BasedonthebookwrittenbyGraemeBase 1

BasedonthebookwrittenbyGraemeBase
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MY GRANDMA
LIVED IN
GOOLIGULCH
Teacher notes

WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Thesenotesarearrangedaccordingtothefollowingareas.
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
ACTIVITIES
preshowdiscussion/worksheetpg5
Postcardspg6
Visual Arts:
Discussionspg8
BookIllustrationpg9 Grandma’sHousepg9
GooligulchMappg9
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TEACHER NOTES
SPOKEN LANGUAGE
seeingMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH.Teachersareencouragedtoadaptactivitiesto suitindividualsituationsandrelevantlearningoutcomes. Thefollowingactivitiescanbeusedbyteacherstoenhancetheirstudents’experienceof
VISUAL ARTS
DRAMA
MUSIC
CONTENTS
ABOUT ‘MY GRANDMA LIVED IN GOOLIGULCH’ pg4
Written Language:
GooligulchNewspaperpg7
Spoken Language:
Rhymespg7
GrandmaintheCitypg6 Poetrypg7
InstantStoryTellingpg8 OralPresentationpg8

Drama
MakeaMaskpg11
CostumesandPuppetspg12
Characterisationpg13
Music
AnimalMovesandAnimalSoundspg16
RadioPlaypg17 Soundscapepg17
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CollageCreaturespg10 ClassProjectpg10
PerformancePoetrypg15 StorytoStagepg14 Reviewpg15

KarenKeegan Composer GraemeBase Producer
WillConyers MusicalDirector
Kate GerardLane Ensemble1/Narrator/Wombat/Lizard ElenorAdams
Ensemble2/Cockie AndrewKroenert Ensemble3/Dad/Rat DanielHarlock
Ensemble4/Dingo BrentTrotter
www.graemebase.com/publish/index.html Forsomestudents,seeingMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHmaybeafirstexperienceoflive AwebpageonGraemeBaseandhisworkcanbefoundat
appropriateaudiencebehaviourataliveperformance. theatre.Thefollowingpagecanbeusedasaworksheettopromotediscussiononwhatconstitutes
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ABOUT ‘MY GRANDMA LIVED IN GOOLIGULCH’
Grandma lives a tiny country town. She lives a magical life full of adventure. Her friends are
Australian animals and they can talk! Kate, her 9 year old grand-daughter has never met Grandma.
The last thing Kate wants to to spend summer with Grandma Gooligulch. But then fun
PenguinAustralia.ThisperformancehasbeenadaptedtostagebyGraemeBaseandGarryGinivan. MYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHisbasedonthebookbyGraemeBase-originallypublishedby
begins.
Director
GarryGinivan
Cast
GraemeBase Audio/Set Designconcepts
MelDrummond LightingDesign BernardAngell Costumerealisation
Grandma PatPitney
DanielO’Shea

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Becausethesoapsmellsreallynice.
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Becausesomeonemighttakeit.
Sothatyoudon’tloseyourvoice.
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Soyourhandsdon’tgetcold.
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THEATRE ETIQUETTE
What’sdifferentaboutwatchingashowonTVandwatchingashowatthe
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Whenyougotothetheatreyoushouldfollowtherulesbelow.Canyouthinkofreasonswhy? theatre?
Visitthebathroombeforetheshowbegins:
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Remaininyourseatduringtheperformance:
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Don’ttalkduringtheperformance:
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Clapattheend:
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DiscussthekindsofthingsthatGrandmamayhaveseenandexperiencedonsomeofhertravels, e.g.people,animals,food,accommodation,adventures. toEngland,Spain,SanFrancisco,eventhejunglesofTingoor.
andthencreateapost-cardthatGrandmamayhavewrittenfromthatplace.Studentscandecide whotoaddresstheirpostcardto,e.g.themselves,aclassmember,arelative(perhapsKate).Each cardcanincludeasnapshot/illustrationaswellasastamp. Allocateorhavestudentschooseageographicallocation.Studentsaretofindthelocationonamap
Alternatively,havestudentscreatepostcardsthatpeoplefromtheplacesthatGrandmahasvisited
maywrite.Thepostcardsshouldexplainabout(andillustrate)theirencounter/swithGrandma.
visittoKate’shomeinthecity.WhatkindofadventureswouldGrandmagetupto? fromGooligulchtothecitytospendtimewithKateandherfamily.WriteastoryaboutGrandma’s
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Written Language
POSTCARDS
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book, blank post-cards, map/s or atlas
In‘MyGrandmaLivedinGooligulch’,welearnthatGrandmahastravelledextensively.Shehadbeen
GRANDMA IN THE CITY
Intheplay,KatespendsthesummerwithhergrandmotherinGooligulch.ImagineifGrandmacame

publication,e.g.localbushnewsandgossip(storiesonGrandma,Wombat,neighbours),bushfire safetytips,weatherforecast,letterstotheeditor,bushfashion,bushtuckerrecipes,cartoonstrips, advertisements,advicecolumn,bushcrosswordpuzzles,bushhoroscopesetc. thenameofthepaperbe?Considerwhatarticles(writtenand/orillustrated)mightappearinthe
musictosingtheirrhymesto. Alternatively,havestudentswritenewandoriginallyricstomatchknowntunes. writetheirownstoryinrhyme.Thiscanbedoneindividuallyorinsmallgroups.Studentscreate
Performthesesongs/rhymesforoneanother.
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GOOLIGULCH NEWSPAPER
Preparation: art materials
GOOLIGULCHisasmallcountrytown.HavestudentscompileanewspaperforGooligulch.Whatwill
groupsprepare,illustrateandwriteupindividualsectionstobeputintothenewspaperlayout. Thebushnewspapercanbedisplayed,photocopiedand/ordistributed.
POETRY
Havestudentsdesignthelayoutofthenewspaper.Whereshouldeacharticleappear?Havesmall
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book
WhatanimalsdidGrandmatame?Whatisthespecialpatternofthewordsthroughoutthebook?
RHYMES
about.Thesecanbedisplayedwithcutoutsofthechosenanimals. Discussthestory,especiallytherhymingpatternandtheanimalsthatappearinthebook.Discuss–
Preparation:‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book
Whataretheseparagraphscalled?ChildrenchooseanAustralianAnimaltowriteatleast2verses
‘MyGrandmaLivedinGooligulch’iswritteninrhyme.Pointouttherhyminginthetext.Students

Base,etc. GOOLIGULCH,e.g.Australianwildlife,bushsafety,beachsafety,camping,travel,puppetry,Graeme
byword,eachstudentaddingontothestoryaccordingtowhatthepersonbeforethemhas Sitinacircle.Goingaroundthecircle,havestudentsmakeupastory,sentencebysentence,orword
Gooligulchisprobablyverydifferentfromwhereyoulive.Whatwouldyoulike
whatwouldyoudislike
aboutlivingthere? aboutGooligulchand
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Spoken Language
ORAL PRESENTATION
HavestudentschooseareasofinteresttoresearchthatrelatetoMYGRANDMALIVEDIN
findingstobegiventotherestoftheclass.
INSTANT STORY TELLING
Alternativelystudentsmaycreatewritten/illustrated/multimediaprojectsontheirchosentopic. Havestudentsfindoutmoreabouttheirchosenareaandprepareoralpresentationsontheir
Extension:Dividetheclassintothreegroups.Haveonegroupofstudentstellastory.Haveasecond groupmimethestoryasitisbeingtold.Thethirdgroupcanserveasanaudiencewhilstalso contributed.
DISCUSSIONS
supplyingrelevantsoundeffectsasrequired.
DiscussthecreaturesyoumetinMy Grandma
Togetherwithstudentsmakealistinwhichlifeinthebushwouldbedifferenttolifeinthecity. Identifyaspectsoflifeinthebush/citythatstudentsprefer,encouragingstudentstoarticulatewhy. Where?Whatweretheylike?Doyouhaveafavourite?Why?
Lived in Gooligulch.Whichhaveyouactuallyseen?

e.g.thatitisnearBandywallopEast,northofMurrumbum(500milesatleast),westofLawson’s
string,wood,ithasawindowouttheback,ithasatinylivingroom, Studentsworkcollaborativelytomakealife-sizemodelofGrandma’shome.Toensurethatall thebookandtakenoteofdetailsconcerningGrandma’shome,e.g.itismadeoftinandcanvas,
tasks:designandcreationofwalls,doors,décor,outdoorfurnishing,kitchenfurnishing,livingroom furnishing,bedroomfurnishing,bathroomfacilities,etc. studentswillbeinvolvedintheprocess,allocateorhavesmallgroupschoosefromthefollowing
ConducttoursofGrandma’shouse,oralternativelycreateperformancesincorporatingthehouse.
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Visual Arts
BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS
Preparation: Graeme Base books, art materials
Togetherwithstudents,lookatassortmentsofillustrationsfromanumberofbooksbyGraeme
hastodepictthecharacters,placesandsituationsdescribedinthebook.Havestudentsmake
GOOLIGULCH MAP
effectivelystudents’illustrationsreflecttheirstories.Createaclasslibraryofpicturebooks. Base.Whichappealmost/least?Havestudentsarticulatewhy.Whenillustratingabook,anartist,
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book, art materials
illustrationsforshortstories(originaltalesorwellknownones).Viewtheseandidentifyhow
HavestudentslookthroughthebookandtakenoteofdetailsconcerningGooligulchandsurrounds,
GRANDMA’S HOUSE
Createmapsor3dimensionalmodelsofGooligulchandsurrounds.Displaythese. Rest,southofJohnson’sGap,therearehillsandabillabong,itisadistancefromtheseaside,arain
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book, art + craft materials
forestandacreek.
Inthebook,Grandma’shomeisreferredtoasherrambling‘mansion’.Havestudentslookthrough

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madeoutofbranchesstandinginbucketsofsand.
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Nowaddyourbirdsandanimals.Youcould
Makemodelsoutofclayormaterialsfoundinthebush Stitchstuffedtoyanimals(andbringothersyouhavefromhome) Cutshapesoutoffurrymaterialandgluethemtoyourmural
theycouldhardlybelievetheireyes. animalslikewombats,frillednecklizardsandaplatypusbeforeandthatwhentheydidseethem,
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Searchforandcutoutillustrationsandphotographsofanimals. animals.Thiscanbedoneasfollows: Havestudentsconceiveandcreateoriginalcreaturesthatcombinethefeaturesofseveraldifferent
fromthecollectedillustrationstocreateanamazingoriginalcreature. Assembleandpastelegs,arms,heads,finstentacles,snouts,ears,whiskers,claws,furetc.
creaturestotherestoftheclass. Havestudentstakeontheroleofascientistandname,introduceanddescribetheiroriginal
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CLASS PROJECT
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ book, art + craft materials, toys, clay, objects of
nature
Asabackdropmakealargemuralofthecountryside,usingdetailsfromMy Grandma
Gooligulch.
Usenaturalmaterials(leaves,bark,grass,etc.)whereverpossible.Addtreesandbushes TurnanareaofyourclassroomintoanAustralianbushsetting.
Lived in
COLLAGE CREATURES
toreadandtalkaboutsomeotherAustralianbooksorpoemsyouhaveread. Setupapretendcampfireinyourbushsetting.Thenyoucanmeettherewithafewofyourfriends
Preparation: Old magazines, calendars etc.
ExplaintothestudentsthathundredsofyearsagopeopleoutsideofAustraliahadneverseen

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wanttomakeamaskfor.Simplemaskscanbemadeasfollows:
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Drawtheshapeofthecharacter’sfaceoncardboardandsketchinthedetails.
Stickonmaterialssuchasfeathers,tinfoil,wool,string,twigs,gum-nuts,sequinstoadd
Cutoutthemask,makingholesfortheeyesandbreathingholesatnoseormouth. Usecolouredpencils,crayonsorpaintstofillinthefeatures. moredetail.
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Createperformancesincorporatingmaskedcharactersthatstudentshavecreatedor conductabushanimalparade. Attachelasticorstringtothesidesofthefinishedmasktoholditinplace.
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MAKE A MASK
AllocateorhavestudentsdecideoncharactersfromMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHthatthey

dingosandbushcreatures.Discussthemechanicsandmanipulationofthepuppetsinthe performance.Havestudentsconsiderhowelsethesepuppetsmayhavelookedandworked. beenmadetorepresentthewombat,lizard,cockie,rats,emus,nightcreatures,galahs,goanna,
Puppetryoptionsmayincluderodpuppets,stringpuppets,glovepuppets,shadowpuppets(usean OHPprojectedagainstahangingsheet). Havestudentsdesignandconstructcostumesorpuppetsforeachoftheshows’characters.
Informativepuppetrywebsite:http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry Createperformancesincorporatingcostumes/puppetsthatstudentshaveconstructed.
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Drama
COSTUMES + PUPPETS
Preparation: craft materials
ExplainthatintheliveshowofMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH,costumesorpuppetshave

eat,play,walk/swim/fly,greetothers,etc.Indevelopingtheircharacters,havestudentspay attentiontohowtheirposture,movementstyle,expression,breathingandvoicemayreflecttheir character’spersonality.(Usinghats,props,fabric,costumeitemsmaybeanoption). chosencharacter.Encouragestudentstoexplorewaysinwhichtheircharactermightsleep,drink,
tryingtohide/lookforsomething,eatingameal,etc.Viewtheseandcommentonthecharacter beingportrayed.Whatistheirage,size,disposition,temperament?Seeifstudentscanguesswhich storycharacterisbeingportrayed.Hintsmaybesupplied. Haveindividualstudentsperformshortactionsastheirchosencharacter,e.g.playingwithapet,
Interviewcharactersabouttheirlives,likes,dislikes,adventures. ExtensionActivities:
Askstudentstoconsiderthekindsofsituationstheircharactersmayfindthemselvesin. Havestudentsworkinpairsandcreateaconversationorinteractionthatmayoccurbetweentheir characters. •
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CHARACTERISATION
Preparation: children’s books, hats-props-costume items (optional)
Askeachstudenttochooseacharacterfromabooktheyknow.Theirchallengeistoembodytheir

writtenformtotheatricalform.Theproductionmayincludecostumes,props,sets,posters,dances, songs,musicandsoundeffects. Workingasaclassorinsmallergroups,transformaselectedstory(wellknownororiginal)from
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STORY TO STAGE
Listanddiscussotherbooksthatwereturnedintofilms,plays,ballets,cartoonsetc.E.g.‘Possum
Magic’, ‘Peter Rabbit’, ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, The Little Mermaid’
Identifythedifferencesbetweenthebookandtheplay. Discusswhatwasinvolvedintransformingthebookintoaliveshow.
Havestudentsdiscusswhethertheypreferredthebookortheplayandexplainwhy.
etc.Havestudentsdiscusswhichversionstheypreferandwhy.

Eachstudentcouldmemoriseastanzaof‘MyGrandmaLivedinGooligulch.’(Thismodernballadhas thirty-eightstanzas.)Combineagroupreadingforeachstanzathatintroducesanewsectioninthe theirchoice.Poemscanberecordedorperformed(egataschoolassemblyormidyearconcert.)
Studentscanplananinvitation,designaprogramorcreateapostertopromotetheperformance. Discussthebushsetting,theanimalsandthesoundsofthebushandaskstudentstoproducea poem.Eachnewsectionissignalledbythestanzafollowingeachfullcolourdoublepagespread.
Askstudentstoconsider: designforastagesettingappropriatefor‘MyGrandmaLivedinGooligulch.’
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Useofpropsorcostumestoattracttheiraudience
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Dramaticeffectofposition
Styleofdeliverysuchaschants,song,poem,bodypercussion(fingersnapping,foot Dramaticeffectofreadingorreciting
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Useofpercussioninstruments
WhichpartofMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHdidyoulikebest?Why?
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WhydoyouthinkGraemeBasewroteMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH?
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doyouthinkitwouldhavetakentheperformerstoremembertheirlinesanddancesteps? WhatdidMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHmakeyouthinkabout?
Whatdidyoulikeaboutthecostumes,sets,puppets,music,dancingandsinging? CommentontheskillsoftheperformersinMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH.Howlong
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experienced. Werethereanypartsoftheshowthatyoudidnotlike?Why? CompareMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHwithotherliveperformancesyoumayhave
performancethemarkyoudid. GiveMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHamarkoutof10.Explainwhyyougavethe
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PERFORMANCE POETRY
Throughindependent,sharedandguidedreading,studentsplan,rehearseandperformpoetryof
REVIEW
stampingandclapping)
HavestudentsdiscussthefollowingbywayofreviewingofMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH:

tiger,horseorant.Whatsoundswouldtheymake?Howwouldtheymovetheirbodies?Identify performancequalitiesthatindicatesize,weight,strength.Havestudentsconsiderandexplorehow thesameanimalswouldmoveandsoundiftheywerehappy,angry,frightened,hungry,tired,etc. toconsiderhowtheycouldcommunicatethattheyareawombat,platypus,emu,koala,cat,dog,
e.g.rabbit,mouse,rooster,cat,fox,bear,kangaroo,crocodile,snake,lizard,duck,monkey, elephant,seagull,puppyetc.Studentsaretoguesstheanimasbeingrepresented. Playamimegameof‘WhoAmI?’Onestudentusessoundandactiontorepresentachosenanimal
Askstudentstoidentifyvariationsbetweentheactionsandsoundsofeachanimal.Thiscouldbe
Extensionactivity:Makemasksand/orcostumesforchosenanimals;createaparade,orstories,or playsthatinvolveanimalcharacters. usedasaleadintoidentifywhatkindsoflimbs,claws,noses,bodyshapes.
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ANIMAL MOVES AND ANIMAL SOUNDS
InMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH,performersrepresentmanyanimals.Encouragestudents

ushfire,toarainstormandfinallytocalmdusk.Indoingso,studentscanbegivenresponsibilityfor specificsounds. soundsthattheycanmaketorepresenttheAustralianBushthatshiftsfromdawn,todryheat,toa
Recordthesoundscapes.Playthemandphysicallydance/improvisemovementtomatch.
narrativevoices,characters’voices,soundeffects,backgroundmusic,bridgingmusicbetween scenesaswellassoundrecordingoperator/s. beinvolvedintherecording,includeandallocaterecordingresponsibilitiestoeachstudent;
Rehearseandrecordtheradioplay.
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MUSIC
SOUNDSCAPE
MYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCHtakesplaceintheAustralianbush.Havetheclassexplore
RADIO PLAY
Performthese.Seeifotherstudentscanguessthelocationsrepresented. Havestudentsworkinsmallgroupstocreatesoundscapesrepresentingotherlocations,e.g.abig
Preparation: ‘My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch’ by Graeme Base, musical instruments, implements
for making sound effects, e.g. pots, pieces of wood, sand-paper, metal, glass
city,anamusementpark,outer-space,thebottomoftheocean,abusyairport,etc.
CreatearadioplayversionofMYGRANDMALIVEDINGOOLIGULCH.Toensurethatallstudentswill

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Allproductionphotos:Photo Ponch Hawkes, 2006 Production
2011 Tour Teacher’s Notes by Sharon Maine
Adapted from The Arts Centre 2006 Program Teacher’s Notes
createdbyJack
Migdalek