owl teachers pack2 - Gardner & Wife Theatregardnerandwifetheatre.com/prod_pics/owl/OWL_activityPack.pdf · The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus

Adapted from the classic children’s tale by Jill Tomlinson

Plop’s Activit y Pack

The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company www.blunderbus.co.uk

The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company www.blunderbus.co.uk

ContentsThe Owl who was Afraid of the Dark:

Introduction 3The story of Plop 4About the author, Jill Tomlinson 5Our stage adaptation 6 - 7Music in the show 8

Activity sheets (photocopiable):Adjectives 9 - 10What are they thinking? 11Nocturnal animals 12Find the missing word 13Who said what? 14Beginning, middle and end 15Plop’s story, the best bit 16Word game 17What do we know about Plop? 18Plop and his friends 19Thought bubbles 20Dark is…? 21Colour in Plop the night bird 22Design your own fi rework picture 23Newspaper report 24Word search & answers 25 - 26Fascinating facts about owls 27

Starter ideas & lesson plans: Introduction 28 Foundation Stage 29 - 33 Key Stage 1 34 - 38 Drama & Expressive Arts 39 - 42

Music from the show: Introduction 43

Plop’s song 44 - 48 Watching the fi reworks 49 - 54 What’s next? 55 - 58

Resources:Other Owl songs & poems 59 - 60 Recipes 61 - 63

Useful resources 64 How to contact us 65



IntroductionHello,

Thank you for inviting us to your school. We are pleased to be able to present this new musical adaptation of Jill Tomlinson’s classic tale for children, The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark.

Adapted especially for 3 - 7 year olds (and grown ups who sleep with the big light on) this timeless story of Plop, the baby Barn Owl will whisk you away to a world of starry nights, nocturnal creatures and magical, moonlit adventures.

This ACTIVITY PACK has been written to provide you with all the information you need to prepare for Plop’s visit. It is jam-packed with fun-fi lled ideas, starter sessions, lesson plans and suggestions for further classroom activities.

We love to receive emails, letters, pictures, poems and stories, so please encourage your children to keep in touch. They can post their work to our offi ce, or email Plop himself at [email protected]

Plop promises to read every letter!

See you soon,

The Blunderbus Team


The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company www.blunderbus.co.uk

4.

The story of PlopPlop was a baby Barn Owl. He lived at the top of a tall tree, in a fi eld. He was fat and fl uffy. He had big round eyes. He had very knackety knees. Plop was exactly the same as every barn owl that has ever been – except for one thing. He was AFRAID of the DARK.

One day, Mr Barn Owl suggested that Plop fl y down into the world and fi nd out about the dark for himself. So, Plop climbed out of his nest-hole, peeped over the edge, wobbled a bit, and fell off his branch.

And so, began Plop’s adventure...

In this modern-day fairytale, Plop makes a host of new friends, who help him to discover for himself that dark fun, exciting, kind, and fascinating, - but certainly not scary at all!



The owl who was afraid of the darkAbout the author, Jill Tomlinson

Jill Tomlinson never intended to be a writer. She trained as an opera singer, and then decided to have a family whilst her voice matured. But illness intervened, and she had to fi nd another outlet for her energies. She started on a journalism course, and by the third lesson decided she wanted to write for children. So she did!

She wrote fi ve short stories about a hen wanting to visit an aunt and her chicks, and Methuen thought that if she wrote another fi ve stories on the same theme the book would fi t well into their new ‘Read Aloud’ series. The book we now know as The Hen Who Wouldn’t Give Up, came out, soon to be followed by The Cat Who Wanted to Go Home.

The next manuscript was produced in increasing physical diffi culties, and had just been accepted when the cause of the diffi culties was identifi ed - multiple sclerosis. The book was The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark. Thereafter every book was a battle. Writing became impossible. All her research - and each book about a young animal was meticulously researched - was done by the family in response to her persistent and often unanswerable questions. Not that you could guess all this from the fi nished product, where her sympathy and sense of humour overrides everything. Jill used to claim that she was unique in being an author who could neither read nor write.

So long as she could speak clearly, Jill loved to read her stories to the children of friends and often, in her wheelchair, to classes in local schools. Her ‘eek’ when reading the Owl was something to be remembered! She said that stories about young animals could go straight to the emotional needs of young children, bypassing all barriers of class or colour.

Jill died, suddenly and unexpectedly, in hospital where she had gone for respite care whilst her husband was away from home. She was 45. But anyone who has read her books knows what she was like - bubbly and caring and irrepressible.

5.



Our stage adaptionA few words from Bill Davies, our Artistic Director

My own fear of the darkThe Owl who was Afraid of the Dark has been one of my favourite stories for as long as I can remember. I originally lived in Newcastle, where my father was a coal miner, but he was offered a much better job in the coalfi elds of Nottinghamshire. So, in 1977, our family packed our belongings and moved 150 miles to a new life in the countryside. I was only 7 years old: this was the most scary, confusing time in my very short life.

The new house was lovely, with central heating, front and back gardens, fl ower beds, and a cherry tree - we even had a garage (but no car). After a while, I was allowed to move into my own room. This was just as lovely, but also very scary. You see, after dark, when everybody was tucked-up in their beds, fast asleep, I’d be alone in my shadowy little room, wide awake and restless.

Even my dressing gown hanging at the foot of the bed looked like a monster about to creep up on me. I’ve always been able to identify with Plop, and the hopeful outcome to his story, because just like Plop, I was very much afraid of the dark.

Information about our stage adaptationWe wanted to tell the story in Jill Tomlinson’s own words, which are beautiful. But this was a challenge, as there are lots of characters to meet, there’s the passage of time from day to night and back again, there’s a giant fi rework display, glittering skies and moonlit nights, - and if that isn’t enough, there’s also a fl ying Barn Owl owl! So, this is what we did:

Story within a story (the siblings ‘hanging frame’)Because there are so many characters to meet in the story, we needed to intro-duce a theatrical device to give our performers freedom to drop in and out of character with relative ease. So, we invented a ‘story within a story’.

Our play is about siblings who are camping for the fi rst time without any adults. But Sam, (the youngest sibling) is terrifi ed of the dark, and would much prefer to stay awake all night long. After much head-scratching, the decision is made to tell Sam the story of Plop, the baby Barn Owl. But, in telling the story, the siblings are going to play all of the parts!

6.



Plop and Mr Barn OwlWe made the decision to focus more on Plop’s relationship with his dad; we’d spend time in the nest, getting to know them both, as Mr Barn Owl tries to teach Plop to fl y, to hunt, to sleep all the way through the daylight hours. It’s a lovely, enchanting, funny relationship, which Jill develops with such a magical touch.

Other charactersThis is a 55 minute show, so it would not be possible to meet all of the characters from the storybook. We decided that the best thing to do was introduce those characters we felt were very different to one another. So, in our stage play, the audience will meet Plop the baby Barn Owl, Mr Barn Owl, The fi rework boy, the old lady, the boyscout, and Orion the cat.

Night and Day (introducing Mr Sun & Mr Moon)Plop’s story is told over three days and nights; in theatre performances, this is easy to suggest with theatre lighting. But, for schools, we needed to signal the time of day, so we invented Mr Moon and Mr Sun. They work as external narrators, who not only announce the time of day or night, but also make comment about the action onstage.

Plop’s journeyIn the story, Plop is pretty good at taking off, but he’s “not a very good lander.” We’ve taken care in ensuring that Plop’s journey, both physical and emotional, is played out onstage. When watching the show, ask your class to spot the differ-ences with each of Plop’s landings?

Flying Plop and PuppetryAlong with the actor playing the role of Plop, we also use different puppets to bring Plop to life.

• Actor plays Plop in his nest-hole, at the top of the tree.• Flying puppets are used for all the journey scenes.• Tabletop puppet is used for the interactions in the human world.

Finally…We’re very proud of this production; it’s funny, charming, sad and hopeful in equal measures. It remains true to Jill’original story, and of course, it has a very happy ending. Plop becomes a real night-bird! After all, dark is…? Well, it’s many, many beautiful things.

We hope you enjoy the show.

Bill DaviesArtistic Director

7.

cus more on Plop’s relationship with his dad; we’d spend time in the nest, getting to know them both, as Mr Barn Owl tries to teach



Music in the showA few words from Frank Goodhind, our Musical Director & Composer

The story of Plop is not a new story, in fact it’s one that is familiar to most children, Mums, Dads, Uncle’s, Aunties, Grandma’s and Grandads, teachers and anyone, in fact, who has ever tried to encourage a small child to go to sleep when they are supposed to!

My fi rst inspiration always comes from my own children, (who are now 6 and 13), both of whom have gone through everything Plop is going through (except the bits where he eats Rats and Moles and hairy Voles, although I do remember a couple of Wiggly Worm incidents).

So when I fi rst met Plop and read his story, I tried to remember what things I had experienced as a Dad, and also from when I was Plop’s age. I do remember not being too keen on the night time, and always feeling much happier if I could see the stars.

So that’s how I get the emotion into the songs, not by forcing my own emotions onto the character or the story, but by fi nding something within the story that I can empathise with. From there, the music often writes itself, in a manner of speaking.

With the lyrics, it’s important not to repeat what’s already been said through dialogue. Every movement, line or dance within the show has to have a journey; a reason for being there, so songs with lyrics must continue to tell the story where dialogue alone maybe wouldn’t fi t. There are always clues in the story as to what to write a song about, and they often dictate a rhythm or style.

I really enjoyed writing the songs for The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark.

I hope you enjoy them too!

Frank GoodhindMusical Director & Composer

8.



AdjectivesAdjectives are DESCRIBING WORDS

Choose from the list below, - can you match the words that describe Plop and Rose, the old lady?

helpful happy scared fl uffy old young inquisitive

kind funny noisy gentle thoughtful

Write them in the correct box below:

Plop:

Rose, the old lady:

“When you’re old like me, you can sit in the dark and remember. DARK is KIND.”

9.



Use your own describing wordsAdjectives are DESCRIBING WORDS

In the boxes below, draw a picture of the fi rework boy, Mr Barn Owl and the boy scout. Then, think of some adjectives that describe each of them? Write your describing words next to each picture.

THE FIREWORK BOY

MR BARN OWL

THE BOY SCOUT

PICTURES ADJECTIVES

10.



What are they thinking?It’s getting dark, and Mr Barn Owl would like to go hunting. But, Plop decides to stay in his nest-hole.

Poor Mr Barn Owl, - what is he thinking?

And what about Plop, - why won’t he go hunting in the dark?

“Plop, if you want food, you’ll have to come hunting with me?”

11.



Nocturnal AnimalsWhat does the word nocturnal mean?

In the box below, draw and label as many nocturnal animals as you can think of?

“DARK is FASCINATING. The most fascinating creatures come out at night, - like me.”

12.



13.

Find the missing wordChoose the right word to complete each sentence.

1. Plop swallowed his ........................... in one huge gulp.

dinner nest feathers

2. The night was ......................... and cloudy.

sunny bright dark

3. Plop wasn’t a very good .........................

dancer lander

4. Carrots help someone to ........................ in the dark.

hear smell see

5. Plop thought that it was only ......................... who slept in the daytime.

owls hens robins

Choose the right word to complete each sentence.


feathers

2. The night was ......................... and cloudy.

dark

3. Plop wasn’t a very good .........................

singer singer singer

4. Carrots help someone to ........................ in the dark.

see

5. Plop thought that it was only ......................... who slept in the 5. Plop thought that it was only ......................... who slept in the

Choose the right word to complete each sentence.




In our play, Plop met just a few of the characters from the original story, who helped him to learn about the dark. Draw the character or write their name in the right box. Who said:

Then, do the same for the characters from the storybook we didn’t include?

Who said what?

“Dark is exciting”

“Dark is fun”

“Dark is kind”

Here’s a little clue:Old lady Telescope Man Firework Boy Little Girl Orion the Cat Boy Scout

“Dark is necessary”

“Dark is beautiful”

“Dark is fascinating”

14.


The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company www.blunderbus.co.uk

Beginning, middle and endDraw a picture of what happens at the beginning, the middle and end of the story.

Beginning

Middle

End

The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus Theatre Company

15.



Plop’s story - The best bit Try to remember the story of Plop. In our play, he made lots of new friends on his adventures. But, which part of the story was the best, the most enjoyable, - and why?

In the box below, draw a picture of the best bit of the story and underneath, write what the picture shows.

16.



Word GameHow many new words can you make from the letters in the word MOONLIGHT. Write them in the circle below.

“Moonlight is MAGIC. It turns everything it touches to silver.”

17.



What do we know about Plop?Answer these questions to help us fi nd out more about Plop.

What type of creature is Plop?

Where does Plop live, and who does he live with?

Why is Plop afraid?

What does he discover about the dark?

Who does Plop meet on his adventures?

18.



Plop and his friendsOn his journey, Plop meets lots of new people. From the story, can you write down who are Plop’s new friends?

Now that he’s a real night bird, draw a picture of Plop having fun in the dark with his new friends.

19.



Thought bubblesAs Plop learned to fl y, he had lots of thoughts. What do you think he was thinking? When you are learning to do something what thoughts do you have?

20.



Dark is ... ?Dark can be so many wonderful things. Think of a different adjective to describe the dark. In the box below, draw a picture.

Then, write about a new adventure Plop could go on.

21.



Plop, the real night birdBy the end of his story, Plop is a real night bird. In the picture, he is about to go hunting with his dad for very fi rst time. Colour in Plop, and don’t forget to add a glittery, starry background.

Can you remember what kind of food Barn Owl’s love to eat?

“It’s a long way down, and I’m not a very good lander. I might spill myself”

22.



Design your own fi rework picturePlop loved the fi reworks best of all! Can you draw a picture to show how beautiful and colourful fi reworks are?

“Without the dark, you can’t have the most EXCITING thing of all, - fi reworks. They fi ll the sky with coloured stars”

23.



Newspaper ReportImagine you are a reporter for the local paper. Your latest job is to write a report on an event from the story.

• You can choose whatever part you like. • Think of a headline and then write your article. • Don’t forget to add a picture.

Title

Picture

24.



d o t t b p l o p s

o f u n o y v w t l

v i d r a g o l c f

i r s o t n i g h t

l e h v t f i r e i

l w c a s t l s n e

w o n d e r f u l n

g r f e a n m p l d

e k m o t r e e p r

o s n k l x k r o m

Word SearchCan you fi nd these words?

d o t t b p l o p s

o f u n o y v w t l

v i d r a g o l c f

i r s o t n i g h t

l e h v t f i r e i

l w c a s t l s n e

w o n d e r f u l n

g r f e a n m p l d

e k m o t r e e p r

o s n k l x k r o m

Plop Firework Wonderful Dark Owl Super Fun

25.



d o t t b p l o p s

o f u n o y v w t l

v i d r a g o l c f

i r s o t n i g h t

l e h v t f i r e i

l w c a s t l s n e

w o n d e r f u l n

g r f e a n m p l d

e k m o t r e e p r

o s n k l x k r o m

Word SearchANSWERS

Plop Firework Wonderful Dark Owl Super Fun

d o t t b p l o p s

o f u n o y v w t l

v i d r a g o l c f

i r s o t n i g h t

l e h v t f i r e i

l w c a s t l s n e

w o n d e r f u l n

g r f e a n m p l d

e k m o t r e e p r

o s n k l x k r o m

26.



Fascinating facts about barn owlsDid you know?

Owls are birds of prey or ‘raptors’.

Barn owls live in buildings or holes in trees.

Barn Owls hunt at night, and although they have very good eyesight, they rely mostly on their sense of hearing.

Researchers found that in total blackness the Barn Owls are still able to fi nd the smallest of prey because of their excellent hearing.

On average a wild Barn Owl eats about 4 small mammals per night, that’s

Owls do not make nests.

A group of owls is called a parliament.

Their claws are called talons.

Owls have such large eyes that there is little room to move them in their sockets so instead they turn their whole head to look sideways.

Their wings have a soft edge to help them fl y quietly.

Female barn owls lay about 5 eggs in late spring. When the eggs hatch both parents feed the young.

Barn owls do not hoot – they screech.

Owl ears are located one higher than the other, increasing sound reception.

Fascinating facts about barn owls

Barn Owls hunt at night, and although they have very good eyesight, they rely mostly on their sense of hearing.

Researchers found that in total blackness the Barn Owls are still able to fi nd the smallest of prey because of their excellent hearing.

On average a wild Barn Owl eats about 4 small mammals per night, that’s 1,460 per year.

Owls do not make nests.

A group of owls is called a parliament.

Their claws are called talons.

Owls have such large eyes that there is little room to move them in their sockets so instead they turn their whole head to look sideways.

Their wings have a soft edge to help them fl y quietly.

Female barn owls lay about 5 eggs in late spring. When the eggs hatch both

Barn owls do not hoot – they screech.

Owl ears are located one higher than the other, increasing sound reception.

I love to eat voles, mice, rats and shrews!

“Owls are mainly nocturnal. Can you remember what that word means?”

“Did you know, baby owls are called Owlets?”

27.



Ideas for further developmentThings to do in the classroom

We have written a few ideas for curriculum-related activities in the classroom with your children. You’re the expert, and you know your own children very well. We’ve tried to provide a variety of activities, with a host of different outcomes, - so that you can choose those that would best suit your own class group.

We’ve split into the following:

Foundation Stage (Nursery & Reception)• Creative Development• Communication, Language and Literacy • Knowledge and Understanding of the world• Personal, social and emotional development

Key Stage One• Science• Maths ideas• Humanities• Creative• English• PSHE

Both• Drama & Expressive Arts

It genuinely matters to us that you have enjoyed the entire Blunderbus experience. Plop loves to receive emails, letters, pictures, poems and stories, so please encourage your children to keep in touch.

They can write to Plop at:

Plop, the Barn OwlBlunderbus Theatre Company, The Old Painter’s Store,Cliff Nook Lane,Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1LYUnited Kingdom

Or they can email him at: [email protected]

28.



Foundation stage (nursery & reception)

Creative Development

Paint or make collage pictures of a Barn Owl.

Use felt to make an owl puppet.

Make a collage of a night scene.

Draw a night scene with pastels or black crayons.

Create fi rework pictures with paint blobs and fl ick out into spirals with a paintbrush, decorate with glitter.

Paint a favourite part from the story or scene from the performance.

Paint a picture of Plop or one of the other characters.

Create night time sky pictures.

Use watery black or dark paint for the base, while it is still wet drop on white, yellow and silver powder paint to make fi reworks.

29.




Communication, Language and Literature

Children choose their favourite scene or character from the story and draw a picture.

Character descriptions - children think of words to describe a favourite character.

Children use a digi-recorder or digi blue to record their own version of the story.

Make a class storyboard to illustrate the beginning, middle and end of the story on owl, tree, star or crescent moon shaped sugar paper.

Children make zig zag books to re-tell the story in pictures and labelling.

30.




Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Compare night and day pictures.

Discuss sources of light (candle, torch, fi re, light bulb, the sun, refl ections).

Explore the playground, and draw the shadows you see.

Make musical instruments to create sound effects and music for the story.

Use a tape recorder to record sound effects.

Make a 3D tree and nest-hole for Plop and Mr Barn Owl.

Make owl cakes or biscuits using the recipes provided in this pack. Decorate the owl biscuits with chocolate buttons for eyes.

Use a painting package on the computer to create pictures from the story.

Use playdough to make characters and scenes from the story.

Visit a local wood or use outside areas and create a wood using corrugated cardboard.

Make a scene from the story using a shoebox.

Take photographs of activities to make a class book.

31.




Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Talk about the different feelings that Plop has in the story. For example:

• How does he feel at the beginning about the dark• When Mr Barn Owl makes him leave the nest• At the end of the story, when he is a real night bird.• When he’s too scared to go hunting with Mr Barn Owl• When he meets the fi rework boy (dark is exciting)• When he sees the fi reworks for the fi rst time• After the fi reworks have gone, and it’s dark again• When he meets the old lady, and learns to remember (dark is kind)• When he meets the boy scout, learns about campfi res (dark is fun)• Rose, the kindly old lady

When have the children felt frightened? How did they deal with their fear?

What advice would they offer to Plop about being afraid of the dark?

Explore situations when children feel scared or confi dent in their everyday school life.

Make a class list of ways to help other classmates to deal with their fears.

Create a ‘sharing corner’ in the classroom.

32.



Foundation stage - Lesson PlanSubject: Communication, language and literacyLength: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Objectives: Listen with enjoyment and respond to the story of The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark.Use writing for a variety of purposes

Introduction:

Talk about the performance and ask the children what their favourite parts were and encourage them to say why.

Read the story to the children.

Possible Activities:

1 group can draw up a story board of their favourite section using a mixture of words and pictures.

1 group can write a TV report to present to the rest of the class.

1 group can draw, paint or make collage pictures of their favourite part of the performance.

Plenary:

Order sequence pictures and talk about what happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story.

33.



Key Stage 1Science

Find out about nocturnal animals using the internet or the library.

Create a book of ‘fascinating creatures’, with day creatures at the front and night creatures at the back. Draw a picture of each creature, add lots of interesting facts about each, and then as a class, give each creature a ‘fascinating creature’ rating out of 10.

Make a fact fi le about owls.

Explore light and dark, drawing shadows in the playground.

Investigate light sources - day and night time.

Look at Electricity and make circuits.

Maths ideas

Sequence the events in the story using ordinal numbers. What happened fi rst, second, after that, last of all?

Humanities

Find out about forms of lighting in the past – candles, lanterns, oil lamps etc.

34.



Key Stage 1Creative

Make owl puppets from felt, paper or using kitchen towel rolls.

Paint a picture of a favourite part of the story.

Make a large owl using hand shapes for feathers.

Sing songs from the performance.

Respond to the music from the performance, how does it make the children feel? What does it remind them of?

Make model owls using modelling clay.

Create sound effects to accompany the story using musical instruments.

Make a collage picture of any part of the story

Draw fi rework pictures.

Make shadow pictures or black and white contrast pictures.

35.



Key Stage 1English

Write a character profi le.

Write a newspaper report about an event from the story using the template provided in this pack.

Research different owls and make an information sheet or booklet.

Create a story cauldron.

Write a story about going on a magic fl ying journey – can you think of a quest?

Make up a new setting for the story.

Write your own version of the story using the story board.

Draw a picture of a favourite part of the story or scene from the performance and write why.

Write about how Plop felt at different times in the story in the story.

Make owl biscuits or cakes and write instructions for somebody else to follow (Recipes are provided in this pack).

How many other stories are about owls? Look for books in the school library.

Write a letter to Plop to tell him how to become braver.

Write a new adventure for Plop.

36.



Key Stage 1PSHE (SEAL) It’s Good to be Me

Discuss the feelings of the characters at various times in the story?

How did the children feel?

Why are friends important?

Who would you go to if they were feeling sad or lonely?

Talk about a best friend and give reasons.

Create a class ‘friendship’ wall – let the children write positive comments about each other.

37.



Key Stage 1 - Lesson PlanSubject: EnglishLength: 1 hr

Objectives: To sequence pictures from a storyTo use writing for a variety of purposes To write a report using descriptive words

Introduction

Talk about the performance of The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark what did the children like about it?

What happened at the beginning, middle andend? Read the story to the children.

Activities

1 group of children can sequence pictures from the story.

1 group of children can write a newspaper report on an event from the story.

1 group of children can write or draw pictures of the performance.

Plenary

Use discussion cards to talk about the story.

38.



Drama and expressive arts ideasFor all of your children

Below are a few drama ideas to use with your children. If they are to understand how Plop feels, and how real his fear of the dark is, it is important for them to experience the world through his eyes.

The enchanted woodlandIn the corner of the classroom, make a woodland setting using a large roll of corrugated card, and tissue paper for leaves. Turn it into a magical night-time world, with hanging moon and stars, and create lots of fascinating nocturnal creatures.

• In groups, the children could devise short plays about each nocturnal creature.

• Encourage the children to dress up as characters in the story.• When darkness falls, we could visit each creature to fi nd out more about

their lives, family, friends, how they enjoy the dark and their enchanted woodland setting.

Hotseat the charactersThe obvious character to hotseat would be Plop; it’s not often we have the opportunity to speak to a talking Barn Owl. Whether the teacher plays the role, or children take it in turns, the simple rules are:

• Teacher introduces the character, providing a context.• Children ask open, rather than closed questions.• Listen carefully to the answers given.• Follow-on questions should build on what has already been asked.• Children sum-up what they now know about the character.

What to ask?The children could focus on Plop’s fear of the dark:

• What he was afraid of?• How it made him feel?• Who helped him to overcome his fear, and how?• How he feels about the dark now?

Other charactersWe could hotseat any of the other characters, or groups of characters from the storybook. This could include:

• The fi rework boy, the old lady, the boy scout and orion the cat• The badger, or other night creatures• Mr Moonlight or Mr Sun

ac

tivity 1

ac

tivity 2

39.



In their hotseating session, the children could try to fi nd out how each character had helped Plop to overcome his fear of the dark. It would also be lovely to discover more about their individual characters, too. Who they are, where they live, what their likes and dislikes are, what they afraid of, and how they deal with their fears? (Perhaps the class could work together to offer solutions and advice.) It would be helpful to fi nd out from these charac-ters why they feel dark is so super, fun, fascinating, kind, beautiful etc?

Mr Moonlight’s Night OffIt would be best to use the school hall for this activity. Explain to the children that it’s night-time, and very dark. The children are going to play nocturnal creatures, so perhaps ask them to choose from their ‘fascinating creatures’ book. It may be better to limit the choice to around 6 creatures, and ask the children to work in ‘family’ groups.

The night-time world comes to lifeThe nocturnal creatures are fast asleep, but as soon as they hear the music playing (‘Watching the Fireworks’ track), they slowly begin to wake, leave their homes and explore the magic of the moonlit world outside. Without words, encourage the children to bring their world to life.

Mr Moonlight would like the night offThe teacher plays the role of Mr Moonlight, who glows silvery blue in the sky. He explains to the children that he is very tired of sparkling away, all night long, and he would prefer to take the night off.

Help Mr Moonlight to seeThe nocturnal creatures gather in their family groups to discuss just why it is so important for Mr Moonlight to shine all through the night. How he helps the darkness to seem more enchanting? By spotlighting each family group, Mr Moonlight learns for himself just how important he is to the night-time.

Owlet’s Flying SchoolPlop may only be 8 weeks old, but he isn’t a very good lander at all. So, you have decided to set-up your very own ‘fl ying school’, especially for little owlets. Your children (Owlets) are invited to join, but they must be fully committed to the course!

You are Wing Commander, and your training may include the following:

• How to take off (take-off point, fl apping wings, don’t look down)• In fl ight (turning, diving, climbing, soaring, loop-de-loop)• How to prevent a collision• Spotting prey & hunting• Landing (lining up, coming into land, perfect landing)• Crash Landing

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In their hotseating session, the children could try to fi nd out how each character had helped Plop to overcome his fear of the dark. It would also be lovely to discover more about their individual characters, too. Who they are, where they live, what their likes and dislikes are, what they afraid of, and how they deal with



Upon graduation, the children will receive a certifi cate, and have the chance to join you on a hunting mission, - their fl edgling fl ight. In fact, for the next few weeks, you could develop to music, synchronised fl ying sequences, - and show off your little Owlets in assembly! Or perhaps the Owlets could create their own fl ight ‘dances’ to music?

Mr Barn Owl, - sleepless nightsPoor old Mr Barn Owl hasn’t slept properly for days; it’s time to have a chat with him to fi nd out how he’s feeling about this whole situation? Read the letter below to your children, and ask if they can help him:

Then, the class should discuss ways of helping Plop to overcome his fear of the dark. They could consider:

• Where they would take Plop on their new adventure.• What advice would they give him.• A new adjective to describe their adventure.• Who would be in charge of hunting, feeding, and clearing up poo

afterwards.

This could be developed through a practical drama session, with one of the children playing Plop, and the others taking him on the new adventure. You could rehearse short scenes to present in school assembly.

“Dear ______

Please help!

I’m very tired, because Plop will not sleep through the day like a real night-

bird. He prefers to stay awake, eeking, pooing and eating so much food! I

don’t know where he puts it, - His legs must be hollow!

I wonder if you would look after Plop today for just an hour or two, so I

can have a little sleep? He will need to be fed about 30 times, and he may be

brave enough to come on a little adventure with you. But, just as soon as it

gets dark, he will want to come home.

Perhaps you could have a talk to Plop, and help him to understand why the

dark is so wonderful? Dark can be many beautiful things…

Good luck, and thank you.

Mr Barn Owl”“

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Upon graduation, the children will receive a certifi cate, and have the chance to join you on a hunting mission, - their fl edgling fl ight. In fact, for the next few weeks, you could develop to music, synchronised fl ying sequences, - and show off your little Owlets in assembly! Or perhaps the Owlets could create their own fl ight



Dark is exciting, - the human fi rework displayThe children work in small groups. Ask them to decide whether they are going to be a rocket, a catherine wheel or a sparkler. Then, give them some time to discuss the best way to bring their fi reworks to life.

Now, introduce some music, and one group at a time, the children bring their fi rework display to life. But, it must have a dramatic ending, with all fi reworks lighting up the sky. Try again with different music from the show, and see how the fi reworks respond to the different tempo.

Dark is kind, - Create a ‘Remembering Garden’In a quiet corner of the classroom, the children help to create their very own remembering garden, fi lled with blossoming fl owers and trees. There is an old seat, or bench in the garden for the children to sit on. Gentle music could be playing in the background, and perhaps you could use the garden in the following way:

• In small groups, the children spend ‘quiet’ time.• Close their eyes and think about people who are important to them.• Make a tissue paper fl ower, butterfl y, or bird to represent each of the

important people in their life.• Find a special place in the garden for their fl ower, butterfl y, or bird to live.• When the garden is in full bloom, the class can celebrate by remembering

all of the people who have made a difference to their lives.

The ‘no worries’ letterboxThere is a magic letterbox in the corner of the room. If somebody in the class has a worry, or something they are afraid of, - they write their fears down on a small postcard, and post it through the letterbox. This even includes you, the teacher! Once a week, the letterbox is emptied, and the ‘worries’ are delivered to the magic sorting offi ce. The staff in the sorting offi ce read the postcards, and then reply with very helpful answers.

Perhaps you could run this activity in the following way:• Each week, the teacher empties the letterbox.• Different children are chosen to work in the sorting offi ce.• Those children work together to solve your worries• They either offer their advice to the whole class, or write a personal reply to

each sender.

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The children work in small groups. Ask them to decide whether they are going to be a rocket, a catherine wheel or a sparkler. Then, give them some time to discuss



Music from the showSongsheets and lyrics

We have provided copies of the music and lyrics for three songs from the show. When we arrive at your school, we’ll also leave a copy of the music CD for you to enjoy. However, you can download the music NOW if you’d like to, from our website. Go to the OWL page, click on MARKETING and then click onto MUSIC. Then, follow the link and download whichever you’d like to listen to. On the following pages, you will fi nd the music and lyrics for the following songs:

PLOP’S SONG

What’s the song about?Mr Barn Owl has asked Plop to go down into the world, to fi nd out about the dark for himself. But, Plop would much prefer to stay in his nest-hole. By the end of the song, MR Barn Owl has persuaded a reluctant Plop to fl y the nest, (until it gets dark, at least.)

WATCHING THE FIREWORKS

What’s the song about?Plop has been brave enough to stay awake to watch the fi reworks display that Henry, the fi rework boy told him about. He sticks his beak out of the nest-hole, with Mr Barn Owl sitting beside him. Plop is amazed by the beauty of the fi reworks, but as the fi rework display fi nishes, then so does the song end. Plop is left in the dark again, which looks even darker now.

WHAT’S NEXT?

What’s the song about?This is a funny little song; Plop sings about being hungry and he sends Mr Barn Owl out to hunt for mice and voles. By the end of the song, Plop is still demanding his father’s attention, but poor Mr Barn Owl is exhausted! (Something similar to the “Feed Me” song from Little Shop of Horrors.)

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Song 1 - Plop’s songMusic & Lyrics by Frank Goodhind

SONGSHEET

PLOP SINGS:Daddy says it’s time for me to see a bigger world,But I’d much prefer to stay inside.It’s all that nasty darkness I don’t care so much about,As much as he might tell me,I’m not keen on going out.

Daddy says it’s time for me to let my wings unfold,But I’m really not that kind of bird.There might be something scary in the darkness, there might be something coming on the wind,There might be some thing creeping up to eat me, If it’s all the same to you I’m staying in.

MR BARN OWL SINGS:Plop dear, Plop dear, listen to yourself, You really shouldn’t say things you don’t mean.Before you make your mind up you should go and ask someone,There may be something lovely to be seen,There may be something lovely to be seen.

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Before you make your mind up you should go and ask someone,

There may be something lovely to be seen.


Song 1 - Plop’s song Music & Lyrics

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Song 2 - Watching the fi reworksMusic & Lyrics by Frank Goodhind

SONGSHEET

PLOP SINGS:High in the trees with my Daddy beside meLooking out into the night,Waiting for fi reworks rocketing up,They say it’s a beautiful sight.

Oh! There’s a fi zz,Ee and a whoosh,Eeek there’s a bang and a pop!There goes another one fl ying so high,Silvery sparkles all over the sky,I can’t wait to see where the next one will go,Filling the sky with a fi ery glow!

(Music)

It’s quieter now, I think that’s the last,The wonderful fi reworks happened so fast.Safe in the branches with Daddy beside,What was the reason I wanted to hide?

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The wonderful fi reworks happened so fast.Safe in the branches with Daddy beside,What was the reason I wanted to hide?


Song 2 - Watching the fi reworks Music & Lyrics

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Music & Lyrics (page 1)




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Song 3 - What’s next?Music & Lyrics by Frank Goodhind

SONGSHEET

PLOP SINGS:Baby owls need lots and lotsOf food to make them strong,So Daddy goes out huntingAnd he feeds me all night long.He fl ies around in circlesTill he catches something nice,Rats and moles and hairy volesAnd sometimes little mice!

So every day I wait here for my dinnerAnd dream of all the lovely things to slurp,It’s lonely at the bottom of my tummy,When the only thing inside it is a burp.Here come’s Daddy with my tea,Whats he going to give to me?

Fish, I like it, give me more WHAT’S NEXT?Mice, I like their little tails the best, give meWorms! Oo they wriggleThey’re so nice and long and thin,If I keep my beak wide openYou just pop the dinner in.Give me MORE!!

(MR OWL) Plop stop it,You’re being very rude

There’s always time for seconds,

(MR OWL) But there’s no more food!

Feed me now, I’m hungry noeIt’s dinner time I said,

(MR OWL)We’ll tell you what the time is,It’s time for BED.

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(MR OWL)We’ll tell you what the time is,


Song 2 - What’s next? Music & Lyrics

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Other owl songsOwl in the tree (Sing to Skip to my Lou)

Owl in the tree says who, who, whoOwl in the tree says who, who, who,Owl in the tree says who, who, who, Who, who, who are you?

Owl Song (Sing to I’m a little teapot)

I’m a great big owl, as you can seeI live high up in a treeAll the other birds wake me up when they playBecause I like to sleep in the day!

There Was An Owl

There was an owlWho lived in an oak.The more he heard,The less he spoke;The less he spoke,The more he heard-We all should belike that wise old bird.

Mr. Owl

Late at night when you’re in bed,Mr. Owl perks up his head.He looks left and he looks right,In the dark all through the night.Hear him hoot when you’re in bed,When Mr. Owl perks up his head.When Mr. Owl perks up his head.

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Five Little Owls

5 little owls,On a branch by the shore,1 fell off,Then there were 4.

4 little owls,High in a tree,The wind blew hard,Then there were 3.

3 little owls,None of them knew,A raven took one,Then there were 2.

2 little owls,Sitting in the sun,A raccoon came along,Then there was 1.

1 little owl,In the setting sun,Flew off to the forest,Then there were none.

Wide Eye Owl

First teach the children the song/ fi nger play.

There’s a wide eye owl (make fi ngers in large circles and cup over eyes)With a pointed nose (use fi ngers to make a triangle & point out for nose)2 pointed ears (use fi ngers for ears)And claws for toes (wiggle fi ngers like toes) He lives way up in the tree (point up to tree top) And when he tries to speak (point to mouth) He fl aps his wings (use arms for wings, and fl ap)And says eek, eek, eek! (arms reach to sky 3 times)

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Recipe 1 - Owl BiscuitsBasic biscuit recipe

Ingredients: 175g plain fl our100g butter or margarine50g caster sugar

Method

1 Pre-heat oven to 150°c.

2 Cream the butter and caster sugar together until they are light and fl uffy.

3 Stir in the fl our and once mixed knead the dough together until it forms a ball, add a little more fl our if the dough is still sticky.

4 Cut out the dough using a round cutter.

5 Place biscuits on a fl oured baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let the biscuits cool on a wire tray before decorating with raisins for eyes and feathers.

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Recipe 2 - Owl CakesBasic cake recipe (makes about 12-14 cakes)

Ingredients: 175g self raising fl our100g soft margarine100g caster sugar2 large eggs Paper cake cases

Method

1 Pre-heat oven to 190°c.

2 Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until light and creamy.

3 Put the paper cases into a cake tin and divide the mixture equally between them.

4 Bake in the centre of the oven for 15—20 minutes, the cakes, when cooked should be golden in colour and just fi rm to the touch.

5 Remove the cakes from the tin and allow to cool on a wire tray before decorating with Marzipan shapes for the head and nose and add chocolate buttons for the eyes.

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Owl Pizza Dough RecipeIngredients: 1 cup warm water

1 Tb yeast1 tsp sugar2 1/2 cup all purpose fl our2 Tb olive oil1 tsp saltMozzarella cheese

Toppings to make an owl: olives (eyes) pepperoni, tomatoes, mushrooms (wings and feathers).

Method

1 Mix yeast and warm and let set for 5 minutes.

2 Then add sugar.

3 Mix fl our, oil and salt.

4 add yeast, water, sugar.

5 Knead until smooth. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

6 Spread out onto baking sheet. Cover entire pizza with pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Then add pizza toppings to create the owl.

7 Bake at to 220°c for 15 minutes.

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Useful ResourcesStory books about the night

Peace at Last – Jill MurphyThe Very Noisy Night – Diana Henry and Jane ChapmanKnight Time – Jane Clarke and Jane MasseyThe Little White Owl – Tracey Corderoy and Jane ChapmanOwl Babies – Martin WaddellCan’t You Sleep Little Bear – Martin Waddell and Barbara Firth Fly by Night – Frances Hardinge

Websites

www.tes.co.uk - The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark – power point

www.primaryresources.co.uk

The Barn Owl Trust - www.barnowltrust.org.uk

Educationcity - www.educationcity.com

Espresso Education - www.espresso.co.uk

Sparklebox Free Teaching Resources - www.sparklebox.co.uk

The Learning Centre, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry www.mosi.org.uk

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How to contact BlunderbusWe’d love to hear your feedback.

Please either give us a call on +44 (0) 1636 678 900, or email us at [email protected]

You can write to us at: Blunderbus Theatre Company, The Old Painter’s Store, Cliff Nook Lane, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1LY

Plop has his very own email address:[email protected]

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Documents

owl teachers pack2 - Gardner & Wife Theatregardnerandwifetheatre.com/prod_pics/owl/OWL_activityPack.pdf · The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark Teachers Resource Pack Copyright Blunderbus