DIVERSITY UNIT Table of Contents
Introduction Lesson 1: Number the Stars Lesson 2: Number the Stars Lesson 3: Poems from Terezin Lesson 4: The Sneetches Appendix
Introduction The teaching approach I plan to utilize is the Constructivist approach as well as an emphasis on integrating technology. The Constructivist approach constructs or creates knowledge rather than the traditional approach of relaying learning solely through the teacher. The teacher’s primary role is that of a facilitator rather than a lecturer. Students will frequently work in cooperative groups with an emphasis on hands-on learning, creative writing, and research with books and technology, projects and presentations. Worksheets will be utilized primarily as a means of gathering information. Scoring will be largely based on projects, presentations, creative writing and journals utilizing rubrics, with the occasional traditional testing methods of quizzes and tests. Emphasis will be on acquiring and building knowledge rather than rote memorization. Furthermore, from my background as a computer instructor as well as the State of Ohio’s requirement on integrating technology, I plan to incorporate technology as a useful classroom tool. Units will be in the format of Integrated Thematic Units, encompassing state and national standards and including language arts, social studies, science, technology, math, art and music. In an integrated thematic unit, subjects are not “sectioned off” into social studies, language arts, math, and so on. The curriculum areas, and their activities, may cover multiple subject areas, span a longer duration of time, and flow together. For instance, rather than an hour for each of language arts, social studies, and math, the unit may cover all of these areas over several hours. The technicalities of teaching an integrated thematic unit, such as working with the existing textbook curricula and cooperating teachers, will, of course, need to be addressed with the unit restructured accordingly. The integrated thematic unit that follows is a “snapshot” of the entire unit on Diversity that will be developed and taught to the fourth grade. Diversity is an appropriate subject to teach to this grade level as it is very common for this age group to be unkind to their peers and valuable to teach the importance of the repercussions of prejudice. The four lesson “snapshot” includes the following literature in this order: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, I never saw another butterfly. Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944, andThe Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. The unit begins with Number the Stars, a historical realistic fiction novel that provides an introduction to the realities of the Holocaust, yet lacks the gruesome details that are more appropriate for older children. Number the Stars has been selected to launch the unit as it will require several weeks to read the novel and students will write in their journals daily on their reflections of the story. The story also relays important information in social studies, political science, geography, World War II, the Holocaust, prejudice and civil rights. Additionally, I never saw another butterfly. Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944 relays poetry written by children who did not survive the Holocaust, yet their poems and experiences through them, live on. Through the poems, the students will understand the reality of the outcome of the Holocaust. The poems include At Terezin, The Little Boy, and I Never Saw Another Butterfly. The final “snapshot” lesson,The Sneetches, is a whimsical fantasy that clearly depicts prejudice and its consequences. The story will complete the unit by tying everything together with its message of prejudice and the culminating activity of a play ofThe Sneetches that the class will perform for the entire school as well as parents. Other literature that will be utilized: the fairy tales, The Ugly Duckling and Little Match Girl, a story about a poor girl selling matches that perishes on the street in the cold, both by Hans Christian Andersen, Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, a true Civil War story about a black soldier that rescues a white soldier, In the Time of the Drums by Kim L. Siegelson, a Gullah tale of an enslaved African-born grandmother that regales her slavery-born grandson with tales of her past, The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, a novel about a girl that only owns one dress and to gain acceptance, tells her classmates she owns one hundred, Corduroy by Don Freeman, a shabby toy bear for sale in a department store, and finally, My Diary from Here to There by Amada Irma Perez, a story of a family’s immigration to the United States. The entire completed unit will require approximately four weeks to complete, and due to the butterfly release, will occur in the spring.
LESSON PLAN Name of Instructor: Hedy Laverdiere Grade Level: 4th + Subject: Integrated – Language Arts, Social Studies, Math Today’s Topic: Number the Stars Time Length: 210 min. Date of Lesson:
Monday
Enduring Understanding: Students should be able to learn new vocabulary, understand the concepts of diversity and peace, and locate Nazi-occupied countries during World War II. Essential Unit Question: Students will learn about the Holocaust. Group Size:
Individual
Small Group
Entire Class
ANTICIPATORY SET/ENTRY-POINT QUESTION 1.
Focus the students’ attention (ice-breaker): After reading and journal writing, put on a babushka, an apron, and bring out baking supplies.
2.
Review previous learning:
3.
Motivate students for instruction that will follow:
None. Begin new Diversity unit. Let the students know that we will be creating a Recipe for Peace.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION A.
Essential lesson questions:
Students will learn about prejudice through language arts, social studies, and math.
B. Objectives of the lesson (What the student will know or be able to do): Students will learn new vocabulary relevant to
Number the Stars. Students will create a Recipe for Peace. Students will locate countries and waterways specific to the Holocaust. Students will show their knowledge of basic geography skills. Students will reflect in their journals.
C.
Materials for the lesson (includes textbook, notebook, etc.): Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, simple baking props found in a kitchen, a babushka or other hat worn while baking, note cards, pencils, vocabulary flashcards (1 set per 2 students), sample Recipe for Peace on transparency, overhead projector. For each student: Number the Stars Europe map worksheet, Reflection Journal Rubric, the novel Number the Stars, Reflection Journals.
D.
Teaching strategies/activities. Label the kind of strategy/activity using the code below: Instructional Input/New Data II Modeling M Checking for Understanding (Teacher) CU Guided Practice (Teacher) GP Independent Practice IP
1.
(number each step) (II, GP, CU) Put on a babushka and apron, get out a mixing bowl, spatula and measuring spoons, cups and note cards. Say Today we are starting a new unit on Diversity. Diversity is a term that means each of us is unique and different in many special ways. Can you tell me ways in which we are different? Let students respond. As students answer questions, write the key word on a note card, tossing it into the bowl and stirring with the spatula. Say How many of you are familiar with the word PREJUDICE? Let students respond. Say PREJUDICE means not accepting or liking certain differences in others. Can you give me some examples of prejudice? Let students respond. Say Have you ever witnessed prejudice? Where? Let students respond. What might you do if you saw prejudice with your own eyes? Let students respond. Say Our Diversity unit will include reading the realistic fiction novel, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. The story takes place in Denmark and is about a Christian girl that helps save the life of her Jewish friend and family during World War II. During the war, six million Jews were treated badly, or OPPRESSED, in other words, shown prejudice, and killed. The killing of the Jews was called the Holocaust. Six million people is a lot of people, isn’t it? Can you think of things you, or people living at that time, could do to stop the killing of the Jews? Let students respond.
2.
(M, GP, IP) Say On the note cards provided, I’d like you to individually create a Recipe for Peace. Take a look at the example on the overhead projector. It is okay to consult with a friend, but your recipes should be unique. 3. (II, IP, CU) Say Now that you’ve turned in your Recipes for Peace, get together with a friend. You will use Vocabulary Flashcards to learn terms that you will read in the book, Number the Stars. When students have finished, say Are there any questions on the vocabulary words? Let students respond. 4. (II, GP) Say Let’s take a look at the World Map. Jews were oppressed in many European countries, initially fleeing Germany. The ruler, or FUHRER, of Germany that wanted to kill the Jews, was Adolf Hitler. Hitler was a very prejudiced man that believed in a MASTER RACE – he believed there should be only one race, white Christians. Jews fled Germany to the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Hungary and other countries. Many Jews already lived in some of these countries as well. Let’s find the countries on the map. The Nazi-occupied countries are Czechoslovakia, Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Russia (Soviet Union). Let students respond. The countries were accessed by land and close bodies of water by Germany. These included the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea. Let students respond. 5. (II, CU) Say I am handing out the novel Number the Stars for silent reading time. We will read a chapter each day, as well as an occasional chapter for homework. I am also handing out a Reflection Journal with guided questions, as well as a Rubric to help you in your journal writing. Your daily journal entry should be at least one page. After reading Chapter 1, write your reflections in your journals. Silent reading begins for 30 minutes, followed by journal reflections for 15 minutes. 6. Prior to the lesson, assemble statistics. As a class on the overhead, organize the information into a chart format so that creating a pie chart will be easier. Say We are going to look at how many Jews died, and where they came from. Present the information, filling out the chart. Once the chart is completed and the students have classified all of the victims, ask them how we might go about making a pie chart to represent this data. Say What does the six million represent? [the whole] So, if the number of men victims in the Holocaust were 3 million, what fraction of the whole would that represent? How did you know that? Can you explain it for the rest of us? Continue until a pie chart has been created. Once the fractions are created, we can use them to make our very own math problems, reinforcing our skills in addition and subtraction of fractions. One example might be . . . If we add together the fraction of individuals who are less than 6 years-old to those who are men, we get what? E.
Closure: Say Tomorrow we will continue with Number the Stars. Your homework assignment is to read Chapter 2 of Number the Stars and write your journal reflection on it.
F.
Assessment of students (What observable behavior or evidence will indicate successful accomplishment of the lesson objective?): Students are actively creating Recipes for Peace, learning vocabulary, identifying European countries, and collaborating on creating math fractions.
G.
Student self-assessment (if applicable): Completion of activities.
H. What will happen next in class?
Students will introduce themselves to a penpal in Denmark.
Bibliography: Journal questions and math from Katie O’Malley, We Remember the Holocaust. http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/ylp/96-97/96-97_curriculum_units/Holocaust_KO_Malley/lit_series.html Recipe for Peace http://www.eduref.org/virtual/lessons/index.shtml
LESSON PLAN Name of Instructor: Hedy Laverdiere Grade Level: 4th + Subject: Integrated - Science, Language Arts, Math, Technology Today’s Topic: Number the Stars Time Length: 180 min. Date of Lesson:
Tuesday
Enduring Understanding: Students should be able to understand what diversity means and begin to understand how it feels, and to empathize with the oppressed, gain deeper understanding of Jewish oppression, create math story problems, learn about customs in another country. Essential Unit Question: Students will learn about the Holocaust. Group Size:
Individual
Small Group
Entire Class
ANTICIPATORY SET/ENTRY-POINT QUESTION 1.
Focus the students’ attention (ice-breaker): Run a crepe paper streamer from wall to wall, dividing the students in half. Introduce the students to the Diversity unit by briefly explaining Jewish oppression, the Holocaust, and World War II. After the explanation, ask students what they think diversity means. Ignore one half the room, do not answer their questions or make eye contact. Once it is obvious the teacher is ignoring them, turn to those students and ask them how being ignored made them feel. Ask the other side of the class how they felt.
2.
Review previous learning:
3.
Motivate students for instruction that will follow:
Collect 5 of the journals for grading. Ask students what they think of Number the Stars. Let the students know we will begin by visiting the computer lab.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION A.
Essential lesson questions: and math.
B.
Objectives of the lesson (What the student will know or be able to do): Students will be able to access a website. Students will be able to communicate with a penpal in Denmark. Students will be able to create math story problems. Students will be able to solve math story problems.
C.
Materials for the lesson (includes textbook, notebook, etc.): (created beforehand), novels, journals, pencil and paper.
D.
Teaching strategies/activities. Label the kind of strategy/activity using the code below: Instructional Input/New Data II Modeling M Checking for Understanding (Teacher) CU Guided Practice (Teacher) GP Independent Practice IP
1.
2.
Students will learn about prejudice through language arts, social studies, science, technology
Computer lab time, note cards with penpal assignments
(number each step) (II, CU) Run a crepe paper streamer from wall to wall, dividing the students in half. Introduce the students to the Diversity unit by briefly explaining Jewish oppression, the Holocaust, and World War II. Say Do you recall the definition of Diversity? Ignore one half the room, do not answer their questions or make eye contact. Diversity is “a state of difference; unlikeness.” Diversity is the differences in people be it race, nationality, culture, males and females, old and young. Diversity is what makes us special. Let students respond and continue with questions. Once it is obvious the teacher is ignoring them, turn to those students and ask them how being ignored made them feel. Ask the other side of the class how they felt. (II, CU) Say We are now going to visit the Computer lab for a special assignment. Proceed to the Computer lab. Once students are seated, say Through the website KS Connections, we will be communicating with students in a
3.
4.
classroom in Copenhagen, Denmark, where our story, Number the Stars, takes place. On the index card I am handing out is the username of your penpal. Let’s visit the website now at http://www.ks-connection.org/, and create a username. Click on Class Projects, then under Project Name, search for Number the Stars. Write to your penpal. Introduce yourselves, and ask your penpal questions about themselves, their country, their customs. After 30 minutes, let students know they will be communicating with their penpal each Monday and Thursday throughout the remainder of the unit. Proceed to classroom. (II, IP, CU) Say Working in pairs, create two math story problems from the pie chart we generated of the number of Jews that were killed. When the students finish, the story problems will be rotated to another table group, and each pair of students will solve the story problems. Say Are there any questions? (II, CU, IP) - Language Arts - Say Let’s begin silent reading of Chapter 3 of Number the Stars. Silent reading begins, followed by journal reflections.
E.
Closure:
Your homework assignment is to read Chapter 4 and write in the Reflection Journal.
F.
Assessment of students (What observable behavior or evidence will indicate successful accomplishment of the lesson objective?): Students notice that half the students are ignored during the icebreaker, students are excited and engaged in reading the story, writing in their journals, corresponding with their penpals.
G.
Student self-assessment (if applicable): Students complete activities and homework assignment.
H. What will happen next in class?
Students will listen to the reading of Poems from Terezin.
Bibliography: Kids' Space Connection http://www.ks-connection.org
LESSON PLAN Name of Instructor: Hedy Laverdiere Grade Level: 4th + Subject: Integrated – Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Math, Art Today’s Topic: Poems from Terezin Time Length: 210 min. Date of Lesson:
Wednesday
Enduring Understanding: Students should be able to learn about butterfly larvae, create butterfly art, relate to poetry. Essential Unit Question: Students will learn about butterflies. Students will learn about the Holocaust. Group Size:
Individual
Small Group
Entire Class
ANTICIPATORY SET/ENTRY-POINT QUESTION 1.
Focus the students’ attention (ice-breaker): Direct the students’ attention to the Butterfly Pavilion Habitat (brought in the day before). Have the students gather around to observe the caterpillar larvae.
2.
Review previous learning: Inform the students that they should recall corresponding with their penpals, reading Number the Stars, and learning about diversity.
3.
Motivate students for instruction that will follow: Let the students know that they will be learning about the metamorphosis of butterflies as well as listening to poems written by children during the Holocaust.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION A.
Essential lesson questions: math.
B.
Objectives of the lesson (What the student will know or be able to do): Students will observe caterpillar larvae. Students will listen to Poems from Terezin. Students will create butterflies.
C.
Materials for the lesson (includes textbook, notebook, etc.): Butterfly kit, worksheets, vellum, markers, pipe cleaners (brown/black, 1 each color per student), fish line, paper clips, scissors, glue, pencils.
D.
Teaching strategies/activities. Label the kind of strategy/activity using the code below: Instructional Input/New Data II Modeling M Checking for Understanding (Teacher) CU Guided Practice (Teacher) GP Independent Practice IP
1.
2. 3. 4.
Students will learn about prejudice through language arts, social studies, science, art and
(number each step) (II, GP) Say We have some new guests in our class today. Walk over to Butterfly Kit. This is a butterfly kit containing butterfly larvae. The larvae will become caterpillars, and later, become butterflies that we will release outside. We’ll be observing the changes of the butterflies and recording them on the worksheet being handed out. Let’s start by recording today’s date, as well as your observations. Say Let’s return to our seats and work on Butterfly Math. Hand out math worksheet. (II) Read 3 poems from I never saw another butterfly. Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944. Begin with At Terezin, followed by A Little Boy and ending with I Never Saw Another Butterfly. (II, M, IP) Students will make a butterfly from clear vellum to represent the children of Terezin. Demonstrate and show sample. a. Fold vellum in half and draw ½ the butterfly in pencil. Cut out. b. Decorate with markers. The vellum will allow the colors to be seen from both sides when hung from the ceiling from fish line.
c. d. e.
E.
Closure:
Twist 2 brown or black pipe cleaners together leaving 2” free at the end, then shape the 2 ends into antennae. Glue onto center of butterfly. After drying, attach a 2’ piece of fishing line to butterfly with a paperclip attached to the free end. Hang the butterflies from the ceiling. Let students know it is time for daily silent reading. Ask students to read Number the Stars, followed by writing in their Reflection Journals. Tomorrow we will reading The Sneetches. Your homework assignment is to read Chapter 6 of Number the
Stars and write in their journals.
F.
Assessment of students (What observable behavior or evidence will indicate successful accomplishment of the lesson objective?): Students are excited about the butterflies and asking questions, making observations. Students show interest in the poetry. Students are enjoying the art project of creating butterflies.
G.
Student self-assessment (if applicable): their Reflection Journals.
H. What will happen next in class?
HANDOUT: Homework assignment is to read Number the Stars and write in
Students will correspond with their penpals and learn about the Sneetches.
Bibliography: Butterfly Gifts lesson idea http://www.butterfly-gifts.com/sciencefairprojectideas.html Butterfly Math ideas http://www.lvusd.k12.ca.us/Teachers/teacherresource/monarch_butterfly_math_cha.html http://t3.preservice.org/T0210302/math.htm
LESSON PLAN Name of Instructor: Hedy Laverdiere Grade Level: Subject: Language Arts, Technology, Math Today’s Topic: The Sneetches Time Length:
4th + 180 min. Date of Lesson:
Thursday
Enduring Understanding: Students should be able to grasp that prejudice can be in many forms. Essential Unit Question: Students will learn about other forms of prejudice. Group Size:
Individual
Small Group
Entire Class
ANTICIPATORY SET/ENTRY-POINT QUESTION
1.
Focus the students’ attention (ice-breaker): After penpal correspondence, randomly pass out a large STAR sticker to half the students in the classroom, asking them to place the STAR on their belly button.
2.
Review previous learning: Remind students of introducing themselves to their new penpals, and that we will check for messages in the computer lab today.
3.
Motivate students for instruction that will follow:
Let the students know we will be visiting the computer lab.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION A.
Essential lesson questions:
B.
Objectives of the lesson (What the student will know or be able to do): Students will engage in correspondence with their Danish penpal. Students will connect their previous learning to other forms of prejudice.
C.
Materials for the lesson (includes textbook, notebook, etc.): The book The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss, STAR stickers for ½ the students, STAR cutouts for each student, Diversity Map bulletin board, paper, pencils, overhead projector, transparency.
D.
Teaching strategies/activities. Label the kind of strategy/activity using the code below: Instructional Input/New Data II Modeling M Checking for Understanding (Teacher) CU Guided Practice (Teacher) GP Independent Practice IP (number each step) 1. 2. 3.
4.
Students will learn about prejudice through language arts, technology, and math.
(II, GP, IP) Ask students to proceed to the computer lab to correspond with their penpals. Once there, ask students to go to the website KS Connections http://www.ks-connection.org/, locate their penpal, and correspond with them. (II) Randomly pass out a large STAR sticker to half the students in the classroom, asking them to place the STAR on their belly button. (II, CU) Have the students gather for the reading of the story, The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. Say Today we are continuing our unit on Diversity with the contemporary fiction story, The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. Read the story. (II, GP, CU) Discussion: Using overhead projector diagram (Sneetches Discussion), discuss the following and fill out the diagram on the overhead: At the beginning of the story, how do the Star-Belly Sneetches and Plain-Belly Sneetches feel about each other? At the end of the story, what have the Sneetches learned?
How are people different on the outside? How are people the same inside? 5. (II, M, CU, IP) Form cooperative groups of 3-5 students. Hand out a large STAR to each student (print STARS.pub). Say If Sneeches with Stars had wonderful qualities, brainstorm what those qualities would be. Write down the 5 top qualities you would admire on each point of your stars. Tape the stars to the Diversity Wall Map (large World Map on a bulletin board pre-prepped, demonstrating with a sample STAR) when you have completed the stars. When you are finished, you can play the Sylvester McBean’s Sneech Belly Game on the internet. The URL is on the board. Or, you may work with your Vocabulary Flashcards. Are there any questions? 6. (IP) When students have completed their stars, they can go to a computer workstation and play the Sylvester McBean’s Sneech Belly Game at http://www.seussville.com/games/sneetches/game.html or use their Vocabulary Flashcards. 7. (II, IP) Pass out the Sneetches Math Worksheet. Students work on math problems. 8. (II, GP, CU) Say Now that we’ve completed our math problems, we will begin working on a play of The Sneetches that we will be performing for the entire school as well as your parents. Everyone will be in the play acting out the parts of the Star-Belly and Plain-Belly Sneetches, or as narrators, and with a few speaking roles of the Sneetches and Sylvester McMonkey McBean. For those that would like a speaking part, raise your hand and I will pass out a note card. Put your name on the note card and names will be drawn. I will also draw seconds. Assignments are made. Say Now that parts are assigned, here are copies of the play. I’d like you to practice the play, even if you will not be speaking. In other words, you’ll want to “act out” your actions at home tonight. We’ll rehearse tomorrow. Are there any questions? E.
Closure: Tomorrow we will play Number the Stars Character Jeopardy and rehearsing the play on the Sneetches. Your homework assignment is to practice your role or actions in the play.
F.
Assessment of students (What observable behavior or evidence will indicate successful accomplishment of the lesson objective?): Students are excited about the story, the play, and engaged in activities.
G.
Student self-assessment (if applicable):
H. What will happen next in class? Character Jeopardy.
HANDOUT: Homework assignment is Sneetches Math.
Students will rehearse the play as well as play a game of Number the Stars
Bibliography:
Number the Stars Character Jeopardy from Teacher Vision
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2536.html
Sneetches Discussion BEGINNING
END
DIFFERENT
SAME
Sneetches Math
1.
If there were 50 Star-Belly Sneetches and 50 Plain-Belly Sneetches and the Plain-Belly Sneetches paid $3 each to go through the Star-On Machine, how much money did Sylvester McMonkey McBean make?
2.
The original Star-Belly Sneetches are not pleased that all the Sneetches now have stars upon thars. They pay Sylvester McMonkey McBean $10 eaches to have their stars removed in the Star-Off machine. How much money did McBean make?
3.
The Sneetches continued going through the Star-On and Star-Off machine at the price of $10 eaches another 10 times until neither the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew who was who. How much did McBean earn?
4.
☺
BONUS: Then, when every last cent of their money was spent, the Fix-it-Up Chappie Sylvester McMonkey McBean packed up and he went. How much did McBean earn in total?
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss (The Play) Narrator 1:
Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars. Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. But because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches would brag . . .
Star-Belly:
“We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
Narrator 2:
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort . . .
Star-Belly:
“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”
Narrator 1:
And whenever they met some, when they were out walking, They’d hike right on past them without even talking. When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball, Could a Plain-Belly get in the game…? Not at all. You only could play if your bellies had stars And the Plain-Belly children had none upon thars.
(Star-Bellies have noses in air)
(Star-Bellies walk by Plain-Bellies, noses high)
(3 Star-Belly children toss ball) (2 Plain Belly children look on, sadly)
(Star-Belly group gathers around fire, with marshmallow and hot dog sticks, Plain-Belly group looks on sadly) Narrator 2:
When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts, They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches. They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches. They kept them away. Never let them come near. And that’s how they treated them year after year.
(Plain-Bellies sit down and pout) Narrator 1:
Then ONE day, it seems . . . while the Plain-Belly Sneetches Were moping and doping alone on the beaches, Just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars . . . A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars! (Car pulls up with McBean)
McBean:
”My friends, my name is Sylvester McMonkey McBean. And I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re unhappy. But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-Up Chappie I’ve come here to help you. I have what you need. And my prices are low. And I work at great speed. And my work is one-hundred-percent-guaranteed! (hyphenated text spoken slowly, with emphasis)
Narrator 2:
Then, quickly, Sylvester McMonkey McBean Put together a very peculiar machine.
McBean:
“You want stars like a Star-Belly Sneetch . . .? My friends, you can have them for three dollars each!” “Just pay me your money and hop right aboard!”
Narrator 1:
So they clambored inside. Then the big machine roared (Plain-Bellies rush through, paying $, machine roars) And it klonked. And it bonked. And it jerked. And it berked And it bopped them about. But the thing really worked! When the Plain-Belly Sneetches popped out, they had stars! (Plain-Bellies emerge with stars, thrilled) They actually did. They had stars upon thars!
(Machine is unveiled)
(Plain-Bellies gather in awe)
Narrator 2:
Then they yelled at the ones who had stars at the start . . .
Plain-Bellies:
“We’re exactly like you! You can’t tell us apart. We’re all just the same, now, you snooty old smarties! And now we can go to your frankfurter parties.”
Star-Belly 2:
“Good grief! We’re still the best Sneetches and they are the worst. But, now, how in the world will we know? If which kind is what, or the other way round?”
Narrator 1:
Then up came McBean with a very sly wink
(McBean approaches and winks)
McBean:
“Things are not quite as bad as you think. So you don’t know who’s who. That is perfectly true. But come with me, friends. Do you know what I’ll do? I’ll make you, again, the best Sneetches on beaches And all it will cost you is ten dollars eaches.” “Belly stars are no longer in style. What you need is a trip through my Star-Off Machine. This wondrous contraption will take off your stars So you won’t look like Sneetches who have them on thars.”
(Star Bellies pay and run through)
Narrator 2:
And that handy machine, working very precisely Removed all the stars from their tummies quite nicely. Then, with snoots in the air, they paraded about And they opened their beaks and they let out a shout . . .
Star Belly 3:
“We know who is who! Now there isn’t a doubt. The best kind of Sneetches are Sneetches without!”
Narrator 1:
Then, of course, those with stars all got frightfully mad. To be wearing a star now was frightfully bad. Then, of course, old Sylvester McMonkey McBean Invited them into his Star-Off Machine.
(star-bellies frown)
(Star Bellies emerge without stars) (Snoots in the air)
(McBean motions to Sneetches)
Narrator 2:
Then, of course from THEN on, as you probably guess, Things really got into a horrible mess. All the rest of that day, on those wild screaming beaches, The Fix-it-Up Chappie kept fixing up Sneetches. Off again! On again! In again! Out again!
Narrator 1:
Through the machines they raced round and about again, Changing their stars every minute or two. They kept paying money. They kept running through Until neither the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew Whether this one was that one . . . or that one was this one Or which one was that one . . . or what one was who.
Narrator 2:
Then, when every last cent of their money was spent, The Fix-it-Up Chappie packed up and he went. And he laughed as he drove in his car up the beach . . .
McBean:
(laughs loudly) “They never will learn. No. You can’t teach a Sneetch!”
Narrator 1:
But McBean was quite wrong. I’m quite happy to say That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
(Sneetches are running madly through machine)
(drives away)
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches. Narrator 2:
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars And whether they had one, or not, upon thars.
Narrator 1:
THE END
(Sneetches shake hands, smile, hug)
Appendix
