We are pretty sure this is the only garden-related play in any universe that features a singing compost pile. If you love that, you're guaranteed to love The Garden Show! When aliens from planet Chlorophyll land in a garden, they meet some new friends who teach them all about it. They (and your students!) learn about soil,
photosynthesis, pollination, and the creatures who call the garden home.
The Garden Show is a great complement to your curriculum resources
in elementary
school life science. And, like all of our plays, this show can be used to improve reading, vocabulary, reading comprehension, performance and music skills, class camaraderie and teamwork, and numerous social skills (read about it!) -- all while enabling students to be part of a truly fun and creative experience they will never forget!
Publication Information
Author: Ron Fink (Composer) and John Heath (Book and Lyrics)
ISBN: 978-1-886588-04-2
© 1996 Bad Wolf Press, LLC
Song Samples
Full Song List
1. "Here We Come to the Garden Show"
2. Mysterious music for Aliens
3. "Chlorophyll Folk from Outer Space"
4. "It Isn’t Cool (To Run out of Fuel)"
5. "Dirt"
6. "Uncle Kweek’s Wedding Chant"
7. "Buzzed by a Bee"
8. "All Kinds of Creatures"
9. "We’re Tabloid Reporters"
10. "The Season Song"
11. "A Wonderful Compost Pile"
12. "Here We Come to the Garden Show"
Casting
Flexible casting from 8-40 students.
Use as many Mushrooms, Bees, etc. as desired.
Script
This is the first one-third of the script:
CHARACTERS:
Gardeners
Mushrooms
At least 5 Aliens from planet Chlorophyll, including:
Kwandoo, Captain of Chlorophyll spaceship; Kwoot,
Engineer of Chlorophyll spaceship; Grandfather
Bees
Garden Animals (Snail, Grasshopper, Centipede, Spider, Mole)
Tabloid Reporters
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall
Singing Compost Pile
Chorus (comprised of ALL students---except Aliens---who are not directly
involved in
the scene)
( The entire CLASS enters the room from two different points, singing
loudly. The first
STUDENT in each line holds streamers aloft. As they sing, they march
around the audience.
Some may hold aloft giant paper mache fruits and
Song 1 -
Listen now!
ENTIRE CLASS :
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know.
We have planted and watered too
We want to share it all with you.
We've got plants
We've got weeds
We've got spores
And we've got seeds.
Mushroom fans that are among us...
(The CLASS stops marching and points to the kids dressed
as MUSHROOMS)
Look real close-
MUSHROOMS: Yeah, we've got fungus!
Fungus, fungus, fungus, fungus
Hey-hey!
(THEY ALL resume marching)
Here we come to the Garden Show
Let's sit down here and watch it grow.
That could be just a little slow
We'll think of something---here we go!
We've got plants
We've got weeds
We've got spores
And we've got seeds.
(THEY ALL stop again and point at MUSHROOMS)
Mushroom fans that are among us
Look real close-
MUSHROOMS: Yeah, we've got fungus!
Fungus, fungus, fungus, fungus
Hey-hey!
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know
We have planted and watered too
We want to share it all with you.
We want to share it all with you.
(THE CLASS stops marching and begins to clap in rhythm as
they sing)
Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know.
(GARDENERS gather on stage. Then mysterious music is heard, and after
a few moments,
the ALIENS emerge from their ship. THEY look around in wonderment. GARDENERS
are
nearby and see the ALIENS about the same time the ALIENS spot them. There
is shock, finger
pointing, and general confusion on both sides. Then the mysterious music
fades away.)
NOTE: The "mysterious music" supplied on the accompanying
recording may last longer than
is needed for this scene. Just fade it out when the scene is over.
GARDENER (NOTE: The role of "GARDENER" can be played by one
or many different actors):
Who are you?
KWANDOO: I am Kwandoo, captain of this ship. We come from planet Chlorophyll.
KWOOT (moving a hand-held meter box around): Captain, this appears to
be a carbon-based
system. My calculations indicate that it is either a human being...or
a lump of coal.
KWANDOO (to GARDENERS): And this is our engineer, Kwoot.
GARDENER: Hello. Welcome to our garden on planet earth. From the looks
of you, I think you
are going to like it here.
Song 2
CHORUS :
You're the Chlorophyll Folk from outer space
You're green from head to toe
We've got chlorophyll here on planet earth
It helps our garden grow.
It's the chlorophyll here that makes leaves green
It brightens up the place
Now our garden is yours so come on in
Green folk from outer space.
Green arm
Green hand
Green thumb as well
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell
We can tell!
You're the Chlorophyll Folk from outer space
You're here to have some fun
Photosynthesizing all day long
Just soaking up the sun.
It's the chlorophyll here that makes leaves green
It brightens up the place
Now our garden is yours so come on in
Green folk from outer space.
Green arm
Green hand
Green thumb as well
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell
We can tell!
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell!
GRANDFATHER (Bearded alien, very excited): Bracken snack. Mumfo goozenburger.
Whackawhacka gesneezen!
GARDENER: I'm sorry, what did you say?
KWANDOO: You'll have to excuse Grandfather. He only speaks Chlorophyll.
GARDENER: Why is he so upset?
KWANDOO: He's reminding us that we're late. We're on our way to Uncle
Kweek's wedding
in the neighboring galaxy.
KWOOT: Unfortunately our reactor began to consume fuel at an accelerated
rate.
GARDENER: You mean...you ran out of gas?
Song 3
ALIEN:
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
How can we now ever fly away?
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.
ALL ALIENS:
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
How can we now ever fly away?
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.
Our spaceship is old
The engine is worn
There's no stereo and no heater.
The muffler is shot
The mileage is bad
Just seventeen light-years per liter.
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
How can we now ever fly away?
CLASS: We're gonna help
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.
Our spaceship is stuck
There's nothing to do
Despite all our efforts and labors.
We'll put it on blocks
Out in the front yard
Just to annoy all the neighbors.
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
How can we now ever fly away?
CLASS: We're gonna help
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.
GARDENER: Can't you get any fuel here on earth?
KWANDOO: I doubt it. Our fuel is very, very rare. On Planet Chlorophyll
we have to import
most of it from a neighboring solar system.
GARDENER: Maybe we can find something here in the garden you can use
for fuel. Why
don't you take a look around?
(THEY ALL walk around staring at the ground)
KWOOT: What is all this brown material on the ground? It seems very
familiar.
GARDENER: This? This is soil---it's where we plant things.
KWOOT: Soil? It looks like dirt. On planet Chlorophyll we call that
dirt.
GARDENER: We do too! But sometimes that word leaves the wrong impression.
Song 4 -
Listen now!
CHORUS:
Some folks call this brown stuff dirt
It gets on your pants and shirt.
But it's worth more than gold or oil
So let's agree to call it soil.
Dirt and soil might be the same
But dirt gives soil a dirty name
It feeds the plants, rewards our toil
So let's agree to call it soil.
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah buh do dah buh
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah buh buh dah.
(This concludes the first one-third of the script.)
Additional Comments and Reviews:
"I had parents laughing non-stop through the performance and then
crying when it was finished
because they were so proud of their child. I loved that your material aligns
with my state's
curriculum and that students really retain the information. It also gives
students who aren't so
confident in other aspects of school a chance to shine. Thank you for your
dedication to making
learning FUN!"
---Katie Harrison, Teacher (3rd grade), Finger Lake Elementary, Wasilla,
AK
"This musical is a great way to integrate science, language arts,
art, music and movement. It will not teach your children everything there
is to know about the garden, but it will provide them with a fun and
educational activity that will help build or maintain their interest
in the garden/outdoor classroom. A wonderful musical."
---Discovery Gardens Website
"This is some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard."
---Marcella Quiriin, Children's Recording Artist, Santa Barbara, CA
"I love the simplicity, the humor, and the catchy songs. Just this
week we did The Garden Show and when the students who watched were
leaving heard two or three singing 'It Isn't Cool (to run out of fuel).'
I know what they sing, say, and hear is being embedded in their memories."
---Sheila Cain, Teacher (1st-3rd grades), Pelham Elementary, Pelham,
GA
"My students were so proud of themselves, and I was proud of them
too. Our theme for the school year was plants and native habitats of
our local area. This play was absolutely perfect to reinforce the things
they had learned. They will never forget the word photosynthesis or its
meaning and I will never forget how cute they sounded trying to say that
word without front teeth!"
---Tresha Souders-Lacasse, Teacher (1st grade), Santa Barbara Charter
School, Santa Barbara, CA
"I just wanted to write to tell you we had so much fun doing The
Garden Show. We are a homeschool group from Fallon, Nevada. All the
families love it, including the siblings in the play, and our students
had such a great time. Our Mushrooms and Aliens even made the front page
of our newspaper. Thank you for providing us with such a wonderful way
to teach and educate our children."
---Melissa Miller, Director of Messengers Drama Team, Fallon, NV
"I liked everything about The Garden Show. The music is great
and the children learn the songs so easily. I especially appreciate your
sense of humor (it shows in a lot of your songs). Your material entertains
while it teaches. Every play my class performs helps at least one shy
child to blossom."
---Becky Carty, Teacher (Pre-K/1st grade), Ivy League Montessori, Cumming,
GA
"The Garden Show...is a superbly created musical for elementary
school children. This musical is a guaranteed success for the students
and teachers at your school."
---Kinder-Garden Website
"We really enjoyed it. Our school performs grade level productions
so we tailored the program to work with 170 children."
---Tracy Ricca, Teacher (5th grade) Greenville Fundamental, Santa Ana,
CA
"An outstanding show. The first Bad Wolf play I did and I bring
it back regularly.
Love the aliens in the garden and the ecological lesson."
---Sharon Silverglate, Teacher (3rd grade), Mar Vista Elementary, Aptos,
CA
Common Core and Other National Standards
Science
Language Arts
- Common Core Reading Standards for Literature: K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
- Common Core Reading Standards: Foundational Skills:
- K and 1st: Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition
- 2nd: Phonics and Word Recognition
- 3rd, 4th, 5th: Phonics and Word Recognition, Fluency
- Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards: Comprehension and Collaboration - K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
- Common Core Language Standards: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use - K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
- Common Core Standard 10: Range, Quality & Complexity: Range of Text Types for K-5th
National Core Arts Standards
Vocabulary
reactor
consume
accelerated
rate
muffler
mileage
light-years
liter
labor
solar system
familiar
toil
ritual
dignified
emanating
meter
buffet
tabloid
bloom
shed
buds
millennium
debris
marvelous
incredible
import
percent
efficient
Garden Terms
spores
fungus
carbon-based
chlorophyll
“green thumb”
photosynthesizing
soil
pollen
pollinate
season
bloom
shed
buds
compost pile
clippings
Vocabulary from stage directions
streamers
papier-mâché
mysterious
emerge
accompanying
agitated
magnifying glass
choreographed
Frequently Asked Questions About Bad Wolf Products and Licensing
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A: In short: each teacher/director using the play should have a copy of it. That's it! Your purchase gives you the right to use the play with as many classes as you wish, to photocopy the script for your actors, and to put on as many performances as you wish. This one-time purchase gives you a lifetime license. See below for more information on site licenses (for 3+ teachers or whole schools).
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A: Every musical play comes with the script and a 12-page Teacher's Guide that provides lots of tips and advice for using the play from start to finish. It also includes the audio recording for the play, which has all the songs both WITH and WITHOUT vocals. Sheet music is NOT included with the basic package, but it is available for $12. Extra/replacement CDs are also available for $12.
Every non-musical play comes with the script and the 12-page Teacher's Guide.
Q: I'm just one teacher putting on a play. If I use the play with multiple classes, do I have to purchase multiple licenses?
A: No! Your purchase gives you a lifetime license to be used with as many actors and classes as you wish. If other teachers/directors wish to use the play as well, they will need to purchase their own licenses.
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A site license is the economical choice when a whole school or grade level wants to put on the same play. Instead of each teacher/director having to purchase a script, the school/site can purchase
a site license. This comes with three copies of the play (or one digital download) and permission to make copies for any additional participating teachers, as well as all the actors. You do NOT need to purchase both a site license and individual copies of the play; just buy one or the other.
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Nope! The discount applies whether you are purchasing multiple copies of the same show or single copies of multiple shows.
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There is no difference in terms of content. The printed version of a musical play comes with an audio CD in a plastic sleeve in the back of the book. The digital version comes with two downloadable files: the script (PDF format) and the songs (individual MP3 files compressed in ZIP format). The advantage of the digital version is that you will not pay shipping and you can start using it instantly. Please read the question following this one about the technical requirements for digital files.
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Advanced technical knowledge is not required; but please note that we do not have the ability to offer technical support for issues related to digital files. If you are unsure, it is probably best to stick with the printed version.
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lyrics, lines, or jokes -- or add your own! (The kids love doing this, by the way.)
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