TEACHER/STUDENT STUDY GUIDE

Contents: Title Page

Theatre Etiquette

Cast Biographies

Synopsis

About the Author

Vocabulary Words

Short Answer and Discussion Questions

Curriculum Connections:

Language Arts Social Studies Math Music, Art & Drama Life Skills

Fun & Games

Further Reading

Answers

Teacher/Student Study Guide

Teachers: Thank you for booking our production of Miss Nelson Has a Field Day. Within this guide we have included a range of materials and activities. As teachers, you know best the needs and abilities of your students; therefore, please feel free to pick and choose and/or adapt any of the suggestions for discussion or activities. A Family Page is also included that can be sent home with each child following the performance. We encourage you to generate copies of the entire guide for each classroom and copies of handouts for students. If you have any questions about this Study Guide or the performance, please let us know. Enjoy the show! Please Note: If you require special seating needs for any students with disabilities and did not indicate your need when you booked, please call MTC at (330) 848-3708 NOW. Our knowledge of your need will enable us to serve you better upon your arrival at the theatre.

This Study Guide has been created using the Comprehensive Arts Education: Ohio’s Model Competency-Based Program

Based on the Book by Harry Allard

Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Ben Needham George McCarty II John Ebert

Video Sequence Scenic Carpenters Rob Keith Dave & Pat Tilk

Sound Board Operator Light Board Operator Deb Lemire Rick Montgomery, Jr.

THE CAST (in alphabetical order)

Lauren………………………..……………………..…Kiarra McKenzie Anderson

Miss Nelson/Viola Swamp………………...………..…………Katherine DeBoer Coach Armstrong/Principal Blandsworth.…………………….…Adam Hoffman Susie……………………………………………………………...……Gracie Kosco Pop Hanson…..…………………………………………………….…....Eric Lualdi Announcer……………………….………………………………Dennis O’Connell

Daniel…………………………………………………………………...Joe Polacek Patrick…………………………………………………………….……Tommy Rose Kenny……………………………………………………………………Noah Villers

DIRECTED BY HOLLY BARKDOLL

HOW TO BE A GOOD AUDIENCE The audience is a very important part of any live theatre performance. Without the audience, there would be no one to laugh when the show is funny, to gasp when it is scary, or to applaud at the end. But it is important to be a good audience. If you have been to the theatre before, you know it is different from watching television or going to the movies. The actors will be right in front of you. It is important to be quiet and attentive. You can’t hit a rewind button if you miss something the actor says, and noise can be distracting for other people in the audience.

Here are some things you can do to make this a great experience for everyone:

Stay in your seat. Make sure you use the bathroom before the show starts. Listen quietly. Save comments and questions for later.

Keep your feet on the floor. It will keep the seats clean for the next audience,

and nobody likes having the back of their seat kicked when they’re trying to watch the play.

Save snacks and treats for after the show. Food and drinks are not allowed in

the theater, and crinkling candy and gum wrappers can disturb the actors as well as the rest of the audience.

Please don’t take photographs. We don’t allow photos during the play

because when a flash goes off, it is very hard for the actors to see and it can be dangerous for them.

The house lights (lights in the theatre) will go out to signal that the show is

about to start. That is your cue to settle down and get quiet so the play can begin.

Turn off all cell phones, pagers, and electronic devices.

Fire safety rules, seating and dismissal procedures are necessary in order to

insure that everyone has a safe and happy theatre experience. Please listen carefully, and follow all instructions given to you and your group before and after the performance.

We at Magical Theatre Company feel that by simply following these few basic guidelines, a trip to the theatre can be a fun and fulfilling experience for children, adults, and anyone young at heart!

Kiarra McKenzie Anderson (Lauren) is an 11 year old, 6th grader at Miller South where she is a second year member of the Miller South Show Choir and will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society this year. She has been seen in many plays including Gulliver’s Travels, The Music Man, and most recently starred as “Fern” in Charlotte’s Web the Musical. Kiarra currently reigns as the 2011-2012 Barberton Jaycee’s Labor Day Jr. Pre-Teen Queen. She has performed for the past two years at the Akron Civic Theatre with both Helen Welch and in the Miller South Big Show. When Kiarra is not acting, she enjoys many styles of dance including lyrical, jazz, tap, and gymnastics. She enjoys volunteering and entertaining at local nursing homes, and at many community fundraising events. She thanks her family, friends, teachers, and mentors Holly and Dennis, for their continuous support of her dream. Katherine DeBoer (Miss Nelson/Viola Swamp) is happy to be back performing with Magical, where she last appeared as Martha in The Secret Garden. She has performed across the country and at numerous local venues including The Hanna Theatre, The Cleveland Playhouse, Carousel Dinner Theater, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, The Beck Center, Dobama and Porthouse Theatre. Favorite credits include: the national tour of The Will Rogers Follies (Betty Blake); Secret Garden (Martha); Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife); City of Angels (Gabby/ Bobbi); Joseph…Dreamcoat (Narrator); 1776 (Martha Jefferson); Smokey Joe’s Café; Crimes of the Heart (Babe); and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena). She has studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and holds a BA from Baldwin Wallace College. Adam Hoffman (Coach Armstrong/Principal Blandsworth) is very happy to return to the MTC stage. He has appeared in numerous productions here at Magical, including Beowulf, A Little House Christmas, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, A Year with Frog and Toad, A Christmas Story, and Island of the Blue Dolphins. He has been seen on tour in Aesop’s Fables, The Bully Show, Hood In The Wood, Princess and the Pea, The Hundred Dresses, Bunnicula, and KidScripts. He has also been seen at the Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Porthouse, and Dobama. Adam works as a playwright, acting coach, and Creative Dramatics instructor. He served as the director of the Cain Park School of the Arts for ten years and as a director/teacher for Stage Crafters in Orange. Lots of love to the cast, crew, friends and family, and most importantly, his beautiful wife, Wendy. I love you!

Gracie Kosco (Susie) lives in Copley, Ohio, and attends St. Hilary School. She has three older siblings, all of whom have performed at the Magical Theatre Company. Gracie enjoys football, basketball, softball, volleyball, writing poetry, reading, knitting, and crocheting. Her favorite book series is The Mysterious Benedict Society. Gracie has been to two K.I.D. camps and is excited about her first opportunity to be in a production at the Magical Theatre Company! Enjoy the show! Eric Lualdi (Pop Hanson) is thrilled to return for his 3rd season with Magical, having appeared in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, And Then They Came For Me, Aesop's Fables, The Bully Show, Number the Stars, A Little House Christmas, and Beowulf. Eric has also appeared at Porthouse Theatre (Big River, 1776, Camelot, Hamlet, Much Ado..., Midsummer...), Cleveland Play House (A Parcel from America), Great Lakes Theatre Festival (Straight on Til Morning), and Ohio Shakespeare Festival, where roles include Ferdinand (Love's Labors Lost), Richmond (Richard III), Edmund (King Lear), Mercutio (Romeo & Juliet), Lysander (Midsummer...), and Banquo (Macbeth). Eric's favorite role is that of husband and father. Love to Leba & Jack! Joe Polacek (Daniel), a 12 year old honor student at Barberton Middle School, is excited to be back at Magical Theatre Company where he was last seen as Joe in How to Eat Fried Worms. He is currently Senior Patrol Leader in Boy Scout Troop #110 and involved in the Chippewa Trapshooting Club, where his team took 1st place in the state last season. Joe enjoys hiking, cooking, photography and military history. He would like to thank his mom, dad, younger sister Brooke, and Magical Theatre Company for this opportunity.

Tommy Rose (Patrick) is a 12 year old Honor student at Norton Middle School where he enjoys playing trombone in the school band. He takes tap, jazz and hip-hop dancing at Starmaker Performing Arts Center where he has studied for 7 years. Tommy is thrilled to return to the stage at Magical Theatre Company, where he made his debut at age 8 as Randy in A Christmas Story. He later was seen in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and A Little House Christmas. He also was seen in Akron Symphony's Stone Soup. His theatrical credits include, The Nutcracker, Les Miserables, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, and The Aristocats. He can also be seen in Mediak's sing-a-long Children's DVD series, but one of his favorite roles was a young zombie in The Plague filmed in Cleveland. Tommy is a proud Boy Scout and enjoys camping and scouting activities. Tommy would like to thank Holly and Dennis for this wonderful opportunity to return to Magical Theatre Company. Noah Villers (Kenny) is ten years old and in fourth grade at St. Francis De Sales School in Coventry. He plays basketball, Minecraft and likes to fish and hunt with his father. He also loves watching professional wrestling and trying all the moves on his big brother! He attended Magical Theatre Company’s K.I.D. Camp last summer and loved it. This is Noah’s second MTC production.

The students of Horace B. Smedley School are down in the dumps. The football players are depressed, and the students are finding it harder than ever to cheer for their favorite team. Coach Armstrong’s team practices are ineffective, and Mr. Blandsworth, the principal, is desperate for an improvement. When Miss Nelson overhears some of her students complaining about the team at Lulu’s ice cream parlor, she calls on Viola Swamp to whip the kids into shape. Under Coach Swamp’s leadership, the Smedley Tornadoes begin to turn things around, but will it be enough to defeat the top‐ranked Werewolves at the end of the season?

Harry Allard was born in Evanston, Illinois on January 27th. He grew up in California, Long Island, and Chicago. He graduated from Northwestern College in 1943 and then performed active duty in Korea. He lived in Paris for several years and became so fluent in the language that he got a Master's degree and Ph.D. in French from Yale University in 1973. He taught French at the college level for many years.

Upon his arrival in Boston, he met James Marshall, whose art and friendship inspired Allard's first book, The Stupids Step Out. This successful collaboration paved the way for the publication of other “Stupids” books and the “Miss Nelson” series. Miss Nelson is Missing was voted one of the most memorable books of the century.

Mr. Allard lives and works in Massachusetts.

BLANKETED - to cover with or as with a blanket CALYPSO - a musical style of West Indian origin, influenced by jazz, usually having topical, often improvised, lyrics COMEBACK - a return to a former higher rank CONCEPT - a general notion or idea CONTRIBUTE - to give (money, food, time, etc.) to a common supply, fund, etc. CRACKING UP - suffering a mental or emotional breakdown CREAMED - defeated EXOTIC - originating in a foreign country, esp. one in the tropics GLOOM - a state of depression; low spirits HORSE AROUND - to fool around PIPE DOWN - to stop talking; be quiet PITIFUL - pathetic RECUPERATE - to recover from sickness or exhaustion; regain health or strength RESEMBLANCE - a likeness, appearance, or semblance of something or someone

SHIMMERING - to shine with or reflect light SLAUGHTERED - to defeat thoroughly

1. What is the name of the Elementary School where Miss Nelson teaches?

2. What is wrong with the Smedley Tornadoes?

3. What is the name of the custodian at the school?

4. Why were the students and staff at Horace B. Smedley School so sad?

5. What was happening at football practice? Why?

6. What happened to Coach Armstrong?

7. What did Miss Nelson and Principal Blandsworth overhear at Lulu’s?

8. What does Miss Nelson do to try to solve the team’s problem?

9. What does Principal Blandsworth do to try to solve the team’s problem?

10. Who takes over coaching of the football team?

11. What happened at the big football game on Thanksgiving Day?

12. What do we discover at the end of the play?

1. All plays have three P’s: People in a Place with a Problem. Where does the play take place? Who are the people? What are the problems? What happens at the beginning of the play? The middle? The end?

2. How did the football team’s behavior affect Coach Armstrong? How do you think

your class’s behavior affects your teacher? 3. What were some of the things the students imagined might have happened to

Miss Nelson? How realistic do you think these guesses were? 4. What did ”The Swamp” do to inspire the football team to work harder? How

would you have reacted to Viola Swamp? 5. What makes a good team player? 6. How does it feel to work together with others to achieve something? When and how have you done this?

ACTIVITY I: BEFORE AND AFTER Everyone at the Horace B. Smedley School was gloomy and depressed. Nobody smiled or laughed. Their school’s football team, the Smedley Tornadoes, had not won a game all year. They were the worst team until Viola Swamp came to their rescue. WHAT YOU NEED:

Worksheet/template provided in this Study Guide Pencils

WHAT TO DO: 1. Brainstorm adjectives to describe the Smedley Tornadoes before Viola Swamp came to be the coach. 2. Describe the team after Coach Swamp worked with them. 3. Use the adjectives to help you write a newspaper article that tells of the amazing changes that took place with the Smedley Tornadoes. ACTIVITY II: COMPARING SCHOOLS How is Horace B. Smedley Elementary School different from where you go to school? Look at the illustrations in the book showing the school, Room 207, and the Football Field. WHAT YOU NEED:

Worksheet/template provided in this Study Guide Pencils

WHAT TO DO: 1. Have students look at the illustrations in Miss Nelson Is Missing and Miss Nelson Has a Field Day. 2. Using the worksheet provided in this Study Guide, have the students write short descriptions about how their school is different from Horace B. Smedley Elementary.

Before Viola Swamp After Viola Swamp ___________________________ _________________________ ___________________________ _________________________ ___________________________ _________________________ ___________________________ _________________________

Extra! Extra! Smedley Tornadoes Take the Town!

MY SCHOOL ______________________________________________

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HORACE B. SMEDLEY ELEMENTARY ______________________________________________

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ACTIVITY I: A HISTORY OF NEVER GIVING UP!

The characters in Miss Nelson Has a Field Day talk about the fact that famous people in history succeeded because they persevered and didn’t give up. This activity encourages students to learn more about the historical figures mentioned in the play.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Worksheet (provided in this Study Guide) Pencils Research Materials, Internet access

WHAT TO DO: 1. Pass out the worksheet provided in this Study Guide. 2. Read the brief statements (from the script) about each of the historical figures mentioned. 3. Have students do research to learn more about the people mentioned. 4. Ask students to write a paragraph about each historical figure using what they’ve learned during their research.

What I learned about Christopher Columbus

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What I learned about Harriet Tubman

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What I learned about the Wright Brothers

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ACTIVITY I: JERSEYS FOR THE TORNADOES The jerseys (shirts) for the Tornadoes are green and yellow, and they all look alike. So, each player has to have a number on his jersey to identify him. WHAT YOU NEED:

Worksheet provided in this Study Guide Pencils

WHAT TO DO: 1. Read the clues on the worksheet provided in this Study Guide and write

the correct numbers from the number list on each player’s jersey. ACTIVITY II: THE TEXAS TEN The Smedley Tornadoes were a miserable football team. They hadn’t scored a point or won a game all year. They had to play the Central Werewolves on Thanksgiving Day. They played in the Texas Ten Conference that included nine other teams. WHAT YOU NEED:

Worksheet provided in this Study Guide Pencils

WHAT TO DO: 1. Study the record of wins and losses (on worksheet provided) for the ten teams. 2. Write the teams in order from the greatest number of wins to the least.

Clues The number on Stephen Sanford’s jersey is less than 74 but 9 more than 54. Anthony Morales’ number is more than 74 but 8 less than 89. Daniel DeLeon’s jersey is an even number. It is the sum of 6+6+6+6+6. The number on Tim Chang’s jersey is seven more than the letters in his name. Demarco Hill’s number is a double digit and an even number. Miguel Peterson’s jersey has a number that is one half of 100. The number on Mike Ling’s jersey has a 7 in the ones’ place & is 7 less than 14. Jason Greene’s jersey has the number that is 22 more than the number on

Miguel Peterson’s jersey.

Number List 7 77 81 3 63 50 6 30 15 72 88 24

Stephen Sanford Anthony Morales Daniel DeLeon Tim Chang

Demarco Hill Miguel Peterson Mike Ling Jason Greene

Directions: Study the record of wins and losses for the ten teams. Write the teams in order from the greatest number of wins to the least.

THE TEXAS TEN

Team Wins Losses 1. _________________________________ ________ ________ 2. _________________________________ ________ ________ 3. _________________________________ ________ ________ 4. _________________________________ ________ ________ 5. _________________________________ ________ ________ 6. _________________________________ ________ ________ 7. _________________________________ ________ ________ 8. _________________________________ ________ ________ 9. _________________________________ ________ ________ 10. ________________________________ ________ ________

Team Wins Losses Team Wins Losses Lasco Longhorns 6 6 Halliday Cowboys 3 9 Smedley Tornadoes 0 12 Central Werewolves 12 0 Terrell Wranglers 8 4 Spindletop Oilers 9 3 Estrada Broncos 5 7 Diablo Rangers 7 5 Anderson Mustangs 11 1 Woodland Bulldogs 10 2

During the rehearsals for Miss Nelson is Missing, the young actors playing the cheerleaders learned the school Alma Mater using the Rote method. In this activity your students will learn to sing a new song using the same method. They will be able to hear and repeat a short melody accurately and expressively, and will learn to accurately match pitches.

WHAT YOU NEED:

One, short, song. (CD or Tape, and a CD or Tape Player)

WHAT TO DO:

1. Gather the students into the large group area. 2. Introduce the song. Tell the students one interesting fact about the song. 3. Sing the whole song to the class. (or use CD/tape). 4. In a large group discussion, talk about the song. 5. Sing the song, or play it, one more time. Have the students listen to the rhythm and pitches. 6. Have the students sing the whole song with you. 7. Let the students have the opportunity to sing the song without the teacher.

Give each student a piece of blank white paper. Using markers, crayons, colored pencils, or paints, have them create Pep Rally posters for the Smedley Tornadoes. Hang the posters in the room to share with others. Your class can make their own Miss Nelson play! Select one of the moments inspired by the play (listed below) and assign one to each group of students to bring to life! Talk about people, place and problem, then decide who will play the characters. Next, play out the scene (using a combination of dialogue from the book and improvisation) making sure it has a beginning, middle and end. Run through the scene a few times and then share with the class or another audience. Ideas for Scenes:

Miss Nelson asks her twin sister to come play Coach Swamp Pop and Miss Nelson take Coach Armstrong on a vacation Mr. Blandsworth goes to a costume shop to buy a Viola Swamp costume Lauren and Susie organize and hold a pep rally for the Smedley Tornadoes

TEAMWORK! TEAMWORK! TEAMWORK! ACTIVITY I: LINE UP! This activity, which is designed for older elementary students, promotes creative ways of communicating and helps to develop cooperation and leadership. Tell the students that they must line up in order according to their birthdays. The one rule is that they cannot speak. Give the students about five minutes to work on this. Once the line is formed, have the students speak their birthdays aloud to see if they successfully completed the task. Discuss how they communicated without using words and how leading and following are important in teamwork. ACTIVITY II: HUMAN KNOT Human knot is an icebreaker that involves problem solving and physical activities. Members of the group get into a circle and take the hands of one other person. This creates a problem solving activity as everyone then tries to untangle the "knot" while not letting go of the other person's hands. The activity gets group members physically close to another and involves laughing and stretching. There are no materials needed for this activity.

WHO SAID IT?

After seeing the play, quiz each other to see if you can remember who said the following lines, when they said them, and why they said them. 1. “Please do something right before we get slaughtered!” ________________ 2. “I hate to say it, but it’s true. The Tornadoes are just pitiful.” ________________ 3. “You work, you win. You horse around, you lose.” ________________ 4. “We need a real expert.” ________________ 5. “We need someone who can really get the team into shape!” ________________ 6. “Boy, I sure hope I never meet Viola Swamp. I don’t like witches.” ________________ 7. “Rats! How could they tell?” ________________ 8. ”This is war, gentlemen!” ________________ 9. “The Smedley Tornadoes were working much harder, but not having very much fun.” ________________ 10. “If we turn back now, we’ll never know how far we might have come!” ________________ 11. “You wanna wear that gold jacket and diamond ring?” ________________ 12. “Let’s face it. We’re the worst team in the whole county!” ________________ 13. “Practicing is for sissies.” ________________ 14. “Well, they certainly are working hard.” ________________ 15. “There’ll be no more shenanigans from this miserable team!” ________________ 16. “Coach Armstrong is in no condition to coach his team.” ________________ 17. “I know just what to do!” ________________ 18. “I hope I wasn’t too hard on them.” ________________ 19. “Well, everything turned out all right at Horace B. Smedley School.” ________________ 20. “I’ll never tell.” ________________

Miss Nelson Is Missing Miss Nelson Is Back

Miss Nelson Has a Field Day The Stupids Die

The Stupids Take Off

THE FOLLOWING SOURCES WERE USED IN THE CREATION OF THIS STUDY GUIDE:

Comprehensive Arts Education: Ohio’s Model Competency-Based Program Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard (Book)

Miss Nelson Has a Field Day adapted by Joan Cushing (Play) The Kennedy Center Education Department

www.dictionary.cambridge.org www.lessonplanet.com

www.imaginationstage.org www.TheTeachersCorner.net

www.teachervision.com

ANSWERS

WHO SAID IT? 1. COACH ARMSTRONG 2. MISS NELSON 3. COACH ARMSTRONG 4. POP HANSON 5. LAUREN 6. PATRICK 7. MR. BLANDSWORTH 8. COACH SWAMP 9. POP HANSON 10. SUSIE 11. COACH SWAMP 12. KENNY 13. DANIEL 14. MISS NELSON 15. COACH SWAMP 16. MISS NELSON 17. MISS NELSON & MR. BLANDSWORTH 18. BARBARA (MISS NELSON’S SISTER) 19. POP HANSON 20. MISS NELSON