meet arthur's friends 4 - Strathmore

WELCOME!
2
Welcome to the performance of Arthur Live! We’re
delighted that you’ve chosen this show to introduce young
people to the magic of live theater.
These Keynotes provide information and activities that
will help you prepare your children for the performance and
then reflect on what they’ve seen and heard in the show.
With younger children, we encourage you to read the
information to them and facilitate the activities. This guide
also contains reproducible activity pages that can be used
with even the youngest children.
CONTENTS
Welcome/Acknowledgements..........................................................2
About the Show ....................................................................................3
Meet Arthur’s Friends ..........................................................................4
Meet the Author ....................................................................................5
Open Wide!..............................................................................................6
Activity Ideas ..........................................................................................7
Activity Page: My Family and Friends ............................................8
Activity Page: Tooth Fairy Fun ..........................................................9
Activity Page: Good Food, Good Teeth ......................................10
Animal Teeth ........................................................................................11
Activity Page: Animal Worksheet ..................................................12
Activity Page: What’s My Job at the Show? ..............................13
Resources................................................................................................14
Keynotes are made possible by a
generous grant from Bank of
America Charitable Foundation.
The State Theatre’s education program is funded in part by Bank of America Charitable Foundation,
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Brother International Corporation,The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey,
Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, J. Seward
Johnson, Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, McCrane Foundation,
MetLife Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, National Starch and Chemical Foundation, Inc., PNC
Foundation, Provident Bank Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Verizon, and Wachovia
Foundation. Their support is gratefully acknowledged.
Funding has been made possible in part by
the New Jersey State Council on the
Arts/Department of State, a partner agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Continental Airlines is the official
airline of the State Theatre.
Keynotes are produced by the Education
Department of the State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ.
Wesley Brustad, President
Lian Farrer, Vice President for Education
Keynotes for Arthur—Live!
Written and designed by Katie Pyott
Edited by Lian Farrer
© 2007 State Theatre
Arthur Live! is produced by Turnstile Presents, Inc.
The State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for
the performing arts and entertainment.

ABOUT THE SHOW
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Arthur Live! is adapted from the animated
TV series broadcast on PBS KIDS, and based
on Marc Brown’s best-selling book series.
The performance brings to life all the
series’ favorite characters: Arthur’s family,
Buster, Francine, Binky, Muffy, and Pal.
The show includes songs, dances, and
audience participation. This show is
based on the book entitled Arthur
Tricks the Tooth Fairy.
Arthur is the star of the show. His full name is
Arthur Timothy Read, and he lives in Elwood City
with his mom, dad, and two sisters. The most
important thing about Arthur is that he actively
explores the world around him.
D.W. is jealous when her big brother Arthur loses a tooth and gets
money from the Tooth Fairy. Arthur explains that the Tooth Fairy comes
only when you lose a tooth and put it under your pillow at night. D.W.
dreams up some hysterical (but unsuccessful) plans to trick the Tooth Fairy
into paying her a visit. Ultimately, Arthur decides to reward D.W.’s efforts by
playing Tooth Fairy himself!
• Getting along with an older or younger brother or sister
• Stages of development: everyone grows on his or her own schedule.
EXPLORING THE
THEMES
• Baby teeth/adult teeth; taking care of your teeth
• Different animals and their different sized/shaped teeth

MEET ARTHUR’S FRIENDS
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D.W. (short for Dora Winifred) is Arthur’s
little sister. She’s bossy, independent, and a
little dramatic. While she loves to bug
Arthur, she is also very loyal to him.
ASK YOUR STUDENTS
Baby Kate is the youngest member of the
Read family. As an infant, she makes messes
and odd noises. Through her, Arthur and
D.W. learn how to be good older siblings.
Pal is Arthur’s dog. Through him, Arthur
gains responsibility and companionship.
Buster Baxter is Arthur’s best friend. He’s a
sociable kid who loves to eat and tell jokes,
and has a hard time motivating himself to
do homework. Buster has asthma, but it
doesn’t stop him from being active.
Brain (whose real name is Alan) is a friendly
kid who takes his enormous intellect in
stride. While he’s smart, he’s not a “know-itall.”
He has a great interest in sports, and is
especially skilled at soccer.
Francine Frensky is an explorer and a doer.
She’s sometimes overly confident and
competitive, but she is a good and loyal
friend. She loves sports and playing drums.
“FRIENDLY” FUN
“”

MEET THE AUTHOR
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Best known as the creator of Arthur, author/illustrator
Marc Brown has been working with the beloved aardvark
for over 25 years. Born one night when Brown was
telling a bedtime story to his son, Arthur soon evolved
into the book Arthur’s Nose, published in 1976. Since
then, Brown has written and illustrated more than 30
Arthur and D.W. books, and has illustrated many
other books—including one with his wife,
author/illustrator and psychologist Laurie Krasny
Brown.
Most of the characters in Marc Brown’s books are
modeled after one person or a combination of people from his life. Many
characters were inspired by people he knew when he was growing up and going to school in Milcreek,
Pennsylvania. Mr. Ratburn is based on the “meanest algebra teacher ever,” and Grandma Thora is based
on Brown’s real grandmother Thora, “the best storyteller ever.” Says Brown, “Buster is modeled after my
best friend in elementary school, Terry Johnson, who was a real practical joker. Terry spent a lot of time in
the principal’s office. In third grade, I spent a lot of time watching a girl named Patricia DelPorto instead
of doing my math. She had curly hair and long eyelashes. On Valentine’s Day, I remember waiting to get
a valentine from her. She is, of course, Sue Ellen, and that’s where I got the idea for Arthur’s Valentine.”
Brown’s sisters—Bonnie, Colleen, and Kimberly—have all served as role models for characters in his
books, especially for D.W. and Francine.
As for story ideas, Marc Brown looks for inspiration to his own three children: Tolon, Tucker, and Eliza.
He also gets many suggestions from children he meets in schools, libraries, and bookstores around the
country. “The most interesting—and the funniest—things,” Brown says, “happen in real life.”
Information taken from www.pbskids.org and www.kidsreads.com.
FOR DISCUSSION:

OPEN WIDE!
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TOOTH ANATOMY
The part of the tooth above the gums is called
the crown. Below the gums are the roots. The
crown is covered with a hard white surface
called enamel. It is the hardest material made by
the body. It protects the inner tooth from germs
and bacteria. Beneath the enamel is the dentin. It
is not very hard. In the center of the tooth is the
pulp. This is where all the nerves and blood
vessels are. The pulp is the part that hurts when
you have a toothache.
BABY TEETH
By the time they are 3 years old, most children have a full set of 20 baby, or primary, teeth. (Adults have
32 teeth.) Around the age of 5 to 7, the first baby tooth falls out, usually a front tooth, top or bottom. A
permanent tooth soon takes its place. Around age 7 or 8, children
lose the two teeth on either side. Between the ages of 9 and 12,
children lose their pointed canine teeth and their first and second
molars.
HOW CAVITIES ARE FORMED
Cavities are caused by sugars left on teeth after meals or
snacks. Bacteria feast on these sugars and form acid as a byproduct.
This acid eats into the tooth enamel, eventually
creating a cavity. One way to prevent cavities is to limit
between-meal snacks. If you need a snack, choose raw
vegetables, fruit, or cheese.
CLEAN, HEALTHY TEETH
Brush your teeth as soon as possible after eating. Removing all
food particles from your teeth prevents decay. Children should
be encouraged to brush their own teeth from an early age, but
an adult should rebrush the child’s teeth until he or she is 5 or
6, to ensure a thorough cleaning. Many dentists recommend
that parents also help their children learn to floss. Children and
adults should visit a dentist twice a year for a checkup and
teeth cleaning.

ACTIVITY IDEAS
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HOW MANY TEETH?
BABY TEETH
WHEN I WENT TO THE DENTIST...
TOOTHPASTE SURVEY
DENTISTS IN THE
CLASSROOM

MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS
8

TOOTH FAIRY FUN
9
THIS BAG
HOLDS
TEETH.

GOOD FOOD, GOOD TEETH
10
Good for My Teeth
Bad for My Teeth

ANIMAL TEETH
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THE TOOTH OF THE MATTER
SHARKS lose teeth each week.
They get new teeth when
they lose the old ones. They
can have over 20,000 teeth in a lifetime.
CROCODILES have 60 teeth
in their mouth at a time.
They can grow up to 2-3,000
teeth during their lifetime.
Some SNAKES have hollow teeth called fangs
that contain poison.
ELEPHANTS have four sets
of teeth in their lifetime.
Their tusks are the
longest teeth in the world.
DOLPHINS have more teeth
than any other animal.
Some dolphins have over 200
teeth. Scientists can tell the age of a dolphin by
the rings on her teeth.
SNOWSHOE RABBITS fight
with their teeth. Adult males
use their teeth to fight one
another for the females.
GIRAFFES have 32 teeth, just like humans.
BALEEN WHALES don’t have teeth. They have
stiff plates, made of the same material as human
hair and fingernails. These plates hang down
from the upper jaw and
trap small fish and other
food.

ANIMAL WORKSHEET
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WHAT’S MY JOB AT THE SHOW?
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When I go to a , I am part of the . This is a
very important job. I have to and carefully.
If I talk or move around, the actors and the
will have a
hard time paying attention to the .
When the is over, it’s okay for me to .

RESOURCES
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INTERNET
American Dental Association
www.ada.org
Arthur book series website
www.randomhouse.com/kids/ arthur
Arthur television show website, with sections
for parents and teachers
http://pbskids.org/arthur
Marc Brown
www.marcbrownstudios.com
Dental hygiene tips
www.toothfairy.org
VIDEO
Arthur’s Missing Pal. Lions Gate Films, 2006. DVD. rated G
Arthur’s Tooth. Sony Wonder Video, 2005. DVD. not rated
Open Wide, Tooth School Inside...and 4 More Fantastic Children’s Stories.
Scholastic Video Collection, 2007. DVD. not rated
BOOKS
Arthur’s Tooth, by Marc Brown, LB Kids, 2005
Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy, by Marc Brown, Random
House, 1997
How Many Teeth?, by Paul Showers. HarperTrophy. 1991
Open Wide: Tooth School Inside, by Laurie Keller,
Owlet, 2003
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions
from Around the World, by Selby Beeler, illustrated
by G. Brian Karas. Houghton Mifflin, 2001
What Big Teeth You Have!, by Patricia Lauber. Scholastic
Book Services, 1993
What Do the Fairies Do with All Those Teeth?, by Michel
Luppens, Firefly Books, 1996