1. EXT FOREST -- EARLY AUTUMN DAY
It's Fall and the trees
have changed color
. We open with a gusty whirl of wind and leaves whooshing through the air in front of the colorful trees, then see it swirl past Señor Tapir and the kids. Holding his guitar, Señor Tapir sits on a tree stump facing the kids, who sit around his feet. As the cold breeze rushes past, Olive wraps her arms around herself and shivers.
OLIVE
Brr. It’s getting cold! You can really feel it.
A monarch butterfly flutters over the kids' heads and lands on Señor Tapir's head.
Señor TAPIR
Did you know that butterflies can also feel the cold? That’s how they know when
it’s time to
fly somewhere warmer.
[
pause
] Hmm, I think a song is coming. I can feel it.
Señor Tapir starts to strum his guitar and sings. After a few words, we transition to a simpler style of animation that describes what he is singing.
SEñOR TAPIR (CONT’D)
(singing)
Meet
Professor
André Green.
He's a scientist, you see
2. EXT FLOWER GARDEN -- DAY
We see
Professor André Green
(
animal Lion
)
.
Green is standing next to a monarch butterfly that's perched on a flower. He's staring at it with excitement.
SEñOR TAPIR
And butterflies fill him up with curiosity.
The butterfly flies up in the sky and heads away with purpose.
SEñOR TAPIR (CONT’D)
Every fall, monarch butterflies make a long flight,
Green hops into a vehicle (or flaps into the sky) to follow it. We see the landscape pass by.
SEñOR TAPIR (CONT’D)
So they can escape winter’s icy cold bite.
3. EXT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA MONARCH WINTERING SITE -- DAY
The butterfly reaches a Monterey Pine tree full of other monarchs. As Green hops out of his car and watches, the butterfly yawns and settles in happily for a "rest" (diapause).
Señor tapir
They rest when they reach
a
nice and warm
place
,
Unt
il it's time to go back to their summertime
base
.
Green looks very closely at the resting butterflies. He scratches his chin.
SEñOR TAPIR (CONT’D)
But how do they know
How long they should stay?
Do they follow the birds?...
Green watches a flock of birds fly by, but the butterflies don't stir. He shakes his head.
SEñOR TAPIR (CONT’D)
Are they counting the days?
Green squints and looks more closely at the butterflies. He shakes his head.
SENOR TAPIR
(CHORUS) When you ask a question and follow it through,
You’ll learn something amazing and new!
So
Professor
André Green
got an idea to try.
Maybe
the
TEMPERATURE tells
butterflies
when to fly.
Green whips out a thermometer.
The thermometer could be color coded or have pictures to show seasonal changes.
We see the mercury drop - and maybe a cold gust go by. The monarchs yawn and stir. They fly off. Green watches them go, jumping up and down in a eureka moment.
SEñOR TAPIR
They feel the cold! That's how they know where to be.
Scientist
André Green
, thanks for your curiosity!
(CHORUS) When you ask a question and follow it through,
You’ll learn something amazing and new!
4
. EXT FOREST -- EARLY AUTUMN DAY
The kids <SFX: CHEER> as Señor Tapir finishes his song. He stands up, and the butterfly flies away from his head.
Señor TAPIR
And now it's time for me to go home.
OLIVE
Why, Señor Tapir? Are you cold?
SEñOR TAPIR
No, it's time for lunch! I can feel it.
Señor Tapir pats his stomach, which <SFX: GRUMBLES>. Everyone <SFX: LAUGHS>.
END.
ELINOR WONDERS WHY
EWW132
INTERSTITIAL SENOR TAPIR: D. ANDRE GREEN
Written by
Rosemary
Mosco
FOLLOWS: EPISODE 164 "BUTTERFLY PARTY"
CURRICULUM: D. Andre' Green was curious to know how monarch butterflies know when to fly back home from their winter homes. He discovered that monarchs can feel when it gets cold.
CURRICULUM GOALS:
LS8d:
Identify seasonal adaptations in physical characteristics or behaving of animals [The kids learn that monarch butterflies change their behavior with the season. They migrate to warmer places for the winter, where they rest (enter diapause).]
FIRST DRAFT:
Feb
04, 2020
SECOND DRAFT:
Feb
20, 2020
SEÃËOR TAPIR
SENOR TAPIR
(V.O.)
(O.S.)
(O.C.)
(CONT'D)
(SUBTITLE)
INT
EXT
I/E
DAY
NIGHT
AFTERNOON
MORNING
EVENING
LATER
MOMENTS LATER
CONTINUOUS
THE NEXT DAY
CUT TO:
FADE IN:
FADE OUT.
FADE TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO:
MATCH CUT TO:
JUMP CUT TO:
FADE TO BLACK.
120