Beyond the Great Kapok Tree a Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest 2013 47 Parts

3rd Grade Play Weaver Elementary School

“Beyond The Great Kapok Tree” A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

2013 – 47 Parts

Based on the book by Lynne-Cherry Music by Paul Boyd-Batstone Intro: Animals sitting on stage… 2 Slap, slap clap x2 We will, we will rock you x3

MC #1______- “Hello everyone! Welcome to our rainforest!”“Room 20 & Rm 13 will now present to you an exciting play that takes place in the deepest part of the rainforest. It is based on the book, The Great Kapok Tree , written by Lynne Cherry.” MC #2______-“We have been learning all about biomes, endangered animals, and how important it is to protect our environment.” “Remember, tomorrow depends on today!” All – “Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!” # of Animal # Lines

Song #1 – “The Great Kapok Tree” (1)

In Brazil, the Great Kapok Tree plants its roots in the understory. In the understory. The Great Kapok Tree.

Like no other rain forest tree, it reaches through the canopy. It reaches through the canopy. Like no other rain forest tree.

Then came a man to chop down the tree. What a sad, sad story. What a sad, sad story: Chop down the Great Kapok Tree. 1 Jaguar #1 In the deepest part of the Amazon 2 Toucan #1 The animals lived in peace and harmony 3 Jaguar #5 The jaguars and the anteaters -Anteat #1 4 Snake #1 & Sloth The snakes and the tree sloths #4 5 Toucan #2 The toucans and the porcupines Porcupi #4 6 Bee #1 & Frog The bees and the frogs #2 7 Monkey #3 & The monkeys and the Yanamamo people Child 8 Monkey #1 Each one playing their part in the circle of life 9 Frog #5 Until one day men walked into the rain forest 10 Child They were not Yanomamo people 11 Toucan #3 Moments before the rain forest had been alive with the sounds of squawking birds and howling monkeys 3 All Squawk 12 Bee #5 But now we all hid within the shadows of the Great Kapok Tree All Hide 13 Sloth #1 And everything was silent! 14 Snake #5 Why did the men come? 15 Monkey #2 What do they want? 16 Porcupine #1 They spied the Great Kapok Tree and walked over to it 17 Toucan #4 Then the men took up an ax! 18 All Gasp! 19 Porcupine #2 They raised it high in the air and struck the tree 20 All Whack! Whack! Whack! 21 Monkey #4 The wood of the Great Kapok Tree was very hard 22 All Chop! Chop! Chop! 23 Monkey #1 They wiped the sweat that ran down their faces 24 All Whack! Chop! Whack! Chop! 25 Porcupine #3 They soon grew tired…but they did not stop 26 Toucan #1 Until the final blow made the tree fall with a crash! ***Men Grab tree and drag it off stage All animals exit silently – BEES STAY 27 Men/Women Yawn 28 Bee #2 They sat down to take a drink of water and rest next to where the Great Kapok Tree used to be 29 Bee #4 Before they knew it…they had fallen asleep Men Sleep***Snakes slither forward 30 Snake #2 A boa constrictor lived in the Kapok tree 31 Snake #3 I slithered down to where the strange men were sleeping 32 Snake #4 I looked at the gashhh the ax had made in the tree 33 Snake #5 Sssuch a sssshame SSSenhor… ***Men get up in a dream-like state… 34 Snake #2 Do you know what thissss tree wasss? 35 Man/Woman #1 I don’t care 36 Snake #3 Thisss wasss a tree of Miraclessss 37 Man/Woman #2 It is gone now 38 Snake #4 Don’t you think before you do sssomething? Thisss wasss my home! Do you have a home??? 39 Man/Woman #3 Yes 40 Snake #1 Thisss wasss where generationsss of my ancestorsss lived 41 Man/Woman #3 This tree? 42 Snake #5 You ssshould not have chopped it down… All Stand 4 Song #2 – “Don’t Chop It Down” (2)

CHANT: Don’t chop it down. Don’t chop it down.

Senhor this is… This is a miracle. This is a tree of miracles.

Senhor this is… This is my home, my only home, Where generations of my ancestors Where generations of my ancestors have lived. ***All Sit – Bees buzz down to men/women 43 Bee #1 From inside a beautiful flower buzzed a bee….BZZZZ! ***Man swats at bee! 44 Bee #2 Hey! Watch out! BZZZZ! 45 Man/Woman #1 Oh! I didn’t see you 46 Bee #3 Senhor, my hive was in this Kapok Tree. BZZZZ 47 Man/Woman #2 Then I will have some honey 48 Bee #4 Your actions are very selfish. Just because you can’t see my hive doesn’t mean it’s not there. 49 Bee #5 Ya! I fly from tree to tree….flower to flower…collecting pollen 50 Man/Woman #3 Why do you do this? 51 Bee #3 This is how I pollinate the trees and flowers throughout the rain forest. 52 Man/Woman #1 A little bee like you does all that? 53 Bee #1 You see all living things depend on one another. BZZZ! 54 Man/Woman #2 I don’t need anybody ***The bees fly off and monkeys come on stage 55 Monkey #5 The monkeys scamper down from the canopy Monkey #3 You don’t need anybody. You don’t need anybody!!! 56 ***Jumping from side to side playing a game with the man) 57 Man/Woman #2 Are you making fun of me? 58 Monkey #1 Only foolish people think they can survive in this world alone. 59 Monkey #2 You chop down one tree…and another…and then another. 60 Monkey #3 The roots of these great trees will wither and die. 61 Man #3 I am just doing my job 62 Monkey #4 There will be nothing left to hold the earth in place 63 Man/Woman #1 The earth isn’t going anywhere! 64 Monkey #5 When the heavy rains come, the soil will be washed away and the rain forest will become a desert. 65 Man/Woman #2 But I don’t live in the rain forest. It won’t affect me. 66 Monkey #4 Not until Hurricane Katrina sweeps your own house away. Why must you wait that long to care? Stand & begin Snap 5 Song #3 – “The Way of Man” (4) – Sung in a round.

Chop one tree, come back for another. Chop two trees, come back for more. Chop three trees, come back for another. Senhor, this is the way of man.

The roots will die. The rain will wash the soil away.

The forest will become a desert. The forest will become a desert. The forest will become a desert. The forest will become a desert. ***Toucans fly down 67 Toucan #4 The toucans fly down from the canopy. SENHOR! SQUAWK! 68 Man/Woman #3 I have never seen a bird like you before 69 Toucan #2 And if you cut down the rain forest -you never will again! 70 Man/Woman #1 Why? 71 Toucan #3 I fly over the rain forest and have seen what happens once you chop down the trees 72 Man/Woman #2 What have you seen? 73 Toucan #4 People settle on the land… 74 Man/Woman #3 Yes. That is what I did. 75 Toucan #1 And they set fire to the underbrush 76 Man/Woman #1 That doesn’t happen. No way! 77 Toucan #2 SQUAWK!! And soon the forest disappears. Where once there was life and beauty…only black and smoldering ruins are left. 78 Man/Woman #2 How horrible! ***Frogs hop down and sit in front of men/women 79 Toucan #3 SQUAWK!! You have become part of the problem. 80 Frog #1 Ribbit! Look where you’re walking buster! ***Toucans fly off as frog leap on stage. ***The man #3 is shaking his head and almost steps on Frog #1 81 Man/Woman #3 I didn’t know you were there. 82 Frog #2 Yeah, well open up your eyes! Ribbit!! 83 Frog #3 Senhor, a ruined forest means ruined lives. Ribbit! 84 Man/Woman #1 I just chopped down one little tree. 85 Frog #4 Many ruined lives. Have you ever been homeless? 86 Man/Woman #2 No. 87 Frog #5 How would you feel if everything you had was taken away from you? 88 Man/Woman #3 That will never happen to me. 6 89 Frog #1 How do you know? Someone might turn around and do the same thing to you. 90 Frog #2 Mother Nature is more powerful than man. Frog #3 You should be careful how you treat others. 91 Man/Woman #1 I never thought of that. 92 Frog #4 You have left many of us homeless when you chopped down this Greak Kapok Tree! 93 All Frogs Ribbitt!!! ***Frogs hop off stage and Jaguars creep on stage 94 Jaguar #1 A beautiful jaguar had been sleeping along a branch in the middle of the tree 95 Jaguar #2 My spotted coat blends into the lights and shadows of the understory 96 Jaguar #3 No one had even noticed me. 97 Jaguar #4 I leapt down and padded quietly over to the man 98 Man/Woman #1 Hey big fella… 99 Jaguar #5 I never took my eyes off the man ***Jaguars circle the men. Men stand back to back. 100 Man/Woman #2 I don’t want to hurt you…and I hope you don’t want to eat me. 101 Jaguar #3 GRRR…Senhor, this Kapok tree was my home 102 Man/Woman #3 O.K. I am sorry. I’ll be going now…You just go back to sleep ***Jaguars leap at men 103 Jaguar #2 GRRR…Where do you think you are going? 104 Man/Woman #1 I…uh…I…nowhere! 105 Jaguar #1 This was also the home to many birds and animals 106 Man/Woman #2 Oh, yes…I met them 107 Jaguar #4 I eat the birds and animals! 108 Man/Woman #3 Better them than me. 109 Jaguar #5 Since you cut down the tree, where will I find my dinner? 110 Man/Woman #1 I did not know. I am sorry. 111 Jaguar #1 I don’t want you to be sorry. 112 Jaguar #2 Saying sorry cannot change what you did. 113 Man/Woman #2 Please don’t hurt me! 114 Jaguar #3 We are not going to hurt you. 115 Jaguar #4 Only humans think that fighting back solves a problem. -All stand 7 Song #4 – “My Dinner” (7)

In the dappled light and shadows of the Great Kapok Tree, My spotted coat blends into the understory. But if you chop it down, who will I surprise? How will I find my dinner?

My dinner! My dinner! Please tell me how to find my dinner! My dinner! My dinner! Please tell me how to find my dinner!

Senhor this Kapok tree is the only home, you see, Too many birds and animals and jaguars just like me. But if you chop it down, where will I search around? How will I find my dinner? My dinner! My dinner! Please tell me how to find my dinner! My dinner! My dinner! Please tell me how to find my dinner! ***Jaguars go off stage 116 Man/Woman #3 Whew, that was close ***Porcupines swing on stage 117 Porcupine #1 Senhor! ***Men look but do not see them 118 Porcupine #2 Over here! 119 Man/Woman #1 Oh yes…I see you… (Walks to porcupine..Touches it!) OUCH!!! 120 Porcupine #3 Ha ! Senhor, do you know what you need to live? 121 Man/Woman #2 Money? Clothes? Ipads for everyone ? 122 Porcupine #4 Oxygen! Animals and humans need oxygen to live. Do you know what trees produce? 123 Man/Woman #3 Yes. Flowers and leaves…. 124 Porcupine #1 No!!! Oxygen silly. 125 Man/Woman #1 But there is a lot of oxygen… 126 Porcupine #2 If you cut down the forest, you will destroy what gives us life 127 Man/Woman #2 I don’t understand… 128 Porcupine #3 & 4 If you cut down the trees…we will all die, even you… because there will be no oxygen. 129 Man/Woman #3 Ohhh 130 All Porcupines Now go away!!! (All stand.) 8 Song #5 – “Oxygen” (8)

Senhor, do you know what we need to live? Oxygen! Oxygen! What do animals and humans need to live? Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! In order to live we need oxygen. Oxygen! Oxygen! We need oxygen to live!

Senhor, do you know what trees produce? Oxygen! Oxygen! What do plants produce, can you deduce? Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! In order to live we need oxygen. Oxygen! Oxygen! We need oxygen to live!

If you cut down the rain forests.. Oxygen! Oxygen! Wouldn’t you destroy what trees give us? Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! In order to live we need oxygen. Oxygen! Oxygen! We need oxygen to live! 131 Anteater #1 An anteater climbs slowly along the ground 132 Man/Woman #1 Hello there! 133 Anteater #2 Senhor, do you have any children? 134 Man/Woman #2 Yes, I do. 135 Anteater #3 You are chopping trees down with no thought for the future. 136 Man/Woman #3 What do you mean? 137 Anteater #4 What happens tomorrow depends on today. 138 Anteater #1 Don’t you know that there are consequences for your actions? 139 Man/Woman #1 I chopped down this tree to feed my children 140 Anteater #2 The big man tells you to chop down this beautiful tree. 141 Man/Woman #2 I need a job 142 Anteater #3 But he does not think of his own children 143 Anteater #4 What will your children think if they must live in a world without trees? 144 Man/Woman #3 That will never happen 145 Anteater #2 But it starts right here. 146 Anteater #3 It is you who must make a change! 9 Song #6 – “Tomorrow Depends On Today” (9)

With no thought for the future, you’re chopping down this tree. And surely you know what happens tomorrow, depends on you and me. What happens today, makes the way for tomorrow. Tomorrow depends on today.

The big man tells you to chop down, to chop down a beautiful tree. He doesn’t think of his own children, he doesn’t think of you or me. What happens today, makes the way for tomorrow. Tomorrow depends on today.

When you chop down the future along with this Kapok tree, You create a world for your children, a world without any trees. What happens today, makes the way for tomorrow. Tomorrow depends on today. ***Child goes to the rock. All sit. Sloths creep forward. 147 Sloth #1 Senhor, he is right you know. 148 Man/Woman #1 Yes, but I must live too… 149 Sloth #2 Look around ***Man looks at the forest and animals 150 Sloth #3 Have you ever seen any place so beautiful? 151 Man/Woman #2 I don’t think I have 152 Sloth #4 How much is this beauty worth to you? Can you live without it? 153 Man/Woman #3 I don’t think so… 154 Sloth #1 Because if you destroy the beauty of the rain forest, it is gone forever. You cannot bring it back. ***Men look around forest and see child on rock… 155 Man/Woman #1 Where did you come from? Are you lost? 156 Child My people live in the forest. 157 Man/Woman #2 I didn’t know there were people living here… 158 Child There is much you have to learn. Only you can do it. No one can do it for you. Senhor, when you wake up please look upon us all with new eyes. ***Men go back to sleep by trunk 159 Child The animals and sounds of the rain forest come alive ***Animals make noise. 160 Child until the men wake up with a jump! 161 All Men/Women What wondrous and rare animals you all are! 162 Child But the animals stare at him frozen… 163 Snake #2 They raised their axes high into the air 164 All GASP!!!! 165 Frog #3 And suddenly they stopped… 166 All Ahh! 167 Child They turned and looked at the animals 10 168 Man/Woman #3 We cannot change what we did. We were only thinking of ourselves. We’re sorry. 169 Man/Woman #1 Yes, we chopped down the Great Kapok Tree and we cannot bring it back, but we will not chop down another. 170 All Men/Women We can change. We can make a difference! 171 Sloth #2 Then they dropped their axes 172 Sloth #3 And walked out of the rain forest. ***Animals all wave goodbye to the men/women. All stand. Song #7 – “The Great Kapok Tree” (1)

In Brazil, the Great Kapok Tree plants its roots in the understory. In the Understory. The Great Kapok Tree.

Like no other rain forest tree, it reaches through the canopy. It reaches through the canopy. Like no other rain forest tree.

Then came a man to chop down the tree. What a sad, sad story. What a sad, sad story: Chop down the Great Kapok Tree. Kapok Conclusion

*After all students have taken their bows

MC #1 - We hope you had a great time in the rainforest…. We would like to thank Ms. Graves and Mrs. So for allowing us to have so much fun learning about conservation and the rainforest.

MC #2 - Now, Thank YOU for coming to our 3rd Grade Play! Parents, we will stay on stage a little while longer for photos if you would like.

MC #1: Remember…You can make a difference!

ALL: Tomorrow depends on today!

MC #2: Thank you ….Students….look to your teachers for dismissal