TEARS OF JOY PUPPET THEATRE brings amazing puppet theatre to audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad. Founded in 1971, the theatre is recognized nationally for its commitment to excellence and innovation. Three of the theatre’s productions have received American puppetry’s highest honor, the Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry. www.tojt.comCURRICULUM GUID

Stellaluna

By Emily Alexander

Adapted from Stellaluna, Jy Janell Cannon

This is the enchanting story of a baby fruit bat who falls into a bird’s nest. Poor Stellaluna tries to adapt to her new home but she likes to hang by her feet, and those bugs Mother Bird brings to eat are so disgusting. Stellaluna would rather play with her food than eat it. What a relief when she discovers she is a bat!

Before the Performance

1. Read the story of Stellaluna to your class or have students read it.

(Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, Harcourt Brace & Company)

  1. Learn about bats.

    2. What are some of the different kinds of bats?

    Where do fruit eating bats live?

    What kind of bats live in our area? What do they eat?

  2. Compare and contrast bats and birds.

    3. In what ways are bats different from birds?

    In what ways are they similar?

  3. Make a classroom list of facts about bats.

Note: There are two pages of BAT NOTES at the end of the book, Stellaluna

A good source for information on bats is: http://members.aol.com/bats4kids2/look.htm

 

After the Performance

  1. Draw a picture of your favorite character.

    2. Tell why you liked it.

  2. Discuss how Stellaluna felt when she behaved correctly for a bat but it was wrong

    3. behavior for a bird. Have you ever felt like this? When?

  3. Tears of Joy Theatre collected "Bat in a Bird’s Nest" stories from children.

Write your own story about when you felt like a "bat in a bird’s nest?