Education through Theatre across the Curriculum
Center Stage
Center Stage
Vol. 15
K1
Center Stage
About the Author
2
Food Science
9, 10
Language Arts
3, 7
Art
11
Further Reading
12
Mapping Skills
4
Changing Character
9, 10
Geography
2
Narnia Map
5
Creative Writing
6
Integrating Theatre
8
What‟s Next?
12
The ETC Guide is an enrichment tool designed to be utilized by educators with their students before, during, and after a theatre
performance. The ETC Guide is designed to help educators reach the objectives and goals for their curriculum by extending and
enhancing the theatre going experience. The ETC Guide uses targeted activities, exercises, and information relevant to the performance spanning a variety of subject areas. Additional ETC Guides may be downloaded from our website at:
www.adplayers.org.
For information about our ETC Workshops call 713-439-0181
A. D. Players is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization
About the Author, ETC...
Clive Staples Lewis, more
commonly known as C.S.
Lewis, was and is still
known for being a great
poet, writer, and novelist.
He wrote many books and
stories but his most famous include: The Screw
Tape Letters; The Space
Trilogy; and The Chronicles of Narnia. What
most people don‟t know is that although he
was very successful because of his writing,
he still lived a pretty normal life just like you
and me!
Born in Belfast, Ireland on November 29,
1898, C.S. Lewis grew up loving reading and
writing, especially when it came to animals.
He had a fascination with all kinds of animals and would write stories with his
brother Warnie about kingdoms ruled by
animals. Lewis loved animals so much that
when his dog Jacksie died, he insisted on
changing his own name from “Clive” to
“Jacksie” in remembrance of him. His closest friends called him „Jack‟ for the rest of
his life.
2
One week before his 65th birthday, on November
22, 1963, C.S. Lewis died in his home—the
same day that President Kennedy was assassinated. Although his death shook the world and
we still feel his loss today, he left behind a legacy never to be forgotten.
About the Books—
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven
fantasy novels for children. They were written
between 1949 and 1954. This adventurous
series transports children to Narnia through a
magical portal. Once in Narnia, animals talk,
magic is common, and Good battles Evil.
These children must set something wrong right,
and are aided by the central character of the
series, the Great Lion, Aslan. Time magazine
has listed The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe as one of the top 100 English language
novels written between 1923 and 2005. The
popularity of The Chronicles of Narnia is so
widespread they have been translated into 41
languages and have been adapted for radio,
television, stage, and cinema.
As he grew older, C.S. Lewis started experiencing very different things. He was accepted into college at Oxford University in
England but then dropped out to join the
British army during World War I. He eventually went back to Oxford to finish his studies
and met his lifelong friend J.R.R. Tolkien
who you might know for writing the famous
books “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the
Rings Trilogy.”
Lewis and Tolkien, along with several of
their other writer friends, came together to
create a writing club called “The Inklings.”
They met to discuss and critique each others
works. Many of their novels and stories
wouldn‟t have been created if it weren‟t for
this group. “The Inklings” are actually still
around to this day, still producing some of
the most well-known works of fiction in the
21st century.
Map of Great Britain—Locate and circle the city of
Belfast, Ireland, the place where C. S. Lewis was
born. Then locate and circle the city of Oxford,
England where he went to school.
Language Arts, ETC...
3
Questions about the Play—
 Under the White Witches rule, Mr. Tumnus was
responsible for capturing any human that came
into Narnia. Why do you think he decided to let
Lucy go?
Here are a few questions for discussion or for you to
answer on a separate sheet of paper.
 How did the opening scene between Peter and
Lucy foreshadow what happens later in the play?
Give three examples.
 At the beginning of the show Peter was inter-
 Comment on something that may have surprised
 On rainy days the Pevense children decided on
an indoor game of Hide and Seek as an activity.
What indoor activities might you play on a rainy
day?
sisters to go and see the “Queen of Narnia?”
 What events or situations contributed to Ed-
mund‟s decision? How does this effect other relationships, such as how we treat our siblings and
friends?
rupted by Lucy several times. Why do you suppose Lucy kept interrupting each time Peter began to tell the story?
you or something you did not expect from this
production.
 Why do you think Edmund left his brother and
 Why do you think Aslan decided to give himself
up to the White Witch in place of Edmund?
 If you were Edmund, discuss what he might have
felt after Aslan decided to take his place.
 Lots of fairytales include some sort of a door or
portal from our world into another world. Can
you think of other stories like this? If you could
create a portal, what would you use and why?
Story Structure—
Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Within this framework there are several key
pieces needed for the story to be complete. These pieces are given below. From what you saw in
the play, describe each event. In theatre, almost every individual scene of a play will also follow this
same structure. As extra-credit, choose one scene from the play and discuss where each story piece
occurs within that scene.
Inciting Incident
The place where
the conflict or
problem is
introduced.
Rising action
Moments in the
story where
tension takes
place.
Turning point
Climax
An event causing
a shift or an
irreversible change
in direction.
The place where
the greatest
amount of
tension happens.
Rising action 2
Other events that
increase the
tension in the
story.
Resolution
The place where
the conflict or
problem has
been resolved.
Mapping Skills, ETC...
4
Coordinating the Axis—
When mapping or plotting coordinates on a
map or graph it is important to know that the
first number given represents the point going
across (
). The second number represents the point going up and down ( ).
These points are called coordinates. The
point going across is also called the „X‟ axis or
Latitude. The coordinate going up and
down is called the „Y‟ axis or Longitude.
Mapping Coordinates—
For this activity you will need to use the map of Narnia on
page 5. The map includes a longitude and latitude grid
with a compass in the upper right hand corner. Identify the
following coordinates with its appropriate location. Here a
couple of examples:
7, 9
Frozen Lake
11, 7 Dancing Lawn
Name the location according to the coordinates given.
It is important to know and understand which
coordinate comes first.
3, 10.5
______________________________
3, 12
_______________________________
For example: if you were to use the coordinates 6.5 across, 9.5 up you will find yourself
at Rock Bridge. However if you reversed the
numbers— 9.5 across, 6.5 up— you will find
yourself around the Cherry Tree.
12.5, 7
_______________________________
15, 9
_______________________________
8, 3
_______________________________
The compass rose is
also called the Rose of
the Winds. Its origin
comes from Aristotle's
meteorological studies
of the ancient Greek
winds.
Compass Rose
Identify the following locations with their appropriate coordinates.
Label all four of the
intermediate cardinal
directions.
Beaver’s Dam
_______ , _______
White Witch’s Castle
_______ , _______
The Battle Field
_______ , _______
The Wardrobe
_______ , _______
Northern Marsh
_______ , _______
Which Direction?—
There are four cardinal directions:
North
East
South
West
These can be divided into intermediate points by combining one direction with an adjacent
direction. The next largest set of intermediate points are as follows:
Northeast
Southeast
Southwest
Northwest
Using the map on page 5, determine the direction between two different locations. Here are
a couple of examples:
Aslan‟s Camp is NORTH of The Stone Table.
The Witch‟s Camp is SOUTHEAST of the Witch‟s Castle.
The Archenland‟s are _______________ of the land of Ettinsmoor.
Beaver‟s Dam is ________________________ of the Mr. Tumnus house.
Father Christmas is __________________________ of Frozen Lake.
Cair Paravel is ______________ of Cladron Pool, but ______________ of the Island of Galaia.
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Creative Writing, ETC...
6
Adaptation and Playwriting—
Journal Writing—
An adaptation is a modification of a previously written
story in whole or in part that makes it more fit for existence into another form.
Many people write in a journal or diary on a
regular basis. You may have a journal or diary to write in yourself. Choose one of the
characters from the play and create their 7
day journal. You are encouraged to write
about scenes and situations not played out
on the stage. Write about what your character was doing just before or after the scene
on stage.
Many plays and movies are based on books or other stories. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has been
adapted for the screen, television, and the stage in a
variety of ways. Challenge yourself with this form of
writing by choosing to adapt one of Aesop‟s Fables into a
script. Try not to have a “Narrator.”
First: Read the fable to find out what happens.
Second: Decide on the characters for your play. You
may add or change characters to fit your adaptation.
Third: Choose a geographical area or culture, and a
time period.
Fourth: Given the situation, include dialogue the characters might say to one another. You can even add in
phrases you or your friends might say or things you like.
Remember to be consistent with your choice of culture
and time period.
For example, if you chose Mr. Tumnus as
your character, make an entry of what he did
after he said goodbye to Lucy.
Or you could choose Lucy as your character,
and could tell more about what it was like the
first time you went through the wardrobe and
discovered Narnia. Talk about what it was
like to walk through the snow, especially with
just a light sweater. Perhaps this was the
first time Lucy had ever been in the snow.
Fifth: Include places for action to take place without
dialogue.
You could also write an entry on what it was
like to meet Aslan for the first time as the
character of Edmund.
Sixth: When finished, have your friends read the script
aloud. This will help you, the playwright, hear what
you‟ve written to see if it makes sense. Take notes of
changes you may need to make as they read.
Include thoughts that reflect how your character felt about another character. You could
include events that happened several years
before or times you will never forget.
Seventh: Make rewrites and changes.
Remember to write from the perspective of
the character... and you are that character!
Finally: You and your friends may present your script to
the class.
A Short List of Aesop’s Fables—
The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Milk Maid and Her Pail
Belling the Cat
The Mole and His Mother
The Bundle of Sticks
The Old Lion and the Fox
The Cat and the Old Rat
The Two Goats
The Fox and the Crow
The Wolf and the Shepherd
For more fables check out a book from the library or use the following internet link—
read.gov/aesop/
Language Arts, ETC...
7
Vocabulary—
Vocabulary: Matching—
Draw a line from the vocabulary word on the left to the definition on the right best describing the word.
Centaur
a person of unusually
small stature
Son of Adam
a human girl
Dwarf
a human boy
Daughter of Eve
a mythical hideous giant
Ogre
a mythical creature half
man and half horse
Using a dictionary,
look up the following words and write
out each definition.
courtyard
incredible
gnawed
mothballs
Once you write out the definition,
create two different sentences
using each word. Continue to
practice using these words by
writing two new sentences each
day for a week. On the final day,
write a short story using all of
the words.
Vocabulary: Context Clues—
Place the appropriate vocabulary word on the blank line of the following sentences:
prophecy
Queendom
traitors
Aslan fulfilled the _______________ and defeated the evil witch.
This is my ________________, welcome to Narnia.
I know the law says all ____________ are yours, but the law allows
another way, too.
Story Mapping—
Using the scene titles below, number each in their proper order of events. From the title of
each of the following scenes, draw a picture (as best you can) of what that scene best represents. Then from your drawings, write a short statement describing the scene. Finally, place
your pictures in their proper order of events.
Aslan Comes Back to Life
Edmund Meets the Queen of Narnia
Follow the Bird
Magic Circle
Mr. Tumnus‟ House Destroyed
The Stone Table
The White Witch‟s Castle
Aslan makes a Trade
Edmund‟s Disbelief
Freeing the Stone Statues
Mr. Beaver
Opening
The Wardrobe
Time to Go Home
Climbing the Mountain
The Final Battle
Just Kids Again
Mr. Tumnus
Lamppost Rediscovered
White Witch Kills Aslan
Integrating Theatre, ETC...
Coloring Your Words—
Anytime we speak, words are often emphasized in different
ways to communicate more effectively. In theatre, we call
this coloring our words. By coloring words actors are able
to communicate the true meaning and intention of what
they want to say.
As an example, get into small groups of four. Have each
person in the group take one of the phrases below and say
it out loud. Be sure to emphasize the underlined word in
bold. Every one will say the same phrase, but no two ways
of how it‟s said should be the same.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
8
Communicating with Pantomime—
Often times we try to communicate an action
using gestures and movement without having
the real object. Theatre calls this pantomime.
In this production the actors use a great deal
of pantomime to help the audience see real
objects. Try a few of these simple activities
without using real objects.
 Walking in snow a foot deep without a
coat.
 Walking over rough and rocky terrain
with bare feet.
 Smelling and walking through a room
that has been closed up for a long time.
How does the emphasis change the meaning of the
phrase?
 Walking along a narrow path at night or
Listed below are several phrases from the play. In your
group, choose one phrase at a time and say it differently
from one another as in the example above.
 Drinking a delicious cup of hot chocolate
Narnia belongs to me!
It‟s so dark in here.
Could I have some more, please?
It was still raining outside.
Actors can also emphasize words through different emotions or actions. Here are a few action verbs actors use to
show an intention or feeling. Go back to the phrases above
and say them using the emotion or action verb.
lazy
snobby
bossy
puzzled
rude
friendly
cautious
horrified
intelligent
confident
stubborn
grumpy
Finally, using the emotion or action verb, repeat the same
phrase slowly, fast, and then varying your pitch (high and
low sounds).
You can also use this technique when reading aloud. Have
fun as you experiment and practice colorizing your words!
an un-lit corridor with only a candle.
or eating a favorite food.
 Creating an environment where you are:
in the rain, a warm summer day, outdoors, etc…
What Else Can This Be?—
Find 5 or 6 everyday objects. In a small
group of 5 or so, demonstrate what
else the object could be. Do not use
any words, but only „show‟ how the
object could be used other than for
it‟s intended purpose. For instance, a
soda can could be used as a spy glass or telescope, a piggy bank, or a football.
You may not use words, but must
show how the object could be used.
If your group doesn‟t guess correctly, try demonstrating your idea
another way. (Hike the football, throw the
football, try the quarterback sneak.) Once
guessed, pass the object on to the next person. How many different uses can the object
have?
In the play, the Coat Rack and the Box were
used for several different things; list the other
things these objects became.
Food Science, ETC...
9
Character Development: the Voice—
Actors in this show must be able to portray many different characters with only a small costume
change using suggested pieces. Therefore it is up to the actor to convince the audience they are
a different character. One way to do this is to change the pitch or to modify the sound of your
voice. Below are several lines from the show. Say the line as you would say it, then repeat it as
several different characters by changing the pitch of your voice or in the speed you say it.
I will give you all the Turkish Delight you want if you will
bring your brother and sisters to my castle.
Company! Care for some log? Let me whip up some bark
salad.
Would you like to come to my cave for a lovely cup of hot
chocolate and cookies?
A Special Treat: Turkish Delight!!!
Turkish Delight is a candy that originated in Turkey in the 1700s. The White Witch
deceived Edmund with the candy to make him bring his brother and sisters to
her castle. This easy Turkish Delight recipe will leave you wanting more, too!
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups cornstarch
4 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons rosewater
Vegetable oil or shortening
PREPARATION:
1. In a 9 inch baking pan, grease the sides and bottom with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with
wax paper and grease the wax paper.
2. In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water on medium heat.
Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until
the mixture reaches 240o degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch, and remaining water in a separate saucepan over a
medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the
mixture has a glue-like consistency.
4. Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat
to low. Allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
5. Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in rosewater. Pour mixture into the wax paper
lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.
6. Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch.
7. Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled
knife into one inch pieces.
8. Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with
wax or parchment paper.
More, ETC...
10
Bark Salad—
Mr. Beaver mixed up a special batch of “Bark Salad” to share with Peter,
Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. What types of ingredients do you think Mr.
Beaver would add to this delicious meal? Create a shopping list of items
Mr. Beaver would find at the local forest supermarket.
As a special treat, Mrs. Beaver makes a delightful Bark Candy. Below is
a basic recipe and the web site to create your variation of choice:
Ingredients:
 Vegetable oil cooking spray
 Bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate,
chopped, according to variation
 Toppings, according to variation
PREP: 15 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINS
YIELD: MAKES ONE 9-BY-12
1/2-INCH SHEET
Directions:
1. Coat a 9-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on ends.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water,
stirring. Pour onto baking sheet, and spread in an even layer.
3. Immediately sprinkle toppings over chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Peel off
parchment, and break bark into pieces.
Compliments of:
www.marthastewart.com/1043580/chocolate-bark-recipes/
@center/1008647/christmas-candy-recipes
Here are a couple of other great web sites with this yummy treat!
http://www.tastebook.com/s/recipes/almond-bark
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/desserts/candy/chocolate-bark/
Character Development: the Body—
Just like changing your voice helps to show different characters, so does changing the way the
actor moves his body and changes his posture. Practice the following body postures:
Stand as—
yourself
a giant
a super hero
an evil villain
a simple beggar
a wise old teacher
Show how each of these postures would—
walk across a room
rush to another place
sneak up on someone
drink from a cup
reach for an object*
carry an object*
*be sure to choose a specific object
Art and Design, ETC...
11
Design a Home—
Throughout the play Peter and Lucy travel to many different places in
Narnia, including several different characters‟ homes. The playwright
chose not to have a lot of set pieces on stage which gives the actors
the responsibility, through pantomime, to paint a mental picture for
the audience of what these homes might have looked like both inside
and out.
Using your imagination and the descriptions given to you in the play,
choose one of the character‟s homes below and draw what you think it
should look like. Draw pictures of both the outside of the home and the
inside. What objects might you find inside? What is it made out of?
What colors might you see? How is each home decorated?
The Professor’s home
Mr. Tumnus’ home
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver’s home
The castle of the White Witch
The castle at Cair Paravel
Design a Mask—
This adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has only two actors in the show, and
the playwright suggested creating masks to distinguish different characters in Narnia. Make a mask
for your favorite character or get several of your friends together to make masks for all of the characters so you can create your own adaptation of the story.
Listed below are several web sites for mask making ideas. They are all designed for students and
range from very easy to the more complex. Enjoy your mask making adventure!
http://sunnyday.org/art_lesson_plans/mask_making.htm
http://my-ecoach.com/resources/masks/maskmaking.html
http://www.easy-child-crafts.com/paper-mache-mask.html
http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/mask-crafts
http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Animals/animalmasks/animalmask.html
http://www.kinderart.com/sculpture/animalmasks.shtml
Further Reading & What’s on Stage, ETC...
12
Kevin, a 10-year-old boy with a big
imagination returns to the hospital to
treat his leukemia. He meets Melissa,
a 10-year-old girl who is meticulous
about following the doctor‟s advice.
Kevin tries to convince Melissa the
doctors are evil aliens from the lab of
Dr. StrangeGlove. In the end he allows the doctors to help him fight the
real enemy: The Cancer.
Further Reading and Resources—
Books By C. S. Lewis
The Space Trilogy
A Wrinkle in Time
A Wind in the Door
A Swiftly Tilting Planet
The Forgotten Door
Admit Groups
Group reservations
713-526-2721
10 or more
Books by Madeline E‟Lengle
This delightful musical adaptation of
Alexander's struggles with life‟s daily
dramas will not only entertain but
educate audiences as they identify
with Alexander and the obstacles he
encounters, encouraging them to
share their feelings and to realize that
bad days happen—even in Australia.
10 or more
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
A Horse and His Boy
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
The Magician‟s Nephew
Ask for Britteney
By Alexander Key
The Time Hackers
By Gary Paulsen
School’S out but the fun and
adventures continue through
the summer
The Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien
Teachers and Parents, here is a
great web site which allows you to
find books similar to the ones your
young readers enjoys.
http://www.scholastic.com/
bookwizard/
A musical venture that brings the
Bible story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho to life in a fun and
entertaining way. Come celebrate with us and be prepared to
make some noise!