VOCABULARY LIST:
Dialogue: a conversation between two or more characters
Habitat: the natural environment of a living organism,
such as a person, animal, plant
Communication: the act or process of imparting or
interchanging information through speech or writing
Personification: giving human nature or human character
to animals, or inanimate objects
Collaboration: to work with another person in cooperation for a common goal
Setting: the location where a story takes place
Recommended for Grades PreK – 3rd
Estimated Running Time: 60 minutes
Based on the book by Doreen Cronin
Illustrations by Betsy Lewin
Kentucky Center Dates:
September 7 - 23, 2016
Performances at 10 am and Noon
ABOUT THE PLAY
The Cows, the Hen, and the Duck want better accommodations. They are freezing their respective hides and feathers
off in the barn. Duck is bored with the lily pad and wants to spice up his pond. The animals have a barrier in communicating with Farmer Brown but with the help of an old typewriter they set off to get what they want! This musical,
based on the classic book by Doreen Cronin, teaches an important lesson in working together to resolve a conflict.
Common Core Standards
K LS1-1:
TH:Cr2.1.Kb.
1st TH:Cr1.1.1.b. TH:Cn1.1.2.-1.a.
2nd TH:Cr2.1.2.a.
ESS3.B
ESS3.B
ESS3.B
BEFORE YOU SEE THE PLAY...
Activity #1: Invite your students to explore their
bodies, voices, and imaginations.
First, invite your class to brainstorm some barnyard
animals such as a horse, chicken, cow, or duck. What
sounds do these different animals make? How do they
move around the farm? What weather conditions work
best for them? You could choose to have an open class
dialogue or ask your students to partner up and explore
these topics.
Second, introduce the problem to the class. What if the
cow had to live in a different habitat then it was
accustomed?
Ask the class to list different types habitats such as the
ocean, desert, or tundra. If you are feeling adventurous
you could add in other places such as New York City or
outer space.
- How would that change the way the animals moves
and or sounds?
- What would be challenging about this environment
for that animal and why?
Activity #2: Read Click, Clack Moo:
Cows that Type and compare and contrast.
Explore the idea of communication between people. How
do people communicate information? How do people
communicate information without talking?
How can you tell how someone is feeling based on what
they are doing with their face, body, or voice?
Invite your students to think about ways in which animals
communicate with one another. How do dogs communicate with each other? How do birds
communicate? Think about ways in which humans and
animals communicate. How can you tell if an animal is
scarred or excited? With your class, compare and contrast
the ways humans and animals are alike and different in
the ways they communicate.Perhaps you want to make
Venn diagram:
Animal and Human Differences
Animals Can’t: Drive, cook, talk on the phone etc.
Humans Can’t: Breathe under water, fly, see in the dark etc.
Animal and Human Similarities
Both Animals and Humans: protect their young, eat, sleep,
and find shelter etc.
These problems can easily turn into writing prompts,
interesting art pieces, or scenes between partners.
Introduce the class to the idea of personification: when an
author gives animals human characteristics.
- What other stories use animals in this way?
- Why would the author choose to personify animals?
Examples: Three little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three
Bears, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
AFTER YOU SEE THE PLAY...
After seeing the production you may want to reflect on
what the students learned. How was the book different
from the musical? How was it similar?
Activity #1: Fun with animals and words
The animals in Click, Clack, Moo are upset with Farmer
Brown and his mistreatment of the animal’s living
arrangements in the barn. By using an old type-writer,
Cows, a Hen, and a Duck are able to communicate with
Farmer Brown and negotiate changes to the animal’s
habitat. What if other animals were able to ask questions?
What might they say? Invite your students to think of
animals and what these animals may possibly want from
humans. This could be a fun partner or writing prompt.
Read the samples aloud and have students share their
answers with one another or invite them to write a letter
as one of the animals in the examples below.
Here are some possible examples:
If Zachary the Zebra could have one wish, what would it
be?
Example Answer: More stripes!
Thomas the Turtle lives at the Louisville Zoo.
If he could go one place, where would it be?
Gina the pet Goldfish is having trouble swimming.
What could help her out?
Buddy the Golden Retriever wants to play sports.
What sport should he play?
Patricia the Pig wants to play outside?
What should she do?
Jesse the Owl is having trouble seeing during the day.
What can help her out?
Franklin the Fox gets hot when he runs outside.
What can help him out?
Michael the Monkey is hungry.
What should he eat?
Geoffrey the Tiger makes too much noise when he roars.
How can we help him?
Samantha the Seagull wants to know where to fly for the
winter. Where should she go?
Post Show Activity# 2: Collaborate and create a
non-violent Protest
What does it mean to share your opinion in a fair and
considerate way?
Start by separating your class into four equal groups and
assign each group a barnyard animal.
Give each group some art supplies and encourage them to
work together to make a picket sign for each animal. You
may want to invite them to think about other solutions to the
problem from the play. What could they have asked for
other than blankets in order to stay warm in the barn?
Examples might be: Furnace, fireplace, or hot chocolate.
Once each group has designed a picket sign they could each
take turns pitching their point of view. If you want to make
it extra dramatic you could put on a straw hat and claim that
you are Farmer Brown and they must work towards
convincing you to meet their demands.
If you want to send us pictures of your protest please direct
them to: [email protected]
Interesting Internet Links
http://pbskids.org/lions/cornerstones/click/resources
wonderful Click Clack Moo resource for teachers
www.dltk-kids.com/animals/farm.html
barnyard animal activities
http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-history.html
a brief history of typewriters with great photos
http://www.bostontypewriterorchestra.com/?page_id=47
videos and mp3s of an orchestra that uses typewriters as
instruments
http://www.writtensound.com/index.php
a site completely dedicated to onomatopoeia, including
children’s stories and poetry