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a very Electric christmas

Dreamcatchers Teaching Guides align with Tuesday, December 12, 2017 the Common Core State Standards and New Mexico By Lightwire Theater State Learning Standards. rades: K - 12 G rades: Standards Addressed By Attending the Performance

NMCCSS ELA-Literacy.SL.2

New Mexico Content Standards: Fine Arts/Theatre Content Standards 3 & 5

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” ‘‘ - Aaron Rose Introduction A Very Electric Christmas brightens up the holidays for audiences of all ages. Lightwire Theater combines its unique technologically stunning visual effects with a heart- warming story that puts a new spin on “coming home for the holidays.” heT show is performed in complete darkness as the actors and dancers are dressed in all black beneath their extraordinary costumes that use special electroluminescent wire to create spectacular imagery. The storyline follows the adventures of a young bird named Max as he loses his family on their way south for the winter and has to find his way home on his own. The show’s musical score combines timeless holiday classics of chaikovsky’sT Nutcracker with more modern songs by Mariah Carey, Louis Armstrong, and Nat King Cole, among others. The show’s captivating choreography features dancing flowers and worms as well as electrifying action scenes with matrix-like fighting moves.his T delightful holiday production will make children wide-eyed with delight and warm even the coldest of hearts.

2 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers Synopsis At the opening of the show, Santa’s helpers are putting the final touches on presents as Max and his family are heading south for the winter. A couple of mischievous rats snoop around the gifts and steal a few, but there is even more tragic news: young Max has been blown off course and lost his family! Max’s parents are distraught at the disappearance of their fledgling, but the rats are intrigued. They hatch an evil plan to get to Max before he is rescued. Ignorant of all of this commotion, Max needs to find his way home. His spirits are raised and his adventures truly begin when he encounters a friendly trio of caroling worms. Several other characters join the action before Max is reunited with his family, including dancing poinsettias, nutcracker soldiers, and the sinister Rat King. The show’s finale neatly ties all of the plot lines together and features an epic battle scene that takes full advantage of Lightwire Theater’s famous array of dazzling light effects.

Vocabulary Battery: a device that stores energy and makes it available as electricity Charge: the amount of electricity an object contains Circuit: an electric device that provides a path for electric current to flow Conductor: a substance that allows electric current to pass through it Current: the flow of electricity in an electric circuit Electricity: a form of energy produced by the flow of electrons Fuse: a protective device designed to melt or break when the current flowing through it becomes too strong Gesture: a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, expressing an idea, emotion, or meaning Insulator: a material that does not allow the flow of electricity to pass through it Manipulate: to handle or control (a tool, mechanism, etc.), typically in a skillful manner Switch: a mechanical device used to turn electricity a current on or off in an electric circuit Puppet: a doll whose actions are Volt: a unit of measurement for controlled by an outside person (i.e. Transformer: an electric device that is electricity; indicates how much pressure puppeteer) used to raise or lower the voltage of there is on an electric current

3 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers What is Electroluminescent

Wire? Electroluminescent wire (EL wire) is a thin copper wire coated in phosphor, which glows when an electric current is applied to it. Used in safety and emergency lightning, toys, clothing, and structure decoration, EL wire is unique from other stringed lights in that it produces a continuous stream of unbroken visible light. The wire’s extreme thinness allows for great flexibility – fantastic for use in designing puppets.

Interesting Facts for Students All glow-in-the-dark products contain phosphors. Phosphor is a substance that radiates visible light after being They build everything themselves from energized. The two places where we the ground up, with each sculpture most commonly see phosphors are in taking nearly 200 hours of intensive a TV screen or computer monitor and labor. The foundation begins with in fluorescent lights. a base that includes triggers and Temperature has a direct effect on armatures. They utilize recyclable glow chemical products. Cooling or materials including aluminum rods, freezing a chemical reaction causes election signs, skateboard wheels, the effects to slow, while heating it dryer ducting, plumbing supplies, PVC speeds up the reaction. pipes, fishing poles, duct tape, zip ties, By placing an activated glow stick and backpacks to help define peaks in the freezer, you are slowing the and angles. These common household chemical reaction. By completely items help create durable and pliable freezing a glow stick, you are sculptures that can withstand the effectively shutting “off” the glow movement of the dancers and multiple performances. Black fabric is added to effect so that it can be used again. is durable. Unlike neon or fluorescent Never defrost it by using a microwave. light, EL wire has no filament that can the sculpture for dimension and then lined with electroluminescent wire The ancient Greek god Phosphorus break. known as “EL wire,” which is soldered was known as the bringer of light. is popular because it’s fairly easy everywhere the wire is connected. He was often evoked in reference to to create interesting effects such Unlike black lights, “EL wire” can Venus when the planet was visible as pulsing light, circles, or specific before dawn. The Latin name for this be powered by batteries, requires patterns that match a tempo. In order no theatrical lighting, and provides same god was “Lucifer.” to produce such effects, you’ll need 360-degrees of glowing light. Once the to use a sequencer. Sequencers are EL Wire: character is “turned on,” it can use up programmable, letting you control has a decorative safety function to 16 AA or rechargeable batteries per your lighting pattern and the speed at used on stairs, walkways, and bike which it moves performance. helmets. It is widely used to illuminate and decorate clothing (think glowing The actors must remain invisible during suits), bicycle spokes and turntables. the performance; therefore, they will Creating the Characters only be seen where the EL wire is can break if exposed to moisture The process of building Lightwire backlighting their bodies. Considering (water). Theater’s electroluminescent this is a show without words, the characters starts with the creators and is powered by alternating current characters are brought to life by the the cast. The designers make many (AC), not direct current (DC). actors through movement and dance artistic choices when they make the set to music. is one of the most efficient forms of characters that determine the kinds lighting on the market. It burns very of roles they play in the story. Some See a video on the process and little energy, glows cool to the touch examples are choices of color, size, and photos of construction at Lightwire and costs relatively little. shape. Theatre.

4 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers as many as eight strings. Shortly controlled by the puppeteer’s hand, History of Puppet Theater thereafter, puppetry was divided from which is placed directly inside of the While the precise origin of puppets actor theaters and began to compete puppet. with vaudeville and music hall theater. is unknown, puppetry dates back Two-man Puppetry—larger puppets over 3,000 years. Puppets are In the 20th century, a resurgence of are controlled by two puppeteers, mentioned in Egyptian writings as popular puppetry was seen with the typically one operating the head while early as 422 B.C.E. Following Egypt, introduction of The Muppets, created the other operates the body. puppetry became part of popular by Jim Hensen, and the musical The Lion King, based on the Disney classic culture in India, Indonesia, Japan, Carnival (Body Puppetry)—these tale. Puppets continue to appeal to and Europe. India included the use of puppets are seen in Lightwire children and families on television, stick puppets depicting Indian epics Theater’s shows, street spectacles, such as Mahabharata and Balakanda. movies, and stage and are seen as a way to relate moral messages about sporting games, or the Lion King. Indonesian puppets were (and still Puppets are worn as a full-body suit. are) considered sacred and part of childhood concepts. ritual ceremonies. In Japan, puppets Bunraku Puppetry—based in Japan, a took on more entertainment with Types of Puppets life-size wooden puppet is illuminated ornate designs as well as on a larger by focused light; however, puppeteers Marionette (String Puppetry)— scale in street theater. In Europe, puppets are suspended by strings can be seen by the audience. puppets acted out morality tales in from a horizontal bar held in the plays, behaving in ways that would Shadow Puppetry—a paper cutout on puppeteer’s hand. By manipulating have been unacceptable for humans a stick is illuminated onto a piece of the tilt of the bar, puppeteers make to portray. By the 19th century, string white fabric, producing shadows that the puppet move. puppets had upgraded from two are viewed by the audience and allow strings to controls that included Hand Puppetry—puppets are puppeteers to be hidden.

5 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers Glowing Holiday Crafts Lesson 1 Objectives • Learn how to make glowing glue. Grades 3 - 4 • Create holiday-themed crafts using glowing glue. Materials NMCCSS Glowing Glue • Newspaper • Ornament hooks ELA.Literacy.SL.2 • 1-2 bottles of clear glue (i.e. Elmer’s clear school glue) • Glow-in-the dark paint (i.e. DecoArt Glow in The Dark Glowing Holiday Cards Paint, found at most craft stores and Walmart) • Construction paper or cardstock Glowing Ornaments • Pencils, markers, etc. New Mexico • Small balloons (water balloons work great!) Holiday Window Clings Content • String or yarn • Wax paper Standards: • Vaseline • Pencil Fine Arts/Visual Arts: Content Standards Procedure 1, 2, & 4 Make Glowing Glue: 1. Take 1 bottle of clear glue (white glue can also be used) and mix about .5 oz of glow-in-the-dark paint right in the bottle. Now you have glowing glue! Ornaments: 2. Cover work area with newspaper—this will get messy! 3. Cut yarn or string into manageable strips. 4. Have each student inflate a balloon and rub a little Vaseline on it to prevent string from sticking. 5. Run the string through the glue. Make sure it is covered completely. Use your fingers to remove excess glue from string. 6. Place the string on the balloon. Add pieces until a decorative ball has formed. 7. Allow balls to dry completely, and then pop the balloon. Add an ornament hook to the ball. Glowing Holiday Cards: 8. Cut holiday shapes out of construction paper (Christmas trees, candy canes, menorahs, candles, snowmen, etc.) 9. Decorate the shapes with the glowing glue. You can create borders, decorations, or smear the surface of the shape with the glue. 10. Allow to dry. 11. Glue the shape to the front of a card, made with either construction paper or cardstock. Holiday Window Clings: 12. Give each student a piece of wax paper. 13. Students will use the glowing glue to make holiday shapes on the wax paper. heyT may want to draw their designs with a pencil before applying the glue. 14. Allow glue to dry completely. 15. Peel the shapes off of the wax paper and they will stick on any glass surface.

Extensions/Modifications You can also mix florescent paints with glue to get more color options.he T glue won’t glow in the dark, but it’ll glow brightly under a blacklight.

Assessment • Quality of participation

6 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers Human Puppets Lesson 2 Grades 3 - 8 Objectives Students will: • explore different ways to move their bodies for different effects. NMCCSS • work collaboratively to tell a story. ELA-Literacy.SL.2 Materials • An open space for students to work in New Mexico Content Procedure 1. Students will stand in a circle, leaving enough space for them to move their arms and legs without hitting the Standards: people next to them. Have students stretch and shake their arms, legs, and heads to warm up their bodies. Fine Arts/Theatre: 2. Tell students they will be exploring how to move their bodies as if they were attached to strings, just like a Content Standards type of puppet called a marionette (have them think of Pinocchio). 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 3. First have students lift their arms and legs normally. Then imagine that they have strings attached to their wrists and ankles. When they move their arms or legs, they are only able to do so because an invisible pup Grades: 2-12 peteer is pulling up on their strings. Ask students to note how their movements are different with their invisible (with modifications strings attached. Allow time for them to explore different ways of moving. for PreK & K) 4. Ask students to get in pairs: one student will act as a puppeteer and the other will act as a puppet.he T puppeteer cannot speak and must indicate to the puppet how it is to move by gently tapping the puppet’s wrists or feet and pointing in the direction it would like the puppet to move. heT puppet may only make moves that the puppeteer indicates. Give students time to try different ways of moving the puppets around. 5. Allow time for each student to play puppet and puppeteer. 6. Think about some of the puppets and characters from the show. Can you mimic their movements with your human puppets? Extensions/Modifications • Before starting this activity, guide students through a mirroring exercise. Divide students into pairs. Have them take turns being the leader, where they perform a series of movements while their partner tries to “mirror” their movements. Once students get the hang of it, they can alternate leading the activity back and forth without pausing. Assessment • Quality of participation

7 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers Questions to Engage & Connect After seeing the show, ask your students to answer these questions:

Before seeing this show, I didn’t know that…

This show made me think about…

Even though the actors didn’t talk, I knew what was happening because...

I could see the connection between the music and the story when/because... process of building Lightwire Theater’s Bonus Explorations electroluminescent characters. Overall, the show Adafruit Learning System - 10 EL Wire All About Electroluminescent Materials made me feel… Activity Guides and 49 Projects A brief explanation of electroluminescent I think the best part Steve Spangler Science - The Science Behind materials. of the show is... Halloween Glowing Recipes Team iLuminate Music, art, and technological Kids Activities Blog - 25 Glow-In-The-Dark Something I want to share magic of iLuminate bring you stories of Projects with my family about the adventure and romance told through dance experience is… Pinterest - 30 Glowing Activities styles. Science Friday - Learn about phosphorescence and how certain materials can absorb and store energy from a light source. About the Company Founded by Ian and Eleanor Carney together with Corbin and Whitney Popp, Lightwire Resources Theater launched their first shows in January of 2011. Aside from appearing in numerous Websites performances in their native New Orleans Science Kids Check out the exciting and being featured on “America’s Got Talent,” subject of electricity for kids with a range Lightwire’s puppetry-based unique neon of experiments, free games, science fair creatures can be seen all over the US and at projects, quizzes, interesting facts, videos, several international locations. To create each worksheets and more! Learn about circuits, costume, the artists use electroluminescent lightning, batteries, conductors and all kinds wire (known as “EL wire”) that provides of electricity topics. 360-degrees of glowing light and an array How Stuff Works A fascinating, in-depth look of recyclable materials, from aluminum rods at EL Wire! and skateboard wheels to dryer ducting and fishing poles. The result is anything your inner- Videos child can dream of, including 16-ft. tall birds, Lightwire Theater A short video on the dinosaurs, ducks, soldiers, swords, and more!

8 A Very Electric Christmas Teaching Guide Dreamcatchers •••••••••••• Schooltime SERIES

The Schooltime Series is a proud member of About the Schooltime Series The Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series brings you national and international touring companies and performers you can’t see anywhere else in or around Albuquerque. Each touring company is selected with youth and family audiences in mind, and our repertoire reflects the cultural diversity The LANB Popejoy Schooltime of our global community. The Schooltime Series includes new plays, familiar Series is supported in part by stories, literary works, biographies, mythologies, folk tales, music, dance, awards from: and puppetry. These professional performing artists create educational experiences designed to encourage literacy, creativity, communication, and imagination. Send an email with your name and email address to schooltime@ popejoypresents.com requesting to be added to the mailing and monthly newsletter list. Visit us at schooltimeseries.com and facebook.com/ schooltimeseries. Popejoy Hall Popejoy Hall is New Mexico’s premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. Our misssion is to provide access to the performing arts for all New Mexicans. Etiquette The inside of a theatre is called a “house” and to get along, have fun, and enjoy the shows, there are rules to follow. Schooltime provides a wonderful opportunity to learn how good behavior in a live theater is different from watching television at home. For guidelines to practice with your class and chaperones go to schooltimeseries.com/house-policies. House Policies Please visit our website for detailed information about House Policies. This includes our guidelines on safety, special needs, food and drink, backpacks, cell phones, photography, recordings, and more. Credits Dreamcatchers are Teaching Guides produced by the Education Department of Popejoy Hall, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Selected Dreamcatcher Teaching Guide materials provided by Lightwire Theater ,Puppets Now, HowStuffWorks, and other resources noted within this guide. . The Eugene & Marion Castiglia Popejoy Children’s Schooltime The University of New Mexico Endowment The Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series is a program of The The Popejoy Schooltime University of New Mexico. Education Endowment

Popejoy Hall: University f ounded ~ C ommunity funded