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- The Snail and the Whale
The Snail and the Whale
FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP
GRADES preK-3
(on-demand video series)
Longing to see the world, the tiny sea snail hitches a lift on the tail of a great, grey-blue humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, told through live viola music and singing, storytelling and lots of laughs ... but when the whale gets beached, how will the snail save him?
Join an adventurous young girl and her sea-faring father as they re-imagine the story of a tiny snail’s incredible trip around the world, inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture book.
With great STEAM and SEL connections, the performance vividly brings to life the story of “The Snail and the Whale”, which won the 2004 Early Years award for the best pre-school book, the 2005 Blue Peter award for Best Book to Read Aloud, and the 2007 Giverny award for Best Science Picture Book.
This play with music is a heart-warming adventure for everyone aged four and up. Brought to us by Tall Stories, from London, England.
MORE INFORMATION
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE is made up of five videos for you to watch with your students.
Videos include:
Pre-Show Video – Approx. 14 minutes
Three sub-segments: Behind the scenes with the set and costume designer, A Day in the Life, and Behind the scenes with music and sound effects
Performance Part 1 – Approx. 20 minutes
Performance Part 2 – Approx. 18 minutes
Performance Part 3 – Approx. 19 minutes
Post-Performance Video – Approx. 23 minutes
Three sub-segments: “Make a Whale” craft, “Make a Volcano” activity, Q&A with the Director
Language Arts: Role Playing, Problem Solving, Imagination, Storytelling, Vocabulary (Repetition of the rhymes from the book are used throughout the show. Narration is used to aid the storytelling.)
Science: Animals (Snail, Whales, Sharks, Penguins), The Natural Environment, Volcanoes, Icebergs
Fine Arts: Drama, Live Music
Literature: Reading (suggested reading: The Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler)
Emotional/Social Development: Courage, Teamwork, Empathy, Problem Solving, Friendship, Leadership, Self Awareness
How long is the show?
The performance itself (divided into three parts) is about an hour long total. There is optional pre-show and post-show content, of up to 40 minutes.
How many times can I view it?
Once you gain access, as many times as you wish!
When can my students view it?
April 19-May 7, 2021
Can I preview the videos? What is it like?
While we cannot grant preview access to the full videos, check out the posted trailer to get a sense of the show and its style.
Do you have any supplemental material to accompany the show?
Yes – we will send you additional materials to set context and help your students reflect on the virtual field trip experience.
Event Details
FORMAT:
ON-DEMAND VIDEO SERIES
Streaming April 19 – May 7, 2021
Grades preK-3
Des Moines Performing Arts is proud to offer this education opportunity at no cost to participants.
"It was really amazing to get to perform on the Civic Center stage, to see what the professional touring shows see when they perform."
- Brittney, Waukee High School