Books that make up the
story include:
Themes explored in the show
include:




Frog and Toad are Friends
Frog and Toad All Year
Frog and Toad Together
Days with Frog and Toad
Friendship
Problem-solving
Celebrating differences
Self-expression
HISTORY
A Year With Frog and Toad
premiered in 2002 at the
Children’s Theater Company in
Minneapolis and lran on
Broadway at the Cort Theater in
2003. This production is being
produced by Casa Mañana from
Fort Worth, Texas.
Run Time: 60 minutes
Photo Credit: Chris & Sco Morris SYNOPSIS
After waking from hibernation in
the spring, Frog and Toad go on a
year’s adventures. They plant
gardens, swim, rake leaves, go
sledding, and learn life lessons
along the way. The two best
friends celebrate and rejoice in
their differences that make them
unique and special.




“...provides plenty of
fun and creativity for
children and plenty
of nostalgia and
heart for the adults." – Chicago Theatre Beat Toad sings in A Year With Frog and Toad.
Des Moines Performing Arts
Page 7 of 18
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTION
Photo credit: Chris & Scott Morris
BACKSTAGE CREW
Help students think about the
many jobs in theater by learning
about the people who created A
Year With Frog and Toad.
AUTHOR
Some musicals and plays are
inspired by books. The musical
you will see is based on the
Frog and Toad books by Arnold
Lobel.
PLAYWRIGHT
A play or musical based on a
book has to be adapted for the
stage. The writer must take the
story from the book and figure out
what to keep, take out, or add to
make the story work for the stage.
A Year With Frog and Toad was
developed for the stage by Arnold
Lobel’s daughter, Adrianne Lobel,
who is a scenery designer for
theater.
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
www.broadwayworld.com There are many jobs in the
theater. From the people who
develop the show to the
performers on stage, it takes a lot
of effort and teamwork to bring a
story to the stage.
Adrianne Lobel.
THE PRODUCER
This production of A Year With
Frog and Toad is produced by
Casa Mañana. The producers
manage the finances of the show
and carry out administrative
responsibilities.
DIRECTOR
The director tells the actors where
to go on stage and how to
interpret their characters, and
makes sure everyone is doing a
good job bringing the story to life.
COMPOSER
The composer writes all of the
music for the show. Wille Reale
and Robert Reale created the
score for A Year With Frog and
There are lots of people
backstage who build and operate
the scenery, costumes, props,
lights, and sound during the
performance.
SET/COSTUME
The set designer imagines all of
the pieces you see on stage. The
costume designer imagines the
clothes that the actors wear to
help them become characters.
ACTORS
Actors are all of the people you
see on the stage. They work
together as a team to
rehearse the play or musical,
memorize their lines and learn
their songs.
THE AUDIENCE
There can be no performance
without you, the audience! The
role of the audience is unique
because you experience the
show with the performers and
backstage crew.
Page 8 of 18
www.wikipedia.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, ARNOLD LOBEL
FROG AND TOAD
Learn more about Arnold Lobel,
the author and illustrator of the
Frog and Toad books.
It has been said that Arnold
Lobel’s books about animal
friends were based on his
experiences drawing as a child.
Lobel himself commented "Frog
and Toad are really two aspects
of myself." His books are warm,
funny tales of love and friendship,
and most feature animals as the
main characters.
EARLY YEARS
When Arnold Lobel was growing
up in New York, he was sick and
missed most of second grade.
One of the ways he kept himself
occupied was by drawing.
Somewhat hesitant about
returning to school, he used his
animal drawings as a way to
make friends with his classmates.
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
“There is a little
world at the end of
my pencil. I am the
stage director, the
costume designer,
and the man who
pulls the curtain.”
-Arnold Lobel
THE ARTIST
Newyorksocialdiary.com
Arnold Lobel, pictured in 1986. Lobel
illustrated both his own books and other
writers’ texts that captured his fancy.
ABOVE: Illustration from Arnold Lobel’s
Frog and Toad Are Friends, a Caldecott
Honor Book.
Arnold Lobel called himself a
daydreamer instead of an author
or an artist. He would see the
pictures in his mind before he
would think up the words to go
with them. "I cannot think of any
work that could be more
agreeable and fun than making
books for children," Lobel said. He
died in 1987, at the age of 54,
leaving a legacy of almost 100
books that he had written or
illustrated. Most of Arnold Lobel's
art for children's books has been
donated to The Eric Carle
Museum of Picture Book Art in
Amherst, Massachusetts.
Image: maryannreilly.blogspot.com
ABOVE: Illustration of “The Lobster and
the Crab” from Lobel’s 1980 book Fables,
awarded the Caldecott Medal.
Page 9 of 18
FROGS AND TOADS
Frogs and toads belong to the
Anura order of amphibians,
which has over 6,000 species.
Frogs and toads belong to
different families, and therefore
have specific traits that define
them — but toads are actually a
type of frog! Read on to learn
more about one of the most
diverse animal groups in the
world.
FROG
Hind
legs
Long, powerful
jumping legs
Shorter legs for walking or hopping
Eggs
Lay eggs in clusters
Lay eggs in long chains; some toads
do not lay eggs but give birth to live
young.
Moist and smooth
Dry and bumpy
Prefer moist
environments, living
near water
Prefer dry environments, keeping
mostly on land, but adapt to moist
conditions as well.
Have teeth in their
upper jaw for
gripping prey
No teeth
Eyes
Eyes bulge out
Eyes do not bulge out; poison gland
behind eyes for protection
Prey
Have many
predators
Do not have many predators; toads’
skin lets out a bitter taste/smell that
burns the eyes of a predator.
Skin
www.kidzone.ws
Habitat
www.kidzone.ws
TOAD
Teeth
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Frog_vs_Toad
SIMILARITIES
Frogs and toads are amphibians.
They are cold-blooded vertebrates
that spend the early part of their
lives in water and the rest of their
lives on land, or near water.
Sometimes frogs and toads look
so similar that it is difficult to tell
them apart and certain species
can even fit into both categories!
DID YOU KNOW?
Neither frogs nor toads will
give you warts!
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Arnold Lobel, Title page from Days with Frog and Toad, 1979. Graphite, ink, and wash on
paper, 19 15/16 x 15 15/16 in. (matted). Courtesy of The Estate of Arnold Lobel. Copyright
© The Estate of Arnold Lobel
Page 10 of 18
PRE-SHOW EXPLORATION
DISCUSSION
1) PREPARE FOR THE JOURNEY
1. What do you think is going to happen in the
musical?
Goal: To prepare young students for what may be
their very first performance experience.
2. Not every character or event in the Frog and Toad
books appears in the musical. Which characters do
you expect to see on stage?
3. What do you imagine the scenery, costumes, or
props will look like?
4. Do you think there will be music? If so, how do you
think it will sound?
5. How do you think the actors will portray the
animals? How will they move? How will they sound?
What will they wear?
6. What are the four seasons? What are the
characteristics of the four seasons?
7. How do the seasons differ in other climates or
other regions of the country?
8. How do your lives change from year to year? What
is different? What stays the same? What do you hope
for in the new year?
Explanation: In this activity, lead a class discussion
that a) accesses students’ prior knowledge of
performances and b) prepares them for what to
expect when they visit the theater to see A Year With
Frog and Toad.
Activity:
1. Ask students about their experiences with
performance (watching older siblings in a school play,
going to a concert, etc.)
2. Share the journey with them step by step. Talk
about:


Going into a special ‘theater’ space.
Being an ‘audience’. They are a very important
part of the performance. The actors need them.
 What is the job of the audience? To look and
listen.
 What is going to happen? They will be watching
‘actors’ tell a story with words, movement, and
props.
 A performance usually finishes with clapping.
Follow-up Questions:
1. Why do you think going to a performance is special
experience? How is it different from a movie?
2. Why is it important to look and listen during a
performance?
3. What different things do you think actors have to do
to prepare for a performance?
huffingtonpost.com Des
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PRE-SHOW EXPLORATION
2) ANIMALS IN WINTER
3) VALUABLE FRIENDSHIPS
Goal: To explore the different changes that occur with
the seasons, specifically winter.
Goal: To demonstrate understanding of the concept
of friendship.
Explanation: A Year With Frog and Toad will span a
year’s time and the four seasons. Students will
activate prior knowledge, ask questions, and do basic
research to learn about changes that occur during the
winter season.
Explanation: In this activity, students will draw a
picture of an example of friendship and caption it.
Activity:
1. Ask students to think about the winter season.
Discuss how the weather gets colder, the days get
shorter, and the leaves fall off the trees.
People live in warm houses, bundle up in heavy
layers of clothes, and go to the grocery store for food,
but what do animals do?
2. Select excerpts from Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad
books as a class. Ask students to pay attention to
things that change as winter approaches.
3. Discuss students’ observations and create a KWL
chart (use pg. 16) about changes that occur during
winter. Fill out the first two columns.
4. Use student questions to guide their exploration.
Stock your reading corner with books on different
animals and their winter habits.
5. As you study different animals, introduce the terms
Migrate, Hibernate, and Adapt and use the terms as
headings on the wall or bulletin board.
6. Each day, choose a featured animal. Ask students
to read about its winter habits and classify whether it
is an animal that migrates, hibernates, or adapts.
Have students post a picture of the animal under the
correct heading. Caption the picture with a few
sentences about the animal’s winter habits.
7. As students gain new knowledge, fill in the final
column of the KWL chart with statements about what
they’ve learned.
Activity:
1. After reading excerpts from Arnold Lobel’s Frog
and Toad stories, ask students to recall times when
the theme of friendship was highlighted.
2. Brainstorm ideas of things that friends do together,
how they show that they care for one another, etc.
3. Invite students to draw a picture that shows one of
these examples and to write or dictate a sentence
that explains their picture, using the sentence starter
“I value friendship because…”
4. Display the class’s drawings on a bulletin board,
titled “Friendship: A Valuable Gift.”
Follow-up Questions:
1. What does it mean to be a friend?
2. What kind of things do you like to do with your
friends?
3. What can you do to help a friend feel better when
they are sad or going through a tough time?
Follow-Up Questions:
1. What do animals and people need to survive the
winter? What else do they need?
2. What ways can we help animals that adapt and are
still active in the winter?
Tygertale.files.wordpress.com
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POST-SHOW DISCUSSION AND ASSESSMENT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Theater Experience:
1. Can you describe the performance? How did the
actors look? How did the actors move? How did the
stage look?
2. What did the characters look like? What costumes
and colors did they wear?
3. Do you remember any of the music from the show?
If so, what did it sound like?
4. What did the set look like? Was there anything
about it that surprised you? What did you notice
about the lighting?
5. How did the musical differ from the Frog and Toad
books? How was it similar?
6. What was your favorite part about our trip to the
theater?
7. Why is the audience such an important part of this
show?
Themes:
1. Frog and Toad solve problems each day. Can you
think of any problems that they solved during the
show? What is a problem you have experienced?
How did you solve it?
2. Frog and Toad are good friends. What makes them
such good friends? What does it mean to be a good
friend? Are you a good friend?
3. Did Frog or Toad give up when something was
hard? Have you ever wanted to give up when
something was hard? What did you do to motivate
yourself to keep trying? How did you feel when you
finally succeeded? 4. What changes occur in your life over the course of
a year?
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1) WRITE A LETTER
Goal: To reflect on the performance experience and
to practice writing skills.
Explanation: In this activity, students will write a
letter about their experience to Des Moines
Performing Arts education donors whose support
keeps Applause Series tickets accessibly priced for
school groups.
Activity:
1. After attending the performance, discuss the
experience with your students. Use the following
discussion questions to guide the conversation:
 What was the show about?
 What parts of the show were most exciting?
 Which character did you enjoy the most? Why?
 What did the characters learn?
2. Next, invite students to write a letter to Des Moines
Performing Arts donors about their theater
experience.
Example letter starter:
Dear Des Moines Performing Arts Donors,
Thank you for helping my class go to the Civic
Center to see A Year With Frog and Toad.
My favorite part of the show was…
While watching the show I felt… because …
I have drawn a picture of the scene when…
This experience was special because...
3. Mail the letters to:
Des Moines Performing Arts
Attn: Education Department
221 Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
Follow-up Question:
1. What did you include in your
letter? Why did you
want to share that
particular idea?
Page 13 of 18
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION AND ASSESSMENT, pg. 2
2) CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALITY
3) ACTING OUT A STORY
Goal: Frog and Toad are friends who have
similarities, but they also are very different from one
another. Students can discover things they have
similar to and different from their classmates and
celebrate what makes them an individual.
Goal: To use drama and imagination to demonstrate
comprehension of a story.
Explanation: Students will use venn diagrams and a
movement activity to explore similarities and
differences.
Activity:
1. Place students in pairs. Each pair receives a Venn
diagram (a copy is available on page 17 of this guide.)
2. Students discuss facts about their lives such as
family information, likes and dislikes, hobbies, or
places they have visited.
3. Write all similarities in the area where the two
circles join. Write all differences in the areas of the
circles that are separated.
4. This activity can be completed two or three times
with different pairings of students.
5. If time, you can add a movement component and
lead a “Stand Up If You…” exercise to help develop
awareness of each person’s individuality.
6. Lead students into an activity that shows we all
have similarities and differences that make us unique.
Have students follow your directions very carefully:
 Stand up if you….have brown hair.
 Sit down if you...have two eyes.
 Stand up if you...have a brother.
7. Continue with different characteristics. You can
even try a different action every time, such as ‘Rub
your belly if you…,’ ‘Turn in a circle if you…,’ Jump in
the air if you…’
Follow-up Questions:
1. What surprised you about what you learned about
your classmates?
2. Was there anyone in the class that did all of the
same actions as you? Why or why not?
3. What did you like about this activity? What was
challenging?
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Explanation: In this activity, students will use drama
and their imaginations to re-tell a Frog and Toad story
to demonstrate their understanding of characters and
key events using tableau.
Tableau: a dramatic convention in which
individuals use their bodies to create a
“frozen picture” that expresses actions,
locations, feelings or situations.
Activity:
1. Read part/all of a Frog and Toad book by
Arnold Lobel aloud to the class.
2. As a class, brainstorm the characters in the story
and determine the plot or sequence of main events.
3. Break up the story into small segments and assign
each segment to a group of 3-4 students.
4. Students then create tableau (frozen picture that
tells a story) of their assigned moment in the story.
Students may represent the characters, objects, or
setting of their assigned moment.
5. All groups then show their tableau in front of the
class in the order of the story.
6. Once a group is “frozen,” tap students on the
shoulder one at a time. When tapped, they should
“unfreeze” and briefly describe who they are and what
they are doing in the scene.
Follow-up Questions:
1. How would you describe the character or object
you played?
2. What happened at the beginning of the story? In
the middle? At the end?
3. How did you feel when you were depicting your tableau for the class?
Page 14 of 18
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION AND ASSESSMENT, pg. 3
Jtedblakley.blogspot.com 4) SEEDS OF PATIENCE
Goal: To observe and record the changes in the growth
of a seed into a plant and practice patience.
Explanation: Students will plant and grow a seed while
watching and writing their observations over a weeks
time or more.
Materials:

Styrofoam cup or planting pot

Wooden tongue depressor

Marker

Spoon

Seeds

Notebooks or journals
Activity:
1. Ask students to recall in the musical or the book,
when Toad wanted to plant a garden. He was quite
impatient for the seeds to grow right away. Remind
students that seeds need time and care in order to grow
into plants or food.
2. Pass out the materials as you see fit. Use a spoon to
fill the Styrofoam cup about halfway with soil.
3. Place the seeds in the center of the soil in the cup.
Note: read directions on the seed packets for best
practices for planting, watering and caring for the type
of plant you are using.
4. Cover the seeds with more soil. Leave about a
half inch of space between the soil and the top of
the cup.
5. Pour a small amount of water from the watering
can into the cup.
6. Write each students’ name on a wooden tongue
depressor. Stick the tongue depressor into the
student’s cup for identification.
7. Place the cups in a sunny location in the
classroom.
8. Over the next week or so, have the children
water the seeds, watch and record their
observations in the notebooks.
Follow-up Questions:
1. What did you notice about your seed after a couple of days? Did everyone’s seed grow at the same
rate?
2. Did your seed look exactly like anyone else’s?
3. Why were there similarities or differences?
4. What are some things that might have affected
how your seed grew?
5. What did you enjoy about this activity? What was
challenging?
6. Sometimes when we are excited about
something, it is hard to wait. What are some things
that help you to be patient when you are waiting for
something to happen? Can you think of other times
when it is important to be patient?
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Page 15 of 18
Page 17 of 17
REPRODUCIBLES (use with Pre-Show Exploration Activity #2, pg. 12)
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Page 16 of 18
REPRODUCIBLES (use with Assessment Activity #2, pg. 14)
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Page 17 of 18
Www.virtuouscode.com
RESOURCES AND SOURCES
FROG AND TOAD
BOOKS

Frog and Toad All Year

Frog and Toad Are Friends

Days with Frog and Toad

Frog and Toad Together
OTHER BOOKS BY
ARNOLD LOBEL:

Mouse Soup (1977)

Grasshopper on
the Road (1978)

Fables (1980)

Uncle Elephant (1981)

The Book of Pigericks: Pig
Limericks (1983)

Whiskers & Rhymes (1985)
RESOURCES
An Interview with Arnold Lobel https://muse.jhu.edu/article/243724
Interview with Arnold Lobel; how Arnold Lobel began writing.
Frog and Toad Differences
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3RGx583piI
Video with information on differences between frogs and toads.
National Geographic: Animals
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/
National Geographic’s website with pages about amphibians and links to
articles, photos, videos, and games.
Original Broadway Cast Recording: A Year With Frog and Toad
Listen to the Original Broadway Cast sing the songs from the musical.
SOURCES
Arnold Lobel.
http://www.parents-choice.org/article.cfm?art_id=35
Show Study Guide for A Year With Frog and Toad by Casa Mañana
http://www.casamanana.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Frog-and-ToadStudy-Guide.pdf
Facts about Frogs and Toads
http://www.livescience.com/50692-frog-facts.html
Frog vs. Toad
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Frog_vs_Toad
Des Moines Performing Arts
A Year With Frog and Toad Curriculum Guide
Page 18 of 18