P O P To u r R e s o u r c e G u i d e
La Jolla Playhouse
Written By:
Robert Lee & BD Wong
Artistic Director Christopher Ashley
Directed by:
BD Wong
Managing Director
Michael S. Rosenberg
L a Joll a P l ayh ou se
La Jolla Playhouse advances theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform
by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow.
With our youthful spirit and eclectic, artist-driven approach we will continue to cultivate
a local and national following with an insatiable appetite for audacious and diverse work.
In the future, San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse will be considered singularly indispensable
to the worldwide theatre landscape, as we become a permanent safe harbor for the unsafe and
surprising. The day will come when it will be essential to enter the La Jolla Playhouse village
in order to get a glimpse of what is about to happen in American theatre.
E du cati on & O u tre ac h
The goal of the Education & Outreach Department of La Jolla Playhouse is to supply exceptional arts education opportunities that provide our community with a heightened awareness and understanding of the theatrical process as well as
explore ways in which theatre may be used as a catalyst for creative expression and learning.
The Education & Outreach department does this in the following ways:
• We introduce young people to the joy of live theatre through our POP Tour performances on-site at schools throughout
San Diego County and through student matinees at La Jolla Playhouse.
• We bring quality arts education to San Diego area schools through in-school programs that engage both teachers and
students in the creative learning process.
• We provide intensive theatre training through our summer programs (Young Performers’ Workshop, Young Performers’
Academy and Young Performers’ Conservatory).
• We offer internships to build professional experience for the audacious next generation of theatre practitioners.
• We deepen relationships with existing patrons through pre-show conversations, post-show discussions as well as audio
described/open captioned/American Sign Language interpreted performances.
• We ensure that La Jolla Playhouse is essential to the cultural well-being of the San Diego community and a vital
contributor to field of American Theatre.
Through these programs, the Playhouse’s Education & Outreach Department
directly impacts roughly 30,000 children and adults every year.
Thanks to the supporters of La Jolla Playhouse Education & Outreach Programs:
Corporate support provided by Qualcomm Foundation, US Bank Foundation, San Diego Gas & Electric, Bank of America,
Cox Communications, Wells Fargo Foundation, ResMed Foundation, Union Bank, Nordson Corporation Foundation, Macy’s
Foundation and the Employees Community Fund of Boeing California.
Foundation support provided by The William Hall Tippett and Ruth Rathell Tippett Foundation, Las Patronas, Sidney E.
Frank Foundation, Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation, San Diego Scottish Rite Community Foundation, The Farrell Family
Foundation, The Favrot Fund, The Crawford Smith Foundation, David C. Copley Foundation, Price Philanthropies Foundation, The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation, The Sutherland Foundation, The Arthur and Jeanette Pratt
Memorial Fund and La Jolla Kiwanis Foundation.
Government support provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the County of San Diego, City
of Chula Vista Performing and Visual Arts Grant and the City of Encinitas and Mizel Family Foundation Community Grant
Program.
Dear Educators:
Table of Contents
About the Play
Synopsis ..................... 2
Characters ................... 2
Artistic Team................. 3
Dramaturgical Notes Who was Fa Mulan ...............
Ancient China & Han Dynasty ..
The Ballad of Mulan .......
Famous Women of History.......
4
4
5
6
Curriculum Connections:
Theatre
Basic Terms................... 8
Parts of a Stage........... 10
Drama Activities........... 12
Improvisation............... 13
Character Exploration... 14
English Language Arts
Grades 1-3................... 15
Grades 4-6................... 21
Next Gen. Science
Grades 1-3................... 24
Grades 4-6.................... 28
Thank you for booking the 2016 POP Tour Alice Chan written by Robert Lee and
directed by BD Wong! This hilarious and engaging performance will ignite a sense of
creativity and determination in your students, encouraging them to try something
new and showing them that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
What happens when the most “socially awkward” girl in the Fifth Grade at Chaffey
Hills Elementary School is cast as the lead in the school play Fa Mulan, The Legendary
Chinese Woman Warrior? Alice Chan takes a look at Alice’s transformation from a
science nerd to an stellar actress, exploring what it means to step outside of your
comfort zone and to develop unexpected friendships. Although her fellow cast
members and even Alice herself doubts her ability to play a woman warrior, she
discovers that she possesses an inner strength that she never thought she had, and
that she can excel in both drama and science.
This Resource Guide includes background information about the production and
multiple examples of cross-curricular arts integration connecting theatre based
activities with Common Core ELA, Next Generation Science Standards, as well as
lessons on theatre techniques. You can use these exercises and activities before
and after your students have seen the performance in order to enhance their
understanding of the play and to expand their creative mind-set. Please do not forget
to sign up for our complimentary pre-performance workshops, an interactive way to
expand upon the information in this guide and spark further excitement about the
performance. If you have not yet booked a workshop please contact the Education
Department at 858-550-1070 x 101 for scheduling.
Thank you for making live theatre an important part of your curriculum, and enjoy
the show!
Sincerely,
Discussion Questions ............. 33
Additional Lesson Ideas ......... 33
Additional Resources ............. 34
Jenna Nilson
Education & Outreach Intern
History of the Playhouse ....... 35
History of the POP Tour .......... 35
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE EDUCATION & OUTREACH DEPARTMENT
Stephen McCormick
Director of
Education & Outreach
Alison Urban
Associate Director of
Education & Outreach
Paola Kubelis
Education & Outreach
Coordinator
Jenna Nilson
Education & Outreach
Intern
1
Synopsis
Alice Chan is the most unpopular girl at Chaffey Hills Elementary, but her status quo as the “Queen of the
Science Fair” is challenged when Miz Wiggum, the drama teacher and director, casts Alice as the lead in the
Fifth Grade play Fa Mulan, the Legendary Chinese Woman Warrior. In her dedication to the science fair, Alice
reveals to Miz Wiggum that the performance will conflict with the completion of her science project. Thus,
Alice is faced with the dilemma of her commitment to science, and her ability to be in the school play and to try
something new. Although one of Alice’s classmates, Nikki, and her friend Candace, continuously try to sabotage
Alice’s commitment to the show through a series of masterful plans, Nikki starts to realize that maybe Alice is
not as horrid as she once thought. In the end, Alice surprises everyone, including herself, with her bravery and
determination in playing the part of Fa Mulan, accomplishing something that she never thought she could do
before, and realizing that science is more similar to drama than she once thought. Alice proves the importance of
stepping outside your comfort zone in order to defy expectations.
Characters
Alice Chan: An awkward and unpopular girl in the Fifth Grade at Chaffey Hills Elementary School who loves
science. Although she is cast as the lead in the school play Fa Mulan, The Legendary Woman Warrior, her primary
goal is to be able to finish her science project and win the fifth grade science fair, but she soon discovers the joys
of acting as well.
Nikki Rivers: Also in the Fifth Grade. Nikki dislikes Alice because she thinks of herself as a talented actress who
deserves the lead role of Fa Mulan. She attempts to steal the part from Alice through a series of schemes. A
determined leader, Nikki makes fun of Alice, but her attitude changes throughout the play.
Candace Kolodner: Nikki’s Fifth grade friend who also does not like Alice and always follows Nikki’s lead.
Shaniya Haney: A Fifth grade friend of both Nikki and Candace.
Miz Wiggum: Teacher at Chaffey Hills Elementary and the writer and co-director of the Fifth Grade play who casts
Alice Chan as the lead. She is passionate about directing Fa Mulan and encourages her students to do their best.
Mamma Chan: Alice’s quirky mother. She loves her daughter and wants to see her happy and to help her succeed.
Mr. Nimbles: The dance teacher who is the co-director of Fa Mulan with Miz Wiggum. He takes his show
responsibilities very seriously.
2
The Artistic Team
Robert Lee:
CO-Playwright
ROBERT LEE is a lyricist and librettist whose original musicals include Journey
to the West (music by Leon Ko), Heading East (music by Ko) and The Sweet
By and By (book and music by Maria V.S. Seigenthaler). He and Ko received
a Richard Rodgers Development Award for Heading East and an AT&T First
Stage Grant for the musical Chinese Hell, developed with producer Margo
Lion and San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater. Other projects with
Ko include the original musical Takeaway, which opened in 2011 at London’s
Theatre Royal Stratford East and is the first major musical production in
the UK to deal with the British East Asian experience. He is an alumnus of
Princeton University and the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program
at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he teaches on the faculty. He is
an Artistic Associate at Stratford East, where he leads its Musical Theatre
Writing Workshop with composer Fred Carl and is a member of its Musical
Theatre Advisory Board.
The playwright is responsible for writing the script. He/she creates the
world of the play including the characters and the setting. The playwright
not only writes the scripted dialogue, but will also offer some stage
directions so that the director and actors have an idea of the playwright’s
vision.
BD Wong:
CO-PLAYWRIGHT
& Director
BD WONG is a recent Artist-In-Residence at La Jolla Playhouse, where he also
acted in the LJP productions of Herringbone and The Orphan of Zhao. He
directed The Yellow Wood at the New York Musical Theater Festival, Speak
Up Connie at Stage Left Studio, and is the author of the critically acclaimed
memoir Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of The Chestnut Man
(Harper Entertainment). He made his Broadway acting debut (and received
the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theater World, Clarence Derwent, and
Tony Award) for M. Butterfly. He also appeared in the Broadway revivals of
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Pacific Overtures, eleven seasons
as George Huang on Law & Order: SVU. He has worked in over 20 films,
including Jurassic World, Focus, Jurassic Park, The Freshman, Father of the
Bride, Seven Years in Tibet, Executive Decision, The Salton Sea, Stay, and
Disney’s Mulan.
A director has responsibility for the overall interpretation
of the script. Directors work closely with the costume, set
and sound designers, the actors and the producer to create a
performance that connects with the audience.
3
Dramaturgical Notes
Who was Fa Mulan?
Disney created the movie Mulan in 1998 based upon the “Ballad of Mulan” or “Ode of Mulan.” This poem
was written during the fifth or sixth century C.E. Subsequently, numerous books and literary works were published
based upon the ballad, written as early as the fifth century C.E., shortly after the piece first emerged. While no
evidence proves that Fa Mulan really existed, the legacy of her heroism and her story continues to thrive, as a
woman who goes into battle disguised as a man in the place of her sick father. After fighting in battle for ten
years, Mulan asks the Son of Heaven or the “Khan” to go back to her home. Upon her return to her village as a
hero, Mulan takes off her appearance as a man and assumes the traditional role of a woman again. At first, her
comrades from the war do not recognize her, unaware of her true identity, but they soon realize that a women
fought alongside side them in equal measure the entire time. Composed in the form of “Yueh-fu,” the ballad
reflects the musical quality of many folk songs common during the Han Dynasty.
What does the name Fa Mulan or Hua Mulan mean?
Both “Fa” and “Hua” are considered to be the surname or last name in the Chinese language, with
“Mulan” translating to “magnolia” and “Hua” meaning “flower.” The Chinese playwright Xu Wei used the surname
“Hua” in his many of his plays featuring Mulan as a heroic figure.
Ancient China and the Han Dynasty
The “Ballad of Mulan” reflects the folk song style of poetry popular during the Han Dynasty in China,
which lasted from 206 B.C.E to 220 C.E., making it one of the longest reining empires in ancient times. Arts and
literature flourished under the Han Dynasty, as Emperor Wu created a Bureau of Music that gathered folk songs as
inspiration for music performed during rituals. Some of the major achievements during the Han dynasty include:
the establishment of the Silk Road, the development of a large scale census, the transformation of Confucianism
into a state ideology, and the creation of paper made from rice and tree bark, thus allowing for the preservation of
such writing and poems from the Han Dynasty and proceeding dynasties.
At the time the “Ballad of Mulan” was written during the fifth and sixth centuries C.E., China was no longer
unified under one emperor; rather, it was split between the North and the South. The North was ruled by the Wei
Dynasty consisting mostly Turkic peoples. In the poem, Mulan refers to the Son of Heaven as a “Khan,” a ruler
among the nomadic pastoral peoples of the North.
Sources:
http://www2.southeastern.edu/Academics/Faculty/elejeune/mulan.htm
http://stutzfamily.com/mrstutz/china/mulan.html
http://www.ancient.eu/Han_Dynasty/
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/china/mulan.pdf
4
The Ballad of Mulan
Chinese Text:
Read Chinese text from
Right to Left <---
English Translation:
Tsiek tsiek and again tsiek tsiek,
Mu-lan weaves, facing the door.
You don't hear the shuttle's sound,
You only hear Daughter's sighs.
They ask Daughter who's in her heart,
They ask Daughter who's on her mind.
"No one is on Daughter's heart,
No one is on Daughter's mind.
Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there's Father's name.
Father has no grown-up son,
Mu-lan has no elder brother.
I want to buy a saddle and horse,
And serve in the army in Father's place."
In the East Market she buys a spirited horse,
In the West Market she buys a saddle,
In the South Market she buys a bridle,
In the North Market she buys a long whip.
At dawn she takes leave of Father and Mother,
In the evening camps on the Yellow River's bank.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears the Yellow River's flowing water cry tsien tsien.
At dawn she takes leave of the Yellow River,
In the evening she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn’t hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears Mount Yen’s nomad horses cry tsiu tsiu.
She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,
She crosses passes and mountains like flying.
Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,
Chilly light shines on iron armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Stout soldiers return after ten years.
On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall.
He gives out promotions in twelve ranks
And prizes of a hundred thousand and more.
The Khan asks her what she desires.
"Mu-lan has no use for a minister's post.
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home."
When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming
They go outside the wall to meet her, leaning on each other.
When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming
She fixes her rouge, facing the door.
When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming
He whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.
"I open the door to my east chamber,
I sit on my couch in the west room,
I take off my wartime gown
And put on my old-time clothes."
Facing the window she fixes her cloud like hair,
Hanging up a mirror she dabs on yellow flower powder
She goes out the door and sees her comrades.
Her comrades are all amazed and perplexed.
Traveling together for twelve years
They didn't know Mu-lan was a girl.
"The he-hare's feet go hop and skip,
The she-hare's eyes are muddled and fuddled.
Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?"
The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry
By Han H. Frankel, Yale University Press, 1976.
5
Famous Women of History
Miz Wiggum selects Alice to play the famous woman warrior Fa Mulan. Below are more famous women who have
made great achievements worldwide.
Harriet Tubman
(1820-1913)
Maryland
• Escaped slavery in 1849, traveling the Underground Railroad from Pennsylvania to
Maryland
• Returned to Maryland, leading over 60 slaves to freedom, many of them her family
members
• Became an army scout and spy during the Civil War
• Known as “General Tubman”
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
•
•
•
•
Warsaw, Poland
First woman to win a Nobel Prize for Physics and Chemistry
Earned her Master’s degree in Physics and Mathematics from Sarbonne University in Paris
Married French physicist Pierre Curie
Discovered the radioactive elements Radium and Polonium with Pierre
Sally Ride (1951-2012)
Los Angeles
• Attended Stanford University, earning a Ph.D. in Physics
• Became the first American woman in space in 1983 on the Challenger Mission
• Awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NCAA’s Theodore Roosevelt Award, and she
was inducted in to National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Astronaut Hall of Fame
Edith Wharton (1962-1937)
New York
• First woman to win a Pulitzer prize in 1921 for her novel The Age of Innocence
• She wrote fifteen novels and eighty-five short stories
• Other notable books include: Ethan Frome and The House of Mirth
6
Continued
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
Philadelphia
• Wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Played an important political role in the White House and spoke on many issues such as
women’s rights and racial discrimination
• Became a delegate of the United Nations under President Kennedy
• Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women and the UN’s Human Rights Commission
Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000)
Vienna, Austria
• Invented “spread spectrum technology” which was used in radio messages sent during
World War II. This technology has been used to help create modern cell phones and fax
machines
• First female recipient of the BULBIE Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, considered the
“Oscar” of inventing
• Also a Hollywood actress, called the “The Most Beautiful Women in Films”
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Tuscumbia, Alabama
• Became deaf and blind after a severe unknown illness as an infant, but she learned to
speak, read, sign, and write with the help of her teacher and friend Anne Sullivan
• Traveled to 35 countries and five continents working as a social activist and meeting with
world leaders
• Worked for the American Foundation for the Blind for 40 years
• Her autobiography The Story of My Life has been published in more than 50 languages
Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997)
Shanghai, China
• Physics researcher at Colombia University
• Developed a fundamental law of nature relating to radioactivity
• Worked on the Manhattan Project during WWII
• First women to be elected of the American Physical Society and won the National Medal of
Science in 1975, the highest award in science
Sources:
http://womensmuseumca.org/female-firsts-their-fields-arts-1612-2015
http://www.afb.org/info/about-us/helen-keller/biography-and-chronology/
biography/1235
http://www.biography.com/people/
http://www.women-inventors.com/Hedy-Lammar.asp
http://www.hedylamarr.com/
7
Theatre Basics
Being in a Play
Alice encounters many new experiences when participating in Fa Mulan, The Legendary Woman Warrior like having
to memorize lines, becoming a different character, knowing when and where to go on stage, improvising, and
dancing. There are many elements that make a play come to life. Listed below are some important terms to know.
Important Theatre Terms
Director: Interprets the script. Works with the costume, set, sound designers, and actors to create his/her vision of
the play. During the rehearsal process, the director will block (see below) the play.
Choreographer: Someone who creates dance and movements for a performance. There are also fight
choreographers who direct the movement for any sort of physical fight that may occur.
Dramaturge: Researches background information on the play such as historical context and essential details of the
script. Consults with and advises the playwright and director.
Playwright: Writes the script for a play. He/she includes costume and character notes, as well as stage directions to
give an idea for how he/she sees the world of the play coming to life.
Stage Manager: In charge of recording blocking notes during rehearsal, ensuring that rehearsals stay on track and
organized, and leading the technical process during tech week and performances.
Rehearsal Process:
• Table work - Actors sit down with the director and read through the script discussing characters, plot, language,
and context of the play. Some directors choose to skip this process and go right in to rehearsing and blocking.
• Rehearsals- Director works out his/her vision of the play through character work and blocking.
• Blocking- Actor’s specific movement pattern on stage. When and where they move.
• Tech week-The director lets the stage manager take charge, bringing the technical elements such as the lights,
costume, set, and sound together.
• Performances-The show opens and audiences attend! Sometimes there will be “previews” before the show
officially opens to see how audience members will react.
Improvisation: Creating a scene without any lines or previous preparation, or inserting lines into a scene that have
not been scripted. Sometimes a prompt of the situation will be given before starting the scene.
Characterization: Taking on a character other than yourself. Different exercises can help an actor to get into
character such as walking like the character, creating a specific voice for the character, thinking about their
background story, and noting how they interact with other characters in the play.
8
continued
Memorization Techniques
Alice and Nikki run lines together, working on memorization techniques. Here are some more helpful hints for line
memorization.
Tip #1: Repetition. A study shows that you have to repeat something twenty one times in order to memorize it!
Tip#2: Use movement and energy! Walking in a specific pattern or doing a physical activity while saying the line can
help you to use muscle memory to increase memorization.
Tip#3: Practice line readings with a partner. Once you get a script, go through and highlight your lines before you
start. You can also highlight your cue lines, which are the lines that come directly before yours.
Types of Stages
Proscenium Stage: Typically raised above the audience and includes the proscenium arch. This separates the stage
playing area from the audience and frames the stage. This type of stage is common in schools.
Thrust: The stage juts outwards so that the playing is surrounded by the audience on three sides. This type of stage
has been around for centuries as it was a common form for Greek amphitheaters.
In the Round: Playing area is surrounded by the audience on all sides. It was commonly used during the 1960s in
Europe and the UK. However, the Colosseum in Rome could also be called “in the round,” showing that this type of
stage has also been around for thousands of years.
Traverse: The audience sits on two sides facing the stage that runs down the middle like a catwalk (think a fashion
runway).
Black Box: In a room with black walls and floor, usually very small. This playing space can be used in many ways.
Amphitheater: An outdoor theater, usually in a thrust stage style.
Site-Specific: Theater can occur virtually anywhere, from cars to a kitchen to the forest, as long as there is an
audience.
9
Parts of a Stage
While each stage can be a little different in how it is set up, the primary geography of the playing space remains
the same. This common understanding of the space allows for both directors and actors to ‘block’ their scenes and
transitions.
To look at the stage from the point of view of the audience, you’ll notice that everything is backwards. That is
because all stage directions are from the point of view of the actors who are on stage facing the audience. The part
of the stage closest to the audience is referred to as ‘downstage.’ This is because at one time stages were ‘raked,’
meaning higher in the back and dipping lower in the front. This is why we use the terms upstage and downstage.
Shakespeare Says!
Have students draw out stage directions on a piece of paper (See attached worksheet)
after showing them the above diagram. Create a clear space and designate it as
“the stage.” Call out different stage directions that the students then must move to
accordingly. Increase speed the better students get.
Variation: Think about what parts of the stage attract the most attention. What types of
scenes might be played where?
10
Parts of a Stage - Handout
Label the stage with the following stage directions:
Center stage has already been marked for you.
Upstage Center
Downstage Center Left Downstage Center Right Upstage Left Downstage Left
Downstage Right
Upstage Center Left
Downstage Center Upstage Right
Center Right Upstage Center Right
Left
Center
AUDIENCE
11
Fun Drama Games & Activities
You can use the following games to help students connect to Alice’s experience acting in a play and improvising.
Before going on stage, actors warm-up their bodies and voices. Tongue twisters are a fun way to practice working
on pronunciation and articulation. These activities can be modified to the level of your students’ ability.
Body Warm-ups:
Shake Down:
• Everyone stands in a circle
• Starting with the right arm, shake it out, counting down loudly “10,9,8, etc.”
• Repeat with the left arm, then right leg, and left leg
• Start the pattern over, this time counting down from nine, continuing down until you reach one shake for each
arm and leg
Pass the Energy Ball:
• Everyone stands in a circle
• One person starts with an imaginary ball of energy in their hands, molding it into any shape they want and then
passing it to another person in the circle, making eye contact as they throw it
• The person to whom the “ball” was passed catches it, and then forms it to the shape they want and passes it to
another person
• The pattern continues until everyone in the circle has caught and thrown the ball
High-Five Walks
• Everyone walks around the room at a normal pace
• Using a scale of one to ten, ask students to either speed up or slow down their walk, with one being as slow as
possible, five being their normal pace, and ten being a fast walk
• At a fast walk pace, ask student to walk to another person in the group and give a two handed high five
Voice Warm-up: Tongue Twisters
1. Good blood, bad blood
2. Eleven benevolent elephants, eleven malevolent elephants
3. Irish wrist watch
4. Toy boat
5. To sit in solemn silence on a dull dark dock. A pestilential prison with a life-long lock. Awaiting the sensation of a
short sharp shock from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block.
6. Red leather, yellow leather
7. Kris Kringle carefully crunched on candy canes
8. You know you need unique New York
9. Cinnamon, aluminum, linoleum
10. What a to do to die today at a minute or two till two. A distinctly difficult thing to say yet harder still to do. For
we’ll beat a tattoo at twenty to two, with a rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat too. And the dragon will come when he
hears the drum, at a minute or two till two today, at a minute or two till two.
12
Improv Activities!
Mr. Nimbles asks Alice to improvise a part in the play when Fa Mulan comes home from war and greets her village.
Alice struggles at first, but the ability to improvise is an important skill to have as an actor, and eventually Alice
learns to trust her gut instincts, reacting to her scene partner on the spot.
Word Association: “Science Experiments”
Objective: To say the first word that comes to mind in a given category.
Introduction: This will help students to think on their feet and to follow their instincts.
Materials: N/A
Directions:
• Have students stand in a circle
• Prompt the students with the category “Science Experiments”
• Each student must go around the circle and say the first word that comes to mind in this category
• Remind students to go with their first thought, and that you can say the same word as someone else
• You can also play this game with multiple categories that also relate back to Alice Chan such as “The Legend of Fa
Mulan,” “Performing,” “School,” “Friendship,” or “Teamwork”
Variation: For a greater challenge, ask two students in the circle standing next to each other to turn to face one
another and say the word that they thought of at the same time, the objective being to say the same word. One
student from the pair then turns to the person to their right and say the next word that comes to mind at the same
time. The pattern continues until two people say the same word.
Discussion:
Did you find yourself thinking of multiple words and trying to choose the best one?
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone: “Yes and…”
Objective: To create a story with a partner.
Introduction: Students will use listening skills in order to positively respond to their partner’s ideas beginning each
sentence with “Yes and…”
Materials: N/A
Directions:
• Pair students off and designate one person to be “A” and one to be “B”
• Person “A” will starts a story with one sentence. You can prompt your students to begin a story about a time when
they tried something new and stepped out of their comfort zone
• Person “B” then responds to person “A” building off of what person “A” has just said by saying “Yes and…” They
add the next sentence to the story. The cycle continues with each person starting with “Yes and…”
• Time students for two minutes in this exercise and then have the students switch so that Person “B” starts with a
story about when they tried something new.
Discussion:
What were some of the stories that your pairs came up with? Did you find it challenging to respond to your partner
without changing the subject of the story?
13
Comparing Character and Plot
Grades 1-6
Drama Based Character Exploration
Objective: To embody and compare the movement of Alice Chan and Fa Mulan.
Introduction: Use this exercise to introduce students to the characters of Alice and Fa Mulan and in preparation for
character comparisons.
Materials: N/A
Set Up: Make sure that you have a clear space in the room to move freely.
Directions:
• Students walk around the room in “neutral” or their normal everyday walk.
• Ask students to think about how Alice Chan walks and start to walk like her character might.
Side-coaching: Use these questions to guide students as they begin walking like Alice.
o How does she stand? How does she hold her shoulders? Does she slouch or stand up straight?
o How does she hold her head? Where is she looking? Does she look down or up?
o Where are her arms? Does she swing her arms or are they by her side?
o How do her feet move? Does she shuffle them? Does she pick them up and then stomp them down?
o What are her hands doing? Are they in her pockets?
o How fast does she walk?
• Have students return back to their own neutral walk.
• Ask students to assume the walk of Fa Mulan. Prompt them with the above questions for the Alice walk.
• Ask students to return back to their own walk and then gather back in a circle.
Discussion:
What did you notice about how you carried your body when you walked like Alice? Like Fa Mulan? What was the
same? What was different? Did you feel more comfortable walking like one character or the other?
Activity Extension
Using the Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram provided, encourage students to convert what they just experienced
physically to descriptions about each of the characters.
14
English Language Arts
Character Compare & Contrast
Grades 1-6
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI1.3; RL1.3; RL2.3; RL3.9; RI3.9; RL4.3;
RL4.9; RL5.3
At first Alice seems to be the exact opposite of the brave and heroic character Fa Mulan that she must play. But,
throughout the play we begin to see Alice overcoming challenges just as Fa Mulan does in the woman warrior
legend. Think about the similarities and differences of each character and then organize them in the Venn Diagram
below.
If you are having trouble, use the following quote from the end of the play to help you to think about how the
characters of Alice and Fa Mulan might be similar:
“This has been the war of wars but I know now there is nothing I cannot accomplish, MIZ WIGGUM!”
Alice Chan
NAME
Fa Mulan
15
English Language Arts
Lessons on Legends
Grades 1-3
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RL1.2; RL1.3; RL1.4; RL1.7; RI1.3; RI1.9;
RL2.2, RL2.3; RL2.9, RI2.9; RL3.2, RL3.3; RL3.9
What is a legend?
A legend is a story that has been passed down through oral tradition from a particular group of people.
Usually the legends feature an admirable or famous person or persons. Legends and myths are a very
important part of Chinese tradition. Many legends include animals as main characters such as dragons or
snakes. There are also many gods that play important roles within these legends like the God of Water.
Some legends explain certain natural events that occur such as weather patterns, the rising of the moon,
or the coming of night and day.
Creating a One Word Story Legend
Use this drama activity to introduce the concept of oral tradition and how stories are shared among groups.
Objective: Students will collaborate in creating their own legend about a hero by telling the story one word or one
sentence at a time.
Materials: N/A
Directions:
• Have students sit in a circle (one large group or multiple smaller groups).
• Instruct students that the story must contain a beginning, middle, and an end. The story must be about someone
or something who goes on a journey away from home and at the end returns a hero.
• One student begins with the first word of a story and then the person to their right says the next word, continuing
around the circle until the story comes to an end.
• Students must finish the story within five minutes. Once the students are finished, give the story a title based on
what the students came up with starting with “The Legend of…”
Variation: If it seems to be taking too much time to create the story, students can say one sentence of the story at a
time, similar to the “Yes and…” activity (see improv activities).
Discussion:
Was this activity challenging? What made it easy? What made it hard?
16
Chinese Legend Examples
The Legend of the Nian Monster
A monster named “Nian” would come out every Spring Festival which
celebrates the New Year and eat people. Everyone in the villages would
flee to the mountains for protection, until one day, an old beggar scared
the monster away. He stayed for a night at an old lady’s house for shelter
and put red paper on the door. When the monster came to the house,
there was a loud blasting noise and the beggar opened the door wearing
red, scaring the monster. To this day, the color red and firecrackers, which
let off loud noises, are associated with the Chinese New Year.
The Story of Meng Jiangnv
During Emperor Qinshihuang’s rule, a man named Wan Xiliang was
captured and forced to help build the Great Wall. His wife, Men Jiangnv,
missed him so greatly and feared what had happened to him, so she
traveled all the way to the Great Wall only to discover that her husband
had died. She cried so much that part of the Great Wall fell down because
of her tears.
The Jinjiang River Goddess
The eldest daughter of the Dragon King of the Jinjiang River saw that the
people living at Lianhua mountain were suffering from a severe drought.
She then disguised herself as an old woman and went into the village to
help. The villagers did not have enough water to grow rice seedlings, so
she produced a magic spring at the base of the mountain and the villagers
never had a drought again. In thanks, the villagers constructed a patron
temple to honor the eldest daughter and gave her the name of The
Jinjiang River Goddess.
17
English Language Arts
Grades 1-3
Creation of Heaven and Earth by Pangu
Legend has it that Pangu slept inside an egg containing both heaven and
earth. One day there was a massive explosion and heaven and earth
started to split in two, and Pangu held heaven up with hands while
standing on earth. Gradually he began to grow and the taller he became
the farther heaven and earth separated. When Pangu died, his body
turned into the universe, and his eyes became the sun and the moon.
The Candle Dragon
A powerful creature shaped like a red dragon is said to have lived on
Zhangwei mountain. Night fell upon the world when he closed his eyes
and when he opened them, daylight came. When he breathed out great
winter winds and rain would come and when he breathed in there would
be a hot scorching summer. He carried a candle in his mouth to light the
way to Heaven.
For more information on Chinese legends and history, visit the Project
Gutenberg website:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15250/15250-h/15250-h.htm
Sources:
http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/13Traditions474.html
http://traditions.cultural-china.com/13two.html
18
English Language Arts
Ingredients for a Hero’s Journey!
Grades 1-3
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy RL1.2; RL2.5; RL3.3 Narrative
W1.1; RL1.7; W2.3; W3.3
What makes a hero? Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but usually all heroes share qualities of
bravery, courage, compassion, and the ability to stand up for what they believe in. A hero overcomes
challenging situations and their fears in order to help support others.
Ingredient #1: Ordinary Life
• The hero lives a normal life until….
Ingredient #2: Call to Adventure
• The hero is faced with a problem that he or she has to figure out.
Ingredient #3: Crossing in to the World
• The hero leaves to go on an adventure to solve the problem.
Ingredient #4: Tests
• The hero must overcome challenges in the new world they are exploring. They
meet new friends and enemies.
Ingredient #5: Reaching the Goal
• After going through a major battle escaping death, the hero resolves the
challenge.
Ingredient #6: Returning Home and Becoming a Hero!
• The hero returns to his or her village or town.
19
English Language Arts
Grades 1-3
Write your own legend using what you know about Chinese legends, Fa Mulan, and the hero’s journey.
The Legend must include:
• A beginning, middle, and end
• An ordinary character who chooses to leave home on a call to adventure
• The character goes on a long journey to a different land
• The character returns back home a hero
Title: ______________________________
NAME
20
English Language Arts
Heroic Figures!
Grades 4-6
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS-ELA-Literacy RL4.2; RL4.9; RL5.2; RL5.9;
RL6.2; RL6.9; W4.1; W5.1; W6.1
Fa Mulan is applauded for her bravery fighting in the place of her father alongside other men in battle.
Alice Chan overcomes the challenge of playing the lead in the school play, and succeeds in making new
friends. What are qualities of a hero? What are some modern heroes or superheroes that you are familiar
with? Who is your favorite?
Thinking about Fa Mulan and your favorite superheroes, list a few qualities that hero’s share (i.e. courage,
compassion, wit):
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
In your opinion, what makes someone a hero?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
What are similar themes that you see in stories about heroes?
Theme: The main idea of the story; what do we learn about them from the story?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
21
English Language Arts
Grades 4-6
CREATE YOUR OWN HERO!
Superhero Name: ____________________________
Draw your superhero’s super suit!
Think about: Function: Is it flame resistant? Water proof? Form: How does the suit allow
your superhero to move? Be sure to include texture and color.
Superpower:_______________________
Super Hero Qualities:
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
Super Hero Journey:
What do they do in their normal life?
What starts them on an adventure?
What obstacles must they overcome? And how do
they overcome them?
What qualities do they display on their journey?
22
English Language Arts
Grades 4-6
CREATE YOUR OWN HERO!
Superhero Name: ____________________________
Draw your superhero’s super suit!
Think about: Function: Is it flame resistant? Water proof? Form: How does the suit allow
your superhero to move? Be sure to include texture and color.
Superpower:_______________________
Super Hero Qualities:
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
Super Hero Journey:
What do they do in their normal life?
What starts them on an adventure?
What obstacles must they overcome? And how do
they overcome them?
What qualities do they display on their journey?
23
English
Language Science
Arts
Next Generation
Paper Making
Grades 1-6
Grades
NGSS Standards:
Earth and Human Activity 3-ESS3; 4-ESS3-1; 5-ESS3-1: MSESS3
Objective: Students will make their own sheet of paper from recycled scraps of paper. Students will
communicate, analyze, ask questions, and practice calligraphy writing on the paper that they have created.
Introduction: In Ancient China, people used to write on bamboo or pieces of silk. However, in 105 C.E.
during the Han Dynasty, an official of the imperial court pounded fibers from the bark of a Mulberry tree
into a pulp to make the first piece of paper. Later, paper was spread throughout China and to other countries through the Silk Road.
Materials:
Paper scraps (i.e. newspaper, magazines, various)
Blender
Shallow pan
Bowl Paper towel Food coloring
Corn starch
Measuring cups
Wire “8X10” mesh screen
Hair dryer (optional) Magnifying glass
Preparation Time: 30 min.
Activity Time: 30 min.
Procedure:
1. Soak the scraps of paper in about 1 or 2 Liters of water warm water for 30 minutes.
2. Blend the soaked mixture in the blender until it the consistency of mush. You can add food coloring for
fun colored paper!
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl or tray. This is now the “pulp.”
4. Add five tablespoons of cornstarch into the “pulp” mixture, stir until it is a smooth mixture.
5. Fill a shallow pan with about 3 centimeters of water.
6. Place the wire screen in the pan submerged in the water.
7. Put about one cup of the “pulp” mixture onto the screen. Spread out evenly over the surface of the
screen.
8. Slowly lift the screen up out of the pan. The “pulp” should be sticking to the screen.
9. Flip the screen face down onto a towel or paper towel and then lift the screen off so that the piece of
paper stays on the towel. Cover with another paper towel to soak up any excess water.
10. You can use a hair dryer to dry the paper more quickly or let sit over night.
11. Once dry, give students magnifying glasses to look at their paper.
Discussion:
What is pulp? What does your paper look like under the magnifying glass? What does it mean to recycle
something? How is creating this paper an example of recycling? What is the human impact on he
environment of making new paper from trees?
http://www.silk-road.com/artl/papermaking.shtml
24
Calligraphy Examples
Writing as Art!
Paper Making Extension
Using the paper you created and the attached calligraphy examples, write your
name, or research the Chinese alphabet to use.
Background: Calligraphy is thought of one of the most refined Chinese arts, using structure and rhythm
to create beautiful characters. Calligraphy developed mostly between 100 and 300 C.E. Chinese scholars
who could read and write became the masters of calligraphy. Wang Xizhi was thought of as the greatest
Chinese calligrapher, becoming famous during the Tang Dynasty. Each character is a symbol with complex
meanings, and there are about 50,000 characters in all.
Tips on How to Write Calligraphy:
•
•
Top strokes before bottom
Left to right strokes
Courage
Love
Happiness
Serenity
Peace
Balance
25
Next Generation Science
Grades 1-3
Silk Worm Life Cycle
NGSS Standards:
3.Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
3-LS1-1. 3-LS3-1. 3-LS3-2.
The history of the silkworm, which is also the story of silk, goes back to ancient times in China. The
legend is that around 2,640 B.C. a Chinese empress, Si-Ling-Chi, was watching the glistening amber
cocoons that little worms were spinning in the mulberry trees in the palace gardens. She unwound
one of the threads on a cocoon and found that it was one, very long strand of shiny material.
Fascinated, she pulled strands from several cocoons through her ring to form a thicker thread.
Eventually, with the help of her ladies of the court, she spun the threads into a beautiful piece of
cloth to make a robe for the emperor, Huang-Ti. This magnificent material, silk, became known as
the “cloth of kings.”
Key Scientific Knowledge
• Insects undergo Metamorphosis which
involves change in their bodies through cell
growth and transformation. Insects and
amphibians undergo metamorphosis. A
metamorphosis can be either complete (4 stages)
or incomplete (3 stages).
• Silkworms do not have lungs – they breathe
through tiny holes on the sides of their bodies.
• 4 stages in life cycle - Egg, larva, pupa and
adult (Complete metamorphosis)
• A silkworm’s cocoon can vary between yellow
and white depending on their diet.
• It takes up to 4 weeks for a baby silkworm to
fully grow into their adult size.
• Silkworms eat mulberry leaves – they eat a lot
during their larvae stage.
• 27 days after hatching a silkworm will begin
spinning its cocoon.
Watch your silkworms grow!
Identify and describe the
structure and function of living
things and ways in which they
interact with other living things
and their environment.
26
Next Generation Science
Chromatography Flowers
Grades 1-3
NGSS Standards:
Matter and Its Interactions 2PS1-2
Objective: Students will create a unique flower using the principles explored in chromatography.
Introduction: What is Chromatography and how does it work?
Chromatography is a technique that many biochemists use in order to separate mixtures into their
component parts. Criminologists also use this technique when looking at a crime scene for other mixtures
such as blood or ink. When the paper (solute) is placed in the water (solvent), the water travels up the
paper carrying the ink mixture with it through a process called capillary action. The stationary phase is the
solute, while the mobile phase is the solvent. The ink mixture separates into its parts as it becomes more
attracted to the solvent or the water, so that is why you will see the different pigments in the black ink as it
attracts to the water.
Materials:
Coffee filter paper
Markers (Crayola works well)
Water
Scissors
Nickels or coins
Small cup or griffin beakers
Black pipe cleaners (optional)
Procedure:
1. Fold the coffee filter paper into a triangle (once in half and then in half again),
so that is can stand as a cone.
It should look something like this -->
2. Cut the tip of the triangle off.
3. Place the folded filter paper into the cup or beaker so that the wide part
in at the bottom.
4. Fill the cup with just enough water for the bottom of the paper to be soaked.
5. Place a nickel or coin in the middle of a new unfolded coffee filter and draw with
marker designs around the center tracing the coin.
6. Place the coffee filter on top of the cone in the beaker.
7. Watch as the ink pigment from the pen spreads out to make a flower design!
Before
After
You can also make butterflies too! Just follow steps one through seven above. Then, scrunch the paper in the middle
and tie black pipe cleaners around the center and shape the ends into antennae. You can then tie the “butterfly” to a
string to hang it.
27
Chromatography Detectives
Who Stole Alice Chan’s Science Notebook?
Grades 4-6
NGSS Standards:
NGSS 3-5ETS1-1; 3-5ETS1-2; 5PS1-2; 5PS1-4;
MSPS1-2; MSPS1-6
Objective: Students will determine who stole Alice’s notebook by using pen chromatography, comparing a
set of the suspects’ pens to the suspect note.
Students will:
• Divide responsibilities and communicate with team members in order to complete an experiment
• Record measurements and observations
• Use deductive reasoning to reach a conclusion on who stole the notebook
• Hypothesize about how chromatography works
Note: Feel free to assume a character when
introducing the activity with the following call
• Learn about the science behind chromatography
to action.
Introduction: Alice Chan’s notebook was stolen from the science room by someone at exactly 2:36 PM
on March 28th, 2016! Fortunately, the thief left a note behind, and Alice, being an expert scientist, knows
how to use her skills in order to figure out who wrote the note. Alice knows that each person she suspects
to have stolen her notebook has a favorite kind of pen. She gathered all five of the favorite pen types from
the following people: Miz Wiggum, Nikki Rivers, Candace Kolonder, Mamma Chan, and Mr. Nimbles. Alice
knows a chemistry procedure called chromatography or the process of separating mixtures into their
different components that she will use to help decipher who the culprit might be (demonstrate which pen
belongs to which suspect from the list below). Now it is up to each of you detectives to help Alice solve who
stole her precious science notebook!
In detective teams of three, you will receive the favorite pen from each suspect, and as a team you must
compare it to that of the ransom note using chromatography.
Suspect Pens:
Pen A
Pen B
Pen C
Pen D
Pen E
(Felt-tip):
(Sharpie):
(Marker):
(Black gel):
(Ball-point):
Materials:
Miz Wiggum
Nikki Rivers
Candace Kolonder
Mamma Chan
Mr. Nimbles
• A set of five different black pens, labeled with A,B,C,D, and E according the above information on the
suspect pens
• Coffee filters cut into “2X6” strips
• Water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Griffin beakers or clear plastic cups (400 ML or larger)
• Pencils
• Masking tape
• Rulers
28
• Activity worksheet (see attached)
Chromatography Detectives
Grades 4-6
Who Stole Alice Chan’s Science Notebook?
Preparation Time: 30 min.
Activity Time: 45min-1 hour
Preparation:
• Write out a copy of the suspect note using the black felt tip pen on a piece of coffee filter cut into a small square.
This will mean that Mamma Chan stole the notebook, but you can choose anyone to be the thief, just make sure to
write the note with the according pen. However DO NOT chose Nikki, whose favorite is a sharpie pen since hers will
not be affected by the water. This will be addressed later in the experiment.
• Divide pens into the sets of five and label them with the according letters.
Pen A
Pen B
Pen C
Pen D
Pen E
(Felt-tip):
(Sharpie):
(Marker):
(Black gel):
(Ball-point):
Miz Wiggum
Nikki Rivers
Candace Kolonder
Mamma Chan
Mr. Nimbles
• Divide the class into “forensic” or “detective” teams of three. Ask each team to come up with a name for their
detective group (i.e. Detective Watson) and instruct them to write it on their group’s worksheet (see attached at
the end of the activity). Ask them to assign roles within the group (For example: One person can record information
on the sheet, one person can draw the pen dots on the paper, and one person can tape the paper to the pencil and
place it in the water).
• Each group will need:
o Set of five labeled pens
o Two beakers or cups, one filled with a half inch to an inch of water and the other with rubbing alcohol
o Two pieces of the coffee filter “chromatography” paper
o Masking tape
o Ruler
o Pencil
Suspect Note:
29
Chromatography Detectives
Grades 4-6
Procedure:
Demonstrating in front of the class:
1. Fill a beaker with water about two inches full.
2. With masking tape, attach the copy of the note that you have written onto the middle of a pencil.
3. Dip the bottom of the note into the water so that the words are about half an inch to an inch above the
water.
4. Wait as the ink spreads up the paper.
5. When the ink is fully spread upwards, measure the distance in centimeters that the ink traveled up the
paper.
6. Write the distance traveled on a board so that the class can see and can then compare to their own
chromatography papers.
Groups on their own:
1. Draw a line in pencil one and a half inches from the bottom of the piece of filter paper.
2. Draw a dot on the line with each pen, making sure to label each A, B, C, D, and E underneath in pencil.
3. With masking tape, attach the top of the piece of paper to the middle of the pencil.
4. Place the pencil on top of the beaker filled with water so that the bottom of the paper is submerged in
the water, just below line with the pen dots. If the paper is too long, you may have to adjust the paper by
rolling it up on the pencil.
5. Wait for the different pen inks to spread up the paper.
6. Record observations about separation of different inks as they travel upwards, and the length traveled
up the paper (in centimeters) on the activity worksheet.
7. Have the groups come up one by one to take a closer look at the suspect note, comparing it to their test
piece of chromatography paper with the five different pens.
8. When the groups are finished, have them go around the room and say who they think the thief is.
Reveal to the class who really stole the notebook.
Discussion:
What is your hypothesis for why you think the ink separates as it travels up the paper?
How did you as a group come to a conclusion on whose pen matched the ink on the note?
What did you notice about Nikki’s pen? Why do you think the ink didn’t separate? What do you think will happen if
we try dipping the ink in alcohol instead?
Note to Teacher: Have groups repeat the steps (1-6 from above) for the chromatography activity dipping the paper
in rubbing alcohol instead. Discuss as a class the results for the chromatography paper in alcohol and the scientific
explanation behind chromatography.
Video resources to see more chromatography activities and explanations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8r8hN05xXk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnbXQTTHGs4
Candy Chromatography! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odzb78y_HwM
30
Chromatography Detectives
Grades 4-6
What is Chromatography and how does it work?
Chromatography is a technique that many biochemists use in order to separate mixtures into their
component parts. Criminologists also use this technique when looking at a crime scene for other mixtures
such as blood or ink. When the paper (solute) is placed in the water (solvent), the water travels up the
paper carrying the ink mixture with it through a process called capillary action. The stationary phase is
the solute, while the mobile phase is the solvent. The ink mixture separates into its parts as becomes
more attracted to the solvent or the water, so that is why you will see the different pigments in the black
ink as it attracts to the water.
Example of the separation
Why doesn’t the Sharpie ink separate in water?
Some ink like the Sharpie ink is less attracted to the solvent water and therefore stays attracted to the paper.
However, when placed in the solvent rubbing alcohol, the Sharpie ink becomes more attracted to that solvent
because it has stronger bonds to the alcohol than to water.
Important Terms:
Solvent: Something that can dissolve another substance
Solute: The substance that is being dissolved
Capillary Action: When a liquid (like water or rubbing alcohol) moves along a solid surface (like paper) because the
molecules in the liquid are attracted to the molecules of the solid
Stationary Phase: The paper (or solute)
Mobile Phase: The solvent
Dissolve: To mix something with a liquid so that it becomes part of the liquid’s mixture
Elute: When the chemical dyes in the pen ink separate from the mixture
31
Additional Lesson Connections
Who Stole Alice Chan’s
Notebook?
Group Name:
_____________________
Help Alice to discover who stole her notebook! Directions: Using a ruler, measure in centimeters the distance the ink traveled from the pencil line at the bottom of
the paper to where the ink stopped spreading at the top. Then, note the separation of the pigments on the paper.
What other colors do you notice, if any? Record your answers in the chart below for both the suspect note and your
own chromatography sheet.
Suspect Note
Distance ink traveled from bottom
to top of paper (cm)
What colors did you notice separated
from the ink if any?
Suspect
Distance ink traveled from
bottom to top of paper (cm)
What colors did you notice
separated from the ink if any?
Pen A (Felt-tip): Miz Wiggum
Pen B (Sharpie): Nikki
Pen C (Marker): Candace
Pen D (Black gel): Mamma Chan
Pen E (Ball-point): Mr. Nimbles
Mystery solved! Who do you think is the thief?
Explain how you came to this conclusion comparing your paper
to the note. Cite evidence and be specific!
Tape your chromatography paper here:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Additional Questions:
1. Why do you think that the ink mixture separates as it travels up the paper?
2. Why do you think some ink did not separate at all from the paper?
32
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever tried something that at first you thought you wouldn’t like but then ended up enjoying?
2. What does it mean to step outside your comfort zone?
3. In what ways are Alice Chan and Mulan similar? When in the play does Alice Chan realize this? 4. What does it mean to call someone your friend? Have you ever befriended someone you didn’t like
when you first met them?
5. In what ways do both Nikki and Alice change throughout the play and how do they end up becoming
friends?
6. What frustrates Alice most in the play? What frustrates you?
7. What does it mean to persevere? How does Alice succeed in playing Fa Mulan at the end of the play?
8. Why do you think that Mamma Chan tells Alice that she should quit the show? Do you think she was right?
9. What does Alice realize about science and drama at the end of the play? How are science and drama different? How are they similar?
10. What did you like most about the play? What characters did you feel you connected with the best?
Additional Lesson Connections
The connections to Alice Chan are endless!
MATH:
-Fractions and Measurements: Make Chinese Dumplings!
VISUAL ARTS & DESIGN:
-Connections Between Science and Art
-The Engineering Design Process versus the Creative Process
SOCIAL STUDIES:
-Theater History: When was the first play?
-Terra Cotta Warriors
-Emperors of Ancient China
-Buddha and Confucius
33
Additional Resources
Suggested Readings!
The Legend of Fa Mulan Children’s Books (Fiction):
-“Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior” by Robert San Souci (1998)
-“The Song of Mulan” by Jeanne M. Lee (1995)
-“China’s Bravest Girl: The Legend of Hua Mu Lan” by Charlie Chin (1993)
-“The Ballad of Mulan” by Song Nan Zhang (1998)
More on the Legend of Fa Mulan (Non-Fiction):
-The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston (1977)
-The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry by Han Frankel (1976)
History and Science (Non-Fiction):
-Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
(2002)
-DK Eyewitness Books: Ancient China by Arthur Cotterell and Laura Buller (2005)
-The Emperor’s Silent Army: Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China by Jane O’Connor (2002)
-Hands-On History! Ancient China by Philip Steele (2013)
-101 Great Science Experiments by Neil Ardley (2014)
-Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by MaryAnn F. Kohl (1993)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Places to Visit!
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
Where:
404 Third Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Website Information (School Programs):
http://www.sdchm.org/education/school-programs/
Women’s Museum of California
Where:
730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16
San Diego, CA 92106
Website Information:
http://womensmuseumca.org/
Female Firsts in Their Fields: Arts
http://womensmuseumca.org/female-firsts-their-fields-arts-1612-2015
34
History of the Playhouse
La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and
was revived in 1983 under the leadership of Des McAnuff, who served as Artistic Director from
1983 to 1994. McAnuff was succeeded by Michael Greif, who served as Artistic Director from
1995 to 1999. McAnuff returned to lead from 2001 to 2007. The theatre is currently led by Artistic
Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg.
Under inspired leadership, La Jolla Playhouse has earned its place in the international theatre
scene. The Playhouse’s brilliant and innovative productions of classics, new plays and musicals, including 72 world
premieres, 44 commissions, 30 West Coast premieres and seven American premieres, have merited over 300 major
honors including the 1993 Tony Award as America’s Outstanding Regional Theatre.
From Broadway to Moscow, a long list of the Playhouse’s productions have gone on to other stages around the
world. These include Roger Miller and William Hauptman’s Big River, The Who’s Tommy, Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the
Woods, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Matthew Broderick, Tony Kushner’s Slavs!, Lifegame,
Lisa Kron’s 2.5 Minute Ride, Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, Randy Newman’s Faust, the West Coast premiere of
Rent, the American premiere of Jane Eyre, the world premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Billy Crystal’s 700
Sundays, the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, Cry-Baby, Memphis and the currently running Tony Awardwinning Broadway hit Jersey Boys. The Playhouse also presents a wide range of education programs that enrich the
community and serve thousands of children, students and adults each year.
The Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre in residence on the magnificent campus of the University of
California, San Diego, located on the corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla, California.
History of the POP Tour
La Jolla Playhouse is committed to advancing theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform
by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow. The Playhouse’s
Education & Outreach Department works in close collaboration with the Artistic Department to create an appetite
for this work by providing an aesthetic vocabulary and theatre experiences for young audiences that are pertinent to
issues and challenges inherent in their experience of the world.
Each year, the Playhouse’s Performance Outreach Program (POP Tour) commissions a new 45-minute play geared for
young audiences from an established or emerging playwright with a bold theatrical vision. This piece is developed
in a one-week workshop with an accomplished director, professional actors and a Playhouse dramaturg. The final
draft of the play is then ready for the rehearsal process and ultimately staged as a fully-produced work that tours the
schools, community centers and libraries of San Diego.
These world-class theatre artists exude a youthful and eclectic spirit and create works that provide young audiences
with the highest-quality theatre experiences. These young people are ensured to have a culturally-essential
opportunity to be a part of the magic that live theatre has to offer.
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