Please chose either an interactive online game
from the menu above or chose to print additional activities.
You may also chose to print the entire workbook. You will need
the free Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin.
(get Acrobat Reader)
The Activities inculded in Printed Format are
as follows:
Connect Opera Terms - Draw a line to connect
the opera term with its definition (you may use the glossary).
City Hall and the Academy of Music - Here
is a map of Center City. Use the front section of the Yellow
Pages to help you fill in the names listed below.
Musical Terms - Crossword Puzzle
Take Home or Classroom Activity - Cut apart
three supermarket paper bags. Cut them open down one of the
side seams and cut off the bottom so that when laid flat, you
have a rectangular piece of paper. Tape the bags together at
the shorter ends, creating a long rectangular piece of paper.
From the longer side of the bag near the top, measure in 10"
and place a dot. Do the same near the bottom. Draw a straight
line from the top to the bottom of the bag through both dots.
Your paper should look like the example below. From the information
on the page of Puccini’s life, select the most important
incidents for your timeline. With these facts, include some
of the important dates in history listed below. You may also
illustrate your timeline.
Map of Japan - Answer questions about the
geography of Japan.
Challenge Puzzle - Crossword Puzzle
Sequence of a Story - The sequence of a
story or play is very important for understanding the content.
The sequence of events explains how things happen and when they
happen. After reading the libretto, place the following events
in order. Re-number the events from one to ten in the order
that they occur in the opera.
Extra Credit: Write the act in which you find that event.
Making a Synopsis - A synopsis is a concise
summary or brief statement of events. In writing a synopsis,
the main points or ideas are written and the supporting details
are left out. To do this successfully, we must make judgments
on what are the most important facts or details. Often you are
asked after a day of school, “How was your day?” or
“What did you learn today?” You know how to answer
these questions because you know what the important things you
did were.
1. In a small group, examine the main characters
of Madama Butterfly. How did the actions of the characters move
the plot forward? What were the most important things which
happened?
2. Make a word bank of the main characters. List important adjectives
which describe their character traits. Then list the verbs or
action words which highlight their actions.
Now write a brief account of Act I of the opera.
Check it against the actual synopsis found on page 26 of this
activity book. See which member of your group wrote the most
comprehensive synopsis.
Recognizing Facts and Opinions - The following
lessons are designed to be worked on in pairs. Pick a partner
with whom you can answer the questions. After answering the
questions, discuss your answers and the different opinions found
in the questions. How do these opinions make you feel? How can
facts be misused when backing up opinion?
1. Read the following statements. Before each statement, write
whether it is a fact or an opinion.
2. Write an opinion about each of the following topics. Support
each opinion with two facts.
Supporting Your Opinions - 1. Write ‘I
believe’ or ‘I think’ four times. Then complete
each phrase with a different statement regarding the opera Madama
Butterfly.
2. Identify which statements are fact and opinion by placing
an ‘F’ or ‘O’ next to each one. Then combine
the two statements to make a sentence using the following connectives:
since, because, therefore, thus. The first one has been done
for you.
Poetic Styles - Write your own poems based
on Madama Butterfly. Your poems could be about a subject like
love or about a character that interests you in the opera. Use
one of the poetic styles listed below.
HAIKU
Haiku is a form of Japanese verse which has three unrhymed
lines containing 17 syllables.
CINQUAIN
A cinquain is a five-line poem with the following form:
DIAMANTE
A diamante is a diamond-shaped poem which tells about opposites
TANKA
A tanka is an oriental verse with a total of five lines with
the following
patterns:
Ancient Japanese Tanka Poems - Write how
these poems could relate to Butterfly in the last scene of the
opera.
Active Learning in the Creative Arts
Make an opera diorama
Make an opera mural
Create an opera cartoon strip
Create a Poster
