1. int. A ‘big top’ circus (ELINOR’S THOUGHT BUBBLE/fantasy) A <FANFARE> plays, as ELINOR, dressed in a top hat ENTERS to stand in a circus ring, under a spotlight. ELINOR (Grandly) Ladies and Gentle-animals! Friends of alllll ages! Welcome to the Animal Town Circus! The unseen audience in the tent <WHOOPS AND CHEERS>! EliNOR (CONT’D) Featuring... The Amazing Ari! OS <CALLIOPE MUSIC> plays, as a spotlight finds ARI, wearing a FANCY HELMET with stars and a BOW TIE, wheeling into the ring on a snazzy UNICYCLE. (Note: he doesn’t hold out his arms for balance, but since this is Elinor’s daydream, he has no trouble staying up.) <SFX: CROWD OOOOH> WALLA ELINOR (CONT’D) Olive the Awesome! Next, OLIVE, wearing a HELMET and TUTU, strides in confidently, on TOWERING STILTS. <SFX: CROWD AHHHH> ELINOR (CONT’D) And me... The Extraordinary... Next, we CUT TO Elinor, on the platform of a TIGHT-ROPE. (There’s a net.) Without using her arms or a pole to balance, she saunters across the high-wire. <SFX: CROWD CHEERS (and MAYBE CHANTS THE NAME “ELINOR” IF POSSIBLE) OLIVE ( vo ) Elinor? Elinor! WIDEN and PAN DOWN to reveal this is all happening in Elinor’s THOUGHT BUBBLE daydream. 2. EXT. forest - DAY Elinor startles from her daydream. She’s standing in a little forest glade which has been decorated for a kid-like circus, with a tent made of streamers, paper flowers, stumps set up as chairs for the audience, and maybe kid-pictures of clowns etc. Elinor’s holding a roll of STREAMER PAPER. ELINOR Huh? Olive comes over, smiling. olive (chuckling) You were day-dreaming. What do you think of our circus tent? She points up. CUT WIDE to reveal Ari, just finishing an airy ‘ROOF’ made of alternating RED AND BLUE PAPER STREAMERS. (These are ‘tented’ over a high branch, then anchored to low tree branches.) ELINOR Wow, that looks so good! Our circus show is going to be AMAZING. OLIVE I know. I hope everyone loves it. Ari flies back down to join them. aRI Of course they’ll love it. (puffs up, proud) After all, we have a real circus tent and a real circus unicycle... CUT TO a gently used UNICYCLE and HELMET decorated with stars resting nearby. ARI (CONT’D) And a super-fancy circus helmet... what more could you want? Elinor (teasing) A unicycle rider? But Ari dismisses her teasing with a wave of his hand. ARI (unconcerned) I’ll be riding it by show time. I just need some practice. Olive (also wearing a HELMET) picks up a pair of rustic wooden PLAY STILTS. OLIVE I should practice too. My Mom made me these stilts, and I haven’t tried them yet. ELINOR Okay. And I’ll work on my tight-rope walking! She scans around - her gaze settles on a handy FALLEN LOG. ELINOR (CONT’D) That log should do the trick. Ari buckles on his helmet, full of excitement. ARI This is going to be the Greatest Show in Animal Town. Ari grabs his unicycle by the seat, stands it up, and puts it a different angles. ARI (CONT’D) Now. How do I get up on this thing? Elinor and Olive <SFX: GIGGLE> ‘wheel’ wipe to: 3. EXT. FOREST GLADE - MINUTES LATER Elinor steps up onto one end of the NARROW FALLEN LOG and strikes a confident pose. (This is her ‘tight-rope’.) ELINOR (grand) Make way for The Extraordinary Elinor, the brave tight-rope walker. Elinor takes a deep breath then tries to walk across the log. (NOTE: She does NOT put out her arms for balance.) After three wobbly steps, she loses her balance and hops off. ELINOR (mutters) (CONT’D) ( huff ) This is trickier than I thought. ARI (os) Tell me about it. CUT TO Ari, who’s perched on his low unicycle, comically clutching a small nearby tree for support. ARI (CONT’D) I can get ON my unicycle and push off, but then look what happens - Ari demonstrates, letting go of a tree and taking a couple of pedal strokes. (He doesn’t hold out his wings for balance yet.) But soon, he starts to wobble and tip sideways - ARI (CONT’D) Wh-Whoa ! - and he’s obliged to hop off, landing on his feet. ARI (CONT’D) I tip over. Olive holds a stilt in each hand. OLIVE I know what you mean! Watch... Olive steps up onto the stilts, and shuffles a few steps - OLIVE (CONT’D) When I get up on my stilts, I can take a step... another ste ... whoa ! - but then she loses her balance and has to step off. OLIVE (CONT’D) I can’t stay up. Elinor comes over to join her friends. ELINOR I know they do this in a real circus, so there has to be a way. But how? (curious) How do we stay up to do our tricks? Just then - Siggy (os) Hi! They turn to see a BOY SQUIRREL bounding over. This is SIGGY, a sweet, bright-eyed squirrel who tends to ‘upspeak’ - ie . make everything sound like a question. (*Please don’t overdo the ‘upspeaking’ trait at the voice record. Use it only where it works.) SIGGY (CONT’D) I’m Siggy? It’s short for Sigmund. I just moved here? ELINOR Hi! I’m Elinor. This is Ari, and Olive. Ari / Olive (wave) Hi. / Nice to meet you! Siggy looks up at their streamer ‘tent’, curious. Siggy You too! What’cha doin’ ? OLIVE We’re putting on a circus! It’s like a show where we do fun tricks. Want to join us? SIGGY (delighted) Yeah! Can I watch? I looove clapping and cheering, so I’d be reeally good at watching? Elinor shares a grin with her friends. ELINOR That would be awesome. Bu-uut our show’s not quite ready yet. SIGGY That’s okay. It’ll take me a while to find the perfect seat, y’know ? Siggy hops up onto one of the LOGS they’ve gathered placed on their ends, like stools. (The stool wobbles, but Siggy uses his tail to counterbalance and stays up.) ELINOR Sit anywhere you like! We’ll get back to practicing. Elinor heads back to her log, and hops up onto the end. She tries to walk across, but after a few steps, she wobbles and steps off again. ELINOR (CONT’D) Whoops! SIGGY (part os) Yeah! Go, Elinor! The other three look over at Siggy. SIGGY (sheepish) (CONT’D) Heh . I’m practicing my cheering? Yaaay ! He mimes ‘cheering’. The others <SFX: GIGGLE> Siggy deliberately ‘wobbles’ his stool, frowning slightly. SIGGY (CONT’D) Hm . I’m gonna try another seat. He scurries OS to find a better one. Meanwhile, Elinor tries again to cross her log - same result. ELINOR Oof . Why do I keep falling off? Olive gets an idea. OLIVE Wait! I have something that can help. Olive eagerly goes behind a log (or some other object) to get her BACKPACK. From it, she takes out a POLKA-DOT BOW for Ari, a TOP HAT for Elinor, and a TUTU for herself (same as in the opening THOUGHT BUBBLE). OLIVE (CONT’D) Costumes! Maybe if we look like we’re part of a circus, we’ll be able to do the tricks better. Ari checks out his oversized bow. Ari Awesome! We CUT AWAY to Siggy, while they put on their accessories. SIGGY Ooh niiice ! That makes you guys look really um ... circus-y ? BACK ON Elinor, Olive and Ari, now wearing their costumes. OliVE I feel circusy. ELINOR Ok , now we look like we’re part of a circus. Maybe that’ll help us. ARI Only one way to find out! Ari picks up his unicycle, and goes back to the tree to help himself get up on it. ARI (CONT’D) ( exhale ) Okay. Here goes! He pushes off, wobbling as he pedals. He lasts a tiny little bit longer than before, but he still topples over! ARI (CONT’D) I’m doing it, I’m doing it! Whoaa ... Oof . He lands (safely but somewhat comically) on the ground. CUT TO Siggy, who has moved to a swaying TREE BRANCH, near/above Elinor’s log. (Using his tail to counter-balance as he sways, as squirrels do. But no one notices, yet.) ARI (CONT’D) Nope, still not doing it. Siggy Aww , good try, Ari! Elinor helps Ari up. ARI Thanks, Siggy. OLIVE Let me try. Olive fixes her tutu and jumps up on her stilts again. She wobbles for a bit, looking like maybe she’s going to stay up, but then she has to step down again. OLIVE (CONT’D) Whoa - oof ! Sigh... Elinor tries next. She shimmies a little bit across the log, but falls off after a few steps. ELINOR (to herself) Hmm, the costumes didn’t really help us stay up . Ari We look really cool, though. Olive What else can we try? Siggy also looks perplexed. Just then, a single streamer from their ‘tent’ comes untied from the tree. aRI Whoops! A streamer came untied. He starts over to pick up the end of the streamer, but speedy Siggy gets there first. SIGGY I’ll do it! I can help! Siggy grabs the end of the streamer and carries it up to the tree to re-tie it. Just then, Elinor notices something. FRONT ANGLE (HEAD ON) - Siggy confidently skips over several of the log seats, hops up a few low hanging branches, and walks across the main branch with the streamer, in a way that echoes what they’re all trying to do for the circus. Only Siggy has no trouble ‘staying up’. ELINOR Wait a second! Siggy, how’d you do that? Siggy finishes his knot, then turns proudly to Elinor. SIGGY Do what - tie a knot? Easy! I was a squirrel scout. ELINOR No, I mean how did you skip over and walk across the branch like that, without tipping over? Siggy looks down - he hadn’t noticed. SIGGY Oh, that. It’s just something that us squirrels do. To keep from falling over? My Mom calls it balancing. OLIVE (nodding) Balancing! I’ve heard that word. ELINOR How do you do it? Siggy demonstrates, leaning out to the left. Siggy (shrugs) Well, I just try to make sure I don’t lean my body over too far to one side. And if I start to feel myself tipping over... He leans a little too far <SFX: WHOOOA> Then his big tail waves out to the right to counter-balance him. Siggy (CONT’D) I try to move part of my body to the other side to keep me up. Then he does the same thing on the other side. SIGGY (CONT’D) See? If my top goes one way, I just stick my big tail out the other way. Or if my tail goes this way, I stick my body or my arms out the other way. To balance! Elinor nods, absorbing this. elinor Ohhhh . olive Wow, Siggy, that is so cool. ELINOR It is cool! Maybe it’s something we can try for our circus tricks! Ari But... I don’t have a tail like Siggy does. Siggy No, but you have your wings. You could use them to help you balance. Ari considers it, then shrugs. He picks up his unicycle, and goes back to the tree to help himself get up on it. ARI ( exhale ) Okay. Here goes! He pushes off, wobbling as he pedals. He’s holding on, but it looks like he’s tipping right! elinor Ari! Put your wing out to the other side! ARI Whoa! Ari reaches out with his wing and leans to the left, and stays up. ari (CONT’D) Whew! It worked! I thought I was going to fall. OLIVE But you didn’t! Ari sticks both his wings out and manages to balance on the unicycle (albeit still a little wobbly). ANGLE ON Elinor, looking very curious. ELINOR Yeah, you were tipping one way, but then you put your wing out the other way... and you stayed up. That’s SO interesting! Ari hops off his unicycle, delighted. His friends congratulate him over <SFX: YAY! WOO HOO ! WALLA>. OLIVE I want to try it now. Maybe I can use my trunk to balance? Olive picks up her play stilts. She steps up on her stilts and shuffles along beside the trees until she starts to sway. OLIVE (CONT’D) Whoa - She starts to tip over backwards. eLINOR (calls) Olive, move your trunk in front of you! Olive uses her trunk to reach forward, which shifts her weight and stops her from falling over. oLIVE (surprised) ( gasp ) I didn’t fall. ELINOR It worked! Olive finds her balance: still a bit wobbly, she uses her trunk to balance on the stilts. After a beat, she steps down from her stilts, pleasantly surprised. Elinor comes closer. olive I just reached out the other way with my trunk, and I stayed up. Ari That was so cool! OLIVE (pleased) Maybe this stilt-walking thing isn’t so hard after all? Thanks, Siggy! Siggy (modest) Aw , it’s as easy as fallin’ off a log. ( beat ) I mean - not falling off a log. Elinor smiles wryly at Siggy, then turns back to her log. ELINOR (to herself) Well, I don’t have wings. And I don’t have a trunk. But I am The Extraordinary Elinor, and I will do this. Determined, Elinor turns and marches back to her ‘tight-rope’ log. Siggy scampers to a new perch on the branch of a closer tree, to watch her. ELINOR (CONT’D) Hmm, I DO have my arms... and ears... I’ll try that! Elinor holds both her arms and ears out horizontally, then carefully starts to walk across. This time she gets further! ELINOR (CONT’D) It’s working! Whoa... - she wobbles and steps off. She chuckles. ELINOR (CONT’D) Well it helps , anyway. I wish my arms and ears were longer. I bet that would help me balance more. CUT TO Olive, as a THOUGHT BUBBLE forms above her. She pictures Elinor holding out comically long arms and ears. OLIVE (chuckle) It would be funnier. ELINOR ( laugh ) Yeah. I wonder how I can get longer arms? Hmm... Getting an idea, Elinor goes into the bushes, <RUSTLES> around for a moment, then comes up with a LONG, STURDY, LEAFLESS BRANCH. ELINOR (CONT’D) Like this! Maybe this’ll help? Elinor hops up on her log, holding her branch horizontally like a proper balance pole. She already looks more secure. ELINOR (CONT’D) Drum roll, please! Using two sticks, Ari <’DRUM ROLLS’> on one end of her log. ON Elinor as she takes a deep breath, and starts to walk. She wobbles - but uses her stick to counter balance, and recovers. Finally... she makes it all the way across! ELINOR (CONT’D) I did it! I really did it! I felt I was falling one way, so I moved the stick the other way, and I didn’t fall. Olive You balanced! ELINOR We all balanced! Siggy leans over to whisper in Ari’s ear. Ari laughs. ARI Yup . NOW we can cheer. SIGGY / OLIVE / ARI ( cheering for Elinor) Wipe to: 5. EXT. FOREST GLADE - DAY (MINUTES LATER) MINUTES LATER - A beaming Elinor has a paper MEGAPHONE in hand. She addresses a ‘crowd’ of a FEW LOCAL KIDS who have joined Siggy on the log stools to watch the show. ELINOR Ladieees and Gentle-animals! Let the Greatest Show in Animal Town BEGIN! <MUSIC UP> - as the performers launch into a circus act showcasing the art - and science - of keeping your balance! SONG - “YOU CAN BALANCE IF YOU TRY” First Elinor gestures to Ari, riding his unicycle. He holds his wings out ‘wide’ for balance as he cycles TOWARDS CAMERA. ELINOR / OLIVE / ARI (SING) To not fall down when you ride Just stay even on every side It’s easier if you spread out wide You can balance if you try Now Elinor ‘presents’ Siggy, back on the wobbly log stool. (As they sing, Siggy sways side to side, clearly using his ‘fluffy tail’ to counterbalance.) A big long tail will help a lot to keep you balanced on a spot Just put it over where you’re not You can balance if you try Elinor picks up her long stick and holds it horizontally. (Olive enters, stilt-walking, for the second line.) A good long stick can help you out (just OLIVE, joking) OLIVE: I like to use my nice, long snout (she wiggles her trunk to demo) ALL: Staying up is what it’s all about You can balance if you try CUT TO Elinor’s log, as Elinor runs INTO FRAME and leaps up on one end, holding her balance pole. Just practice hard, and there’s no doubt... To a <DRUM BEAT>, Elinor crosses the log with a strut in her step - and makes it all the way! You can balance if you try! END SONG. The audience jumps to its feet! <SFX: CHEERING!> WIDE as Elinor, Olive and Ari regroup in the centre of their ‘Big Top’. Elinor beckons to Siggy. ELINOR Siggy, we couldn’t have done it without you, come take a bow! Siggy brightens, and scurries over to join hands with his new friends. As they all take a dramatic and well-deserved bow, we... FADE OUT.

EWW120B "Elinor's Circus" RECORD 25-Sept-19

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ELINOR WONDERS WHY EP . 120B “Elinor's Circus” By: Karen Moonah Elinor's Question: How can we 'stay up' when we're doing our balancing tricks? Logline: When Elinor and her friends put on a 'circus', they struggle to master balancing tricks - until they observe how using different body parts can help you balance. LS2 . Understand that animals have different body parts that are used in different ways to meet their needs. d. Explore how different external features of an animal help it survive in its environment. (Elinor and her friends observe how the squirrel's tail helps him balance). ND3 . ( RTL Crosscutting concept 'Structure and Function'): Understand that structures and materials in the natural world can be used or can inspire the engineering of structures with similar function in the designed world. (Inspired by the squirrel's tail, Elinor decides to use a long pole to balance in the same way) SEP1 . Asking questions (science) and defining problems (engineering) b. Ask more complex questions about observable phenomena c. Ask and/or identify cause and effect questions that can be answered by an investigation d. Identify a problem that can be solved by the design a new or improved object or tool (engineering). Elinor and her friends ask questions, observe and define their problem (lack of balance) then solve it by using their own bodies (wings, trunk) or by inventing balancing tools. Mains - Elinor, Ari, Olive, Siggy Locations: Forest Glade Props: Top hat, bow, unicycle, helmet, tutu, stilts, streamers, paper flowers, circus posters, balancing branch. OUTLINE: June 18, 2019 FIRST DRAFT: July 18, 2019 SECOND DRAFT: Aug. 13, 2019 POLISH DRAFT: Sept. 11, 2019 RECORD DRAFT: Sept. 25, 2019 All kids Ari Ari / Olive / elinor ARI / OLIVE / MR. BEAVER Audience Crowd elinor Elinor / Olive ELINOR / Olive / ari ELINOR / Olive / ARI / farmer bear / lambs Elinor / Olive / ari / others eLINOR / Olive /a ELINOR/ari FARMER BEAR G L Lamb 1, 2, 3 / beaver LamB 1, 2, 3 / BEAVER / farmer bear / Olive / ari / elinor Mr. Beaver Mr. Hippo Mrs. Mrs. Gorilla MRS. Gorilla/elinor/olive/ari Ms. Mole Mz. Mole O\ Olive Olive / ARI Olive / elinor Olive. Other students Ranger rabbit ROLLIE ROLLIE’S SISTER Siggy Siggy / OLIVE / ARI! Sr Students Tomato mascot VARIOUS STUDENTS (V.O.) (O.S.) (O.C.) (CONT'D) (SUBTITLE) (to herself) (muffled) (os) (thoughtful) (grins) (sings) (CALLS) (SHEEPISH) (cheery) INT EXT I/E 6. EXT 1 2 A SOUVENIR STAND DROP LADDER BEAVERS' PRACTICE AREA SCHOOLYARD CLASSROOM MRS. GORILLA'S JUICE CART INT. CLASSROOM ANIMAL TOWN EXT. ELINOR'S HOUSE INT. ELINOR'S HOUSE MR. HIPPO'S STORE MR. BEAVER'S WORKSHOP FARMER BEAR'S TREE FARM ELINOR'S HOUSE INT. A 'BIG TOP' CIRCUS (FANTASY) SCHOOL PLAYGROUND PLAYGROUND DAY NIGHT AFTERNOON MORNING EVENING LATER MOMENTS LATER CONTINUOUS THE NEXT DAY MINUTES LATER ESTABLISHING KITCHEN DAY MONTAGE CUT TO: FADE IN: FADE OUT. FADE TO: DISSOLVE TO: BACK TO: MATCH CUT TO: JUMP CUT TO: FADE TO BLACK. ‘fluff’ wipe to: ‘wheel’ wipe to: Smash cut to: