Class Activities

Pre-Show Discussion

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9

Lesson: The purpose of these discussion questions are to acquaint students with theatre, the world of Peanuts©, and themes of the show.

  1.  What is a play?
  2.  Have you seen any live plays?
  3.  What is the difference between a musical and a play?2041824847_76295adc7e
  4.  In what ways is a play different from a movie?
  5.  What comic strips/books have you read?
  6.  What makes a comic different from a chapter book?
  7.  Can you name these characters?*
  8.  Where have you seen them?
  9.  What do you know about Charlie Brown?
  10.  Do you know anything about any of the other characters?
  11.  What does the word good mean?
  12.  Name some synonyms for the word good.
  13.  What makes a person good?
  14.  Are people either good or bad?
  15.  How does it feel to do something good?
  16.  Why do you do good things?

* Back row: Franklin, Sally, Pigpen. Middle row: Lucy, Schroeder, Marcie, Peppermint Patty. Front row: Charlie Brown, Woodstock, Snoopy, Linus

 

 

Pre-Show Activity

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.4

Part 1

Activity: Students create a comic strip

Duration: 30-45 minutes

Supplies: Blank comic panels

Crayons, markers, colored pencils

Lesson: The purpose of this activity is for students to understand the format of the show You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. The show is a series of vignettes, based off of the popular comic strip Peanuts©. In this activity, groups of 2-4 students will create their own four-panel comic strip.

  1.  Students read the Peanuts© comic strips provided on this page http://americanprofile.com/slideshows/the-10-best-peanuts-comic-strips-of-all-time/
  2. Follow with a short discussion about the comics to help students understand the format.
    1. What happens in each strip?
    2. Are the comics funny? What makes them funny?
    3. What makes each character unique?
  3. Split the class into groups of 2-4 (this activity will work better if students are in groups with friends).
  4. Each group will get one copy of the blank comic panels, provided here: http://www.donnayoung.org/fi14a/art-f/comic/comic-4-panes.pdf
  5. Using markers, crayons, colored pencils, or anything else, the students will create a
    short comic.

    1. If the students have a hard time coming up with a story for their comic, these are subjects to help stimulate ideas.
      1. An embarrassing moment
      2. An argument with a sibling
      3. A crush
      4. Giving or getting advice
      5. A holiday tradition
      6. A pet
  6. Each group will share the completed comic with the class.

 

 

Pre-Show Activity

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2.A CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2.B CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2.C

Part 2

Activity: Students create a skit based on one of the comic strips.

Duration: 30-45 minutes

Lesson: This second part of the activity concludes the lesson to explain how You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown came to be. It teaches how the show specifically was created, and also will provide students with an understanding of what a play is, and what makes a stage play different from a story in a book.

 

  1. Each group is assigned a comic for their skit. The comic strip is the “script” that students will use to create their skit. This can be done one of three ways:
    1. Teacher assigns comics to groups, or
    2. Students choose their favorite comic,
    3. Students use their own comic they have created.
  2. Talk about what is different between a story on paper and a story on stage.
    1. Everything that happens on stage has to be shown through action or speech, instead of explained like in a book.
  3. Students create short skits, 30 seconds—2 minutes in duration.
  4. Skit guidelines:
    1. Each student must have a unique line or action
    2. The basic story must follow the comic strip
    3. Students may add dialogue or actions as needed to clarify the story
    4. Encourage students to think originally in creation of props/location. (Ex. a binder can be a picture hanging on a wall, a plate, or a pillow. Two students standing together with their hands touching can make a house.)
    5. Mime or pantomime is also encouraged.
  5. Each group shares their finished skit with the class.
  6. After each group has presented, discuss the skits.
    1. Compare and contrast the comic strip with the skit
    2. Ask students about the choices they made
    3. Discuss further the general differences between book and play

Post-Show Discussions

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.C

Lesson: These questions are intended to highlight various aspects of the production the students have seen. Students will think critically about the theatrical art form, specifics of the story, and issues or situations they may have experienced personally. Discussions can be done in small groups or with the class as a whole.

The discussion topic is in bold. The questions below should be used as springboards for discussions.

  1. Theatre Expectations vs. Reality
    1. Is this the first play you have seen? What other plays have you seen? How was this one different? What were your expectations before seeing the play? How did the play exceed your expectations? Were there ways in which the experience did not match up with your expectations? Will you go see more plays in the future?
  2. The play itself
    1. Did you like the play? Who was your favorite character? What part was the funniest? Which part made you think the most? Was there anything that you did not understand? Did any of the characters remind you of people you know? Were any of the situations similar to things you have experienced?
  3. Spectacle
    1. Did you like the music? Which song did you like the best? What did you think of the costumes? The set? What did you think of the way Snoopy as portrayed?
  4. Linus’s Blanket
    1. Do you have a special blanket or stuffed animal like Linus? Who gave it to you? How long have you had it? What does it mean to you? Do you bring it with you outside of your house? Why do you like to have it with you?
  5. Teasing
    1. Do you think teasing can sometimes be okay? What is the difference between teasing and bullying? Can people tease in a nice way? How do you feel when people tease you? How does it feel to tease other people?
  6. Courage
    1. Was there ever a time you were scared or nervous about doing something? Did you do it anyway? How did that make you feel? What gave you courage to persevere? If you couldn’t do it, what held you back? How did you feel afterward?
  7. Philosophy
    1. What is a philosophy? Do you have a philosophy? What effect does it have on your life? Does it help you figure out what to say or do? Where does your philosophy come from (religion, culture, family, etc.)?
  8. Holidays
    1. If you could create a holiday celebrating somebody, who would it be for? Why that person? Why do you think we celebrate certain people (Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, etc.)? How would your holiday be celebrated? Are there special foods, costumes, or activities?

 

 

Post-Show Activity

Activity: Happiness collage

Duration: 60-90 minutes

Supplies needed: Magazines, newspapers, etc.

Construction paper

Scissors

Glue

Lesson: This activity encourages students to focus on the major theme of happiness, found throughout the play. Through this activity, students will think about everything that makes them happy and for which they are thankful.

The final song in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is called “Happiness.” In this song, the characters sing about the simple things in life that make them happy. This activity asks students to create their own happiness collage, by thinking about the small things in life that make them happy.

  1. Play the song “Happiness” to inspire thoughts about simple things that bring happiness.
    1. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d13_LoHQkRM
  2. Students may talk briefly in groups or as a whole about the things that make them happy.
  3. Trace each student’s profile onto a piece of colored paper. [1]
    1. Use a lamp to make a shadow of each child’s profile against a sheet of paper taped to the wall.
  4. Using magazines, newspapers, etc. students find pictures of things that they like and/or make them happy.
  5. Students create their own “Happiness Collage” by gluing the pictures to their profiles.
  6. Students share all or part of their collages with the class as time allows.

[1] This project can also be done using an unshaped 8.5”x11” sheet of colored paper.

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