Stage One

1) Introduce the play as a singsong rap. Play the CD for the students, asking them to pay attention to how the lines are said.

2) Make the masks of the five characters: 2 male pigs, 1 female pig, 1 mother pig (with glasses), and 1 wolf.

1. Pig masks: Using large cardboard (from a discarded box), draw and cut out a rough circle shape measuring approximately 14 inches in diameter. Cut out three more, four in all. Draw and cut out 4 pairs of teardrop shapes for the ears. Have students paint these pink, with tempura paints. When dry, staple the ears onto the circle shapes. Using sturdy (packaging) tape, reinforce the ears, taping over the staples on the back of the mask. Draw the eyes, nose, and mouth onto white tagboard. Cut out the shapes and then glue onto the masks. For the two male pigs, draw two baseball caps onto tag board. After decorating them differently with markers, glue the caps onto the masks. Designate one mask "Pete" and the other "Paul." For Penelope and Mother Pig, draw hair bows onto tagboard, decorate differently with markers, cut and glue onto the female masks. For Mother Pig, draw eye glasses onto the mask directly.
2. Wolf Mask: Draw the wolf's head onto cardboard. (You can make a transparency of the head, and use an overhead projector to trace the shape onto the cardboard.) Allow the children to paint the wolf using tempura paints.
3. Make handles for the masks: Cover four rulers with pink construction paper. Tape them to the backs of the pig masks. Cover one ruler with brown construction paper. Tape it to the back of the wolf mask.

3) Make the props: two guitars, a saxophone, a bundle of sticks, a bundle of straw, a stick house measuring 24" tall, a straw house measuring 24" tall, and a brick house measuring 24" tall.

1. Draw the guitar shapes onto cardboard. Allow students to paint them.
2. Draw the saxophone shape onto cardboard. Allow the students to paint it silver.
3. Using brown paper grocery bags, tear strips that can be rolled into 12" stick-like shapes. Glue these onto a 24" cardboard easel to make the stick house. Create two more stick bundles (for the stick merchant to sell).
4. Using brown butcher paper, tear long strips to create straw. Glue these onto a 24" cardboard easel to make a straw house. Create two more straw bundles (for the straw merchant to sell).
5. Create red bricks by measuring out rectangles that are 2" x 6". Glue them onto a 24" cardboard easel, leaving about five spaces empty. Stick Velcro strips into the empty spots. Next create five red bricks out of cardboard. Stick the Velcro fasteners onto these bricks so that the house can be finished during the performance.

Stage Two

Make six copies of the play. Allow the students to take turns reading along with the CD. Invite different children to volunteer to be certain characters. In other words, three or four different children might choose to be one character. They can practice taking the masks from each other to take turns in saying the character's lines. Allow students to pick which character they want to be.

Stage Three

Make one copy of the play using a larger font. Cut out the various parts (in four line passages) and assign a student's name on each section in pencil. Glue these onto 3" x 5" index cards. Number these cards in bold red. Create a master script that you write in (pencil) each child who will be delivering a certain passage. Keep your script on a clipboard that is marked "Teacher's Copy."

Stage Four

Allow students to practice reading their lines over and over again. Play the CD for them to practice using fluency and proper vocal influctuations.

Stage Five

Allow all the students to sing the songs in the play. Read the lyrics one line at a time, having the students repeat the lines. Practice singing the songs daily for memorization.

Stage Six

Invite the students to create the background set. Suggestions: a meadow painted onto light blue butcher paper, with a few trees and flowers.

These stages should take about two weeks preparation, utilizing about two hours a day. Next, all you have to do is practice having the children read their lines without the CD, and practice passing the masks back and forth.

Keep the index cards on a table near the stage. Instruct the students to remember which number he/she is reading. Also, seat the children on the floor near the stage in order of how they are reading their lines.