The Hundred Dresses Enrichment Guide - First Stage

ENRICHMENT GUIDE
SCHOOL DATES
MARCH 25 – APRIL 14, 2011
WWW.FIRSTSTAGE.ORG
This project is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Inside the Guide
A Note to Teachers and Parents
Setting the Stage
preparing for the play
Synopsis. ................ 2-3
About the Playwright ......... 4
About the Author. ........... 4
Recommended Reading. ....... 5
Pre-Show Questions. ......... 5
For Teachers
Curriculum connections before or
after the play
SOCIAL STUDIES
Polish Immigration to America
in the Early 1900s............... 6
1938: Life During the Great Depression,
Leading up to World War II...... 7-8
New Student Welcoming Plan..... 10
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
WELLBEING
What Does Compassion Look Like... 9
The Peaceful Person............ 12
What Would You Do: Combating
Bullying Situations ............. 13
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Friendly Letter: Righting Wrongs..
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Dear Teachers and Parents,
As part of our commitment to young people and educators in our community, First Stage
Children’s Theater provides families and school groups with opportunities to take part in programs
and performances designed to examine the different forms of bullying that occur in the school
community, while working further to promote respect and tolerance among classmates and teach
tactics in problem solving, positive conflict resolution, and overcoming obstacles. We are pleased
to have the opportunity to partner with your school district to aid in your anti-bullying efforts.
Enclosed in this enrichment guide is a range of materials and activities intended to help you
discover connections within the play through the curricula. It is our hope that you will use the
experience of attending the theater and seeing THE HUNDRED DRESSES with your students
as a teaching tool. As educators and parents, you know best the needs and abilities of your
students. Use this guide to best serve your children—pick and choose, or adapt, any of these
suggestions for discussions or activities. We encourage you to take advantage or the enclosed
student worksheets— please feel free to photocopy the sheets for your students, or the entire
guide for the benefit of other teachers.
Enjoy the show!
Julia Magnasco
Education Director
(414)267-2971
First Stage Policies
Curtain Call
Post-Show Discussion Questions ... 14
Who Said It?.................. 14
Who Said It? (Answers).......... 15
• The use of recording equipment and cameras are not permitted during the performance.
• Food, drink, candy and gum are not permitted during the performance.
• Electronic devices are not permitted in the theater space.
• Should a student become ill, suffer an injury or have another problem, please escort him
or her out of the theater space.
• In the unlikely event of a general emergency, the theater lights will go on and the stage
manager will come on stage to inform the audience of the problem. Remain in your seats,
visually locate the nearest exit and wait for the stage manager to guide your group from
the theater.
Seating for people with disabilities: If you have special seating needs for any student(s) and
did not indicate your need when you ordered your tickets, please call our School Sales
Specialist at (414) 267-2962. Our knowledge of your needs will enable us to serve you
better upon your arrival to the theater.

Setting the Stage: Synopsis
It is mid-September of 1938 in
the small town of Boggins Heights,
Connecticut and Peggy and her best
friend are racing each other down
the street. They taunt each other
about Mr. Svenson coming to get
them, a man that lives on the street
that all the children fear. As they are
playing, they hear the eerie sound of
a wind instrument and blame it on
a ghost that lives in Mr. Svenson’s
house. They huddle together, enjoying
being scared, yet Maddie is not
sure. Peggy tells Maddie of how her
dad thinks Mr. Svenson is a criminal
and good for nothing. Maddie
tries to defend him. Peggy races
off to the bridge, leaving Maddie
behind with the eerie noises, shutters banging, a creaky
door. Peggy calls for her and, frightened, Maddie runs off
to meet her. Just then, Wanda, a Polish immigrant holding
a recorder, enters from the house watching Maddie leave.
One week later in the schoolyard fifth-grade classmates
Willie, Jack, Peggy, Maddie and Cecile are playing. Willie
is bragging about playing a prank on Mr. Svenson. They
all listen attentively giggling at his antics. Willie then dares
a reluctant Jack to steal his hat. Jack agrees and the boys
shake on it. They run off. The girls begin to play four square.
Wanda enters, unnoticed, and stands away from the kids by
the wall. As the girls play and talk, Maddie is the only girl
to notice Wanda, but she ignores her. The boys return, and
as everyone rushes into the school, nobody takes notice to
Wanda who is in plain view of all. She walks in the school
alone.
In the classroom, the children’s teacher, Miss Mason, is
continuing their social studies lesson. Cecile interrupts to
ask Miss Mason about the drawing contest, something that
all of the children are eagerly anticipating. Miss Mason
explains the contest: the boys will draw motor boats, the
girls dresses. Winners will be announced November 1 and
they will receive a medal as a prize. Miss Mason continues
the geography lesson, much to the dismay of the class.
Students take turns reading aloud. It is Wanda’s turns and
is clear that she is scared to read aloud. She reads with
difficulty as Miss Mason kindly and gently helps her along.
Willie continues reading next as Mr. Petronski, Wanda’s
father enters the classroom. Wanda is embarrassed as her
father gives her the recorder she left
at home. The kids giggle at the different
sounding language. The children
file out to go to the library. With all
the kids gone, Wanda hugs her father
and files out. Miss Mason stays back
to compliment his son Jacob who
has been helping out by cleaning the
school.
At Maddie’s house, Maddie is standing
on a stool while her mother,
Shelly, puts trim on a hand-me-down
dress. Maddie asks her mom to hurry
so that Peggy will not find out this
secret. Just as Shelly cuts off the last
thread, Peggy arrives. Peggy begins
to talk about “ol’ man Svenson” and
Shelly scolds her to mind their own
business and leave him alone. The girls leave for school.
Wanda and her brother, Jake enter the playground. She
urges her brother to go ahead into the school; she wants to
wait outside. Maddie and Peggy enter singing, passing by
Wanda who is in her usual wall spot. Cecile enters wearing
a beautiful crimson dress and is showered with compliments
from her friends. No one acknowledges Wanda’s presence.
As the girls talk about the pretty things they have, Wanda
creeps quietly near the girls and softly reveal that she has
a hundred dresses. This confuses the girls who begins to
ask her questions in a very mean spirited way – they do not
believe that the girl that wears the same dress everyday
owns a hundred dresses. Peggy and Cecile burst into laughter
as Maddie looks away. Peggy continues to mock her and
is joined by Cecile. Wanda at first enjoys the attention but
soon realizes they are making fun of her. Maddie is somehow
affected by this. The bell rings and kids file into school.
Peggy and Maddie are the last ones in. Peggy suggests they
ask her the next day about her dresses because it will be
fun. They run into the school.
Two weeks later, Maddie is haunted by the “hundred dresses
game” that her friends play with Wanda. Shelly walks in
on Maddie trying to write an essay for school. Maddie questions
her mother about the likelihood of someone having a
hundred dresses. Shelley leaves, and leaves Maddie at the
table. She tears out a piece of paper and begins to write
a letter to Peggy asking her to stop the hundred dresses
game. She drifts in a fantasy about standing up to Peggy
2

Setting the Stage: Synopsis (Cont.)
and stopping the game. Her fantasy is interrupted when
Shelly comes back and asks how her essay is going. Maddie
is clearly still struggling with the importance of this situation
with Wanda.
On the playground, Peggy and the girls continue with their
game; asking Wanda about her hundred dresses. Jack races
in and says that he took the hat and the dog dish from
Mr. Svenson. Peggy is outraged about the dog dish and
demands he take it back. Willie enters, grabs the hat and
plays keep away with it. Maddie eventually tosses it back to
Jack. As Wanda slinks back to her wall spot, the kids (except
Maddie) giggle and tease her. Jack tells the others he saw
Wanda on Mr. Svenson’s porch. The bell rings and Jack and
Cecile go inside. Peggy and Maddie are left with Wanda.
Peggy continues asking about the dresses. Wanda waits
for Maddie to say something, yet she says nothing. Maddie
goes into the school, as Peggy follows she laughs as she
smugly says, “Good bye, Wanda Pe-tron-ski.”
A week later in the classroom, the children are giving their
reports. Peggy and Maddie burst in late. They sit down
quickly in embarrassment. Maddie is distracted during the
lesson and Miss Mason notices her lack of participation.
Maddie is so focused on Wanda’s empty desk that she does
not hear the recess bell. Miss Mason asks her help in hanging
up the boy’s drawings. The room is soon transformed
by all of the colorful drawings, particularly the hundred
dresses. The students soon race back into the classroom
and are mesmerized by the sight. Miss Mason enters and
awards the winner of the contest, Wanda Petronski. While
most students did one or two drawings, Wanda did a hundred.
The kids genuinely applaud. Unfortunately, Wanda
is not there to receive it. Jack receives the medal for his
motor boat drawing. The girls look at Wanda’s drawings
with genuine awe and admiration, pointing out their favorites.
Willie returns to the classroom with a letter. The letter
is from Wanda’s father, Mr. Petronski, and he explains
that they are moving to the city where they will feel more
welcomed. Miss Mason is upset and addresses the students
about their thoughtlessness. The class sits quietly. Finally,
Peggy suggests she and Maddie go to Wanda’s house to see
if she’s still there.
The girls arrive at Wanda’s abandoned house. They are
struck by the smallness of this basic one bedroom house.
As they look around, Mr. Svenson surprises them in their
quiet inquiry. Frightened, they try to run away, but Maddie
slips and Mr. Svenson stands back from them. Peggy questions
him about the Petronski’s, but with an unintelligible
grumble, the girls flee.
The following Saturday in the schoolyard, Maddie is remembering
Wanda, standing by herself on the playground. Jack
and Willie enter playing and teasing one another. When
Peggy arrives, the two girls begin to write a letter to Wanda,
telling her that she won the drawing contest and complimenting
her drawings. Maddie attempts to perfectly fold
the letter before dropping it into the mailbox. The girls run
off to meet their friends at the movie theatre.
As the movie begins, Maddie begins to imagine herself on
the screen, giving a passionate speech about standing up
for Wanda. Her reverie is interrupted by loud cartoon music.
While Peggy is entertained by the cartoon, Maddie can’t
stop thinking about Wanda.
Maddie becomes more anxious everyday she does not hear
back from Wanda. She finally breaks down with her mother
by her side and reveals the whole story to her. Maddie is
worried that Wanda is too angry to write back and will
never forgive them. As Shelly tries to comfort her, Maddie
is overwhelmed by the fact that she didn’t do anything to
help protect Wanda.
Jack is sneaking nervously around Mr. Svenson’s house. He
hides as Maddie approaches. She and Jack have a bit of a
standoff and Jacks leaves. Tentatively she creeps up to his
porch and places a roled up piece of paper on his steps. Mr.
Svenson appears and startles her. She apologizes that Jack
took his hat and offers her drawing of his dog. They both
remember the Petronski’s and share their mutual fondness
for them. They sit together for a moment and then Maddie
leaves.
Two weeks later in school, the class receives a letter from
Wanda. Maddie becomes very still as Miss Mason reads the
letter. In the letter, Wanda gives her drawings to the girls
in the class. The boys begin to talk about another prank
that they plan to pull on Mr. Svenson. As the others laugh,
Maddie tries to stop them from making fun of him. Jack
stays back as the others leave and gives Maddie back the
dog dish he stole from Mr. Svenson.
Maddie and her mother enter, unbundling themselves from
a cold walk. Maddie has just been telling Shelly about how
Mr. Svenson is so nice. As Maddie sits down to do her
homework, she drifts into another one of her daydreams.
This time, Wanda is beautifully dressed and the girls are
laughing and playing. Peggy enters carrying Maddie’s geography
book. The girls take out the pictures that Wanda gave
them and realize that the girls wearing the dresses look like
them. Maddie still questions whether or not Wanda will ever
forgive them.
3

About the Playwright
Taken from: http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/AuthorBio.php?titlelink=9920
Mary Hall Surface
Mary Hall Surface’s work has been featured at Seattle Children’s Theatre, Dallas
Children’s Theatre, Arizona’s Childsplay, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, as well as ten productions
at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. , in every region of the US, as well as in Ireland, France,
Peru, Germany, Italy and across Canada. An anthology of five of her plays, Most Valuable Player and
Four Other All-Star Plays for Middle and High School Audiences was published by Smith and Kraus.
She has been nominated for four Helen Hays Awards for Outstanding Direction -- for the Round House
Theatre’s TINTYPES (‘93), for TFA’s GRIMM TALES (‘00), SING DOWN THE MOON (‘01) and PERSEUS
BAYOU (‘02) (for which she recieved the award) and for the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding
New Play for SING DOWN THE MOON, PERSEUS BAYOU and MISSISSIPPI PINOCCHIO (all three written
with composer David Maddox). A national leader in her field, she was the director of New Visions
2000: One Theatre World, a national festival of theatre for young people and families, co-produced
by the Kennedy Center and ASSITEJ/USA in May 2000. Her recent projects include A LIGHT IN THE
STORM, based on the book by Karen Hesse, which opened at the Kennedy Center in October 2001 and
THE ODYSSEY OF TELEMACA, her sixth collaboration with David Maddox, which premiered at
Theater of the First Amendment in June 2004.
About the Author
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Estes
Eleanor Estes
Eleanor Estes (May 9, 1906 – July 15, 1988) was an American children’s author. She was born in
West Haven, Connecticut as Eleanor Ruth Rosenfield. She worked as a children’s librarian in New Haven,
Connecticut, and New York. Estes’ writing career began following a case of tuberculosis. Bedridden
while recovering, Estes began writing down some of her childhood memories, which would later
turn into full-length children’s books.
Estes attended the Pratt Institute Library School. She married William McGreal and they lived in New
Hampshire. She later taught at the University of New Hampshire Writer’s Conference.
Estes’ book Ginger Pye (1951) won the Newbery Medal, and three of her other books (The Middle
Moffat, Rufus M., and The Hundred Dresses) were chosen as Newbery Honor books. She also received the
Certificate of Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature and was nominated for the
Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. By the time of her death at age 82, Estes had written 19 children’s books
and one novel for adults.
Her papers are at the University of Southern Mississippi and University of Minnesota.
4

Recommended Reading
• The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
• The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes
• Rufus M. by Eleanor Estes
• The Moffat Museum by Eleanor Estes
• Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
• The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie
Savage Carlson
• A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman
• The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
• The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Saue
• A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting
• Say Something by Peggy Moss
• Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying
by Becky Ray McCain
• My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig
Pre-Show Questions
1. In the play, THE HUNDRED DRESSES, a new girl in school is the target of bullying. Why do you think she is
picked on? Have you ever noticed a situation at school where someone is being bullied?
2. Wanda is a Polish immigrant that moves into a small town in Connecticut. What challenges do you think that
she and her family have before them?
3. Have you ever been new to a school? How did you feel on your first day? What was difficult? Was it easy to
meet people and make friends? Or, have you ever had a new student in your class? How did you react; did
you .welcome them or were did you see others welcome them?
4. The girls at Wanda’s school are constantly competing over who has the prettiest and the most dresses. Is
there something (clothes, shoes, cell phones) at your school where students try to outdo each other? How
does it affect their actions or the way they treat each other? Are there students that don’t get involved with
these social pressures? Why do you think they choose not to compete with others?
5. The story, THE HUNDRED DRESSES, was published in 1944, yet the story is still relevant today. How do you
think .the play will appeal to a modern audience? What do you expect to see in the design (set, costumes,
props)?
5

Polish Immigration to America in the Early 1900s
SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM INFORMATION
Taken from: Polish Immigration to America from the 1800s to 1980s http://www.suite101.
com/content/polish-immigration-to-america-from-the-1800s-to-1980s-a243912#ixzz1CkIVeBy3
L ike many Eastern Europeans in the 19th century, Polish
people were also looking for a better way of life. In
Poland in the 1800s, the quality of life was quite poor for
the average Pole. Usually, they worked on farms, making
a very small sum of money. Children were raised to take
over the farm after their parents were too old to work
or after they died. The dream of opportunity in America
beckoned many Poles to this new nation.
The first wave of Polish immigrants to the U.S. was from
the late nineteenth century to World War I. At this time,
Poland was not yet a country. Instead, the area was split
between Prussia, Austria and Russia. So U.S. immigration
registered them from these three countries. At the same
time, Polish Jews immigrated to America as well, as Hitler and the German forces began invading Eastern
European countries and eliminating the Jewish population.
Polish people immigrated to cities such as New York and Chicago. They lived in filthy conditions, for example,
many immigrants inhabited the slums on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at the time. They became laborers
and worked long hours for little pay. However, it was more pay than they made back in their native Poland.
The second wave of immigration hit after World War II. The brutal war destroyed Poland and its population.
Poland lost more citizens to the war than any other country, totaling six million victims. This second wave
of Polish immigration was made up of political prisoners and dissidents and refugees from European camps.
Many of these first generation immigrants took great pains to assimilate smoothly. They established themselves
as working class Americans with goals of moving upwards to the upper middle class. Poland was a
distant memory.
6

1938: Life During the Great Depression, Leading up to World War II
SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY CLASSROOM INFORMATION
Taken from: http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/er2a.htm, http://www.allabouthistory.org/life-during-the-great-depression.htm, http://www.thepeoplehistory.
com/1938.html, http://library.thinkquest.org/J002606/1930s.html, http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_35_161.html
The Great Depression
The decade of the 1930s saw the Great Depression in
the United States and many other countries. During
this decade large numbers of people lived in poverty,
desperately in need of more food, clothing, and shelter.
Unemployment rose from a shocking 5 million in 1930 to
an almost unbelievable 13 million by the end of 1932. At
the peak of the Depression, 25% of the nation’s workers
-- one out of four -- were unemployed. No job meant no
money to pay the mortgage or buy food and clothes for
the family. For many people, life was a daily struggle. In
1930, 2.25 million boys and girls ages 10–18 worked in
factories, canneries, mines, and on farms. Children left
school to support their families.
Most characteristic of life during the Great Depression
was the widening gap between the “haves” and “havenots.”
Yet even those who had jobs had a hard time.
Some middle-class families managed to hold onto their
homes by taking in boarders, bartering, and stretching
every available dollar.
In 1938, following a number of years of success with
the US economy a recession hit which caused unemployment
to rise back to 19%.
How much things cost in 1938
• Average Cost of new house: $3,900.00
• Average wages per year: $1,730.00
• Cost of a gallon of Gas: 10 cents
• Average Cost for house rent: $27.00 per month
• A loaf of Bread: 9 cents
• A lb. of Hamburger Meat: 13 cents
• Average Price for new car: $763.00
• Blanket: $5.00
• Liptons Noodle Soup: 10 Cents
7

1938: Life During the Great Depression, Leading up to World War II
Schools in the 1930s
In the 1930s, not everybody went to school. Only those who were fortunate not to have to work or to help their
parents were able to go to school. Elementary school generally included kindergarten through sixth grade and the
school day went from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with the kindergartners only going half-day. Everyone got to and
from school, not by buses or cars, but by walking. At school the girls dressed in dresses or skirts with blouses. Boys
dressed in shorts or knickers. Neither girls nor boys ever went in jeans! Subjects included math, English or spelling,
art, civics and geography and sometimes sewing. Fieldtrips or any educational activities outside of the classroom
generally did not happen in the elementary years.
Growing up in the 1930s—
leisure activities
Television was new at this time. The first TVs had one or two inch screens! They were very hard to see. Most people
in the 1930s couldn’t buy a TV anyway. They were too poor.
Many children had to work. Newsboys sold papers. Other kids picked fruit on big farms. Some sold things door-todoor.
Most kids gave their money to their parents. It was needed to buy food.
Some kids could keep a little money to go to the movies. Then, a child’s ticket cost ten cents. Snow White
was the first cartoon movie ever made. It came out in 1937 and was a huge success. The Wizard of Oz was
another favorite.
Radio was also new in the ‘30s. Many homes had radio sets. People listened to shows that were a little like books
on tape. Actors read the parts. Sound effects made the stories exciting. The Lone Ranger was a very popular
children’s show. The Green Hornet and The Shadow were also well-liked shows.
8

What Does Compassion Look Like?
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Taken from: http://www.seedsofcompassion.net/why/curriculum/3-5%20Compassion%20Lessons.pdf
Activity
1. Select five to eight images from magazines or the newspaper that show
compassion in action.
a. Examples:
• Acts of kindness and caring.
• Acts of helping others.
• Acts of empathy.
• Acts of reaching out to others.
2. Guide class discussion about what they see and what all the images
have in common.
3. Continue by engaging students in a discussion about compassion to
determine their pre-existing knowledge on the subject.
a. Add your own definition to the examples given below:
• Compassion is an understanding of how another person feels.
• Compassion is caring about others.
• Compassion is showing concern through kind thoughts,
words and actions.
• Compassion is helping and giving.
• Compassion is listening and being patient.
• Compassion is a response to suffering.
4. Next, ask students: Where do we see compassion in our school? What does it look like? Feel like? Sound like?
a. Take two to three suggestions from students. Encourage them to describe acts of compassion in specific
behavior terms. Examples:
• Kids including others who are left out of their game on the playground.
• The nurse helping a hurt child.
• The principal making sure that a new student feels welcome.
• The teacher helping a student at recess who is struggling.
5. Divide students into groups of three. Give groups 10 minutes to think of an example of “what compassion
looks like.” Instruct each group to plan a way to share their example with the class by acting it out, writing
a poem, describing it in words, drawing a picture, singing a song, etc.
6. Have groups share as time allows.
7. Set aside some space on the bulletin board with the theme of Compassion. Split the bulletin board into
three sections:
a. What does compassion look like (behaviors)?
b. What does compassion sound like (words)?
c. What does compassion feel like (emotions)?
8. Encourage students to continue to add examples to the board. Encourage students to continue to notice acts of
compassion and to add them to the class bulletin board.
9

New Student Welcoming Plan
SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Taken from: http://www.bu.edu/education/caec/files/elemlesson2.htm
Activity
Discuss with students the problems faced by Wanda as a new student in her school. Continue by asking the students
what challenges they think new students may face in their school. If there are students in the class who once were the
“new kid” at the school, allow them to share their challenges, if they are willing.
Share with students that together the class is going to create a New Student Welcoming Plan for the school to use
whenever a new student comes to the school.
The plan should involve the formulation of an action strategy to ensure that any new students are immediately involved
in school and classroom activities. Brainstorm with students what sorts of materials and/or activities should be included
in the kit, such as an introductory letter, a classroom or school handbook, a student profile booklet, a class “our favorite
things” list, etc.
Split the class into small groups and assign each group a different kit idea to create. Provide students with computer
or internet access, if needed, and make school documents available for students to look at or gather information from.
Assist groups as needed.
Once the original Kit is complete, help the students make copies of the materials. Students can then pass out the New
Student Welcoming Plan kit to the other teachers and administrators at the school. As they pass them out, have the students
share what is in the kit and explain to the teachers how they are intended to be used.
10

The Friendly Letter: Righting Wrongs
LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Taken from: http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/68936.aspx
Peggy and Maddie became concerned when Wanda did not come to school for a few days.
They walked to Wanda’s house and discovered that it was empty. Remorse filled them because
they teased the girl so much. Maddie especially suffered because she just went along with
the teasing even though she knew it was wrong. After a sleepless night, Maddie vowed that,
“I am never going to stand by and say nothing again.”
Peggy and Maddie decide to write a cheery letter to Wanda. They don’t apologize
but it is implied in the letter. They mail it to her old address, asking that it be
forwarded to the new address.
Activity
Ask your students if they can think of someone they have hurt by words or actions. It could be a friend,
classmate, a parent or other family member. Then ask them to write a letter to this person using the friendly
letter format: date (upper right hand corner); greeting (two lines down from the date, left hand side,
Dear _______________,); body (indent paragraphs); closing (two lines down from body on right hand side);
your name (below the closing). The letter should imply an apology for their actions, and can also share
reasons why they respect or are grateful to have this person in their lives. Allow students to choose to mail
the letter or to simply keep it to themselves. If they do choose to send the letter, help them mail it by
providing envelopes and stamps.
11

The Peaceful Person
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Taken from: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4113&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.
com%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch%2F%3FNtx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallpartial%26_N%3Dfff%26Ntk%3DSCHL30_SI%26query%3Dhundred%2520dresses%
26Nr%3DOR%28Resource_Type%3ALesson%2520Plan%2CResource_Type%3AInformal%2520Lesson%2520Article%2CResource_Type%3AUnit%2
520Plan%29%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3Dhundred%2Bdresses%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E
To help students understand what makes a peaceable person, have a volunteer lie down on a
4-by-7-foot sheet of mural paper and ask classmates to trace his or her body. Then ask the class what
behaviors, attitudes, and actions they think contribute to a climate of caring in the classroom. Have
students take turns writing these positive attributes inside the outline of the peaceable person.
As the students write down their thoughts, ask them to give examples of what they mean by
helpful, courteous, and so on.
Now have the group write outside of the outline all of the negative behaviors, attitudes, and
actions that they don’t want as part of the class. Finally, ask students if they can agree to use the
attributes of the peaceable person to guide their behavior. Post the peaceable person as a visual
contract for you and your students. Whenever a positive or negative behavior occurs, students
can point it out on the outline.
Editor’s Note: The previous activity is adapted from Youth Leadership inAction by Project Adventure.
PLAYING FOR EMPATHY:
These activities are intended to increase understanding and
awareness of empathy and inclusion.
Musical Chairs: Use this old favorite to raise issues of inclusion and exclusion. First, play the traditional
way. When the game is over, explain that you’d like to try a different version — this time the object is to
make sure no one is excluded. If everyone has a place to sit, the group wins. If anyone is without a place to
sit, the group loses. When playing, eliminate a chair, but not a child, every time the music stops. Students will
need to figure out creative ways to pile everyone on one chair. Afterward, discuss the difference in the two
experiences: How did it feel to sit on the sidelines? Have there been other times you’ve been on the sidelines
while other children played? How did it feel? Can you think of other games you could redesign this way?
The Tight Hands Game: This game gives children a metaphor for discussing inclusion and exclusion.
Begin by explaining that the class will act as if it is excluding someone. Have students hold hands in a circle.
One child volunteer, the outsider, tries to get into the circle through spaces between people, while everyone
else tries to keep him or her out. Caution children to be gentle when blocking the outsider. When the outsider
gets into the circle, stop the game and ask for another volunteer. As a variation you can have two or three
outsiders at one time. After playing several rounds, ask: What did it feel like to be an outsider? Did anyone
want to let the outsiders inside the circle? Did you let them slip in? Why or why not? Have you ever felt like
an outsider in school? When?
Books That Bind: There are many children’s books that address the pain of exclusion and the benefits
of inclusion. For younger children, try Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 1991) and Oliver Button
Is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola (Harcourt Brace, 1979). The themes are explored for older children in The Hundred
Dresses by Eleanor Estes (Harcourt Brace, 1974) and Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Eleanora Tate
(Bantam, 1992). For your own reading, Vivian Gussin Paley’s You Can’t Say You Can’t Play (Harvard University
Press, 1992) is a thought-provoking account of a teacher’s attempt to deal with exclusion in her classroom.
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What Would You Do: Combating Bullying Situations
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Taken from: http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/h/Hundred%20Dresses_What%20Would%20They%20Do.pdf
Bullying occurs in classrooms, on playgrounds and in homes all over the world—and bullying is harmful to not
only the victims, but also those who witness the bullying actions. Bullying makes us feel helpless and fearful.
Many times people who are bullied are often singled out because of a perceived difference between them and
others, whether because of appearance (size, weight, or clothes), intellect, or, increasingly, ethnic or religious
affiliation and sexual orientation.
In The Hundred Dresses, Wanda Petronski is teased by some of the girls in her class because she has a funny
name and wears the same blue dress to school every day. Although some of the other kids witness this bullying,
they don’t say anything to stop it because they are scared they might become the next victim. Wanda
continues getting teased until one day she is gone. Once Wanda is gone, Maddie feels terrible that she did
not do anything to stop the bullying and make things better for Wanda.
The definition of courage is: The ability to face and endure what is dangerous, difficult, or painful; the habit of
overcoming fears by facing them rather than avoiding them. A classical definition of courage is knowing what
is to be feared and what is not to be feared. Consider how courage is related to bullying. What fears must be
overcome to stop bullying actions from occurring?
Directions:
Read the scenario below and decide what you would do if you were in the situation.
A new kid has moved to your school. Chris is shy and keeps to herself. Many of the other kids in school think she is
snobby because she doesn’t talk to anyone. You are having a birthday party and you are thinking of inviting her because
you don’t want anyone to feel left out. However, some of your friends said they won’t come if you invite the new kid.
What do you do?
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What do you think Maddie from The Hundred Dresses could have done if she had been in this situation and Wanda was
the new kid?
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Who Said It?
1. Maddie picked the music. It’s by Chopin.
2. Willie Bounce, I have eyes in the back of my head.
3. My father says he’s good for nothing. That’s as good as being a criminal.
4. He didn’t have a chance. I lit out of there faster than you can say Dick Tracy.
5. Bet you my new Buck Rogers comic book that I’ll come back with that hat.
6. Our president knows that while these are hard times, we must not be fearful. We must believe in our nationa
land of .freedom and opportunity.
7. He work hard. We work hard.
8. When can I get a real new dress? Not a hand-me-down.
9. You children mind your own business and let Mr. Svenson mind his.
10. Suit yourself. Kick the mud off your shoes before you come in. I sweep the floors remember?
11. I got a hundred dresses.
12. Then please, Princess Wanda of the Hundred Dresses, do go ahead of us into our humble school.
13. I risk my life taking Old Man Svenson’s hat and he’s not here!
14. I can’t wait till Friday to find out who wins!
15. Congratulations. May you always set your sites as high as a skyscraper.
16. It looks like real lace. How’d she do that?
17. I slid down Barley Hill when I was a girl. Did you have fun?
18. We’ll slap yellow paint all over his steps and be out there before he knows what hit him.
19. I never did anything.
20. Wanda liked my cat.
Post-Show Questions
1. Wanda said that she had a hundred dresses in her closet. Was she lying? Why or why not?
2. The kids constantly heckled Mr. Svenson amongst each other. Why was he a target of their pranks?
Was anything they said about him true? How do you think these actions affected him?
3. Maddie tried to get the girls to stop playing “the hundred dresses game” at school. Why do you
think Maddie didn’t take a more active role in stopping it?
4. Did Peggy and Maddie do the right thing by writing the friendly letter to Wanda? Did the girls offer
an apology? Why did Maddie feel so sad still after sending it to Wanda?
5. At the end of the play, Maddie vowed never to stand by and do nothing. Do you think most people
stand by and do nothing? Think of a time when you noticed someone being teased. What did you do?
What did the people around you do? What could you do in order to stand up for someone.
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Who Said It? Answers
1. Maddie picked the music. It’s by Chopin. CECILE
2. Willie Bounce, I have eyes in the back of my head. MISS MASON
3. My father says he’s good for nothing. That’s as good as being a criminal. PEGGY
4. He didn’t have a chance. I lit out of there faster than you can say Dick Tracy. WILLIE
5. Bet you my new Buck Rogers comic book that I’ll come back with that hat. JACK
6. Our president knows that while these are hard times, we must not be fearful. We must believe in our nation- a land of
freedom and opportunity. MISS MASON
7. He work hard. We work hard. MR.PETRONSKI
8. When can I get a real new dress? Not a hand-me-down. MADDIE
9. You children mind your own business and let Mr. Svenson mind his. SHELLY
10. Suit yourself. Kick the mud off your shoes before you come in. I sweep the floors remember? JAKE
11. I got a hundred dresses. WANDA
12. Then please, Princess Wanda of the Hundred Dresses, do go ahead of us into our humble school. PEGGY
13. I risk my life taking Old Man Svenson’s hat and he’s not here! JACK
14. I can’t wait till Friday to find out who wins! CECILE
15. Congratulations. May you always set your sites as high as a skyscraper. MISS MASON
16. It looks like real lace. How’d she do that? PEGGY
17. I slid down Barley Hill when I was a girl. Did you have fun? SHELLY
18. We’ll slap yellow paint all over his steps and be out there before he knows what hit him. WILLIE
19. I never did anything. MADDIE
20. Wanda liked my cat. MR. SVENSON
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