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January 28 - February 28, 2014
Enrichment Guide
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INSIDE THE GUIDE
SETTING THE STAGE
A Note to Teachers and Parents
preparing for the play
Audience Etiquette Information. . . 3–4
Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Meet the Creative Team. . . . . . . . . . . 6
Recommended Reading. . . . . . . . . . 7
Pre-Show Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FOR TEACHERS
Curriculum connections
before or after the play
Dr. Seuss Hat Pops. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Science of Kite Flying. . . . . . . . 13
Fun in a box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
MATH
Cat's Cap Conundrum. . . . . . . . . . 8–0
DR. SEUSS'S THE CAT IN THE HAT
Dear Educators and Parents,
The Cat in the Hat is always up to mischief, and he turns Sally and her brother’s house upside
down with his wacky adventures! Young people will delight in the Cat in the Hat’s crazy antics,
speaking only in rhyme, as he teaches Sally and her brother that “it’s fun to have fun, but you
have to know how!”
Enclosed in this enrichment guide is a range of materials and activities intended to help you
discover connections within the play through the curricula. It is our hope that you will use
the experience of attending the theater and seeing THE CAT IN THE HAT with your students
as a teaching tool. As educators and parents, you know best the needs and abilities of
your students. Use this guide to best serve our children—pick and choose, or adapt, any of
these suggestions for discussions or activities. We encourage you to take advantage of the
enclosed student worksheets—please feel free to photocopy the sheets for your students, or
the entire guide for the benefit of other teachers.
Enjoy the show!
LANGUAGE ARTS
Rhyme Time!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
AT HOME ACTIVITY
Responsibility in Action. . . . . . . . . . 12
Julia Magnasco
Education Director
(414) 267-2971
[email protected]
CURTAIN CALL
Post-Show Questions . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Who Said It? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Who Said it? (ANSWERS) . . . . . . . . 16
First Stage Policies
• The use of recording equipment and cameras are not permitted during
the performance.
• Food, drink, candy and gum are not permitted during the performance.
• Electronic devices are not permitted in the theater space.
• Should a student become ill, suffer an injury or have another problem, please
escort him or her out of the theater space.
• In the unlikely event of a general emergency, the theater lights will go on
and the stage manager will come on stage to inform the audience of the problem.
Remain in your seats, visually locate the nearest exit and wait for the stage manager to guide your group from the theater.
Seating for people with special needs: If you have special seating needs for any
student(s) and did not indicate your need when you ordered your tickets, please call
our Assistant Patron Services Specialist at (414) 267-2962. Our knowledge of your
needs will enable us to serve you better upon your arrival to the theater.
Shhh…It’s Time for the Show
AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE INFORMATION
Adapted from: http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/wp-content/uploads/audience-etiquette-activity.pdf , http://www.musical-theater-kids.com/theater-etiquette.html
There are many people involved, both on stage and behind the scenes, who are working to put on the best performance
possible for you and the rest of the people in the audience. Unlike watching television or a movie, the performers and
crew can see and hear the audience members. Therefore, it is the audiences’ job to watch and listen carefully to the
action on stage. The audience helps the performers and crew concentrate on doing their job when we practice the
rules of theater etiquette:
• Visit the restroom before the performance begins.
• Don't speak during the performance...whispering is still speaking, so make sure you are
only speaking in an emergency.
• Do not eat or drink in the theater.
• Do not put your feet up on the seats or balcony and do not kick the seat in front of you.
• Don't put or throw anything on the stage.
• Do laugh when the performance is funny.
• Do applaud when it is appropriate during the performance.
• Do applaud when the performance is over...this tells the performers and crew that you
appreciate their work.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTINUED ACTIVITY:
1..Hand out the included worksheet to students.
2..Together as a class, go through the different event locations listed on the worksheet and discuss each event: What can
you do there? What can’t you do there? Why?
3..Fill out the worksheet using Always, Sometimes or Never. Ask students why they think we behave differently at these
different places (different atmospheres, expectations, traditions, etc.).
4..Share the theater etiquette with students and discuss in details the behavior expectations we have at the theater.
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Audience Etiquette Activity
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Adapted from: http://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/wp-content/uploads/audience-etiquette-activity.pdf ,
Look at the different events listed across the first row in the table below. For each event, fill
in ALWAYS, SOMETIMES or NEVER with the listed behavior expectations. Note the different
behavior expectations there are for different events we attend.
BASEBALL
GAME
CHURCH/
WORSHIP
SERVICE
LIVE THEATER
ROCK
PERFORMANCE CONCERT
Cheer
Clap
politely
Talk to
those
around
you
Eat
Stand up
and walk
around
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MOVIE
THEATER
Setting the Stage Synopsis
Our story begins on a rainy day with two children desire to go
outside to play ball. They leave their house but quickly return when
the rain begins to fall harder. The girl, Sally, remembers there is a
racket with tennis balls in the house and starts a game of tennis
with the boy. The two play as the ball bounces off objects in the
house including a pet fish in a bowl and the window.
The storm really picks up as we hear the voice of the boy as he
describes the dreary mood of the rainy day and the desire to have
“something to do other than sit.” Sally and boy agree that they did not
his balancing act. Uh oh! Slowly the items begin to fall. Fish falls
into the tea pot and tells the Cat in the Hat to get out of the house!
The Cat in the Hat refuses to leave because he likes being in the
house. He steps onto the porch and returns with a box. The Cat in
the Hat takes a tea break then begins his next trick, “Fun in a Box.”
He opens the box and out hop Thing 1 & Thing 2. Again, Fish warns
the children, “Those things should not be in the house.” The Cat in
the Hat reassures the children that his friends are tame. Thing 1 &
Thing 2 greet everyone and immediately begin to make mischief, running through the house flying kites. Boy shouts his displeasure and
is worried about Mother. Just then Fish looks toward the window and
announces, “Mother is on her way home. Get rid of Thing 1 & Thing 2.”
Thinking fast, Boy gets his net to try to catch Thing 1 & Thing 2. But
they are too fast. Cat in the Hat is disappointed the children did not
like his new game and put Thing 1 & thing 2 back into the box and
fasten it with a hook. He then sadly leaves the house, which is a big
mess from all the games and tricks. The children look at the mess
and are worried when suddenly, there is a whistle. Cat in the Hat
returns with a cleaning up machine! In a flash every item is back in
its place, including Fish who is back in his bowl. With his job done,
Cat in the Hat bids Sally and Boy goodbye.
Before Mother walks into the house the children settle back into
their chairs. As the door opens Mother asks, “Did you have fun?
What did you do?” Sally and Boy ask the audience, “Should we
tell? What would you do if your Mother asked you?”
like this rainy
day “one little bit.”
Sitting in their chairs
both children fall asleep. Fish falls asleep, too and dreams of being in
the ocean with a whale. Suddenly, there is a whistle and a bump at
the door. The children and fish jump and keep their eyes on the door.
As the door slowly opens they see a strange sight, the Cat in the Hat!
The Cat in the Hat walks in asking why the children are just sitting
in their chairs. He tells them that the lack of sun doesn’t stop fun!
He exclaims he has games to play, tricks! He begins to share
them reassuring the children, your mother will not mind a bit.” Cat
in the Hat then plays tennis with a magic ball that grows so large
it crashes into things! He plays banjo and classical guitar with the
racket, breaking the strings. Cat in the Hat plays an umbrella like
a flute. He rides a motorbike in the house, too!
Boy tells the audience everything should be okay since
Mother is away all day. Fish warns the kids to send Cat in
the Hat away! The Cat in the Hat reassures everyone his
tricks aren’t bad and begins playing a game with Fish. Fish
demands to be put down on the table as the Cat in the Hat
begins to balance the fish bowl on his foot, holding the umbrella
and juggling small balls and reciting, “One fish, two fish…” He then
adds books, a cup, tea pot, kitten, rake, toy ship, cake and a fan to
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Meet the Creative Team behind
THE CAT IN THE HAT
Dr. Seuss (author) was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on
March 2, 1904. After attending Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he
began a career in advertising. His advertising cartoons, featuring Quick, Henry, the
Flit!, appeared in several leading American magazines. Dr. Seuss's first children's
book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, hit the market in 1937, and
the world of children's literature was changed forever! In 1957, Seuss's The Cat
in the Hat became the prototype for one of Random House's best-selling series,
Beginner Books. This popular series combined engaging stories with outrageous
illustrations and playful sounds to teach basic reading skills. Brilliant, playful, and
always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness
of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped kids learn
to read. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Seuss
was the author and illustrator of 44 children's books, some of which have been
made into audiocassettes, animated television specials, and videos for children of
all ages. Even after his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss continues to be the best-selling
author of children's books in the world. In addition to Dr. Seuss, Theodor Geisel
also used the pen name Theo LeSieg (Geisel backwards) for books written by him,
but illustrated by others. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/dr-seuss
Katie Mitchell (playwright) It may come as a surprise that a woman best
known for staging heavy, emotionally truthful dramas should be working on a
children’s storybook written to help with an American literacy program. But in
person, Mitchell is as cheery and full of laughter as Seuss’s cheeky feline, and is
absolutely clear about why she decided to adapt The Cat in The Hat. It all came
from reading books to her daughter — and wanting to make a piece of theatre to
which she would respond. “Let me be frank,” says Mitchell, giving each word quite
precise emphasis. “I try to involve her in what I am doing as all working mothers
do, particularly if they don’t see their child as much as they would like. But the
subject matter of many of my pieces makes it something I struggle to share with
her. So I wanted to do something for her.” Ms. Mitchell is a director/playwright and
native of Great Britain. She is a graduate of Magdalan College, Oxford, England
and has been associated with some of the finest theatres in the world including
the National Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/
theatre/theatre-features/6651758/Dr-Seusss-The-Cat-inThe-Hat-Katie-Mitchell-interview.html
The National Theatre (original production company) is dedicated to the constant revitalization of the great traditions of the British stage and to expanding the horizons of audiences and
artists alike. In its three theatres on the South Bank in London, it presents an eclectic mix of new
plays and classics from the world repertoire with seven or eight productions in repertory at any
one time. The National Theatre aspires to reflect in its repertoire the diversity of the nation's culture. http://50.nationaltheatre.org.uk/
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Recommended Reading
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss
Curious George by H. A. Rey
Horton Hears A Who! by Dr. Seuss
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Pre-Show Questions
1. Dr. Seuss wrote many books including The Cat in the Hat. What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?
2. The story of The Cat in the Hat takes place on a rainy day. What kinds of activities do you like to do when it rains?
3. The Cat in the Hat has a lot of rhyming words. What words rhyme with CAT? Do any words rhyme with your name?
4. The Cat in the Hat says "it's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." How do you have fun with your friends
and family?
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Cat's Cap Conundrum
MATH CLASSROOM ACTIVITY AND WORKSHEET
1.Introduce your students to the concept of patterns and
pattern making.
a.A pattern is a pattern only if it is repeated twice.
b.Demonstrate color patterns first- red, blue, red,
blue (called an AB pattern); red, blue, white, red,
blue, white (ABC pattern); red, red, blue, blue
(AABB pattern).
2.Try to identify patterns in your classroom and in nature.
a.Many shoes have a pattern on the bottom of the
sole.
b.Clothes have patterns- stripes, plaids, etc.
c.Animals- zebras, tigers
d.Flowers, gardens
3.Practice creating patterns with Legos, beads, colored
cereal and the worksheet below!
4.Create movement patterns outside or in the gym: walk,
run, walk, run; skip, turn, hop, skip, turn, hop.
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Cat's Cap Conundrum
MATH PATTERNS WORKSHEET
The Cat in the Hat is bored with all of his red and white striped hats! Can you help him with his hat by
drawing new patterns on them?
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Rhyme Time!
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Source: First Stage’s Pre Literacy Program
MATERIALS
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
FRAMING
1.Share the following song with students:
a.Oh, a-hunting we will go, a-hunting we will go.
We'll take a fox and put it in a box
and then will let it go.
2.Ask students to identify the two rhyming words in
the song.
3.Sing the song again, with new animals, pausing on
the second rhyming word, to give students a chance
to call out the rhyming word.
a.Whale; pail
b.Fish; dish
c.Cat; mat
4.Brainstorm other animals and their rhyming partner.
PROCESS
1.Read the book, Rhyming Dust Bunnies.
2.Make sure to pause after the Dust Bunnies ask
questions, “Hey! What rhymes with CAR?”
a.Allow students to come up with several rhyming words.
b.After each correct word, invite students to
repeat the rhyming couple, “JAR-CAR.”
3.After reading the book , play the game – Dust Busters! Clear the room of desks and chairs to create an empty space in
the middle of the room. Gather students on one side of the room. Explain that they are all dust bunnies hiding under a
dusty bed.
a.What is the enemy of a dust bunny? (A vacuum or broom!)
4.Explain the rules of the game.
a.Students must cross from one end of the “bed (classroom)” to the other without being sucked up by the vacuum
(played by the teacher).
b.The vacuum will begin vacuuming the room. While the vacuum’s back is turned, children may proceed to the
other side.
c.The vacuum may turn around at any time, and if they catch a dust bunny moving, they could be vacuumed up.
d.During the game the vacuum may call out a rhyming question, "What rhymes with Jump?" When the students
answer correctly, they get to move one step ahead without getting caught by the vacuum.
e.The goal is for everyone in class to reach the opposite side of the room.
REFLECTION
1.Where do you hear rhyming words during your day?
a.Songs, books, nursery rhymes, hand clapping games.
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Dr. Seuss Hat Pops
Adapted from : http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/2012/02/dr-seuss-hat-pops.html
INGREDIENTS (PER POP)
Ingredients (per pop):
3 large marshmallows
1 s’more (square) marshmallow
1 red fruit roll up
White decorating sugar
Lollipop stick
DIRECTIONS
1.Cut the square marshmallow into a circle with kitchen scissors. Roll the edges in sugar to cover up the rough edges and
make it sparkly.
2.Cut one marshmallow in half.
3.Put the stick in the square marshmallow first. Place the marshmallow half on next followed by the two full marshmallows.
Lastly, put on the other marshmallow half. It will look like this.
4.Cut the fruit roll up into strips and wrap them around the bottom, middle, and top.
Stick the ends together in the back. Cut a circle piece for the top of the hat and
connect it to the stripe. Enjoy your yummy Cat Hat pop!
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Chore chart from: http://ygraph.com/chart/601
Responsibility in Action
AN AT HOME ACTIVITY
Then we saw him pick up
All the things that were down.
He picked up the cake,
And the rake, and the gown,
And the milk, and the strings,
And the books, and the dish,
And the fan, and the cup,
And the ship, and the fish.
And he put them away.
Then he said, "That is that."
—Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat surely made a mess – but he showed that he was responsible by
cleaning it all up. What do you do that shows you are responsible? Use the chore chart to
track all of the helpful chores you do for your family.
12
The Science of Kite Flying
Taken directly from: http://www.highlightskids.com/science-questions/how-does-kite-fly
Have you ever wondered how a kite stays in the air? Wind is very important but so are two scientific terms: gravity and lift.
When something is in the air, gravity is what pulls it back down to the ground. When you throw a ball in the air, it comes
back down because of gravity. When you trip and fall… that’s gravity. When leaves fall off trees onto the ground… that’s
gravity. When you put a kite in the air, gravity wants to bring it down. So what keeps it up? Wind! Wind creates lift.
Lift is what happens when wind pushes against something and carries it up. When a plastic bag gets caught in the
wind, lift is what causes it to rise into the air. When you put a ribbon in front of a fan, lift causes it to wave. An object’s lift
depends on the size of its surface, or its area. A piece of paper will float in the wind, but if you crumple that paper into
a ball, it won’t float as well. That’s because you’ve made the surface smaller. When a kite is lifted by the wind, the wind
pushes against the whole surface of the kite to lift it up.
To find out if there’s enough wind to fly a kite, go outside and look up. If you see leaves blowing on trees or flags waving
sideways, it’s probably good kite-flying weather. When the wind is strong enough to move a flag, it’s moving at 7 to 18
miles per hour. That’s just right to lift a typical kite.
If you’re not sure, you can take your kite outside and try it. First, ask an adult to help you find a safe area to fly your kite. Be
especially careful to stay away from power lines. You can help your kite lift off the ground by running. Just make sure you
look where you’re going
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Fun in a box
http://i2.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/590/draft_lens13522431module123230401photo_1285943211Box_folding01.jpg
Thing 1 and Thing 2 are kept in Cat’s big, red box. If you were Cat, what kind of fun things
would put in there? Use the template below to create your own FUN IN A BOX!
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WHO SAID IT?
1. I wish we had something to do.
2. I know some new tricks.
3. No! Make that cat go away.
4. One fish, two fish…
5. How do you do.
6. Your mother will not mind.
7. They should not fly kites in the house.
8. … Do as I say, pack-up those things and take them away!
9. That is that.
10.Did you have fun? What did you do?
11. Should we tell her about it?
POST-SHOW QUESTIONS
1. Cat made quite a mess in the house. Afterwards he cleaned up everything. Do you think it was okay he made the
mess as long as he cleaned it up? When do you clean up after yourself?
2. Sally and her brother have a pet fish that has really good manners. What does it mean to have good manners?
How do you show good manners around your house and school?
3. How did Sally and her brother get the Cat in the Hat out of their house? What would you have done to get the Cat
in the Hat out?
4. What does it mean to be responsible? Which characters made responsible choices, and which characters did not?
15
WHO SAID IT? ANSWERS
1. I wish we had something to do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. I know some new tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAT
IN THE HAT
3. No! Make that cat go away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. One fish, two fish… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAT
5. How do you do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . THING
BOY
FISH
IN THE HAT
1 & THING 2
6. Your mother will not mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAT
IN THE HAT
7. They should not fly kites in the house. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FISH
8. … Do as I say, pack-up those things and take them away! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BOY
9. That is that. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAT
IN THE HAT
10.Did you have fun? What did you do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MOTHER
11. Should we tell her about it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16
SALLY