BY GERARD HERNANDEZ,
JENNY KOKAI, & OLIVER KOKAI-MEANS

AUDIO PLAY

SEPTEMBER 2022-JUNE 2023

TENTH ANNUAL FREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOUR SERVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS STATEWIDE SEPTEMBER 2022-JUNE 2023

Jacob loves ballet, turkey sandwiches, Pokedudes, and his orange blanket. He does not love living with Crohn's disease or nurses who can't get the IV in on the first try. On the day of his latest infusion, he meets Sophie, a nurse unlike any other (who might be an alien).

A play created specifically for grades 4-6 about being a child living with a chronic illness and how imagination can help get you through.

Based on the life and perspective of playwright Gerard Hernandez.

CORE STANDARDS

Fine Arts Core Standards are integrated into the script and the low-prep, pre-and-post-assembly classroom activities provided via the study guide (please click the link at the top). Students will meet Core Standards in Drama, Library Media, Health Education, Science & Engineering, and Language Arts.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After experiencing BALLET FOR ALIENS, students will:
1) develop understanding of chronic illnesses and the challenges they present.
2) define empathy and practice empathy with peers, including peers with chronic illnesses.
3) practice a variety of stress management techniques, including using imagination to navigate difficult situations.