Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls we have a circus to perform for our spring play and we need YOU to be the performers. But what will you be? You will work as a group to follow along with Harry in the book The Greatest Show on Earth as he learns to find his niche. Not everyone is funny or athletic. Some people are good leaders while others prefer to stay behind the scene. Your job will be to find what you are good at and to perform that aspect in our circus play. Everyone is good at something it is just a matter of finding that something. By the end of the show you will have learned more about the circus as well as have found something that you are good at doing to perform in our spring play. You will understand that everyone is good at different things, that is what makes us unique.

At the circus everyone works together to make the show a success. As a group you will decide the following roles based upon what you are good at. What if two people are both good at the same thing? Maybe you are good at more than one thing. Circus people work together to get the job done. Hurry you must decide your roles because the shows about to start....

Clown: Reader. You will read the book to the group.

Animal Trainer: Materials Manager. You will be in charge of printing off worksheets and getting supplies for the group.
 
 

Acrobat: Scribe. You will fill in any worksheets that the group works on together.
 
 
 

Ringmaster: Voice. You will report to the teacher any progress or questions that the group is experiencing as well as turning in the completed work.
 
 
 
 

OH NO the clown can't find his nose.
If you don't understand a word click Dictionary to help you.
 

 Circus  performers have their own language and if you have never worked for the circus you need to learn those vocabulary words. These words will also help you when you read the book The Greatest Show on Earth.
1. Animal Trainer print Circus Vocabulary.
2. Work as a group to define each word.
The Acrobat will fill in the worksheet and the Ringmaster will hold on to the completed copy to refer back to if you need a refresher latter on.
Use the following resources to help you in defining the words. The clown can read the definitions out loud.

http://www.ringling.com/activity/education/glossary.aspx

http://www.wordcentral.com/aol/index.html
 
 

STEP 2:
-Animal Trainer print 4 copies of Finding My Niche. Animal Trainer make sure everyone has a pencil.
-Each one of you will fill the worksheet out thinking of things you could do at the circus and why.
-Also, you must think of one thing that you think each circus mate would be good at performing in the circus and why.
-But what if you do not like performing in the spotlight.  That's ok, some people like to be in the spotlight and others like to stay back and do things behind the scene. In the circus everyone finds a job they are good at. Think of a talent that can be done behind the scenes such as drawing or painting.
-Maybe you are just a little shy but still want to perform in the spotlight. See if any of your circus mates has a talent similar to yours that you could  perform together.
 STEP 3:
When you are finished get back together as a group and  read your list of things you think your circus mates could perform at the circus. Did someone list a talent that you didn't think you had? Do you and another group member have a similar talent? What did you learn about each other and yourself? -Animal Trainer print 1 copy of Talents. The Acrobat will fill in the worksheet as each member reads the talents that he/she possesses as well as what he/she thinks the circus mates talents could be in the circus. Have each member put a star by what they think they want to perform the most in the circus.
-When your finished turn all worksheets into the Ringmaster to hold onto.

  Now it is time to see how Harry found his talent in the circus. Have the Animal Trainer go and get the book The Greatest Show on Earth. This book could help you to find your own talent for our circus as well as showing you how everyone is good at something. If you are still having trouble thinking of a good talent pay special attention to the story, one may come to you while listening or looking at the pictures. If you already think you know may know your talent, be thinking of other talents you may have or help a group member think of a talent.
1. Animal Trainer print 1 copy of Family Talents and give to the Acrobat.
2. As the Clown is reading the story, listen for the talents of Harry's family members. When you come to one, stop and have the Acrobat fill in the talent.  Notice how everyone has a unique talent.
3. When the group is finished turn the worksheet into the Ringmaster.
Remember if you come up on a word you don't understand have the Ringmaster refer to the Circus Vocabulary Worksheet or click on the Dictionary.
 

Way to go soon to be Circus Performers. The Show is coming along. Have the Ringmaster report to the teacher the progress you are making.
 
 

Now it is time to break the group up. Ringmaster and Clown will work together and Acrobat and Animal Trainer will work together.
1. Animal Trainer print 2 copies of Harry's Worksheet.
2. Each pair work together to answer all of the questions.
3. Everyone join back together to go over your answers.
4. Remember that special talent you wrote down for the worksheet, teach that talent to your group.
 

Were almost to the end.... We have learned that everyone has talents and that our talents are unique (not everyone has the same talent). The tent is going up, the animals are in costume, the popcorn is being popped, the performers have almost finished deciding what they well do at the circus, BUT WAIT.... how are we going to get people to come to our circus?????
 
 

How to make a poster: http://www.aspb.org/education/poster.cfm
Poster ideas: http://65.165.2.251/signs/display.asp?cat=2
More Poster ideas: http://65.165.2.251/signs/display.asp?cat=3
 
 
 
 
 

Remember the worksheets you filled out in task 2 (hint: Finding My Niche and Talents). Have the Ringmaster pull those out again.
1. Can you add any more talents that you could perform at the circus? If so, add them.
2. Now it is time to decide what you will perform in the circus.
3. Work with your circus mates to help you decide your best talent. If you want you can perform with a circus mate.
4. Get together any supplies you may need and practice practice practice.
5. You will perform your circus act in front of your classmates to practice for the big show.
6.Ringmaster staple all the worksheets together and turn them in to the teacher.
 
 

Teachers click HERE to fill out a collaboration rubric.
 
 

FOR KIDS: Did you enjoy the circus? IF you want to do more circus activities check out these sights.

Take the Ringmaster Quiz to see how much you know about the circus: http://www.ringling.com/activity/rmquiz/

Do you want to read more CIRCUS books: Check these out

Be a Clown: Techniques from a Real Clown by Ron Burgess, Heather Barberie (Illustrator)

Circus Train by Joseph A. Smith

If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss

Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer

Peter Spier's Circus! by Peter Spier

Pippi Goes to the Circus by Astrid Lindgren, Michael Chesworth (Illustrator)
 
 
 

FOR TEACHERS: Circus Theme Lesson Plans
Language Arts

Diversity and Geography

Amazing Animals

Science of the Circus
 
 

Gambrell, L.B., Morrow, L.M., Neuman, S.B., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (1999). Best practices in literacy instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.

Grant, C., & Sleeter, C. (2003). Turning on learning: Five approaches for multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender, and disability. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Prater, J., (1995). The greatest show on earth. Cambridge: Candlewick Press.

http://ringling.com

http://pampetty.com (and the many webquest I took ideas from)

http://wordcentral.com/aol/index.html

Clip art taken from:
http://www.bobby-roberts.co.uk/bobo.htm
http://www.circusweb.com/circuswebFrames.html
http://www.coolclips.com/arts/circus.htm
http://www.hulamall.com/hawclip/graphics.htm
http://www.jujubeetheclown.com/
http://www.worldclownassociation.com/