July 20, 2011: A Trip to the Opera

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in The Denver Post. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Make a collage of newspaper words and pictures about music and plays.

2. Find five people in the newspaper who could help you put on an opera. Explain your choices.

3. Find newspaper ads for musical instruments and lessons that could help you prepare for an opera.

4. How are these important for opera: (a) sets, (b) studying languages, (c) Greek dramas, and (d) orchestras?

5. Select a newspaper story that would make a good subject for an opera. Write an outline for your opera. Include roles for a soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass.

Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page content and offer activities that will help your students reach them. This week's standard:

• Students understand the ways that stories, music and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture. (Social Studies: Culture)
  
  
  (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)