Funky Monkey! Pumpkin Pie: Study Guide 
Drums, Songs & Stories about Animals & Food

 
 

Home | Mark Shepard | K-12 Schools | Funky Monkey! Pumpkin Pie! | Funky Monkey Study Guide

 
  A Note to Teachers: I’ve done my best to provide some basic information as well as discussion starters and a few simple activities that could be used to integrate my performance into your classroom. Because I work with such a large age span I aimed somewhat down the middle. So feel free to use whatever you find helpful. I also welcome ideas and suggestions so please don’t hesitate to write or call me. Thanks!  
Field Guide To The Drums

Cool Sound Effects Instrument Making Guide

How To Be A Genius

 
Discussion Starters

1. What’s your favorite kind of food?

2. What is your favorite animal?

3. A lot of traditional societies believe that each of us has a guide or protector in the form of an animal Kind of like a guardian angel. If you had a Animal protector what would it be?

4. Do you think animals have feelings?

5. In Western culture, human beings have historically considered themselves to be above the animals. But lately a number of people have begun to feel that we are not more important than animals and do not have a right to keep destroying important wildlife habitat. How do you feel about this?

6. When the United States was formed, Benjamin Franklin suggested the Wild Turkey, as our national animal symbol, but the Bald Eagle was chosen instead. If you were to chose an animal to symbolize the United States today what would you choose? Why?

7. What would you choose to be our national food? Why?

8. If you were to add a verse to "Porcupine Ice Cream" what would it be? Remember the pattern:

My favorite Ice Cream in the whole wide world is __________________________________ ice cream

Except when it _________________________________________________________

(or)

My favorite Ice Cream in the whole wide world is __________________________________ ice cream

Especially when it _______________________________________________________

 

example: My favorite Ice cream in the whole wide world is dog and cat ice cream

except when it has to go to the vet

My favorite ice cream in the whole wide world is jalapeno pepper ice cream

Especially when it makes my brain sweat!

Notice where the rhyme occurs.

What weird flavors can you come up with?

 

 
Field Guide To The Drums

Cool Sound Effects Instrument Making Guide

How To Be A Genius

 
Activities:

1. By describing all the "human" things that birds don’t do, the song, "Birds" actually tells us as much or more about human beings than it does about birds. Can you write a poem or song using your favorite animal (or your least favorite animal, bug, real or imaginary creature etc.) using this idea?

2. We often describe people by traits that remind us of animals. Not all of these descriptions are nice. Some examples I can think of are: "Hawk-eyed", "Weasel faced", "Squirrelly", "Wolfish", "Foxy", "Bird-like", "Elephantine," "fishy", "He ratted on me", "he looked sheepish", "He was like a bull in a china shop", "cat-like", "Busy as a Beaver". What do they mean? Can you think of any others? Can you make some up?

3. Draw a picture of your favorite animal eating your favorite food.

4. If you could "shape-shift" and become an animal what would it be? If you could be that animal for a day, what would your do? Where would you go? What predators would you have to look out for? What would you eat? Would you be by your self or with other creatures of your kind? What would your environment look like? Answer these questions in a story form.

 

Home | Mark Shepard | K-12 Schools | Funky Monkey! Pumpkin Pie! | Funky Monkey Study Guide

 

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All content Copyright by Mark Shepard.  All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Revised: November 08, 2007 .