Student Matinee Educational Materials
Prepare your students for the Beauty and the Beast Student Matinee!
Welcome to our Educator Portal – a resource exclusively for teachers bringing students to the student matinee!
The materials on this page will help you make meaningful connections between your curriculum and the ballet for your students. Delve into the rich history, dancing, and music of the ballet with fun, educational and age-appropriate activities.
Click on the links to read, listen to, or download the materials!
Instructional Materials
- Teacher Resource Guide: chocked full of background information on ballet, its choreography, costumes, etc. – basic info for teachers! Includes many of the handouts below.
- Entry Pointes: ideas to connect the ballet to your curriculum in major content areas. Expand and adapt entry pointes as needed to meet the needs of your students.
- Bell Work Activities: short activities to use at the beginning or end of class.
- Learning Activities: Handout activities for classroom use.
- Beauty and the Beast Synopsis Powerpoint – Middle and High School: the story of the ballet illustrated with PBT photos.
- Beauty and the Beast Synopsis Powerpoint – Elementary: the story of the ballet illustrated with PBT photos.
- Do’s and Don’ts of Theater Etiquette: review with your students before the show!
- Ballet Hierarchy: discussion of how ballet dancers are ranked within a company.
- Trailer for the Ballet: PBT’s 2-minute trailer. This gives a sense of the characters, movement and atmosphere of the ballet.
Handouts
- Synopsis for Young Readers: for elementary readers (synopsis in the Teacher Resource Guide is for a higher grade level).
- Character Guide: photos of the main characters. Print out on card stock and cut out to make stick puppets!
- Coloring Page
- Word Search
Musical Excerpts
Familiarize your students with the score of the ballet with these links to musical excerpts from the ballet. Check the Teacher Resource Guide for descriptions and activities. Discuss these works with your students before or after the performance.
The score for Beauty and the Beast is a compilation of excerpts of works by Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky, which were arranged by Earl Bernard Murray when the ballet was created in the 1950s. The works include Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Orchestral Suites Nos. 1, 2, and 3; and The Storm, Opus 76 and The Tempest.
Beauty’s Solo in the Garden (start at 35:40)
Transformation Scene (when the Beast becomes the Prince)
For Parents
Take Home Flyer: let parents know about the opportunity you’ve given their children! Print out and send home with your students.