SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS RESOURCE PACK

Written by Caroline Joyner For Mousetrap Theatre Projects

© May 2011

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CONTENTS PAGE ABOUT THIS PACK Introduction 3 Synopsis 3 Level of Activities 3 Mousetrap Theatre Projects 3 Caroline Joyner – Writer of SEN Resource Pack for Teachers 3 THE RAILWAY CHILDREN: BACKGROUND INFORMATION About the Author – Edith Nesbit 4 Historical context: Victorian England (1837–1901), and The Steam Train 4 Political context: The Dreyfus Affair and Tsarist Russia 7 PRE SHOW PREPARATION Warm up games 8 Going to the theatre 9 Being an audience member 16 Character work 17 FURTHER ACTIVITIES The Railway Children Cast 18 Character work after the show 23 Creating environments 24 Creating poetry, spoken word and rap 24 WATERLOO STATION THEATRE: PRODUCTION OF THE RAILWAY CHILDREN 26 Production Images 26 APPENDICES 27 LINKS and RESOURCES 29 CLOSING WORDS 30 Special Thanks 30 Feedback 30

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ABOUT THIS PACK Welcome to The Railway Children SEN Pack for Teachers. The aim of this pack is to bring the story, themes and characters to life, in an easy and accessible manner. The pack provides stimuli, activities, discussion and research suggestions for before and after your trip.

Synopsis: The Railway Children

Roberta (Bobbie, aged twelve), Peter (aged ten), and Phyllis (aged eight) live happily together in Victorian London. They live with their Mother, Father and servants, in a snapshot of middle class suburbia. The evening before Peter’s birthday, two men call at the house to arrest Father and take him away. Father works for the government, that’s all the children know. Due to diminished finances and wanting to keep Father’s whereabouts secret from the children, Mother dismisses the cook and servants. She tells the children they are moving to Yorkshire, their new home a cottage called Three Chimneys. Mother attempts to make ends meet by writing while the children are left to discover their new home and local railway track. Every day at 9.15am they wave at a passing steam train, and an old gentleman waves back. The children spend a lot of time at the station, and make friends with the Station Porter Albert Perks.

Activities are marked with a *. Pick and mix activities to suit your group, to make the pack your own.

Worksheets are numbered and have a √ at the top. They can be photocopied for use in class.

Level of activities

The activities are graded SIMPLE, INTERMEDIATE, and CHALLENGING. These are based on the following criteria.

SIMPLE: suitable for students with profound and multiple learning difficulties, minimal or no speech, and little or no mobility. Learning age at early years/reception/year 1 level.

INTERMEDIATE: aimed at mid primary learning age, (years 3 – 5), including participants with moderate learning difficulties.

CHALLENGING: for year 6 primary and early secondary learning age. This includes students with mild learning difficulties, who respond to being stretched beyond intermediate.

Some activities may be labelled SIMPLE-CHALLENGING or INTERMEDIATE–CHALLENGING for example. This means that the activity covers both or all levels with subtle changes being made. Enjoy!

Mousetrap Theatre Projects is an independent charity that creates opportunities for young people with limited resources, access or support to engage with London’s theatre. Whether you are a young person, teacher, youth group leader, or community worker, you will certainly find a way to be involved with Mousetrap’s inspiring and innovative work. www.mousetrap.org.uk

Caroline Joyner has 12 years’ experience of delivering theatre and drama based workshop programmes within various arts and educational settings. These include Day Centres and Schools for young people with learning difficulties and physical impairments. Caroline has a Masters in Arts in Therapy and Education, and is passionate about the value of the arts to inspire the creativity of both the group and individual. She is a firm believer that everybody has the ability to be creative. E-mail: joynerca@googlemail.com Mobile: 07940 388311

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

About the Author – Edith Nesbit

Historical Context: Victorian England (1837 – 1901), and The Steam Train

Nesbit lived in Victorian Britain during the age of industrialisation. This was when the British railway grew enormously, along with steam technology. In 1829, Robert Stephenson won the prize for the best locomotive, the “Rocket” which was the first modern steam engine on the first modern railway. Nesbit represented the Steam Train as a source of freedom. Mother and the children escape to Yorkshire by steam train, whilst the children make the railway their source of imaginative play and escape. The railway enables the Russian character Schepansky to be reunited with his family. Father also is similarly reunited with his own family in the end.

Edith Nesbit wrote The Railway Children between 1905 and 1906. She bucked the trend of fairy tale style children’s story writing. Instead she presented real issues and predicaments. This new and more realistic way of writing forged the way for other children’s books. The Railway Children was influenced by Edith’s own childhood. Her Father died when she was young, and she later moved with her family to the countryside. Here, Edith discovered her local train station. In this real life story, Edith and her siblings became Railway Children, and this was the catalyst for this now famous book.

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The steam train in the show is Stirling Silver number 1. For many, it is the star of the show.

Stirling Silver Number 1 at Waterloo Station * Train motion SIMPLE You will need: percussion instruments, chairs 1. Ask students to form the shape of a train. (This can be done standing, or on chairs) 2. Pick 3 large movements to represent a) whistle b) steam c) motion of the steam train 3. Add sounds to the movements 4. Teach the movements and sounds to the group (Where movement is not possible, use sounds. If sounds are not possible use a backing track, percussion, and teacher actions.) This is to create the rhythm, sound and action of the train. 5. Practise the 3 sounds and movements, and repeat to create movement memory. Put rhythmic music on as background. Move around the space as the train, developing the sequence. Extension You will need: film equipment, large screen 6. Teacher conducts the train. Raise hand to increase and lower hand to decrease volume. Increase and decrease speed of the train by hand to right for faster, hand to left for slower. 7. Film the movement piece, and watch back on large screen.

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* Call and Response SIMPLE – INTERMEDIATE You will need: chairs, large image of steam train (optional), percussion instruments

1. Place a large image of steam train in front of the students. 2. Set chairs up as the train, and ask students to sit down. 3. Teacher leads call and response. For example; Teacher: TRAIN! Group: TRAIN! Teacher: STEAM TRAIN! Group: STEAM TRAIN! Teacher: LET’S GO! Group: LET’S GO! Teacher: WHERE SHALL WE GO? Group: WHERE SHALL WE GO? Teacher: I SAY, WHERE SHALL Group: I SAY, WHERE SHALL WE GO? WE GO? (Repeat, “I say, where shall we go?” three times, getting louder and quicker each time) Teacher: ON AN ADVENTURE! Group: ON AN ADVENTURE! Extension 3. Use percussion instruments, claps, or stamping feet instead of words. 4. Develop the call and response, into a rhythmic story about the train. This rhythmic story can relate directly to The Railway Children.

* Researching the era of The Railway Children CHALLENGING You will need: Internet access, scrapbook to log findings 1. Google 10 different ways that the Steam Train was used during industrialisation. 2. Google Victorian England and find out 10 interesting facts. 3. What did London look like during this time, and how was it different to London today? 4. Were there any theatres during this time? Give details

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Political context: The Dreyfus Affair, and Tsarist Russia

Nesbit was a Socialist, and sympathised with the factory workers. Industrialisation had extended the divide between rich and poor, as highlighted in The Railway Children. There are also political undertones within the story. The rich family quickly become poor with Father being arrested as a supposed spy. Many liken Father’s plight to that of Albert Dreyfus. Albert Dreyfus was a young Jewish Artillery Officer for the French Army. It was 1906 (the year The Railway Children was written), when Dreyfus was reinstated into the Army. He had undergone both accusations and imprisonment for apparently selling military secrets to the Germans, whilst many of his supporters suspected anti-Semitism. They campaigned steadfastly in his defence, and obtained him a re-trial. He was found guilty again, despite a lack of evidence. This time he was given a free pardon by French President Loubet, to avoid further public outcry. Both Dreyfus and Father are accused of being a traitor to the government, under the backdrop of anti-Semitism. The audience is unclear whether the person up for trial is guilty or innocent. Dreyfus’ defendants plead his innocence, and so Bobby pleads with her Mother to tell someone that Father is not a spy. Mother’s response is that nobody listens, despite trying to be heard.

Mr Schepansky’s appearance in The Railway Children is another example of how Nesbit weaves political themes into the story. The character of Mr Schepansky has been likened to revolutionary Peter Kropotkin, who lived in Tsarist Russia at the time of The Railway Children. During this time, 80% of the population was peasants, and freedom of expression against the Tsarist regime was suppressed. The regime was brutal towards revolutionaries such as Kropotkin, who fled to Britain in 1886. He became friends with Nesbit via the socialist led Fabian Society.

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PRE SHOW PREPARATION

Warm up Games Warm up games are invaluable to relax the group, build trust, and introduce techniques. * Motion and rhythm SIMPLE – INTERMEDIATE 1. In a circle, Teacher starts an action to represent a train and repeats it four times. 2. Teacher then changes the action, also related to a train, and repeats it four times etc. 3. The group copy each action. 4. Build up the pace and rhythm, then slow it down. 5. Give students the opportunity to be the leader. Extension 6. One person leaves the room. When they return, they guess who the leader is 7. Run this activity with the group in the shape of a train 8. Add a sound to each action. Make each sound and action relate to the theme. * “I went to the train station and I saw …” INTERMEDIATE – CHALLENGING You will need: props, table 1. Sit in a circle. Teacher starts, “I went to the train station and I saw… a red flag” 2. Next person says, “I went to the train station and I saw… a red flag, a toy train...” Continue 3. Use the props on the table to prompt as necessary Extension 4. Cover up the props on the table, and play the game without props to develop memory 5. To avoid speech, wave the prop, or make a sound connected with the prop

* “Mr Perk’s footsteps” SIMPLE – CHALLENGING 1. Mr Perks stands at one end of the room with his back to the group, who are at the other end 2. The group softly tip toe towards Mr Perks. If Mr Perks turns around, they all have to freeze still. 3. If Mr Perks sees anyone moving they have to go back to the beginning. Extension You will need: prop to represent coal 4. If a group member gets the coal, they pass it back via the team to their home end to win

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Going to the theatre Below are trip preparation games and activities. These are followed by templates to plan the journey, and create a diary about the trip. There is also a symbol sheet for students to cut and paste onto their journey planner. For the diary, encourage students to collect tickets, sweet wrappers, photographs; anything connected to their trip.

* Magic Maps SIMPLE – CHALLENGING You will need some or all of the following: Map of UK/London, train/tube maps, bus/train/coach timetables, lunch box, thermos flask, plastic food, book to read, Ipod

1. Show a large scale map of UK (if based outside of London), plus a map of London 2. Show the distances on the maps, to travel from the school to the theatre 3. Show how many types of journeys this will involve, e.g. walking, coach, walking etc. 4. Look at train/tube maps, and timetables to see what we need to plan before our journey Extension 5. Mark out places in the room such as the left corner of the hall represents London. Travel as a group across the room, mapping out parts of your journey, and how you’ll get there

6. Use props, parts of the room and styles of movement to represent the journey * Packing the day-pack SIMPLE – CHALLENGING You will need: table, day-pack, Ipod, umbrella, wallet, book, thermos flask, lunch box 1. Lay out all the things you will take with you on the day of the theatre trip 2. SIMPLE: count objects in and out of the day-pack. 3. Take one away. Does anyone notice what’s missing? 4. INTERMEDIATE – Mime with object(s) to show what they are used for 6. CHALLENGING – Draw the day pack, and all the objects that can go in it. Label.

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* Transport Bowl SIMPLE - CHALLENGING 1. Label each student with one of three modes of transport, e.g. car, train, coach - and repeat these labels around the circle. 2. If Teacher says, “car” then all the cars have to swap places. If Teacher says “train” then all the trains have to swap places, etc. 3. If Teacher says, “Transport” then everyone has to swap places Extension 4. Give additional instructions, such as when you cross the circle a) have eye contact with one person b) smile at one person c) move in slow motion. * Journey Role Play INTERMEDIATE - CHALLENGING You will need: props for role play scenarios, e.g. train timetable, wallet, ticket, money 1. Create a role play with two people, based on a journey. E.g. looking up train times at the station 2. Introduce a dilemma to the role play, with a third person (Teacher in Role). For example… a) A thief steals a wallet at the train station b) A ticket collector demands to see tickets in an aggressive way c) A homeless person asks for money at the Tube Station. Extension 3. Encourage group members to take on the role of the third person, where appropriate. 4. Ask groups to create their own scenarios with 3 or 4 characters, based on a journey.

* Create a journey planner (see example Worksheet 1) SIMPLE – INTERMEDIATE You will need: Worksheets 1, 2 and 3, Internet access, pens 1. Look at Worksheet 1 (example journey planner), and go through each line with the group 2. For each line, discuss where we are travelling from/to, how we are travelling, how long it will take, and what to take with us 3. Give each student a sheet of symbols (Worksheet 2) and journey planner template (Worksheet 3) 4. Assist students with completing the journey planner; by cutting and pasting the symbols, or by copying the symbols and colouring them in Extension 4. Encourage more able students to do their own research on the internet 5. Practice writing skills by asking students to complete the form with words

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* My Diary SIMPLE – CHALLENGING You will need: Worksheet 4, pens, example trip memorabilia (e.g. tickets, timetables) glue, stickers 1. Show Worksheet 4 and explain the diary is a personal log of going to see The Railway Children. 2. Ask the students to stick on memorabilia from the trip such as train and theatre tickets. 3. Label each item.

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√ WORKSHEET 1

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2

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√ WORKSHEET 2 Cut and paste the images below on to Worksheet 3

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√ WORKSHEET 3 Add pictures from WORKSHEET 2 to create your own Journey Planner

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√ WORKSHEET 4

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Being an audience member

Explore what it means to be an audience member with your group. This can be beneficial whether they have been to the theatre before or not. * Role play INTERMEDIATE – CHALLENGING You will need: chairs, sweet wrappers, mobile phone 1. Set up some chairs to give the idea of being in a Theatre. 2. One student (A) sits calmly on one of the seats, as if watching a play. 3. Teacher in Role (B) plays a noisy and disruptive audience member. 4. Act out 3 scenarios such as:

a) B arrives late to the theatre, and is making a noise and annoying A. b) B forgets to switch his/her phone on silent. Half way through the show, the phone rings c) B opens a bag of sweets noisily and eats the sweets, throwing the wrappers to the ground

5. Elicit answers from the group as to what B needs to do to be a good audience member. Extension 6. Encourage confident performers in the group to play B.

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Character Work

* Prop circle SIMPLE - CHALLENGING You will need: props, music, CD player 1. Pick 3 characters (e.g. Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis) 2. Pick a prop to represent each character, e.g. bonnet: Bobbie, toy train: Peter, ball: Phyllis) 3. Teacher passes each prop around the circle, to touch, try on, mime with etc. 4. Each person stands in the circle, to wear the prop and/or mime with it. Music on. Extension 1. Say character name, create a freeze frame, and give the character one line of text1 2. Put 2 characters together with a prop each. Create short improvisations2 3. Encourage characters to interact, through facial expression, body language, and dialogue 4. Any good improvisations can be developed into a short scene3

1 Appendix 1. Prop Circle: Suggested lines of dialogue, page 27 2 Appendix 2. Prop Circle: Suggested improvisations, page 27 3 Appendix 3, Prop Circle; Short scene suggestions, page 27

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FURTHER ACTIVITIES

The Railway Children Cast

* Cut and stick the character next to the right actor! SIMPLE - CHALLENGING You will need: Worksheets 5, 6, and 7, scissors, glue, pens, A3 paper 1. Look at Worksheets 5 and 6 with the students 2. Look at Worksheet 7 with the students 3. Identify which Actors are playing which character 4. Cut out the characters on Worksheet 7 and paste them next to the Actor under “My Ideas” Extension 5. Extend this for SIMPLE by drawing a prop next to each character, e.g. Old Gent’s top hat 6. Extend this for INTERMEDIATE and CHALLENGING, by creating discussion about who played which character, and the characteristics of each role. 7. To develop this idea further, for INTERMEDIATE and CHALLENGING, ask students to draw a large outline of the character on a sheet of A3 paper, and to then write as much information as they know about the character. Encourage research on the internet and other sources. * Research the character next to the Actor CHALLENGING You will need: Worksheet 8, access to internet, printer, pens, glue, and scissors 1. Look at Worksheet 8 with the students 2. Look each character up on the internet. E.g. Google “Mother, The Railway Children “ 3. Print off pictures of the character. Cut and paste onto Worksheet 8 under “My Ideas” Extension 4. Write interesting facts about the character 5. Draw a picture of one of their props next to the character

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The Railway Children Cast Waterloo 2011

√ WORKSHEET 5

Amy Noble

Tim Lewis

Grace Rowe

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√ WORKSHEET 6

Andrew Loudon

David Baron

Marcus Brigstocke

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Characters from The Railway Children

√ WORKSHEET 7

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√ WORKSHEET 8

Pandora Clifford

Elizabeth Keates

Amanda Prior

Mark Holgate

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Character work after the show * Circle Statues INTERMEDIATE – CHALLENGING 1. Group in a circle. Teacher asks students to turn with their backs to the circle 2. Teacher narrates a character description (e.g. Phyllis is excitable and drops things) 3. Teacher gives three counts, and students turn into circle, and do a freeze frame of each character 4. Teacher gets into middle of circle and looks at the freeze frames, commenting positively on the poses, and supporting character development Extension You will need: Character Worksheets 7, card, scissors, glue, pens 5. Look at the Character images from Worksheet 7, cut and paste onto card 6. Add speech bubbles for each character4 7. Create a dialogue between the characters5. Write down dialogue, then rehearse and perform it.

4 Appendix 4. Circle Statues extension: Suggestions for Speech bubbles, page 27 5 Appendix 5, Circle Statues extension: Suggestions for lines of dialogue, page 28

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* Creating environments SIMPLE - CHALLENGING You will need: props, percussion instruments, tables, chairs 1. Place chairs as starting point for the environment (e.g. kitchen in 3 chimneys cottage) 2. Pick characters for the scene (e.g. Bobbie, Mother, Phyllis, and Peter) 3. Decide on motivation for the scene, e.g. the children want to ask Mother about Father 4. The rest of the group create a horseshoe around the scene. This group give sound effects for: Crackling fire / Kettle boiling / countryside sounds (for example) 5. Teacher narrates the story behind this scene, while characters mime

Extension 6. Each character says one or more lines of dialogue6. (Other environments: steam train / guard’s office / village / Old Gent’s Saloon / tunnel)

Creating poetry, spoken word and rap

Tribal chanting and soundscapes are both great warm ups for creating with words * Tribal chanting SIMPLE – CHALLENGING 1. In circle, start a group rhythmic movement such as stamping feet/ banging wheelchairs 2. Introduce a large arm movement with right arm, such as a diagonal sweep 3. Teacher introduces a “tribal call” connected to The Railway Children theme7. All repeat four times. 4. Next person introduces a new call, all repeat four times, and so forth around the circle. Extension 5. Memorise chants, and link together. Add movement for each chant. Work in rounds. * Soundscapes and spoken words SIMPLE – CHALLENGING You will need: chairs, backing tracks 1. Create a Railway Children soundscape to warm up the voice: a) split group into four b) each smaller group is given a movement and sound c) Practice sounds together d) Conduct the group, bringing in each new group one at a time e) Turn each sound into a word from The Railway Children. (E.g. train, steam, petticoat, tunnel) f) Start soft, and gradually build up. Play with volume and levels. 2. Experiment with a range of words and phrases taken from The Railway Children theme 3. Create a poem, rap or spoken word piece on The Railway Children (led by Teacher for SIMPLE) Extension 4. Add backing track when performing the words. Share with an audience.

6 Appendix 6, Creating environments: Suggestions for lines of dialogue, page 28 7 Appendix 7, Creating Poetry, spoken word and rap: Suggestions for tribal calls, page 28

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* What happens next? INTERMEDIATE – CHALLENGING You will need: table, props 1. Place table with props laid out in the centre of the room 2. Discuss the story of The Railway Children, including the ending 3. Use the props to improvise the possible next part to the story – be free with ideas 4. Start with 2 people in the middle with a prop exploring what happens next 5. Instead of dialogue, use facial expression, gesture, and sounds as necessary Extension You will need: A3 paper, pens, rulers (to create grid on A3 paper) 6. Build up to working with more characters in front of the group as appropriate 7. Create A3 storyboards with titles, to express ideas for “What happens next?”

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Production Images

Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis stop the train from an avalanche with red petticoats!

Jim is rescued

Father arrives home

The Railway Children

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APPENDICES 1. Prop Circle: Suggestions for lines of dialogue

a) Bobbie: “I love it here!" Peter: “Here comes the train!” Phyllis: “It’s so exciting!” b) Bobbie: “I worry about Mother.” Peter: “Let’s talk to Mr Perks.” Phyllis: “Can I come?” c) Bobbie: “There’s the Old Gent!” Peter: “The train is right on time!” Phyllis: “Let’s wave and wave!” 2. Prop Circle: Suggestions for improvisations

a) The children’s first time at the train station b) Mother falls ill, and the children try to help c) The children waving at the 9.15am train 3. Prop Circle: Suggestions for Short scenes a) The children discover the train station, and meet Mr Perks for the first time. b) Mother falls ill, and the children ask the Doctor for help. c) The children wave at The Old Gent, and hand him a letter asking for help.

4. Circle Statues extension: Suggestions for Speech bubbles a) Phyllis: “I can’t wait for summer again!” Peter: “We saw so many trains go by!” Bobbie: “Summer at the station was so much fun!” b) Mr Perks: “Almost time for the train to leave” c) The Old Gent: “What lovely children you are!” d) Father: “At last, home again.”

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5. Circle Statues extension: Suggestions for lines of dialogue a) Phyllis: ”When will the summer come back?” Peter: “Next year, not long til then!” Bobbie: “But now we must make time for Father.” b) Mr Perks: “What are you children up to today?” Bobbie: “Mother is ill, we must get a letter to the Old Gent.” Peter: “Not long til the 9.15am, we must be ready.” Phyllis: “I want to give him the letter!” c) The Old Gent: “Your Mother is going to look after Jim until he is well.” Bobbie:” But what about Mother’s writing, she loves it so.” The Old Gent: “Oh she can still do that, but we must get Jim well first.” Phyllis: “And I am going to help!” Peter: “At least Jim can stay with us for a while.” d) Bobbie: “Daddy, Daddy, is it really you?” Father: “Did Mother get my letter?” Bobbie: “We had no letters this morning.” Father: “You go first, Bobby, and tell Mother that everything is ok.” 6. Creating environments: Suggestions for lines of dialogue a) Bobbie: “Mother are you all right?” Mother: “I am fine, dear.” Phyllis: “When’s Father coming home?” Peter: “Phyllis, go and fetch a hanky for Mother.”

7.Creating Poetry, Spoken Word and Rap: Suggestions for tribal calls

a) “3 chimneys, yeh!” “3 chimneys, yeh!” b) “Where’s the coal?” “Where’s the coal?” c) ”Stop the train!” ”Stop the train!” d) “Father’s back!” “Father’s back!”

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LINKS and RESOURCES To visit the official site of The Railway Children go to: http://www.railwaychildrenwaterloo.com/home/about/ For Touring Consortium including other education pack(s) go to: http://www.touringconsortium.com/ Drama and SEN http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/performing/dramasen/ Drama Resources http://www.dramaresource.com/strategies/69-drama-techniques Heritage Railway Association http://www.heritagerailways.com/index.php

Images http://www.dreamstime.com/ Official London Theatre Guide http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/ Railway Children Waterloo http://www.facebook.com/trcwaterloo Steam Train Galleries http://www.steamtraingalleries.co.uk/index.html Symwriter http://www.widgit.com/products/symwriter/index.htm The Edith Nesbit Society http://www.edithnesbit.co.uk/ The Makaton Charity http://www.makaton.org/ Waterloo Theatre Box Office http://www.theatreboxoffice.org/waterloo-station-theatre/

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CLOSING WORDS

Special Thanks

Special thanks goes to Touring Consortium, for their assistance with writing this pack. We wish you all luck in the Summer 2011 production of The Railway Children, at Waterloo Theatre Station. Thank you also to Dreamstime images.

Feedback

If you and your students have any feedback about this pack, please contact Mousetrap and / or Caroline Joyner. We will be happy to hear from you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caroline Joyner for Mousetrap Theatre Projects May 2011