Teacher's Guide for APPLESEEDS Becoming an Actor

Objectives:

• to develop an appreciation for acting as an art and as a vocation
• to increase historical perspective
• to increase knowledge of geography
• to improve comprehension skills
• to practice writing skills through a variety of activities, both practical and creative
• to participate in small group activities

For "Acting Through the Ages" (pages 2-5)

Make enough copies of a simple world map for pairs or small groups of students. Also provide each group with a large sheet of light-colored construction paper.

• Glue the map to the center of the construction paper.
• Place a dot on the map for each of the proper nouns mentioned in the article (Thesis, Greece, Romans, Christians (in Rome), England, and Spain/Italy/France).
• Draw lines from the dots out onto the construction paper. For each dot, write one fact from the article. When possible, add the approximate date.
• Ask students to put a dot on the United States and write one piece of information (perhaps from another article in this issue) about acting in America in 2005.

For "Talk the Talk" (pages 6-7)

Directions to students:

Lucky You! You're famous, and you've been asked to write a biography about yourself. You'll be writing about two of your famous acting roles. Of course the biography will use acting "lingo."

1. Write a short paragraph telling about an imaginary PLAY in which you were the star. In your paragraph, use six words or phrases that are printed in purple on pages 6 and/or 7.
2. Write a short paragraph telling about an imaginary MOVIE in which you were the star. Use the last two purple terms on page 6 and the last four purple terms on page 7.

For "The Lion King" (pages 8-10), "Only the First Act" (pages 14-16), & "Ethan's American Dream" (pages 20-23)

1. Provide students with large sheets of paper. Ask them to leave a space at the top for a title (to be determined after the exercise is completed).
2. Have students draw a line down the center of the paper; the two resulting columns should be labeled "Positive" and "Negative."
3. After reading through the three articles, students should appropriately list evidence that illustrates the positive and negative aspects of being a child actor.
4. Ask students to brainstorm an appropriate title for their charts.

NOTE: You might want to poll students both before and after this activity: How many would like to work as an actor (either now or as an adult)?

For "Billy Seago: Dramatically Different" (pages 24-26)

NOTE: You might want to begin with a discussion about the differing viewpoints deaf people hold on the subject of sign language vs. lip-reading and learning to speak.

Check for understanding (true or false):

1. All of Billy's siblings are deaf.
2. Billy learned to sign when he was 4 years old.
3. Billy succeeded in a class with hearing kids.
4. Billy likes acting better than teaching.
5. Hearing and non-hearing kids can participate in the Deaf Youth Summer Theatre.
6. Deaf people can put on many kinds of shows - but not musicals.

For "Dance Through the Night" (pages 30-31)

NOTE: If students completed the map activity, you might start by asking them to find and label India and add the approximate dates (the article says "for more than 500 years").

To prepare for the activity, you might want to cut and paste the following sentences onto a new document, perhaps triple spacing them.

Directions for students:

Number these sentences in the order in which events happen at the all-night Yakshagana plays:

The bhaagavatha comes out.

Performers put on make-up, masks, and costumes.

Families come to see the Yakshagana plays.

The dancers enter.

The performers say prayers to Lord Ganesha.

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Updated: 11/21/08 02:52 pm
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