Hey guys! Here is the rough draft of the script! Thanks so much Madison for your part in it! Read through it, let me know if it looks okay, and then try to familiarize yourself with whatever part you are in! :)
Scene 1
Setting: News announcers are behind a table and are dressed professionally. The script can be on the table.
Announcer 1 (Kaitlyn) : Good morning Friday Addition! Well, classes for the year are winding down and we know that you are all eager for summer break.
Announcer 2 (Gracie) : Yes, excitement is definitely building in the air.
Ann. 1: Let’s take a look at the current top story today.
Ann. 2: Today’s story is actually quite interesting and even somewhat amusing but it could possible pose some challenges. What do you think?
Ann. 1: I agree. It looks like downtown Holland is facing a problem that has the potential to turn fowl! Over the last few weeks, vicious red-winged blackbirds have been randomly attacking visitors to 8th Street. Let’s watch a short clip of these birds.
Show a short clip of dive-bombing blackbirds.
Ann. 2: Wow, that is rather amusing but it turns out the blackbird problem is getting worse as the birds are growing bolder by the day.
Ann. 1: Many of the store owners downtown have even complained that the birds are driving away their customers. Some people have decided that visiting the downtown area is just not worth the potential pain!
Ann. 2: Currently at the scene, we have Abbie Harlow reporting live to give us some updates on the story. Abbie, can you tell us a little more about the birds?
Scene 2:
Abbie: Yes, I can. I am currently in front of the CityFlats Hotel which is where the birds have built up their scary reputation. This is not the only place the birds have visited. Some of the coffee shops on 8th Street have reported several attacks as well as various other stores. People walking along the sidewalk obviously face the greatest potential to be attacked. Two young children who were both victims of an attack were actually taken to the hospital for bird pecks that punctured the skin. Here we have a few eyewitnesses that want to give their view on the bird problem.
Turn to the first interviewee.
Abbie: This is Kaitlyn Damron who is visiting Holland all the way from Liverpool, England. Kaitlyn can you tell us about what you saw here?
Kaitlyn: With a heavy British accent. I was just minding my own business and having a coffee at JP’s when out of absolutely NOWHERE a BLOODY bird flew down and took a swipe at my trousers! What’s next?? Iguanas using my teacup for a loo?!?!?!
A: So what do you think should be down about the birds?
K: Well, it was really quite scary and my lovely day was somewhat ruined by the fright! Somehow, the birds need to be taken under control. I think this will prove to be a big problem for the economy of the Holland area since it will scare away tourists and such.
A: Well thank you Kaitlyn. Now I want to turn to Laura Nagelkerk. Laura, you were also here during the bird show. What do you think should be done about the problem.
Laura: I think they should be put into a pie.
A:
Laughs. Pardon? Can you please explain?
L: I think it would be better to just get rid of the birds by shooting them and save the expense of trying to remove them alive.
A: Well thanks for your input Laura. Now, Madison Reeves, you were not here during the attacks but you do feel very strongly as to how the problem should be handled. Isn’t that right?
M: Oh my goodness, yes! Oh, I just feel sick about the whole thing! I mean, we definitely need to do everything possible to save these birds! I wish I could just take them home and take care of them so that they would be safe! These birds are an important part of the ecosystem. We invaded their homes and we have no right to be angry at them! If they swoop down and make our lives a disastrous mess – so be it!
If someone was endangering your babies lives and your home you would be a little upset and attack someone, wouldn’t you??
A: Thanks Madison for sharing your view. And we have one more person that we would like to talk to on the subject. Isaac and Caleb, you guys were actually a few of the people attacked, isn’t that correct?
Isaac: Yeah, I was just walking down the sidewalk and a bird just flew at my head and starting pecking. It felt like I had been punched! At first I thought it was my friend here. Man, it’s not like I was intending to reenact a level of angry birds, but I sure felt like a little green piggy!!!
A: So, Caleb, you were also there at the time?
C: Yup, but the bird didn’t touch me. It was pretty hilarious to see it attack Isaac. I couldn’t stop laughing!
I: Dude! It wasn’t funny! Man, that bird was scary! I am probably going to have a scar on my head!
A: What do you guys think should be done about the birds?
I: I wonder if there is any way to catch them and put them in some sort of cage, but other than that, I really don’t know. They are dangerous though and should be taken care of in some way.
A: Thanks guys. Well, there is your update on the birds.
Scene 3:
Video goes back to the announcers.
Ann. 1: Thank you Abbie for the update.
Ann. 2: Joining us, we have a blackbird specialist, Paige (last name). Now Paige, you specialize especially in the behavior of red-wing blackbirds, is that correct?
Paige: Yes, I have spent many years looking closely at these birds.
Ann. 2: Can you tell us a little more about them?
P: Sure. Red-winged Blackbirds are stocky, broad-shouldered birds with a slender bill and medium-length tail. The male blackbird will do everything they can to get noticed, sitting on high perches and belting out their conk-la-ree! Song all day long. Females stay lower, skulking through vegetation for food and quietly weaving together their remarkable nests. In winter, Red-winged Blackbirds gather in huge flocks to eat grains with other blackbird species and starlings.
In the summer, small numbers roost in the wetlands where the birds breed. Winter flocks can be congregations of several million birds, including other blackbird species and starlings. Each morning the roosts spread out, traveling as far as 50 miles to feed, then re-forming at night.
Ann. 1: Wow, that is all very interesting. So can you tell us why the blackbirds may have targeted downtown Holland?
P: Male Red-winged Blackbirds will fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season, spending more than a quarter of daylight hours in territory defense. He chases other males out of the territory and attacks nest predators, sometimes going after much larger animals, including horses and people.
There must be some nests nearby where the birds have been attacking.
Ann. 1: And what do you think the ideal solution is to this unique blackbird problem?
P: I think that removing the nests from the area is the best way to get rid of the birds without harming the adult birds.
Ann. 2: Paige, thank you for your time with us!
P: Thanks for having me.
Scene 4:
Ann. 1: Good morning, and thank you for joining us again.
Ann. 2: Today we would like to give you an update on the blackbirds that we heard about several weeks ago.
Ann. 1: Yes, it seems as if everything has been taken under control and there should be no more problems. The advice of the blackbird specialist was taken and thankfully the problem has been fixed.
Ann. 2: Wow, that is great news.
Ann. 1: Yes it is!
Ann. 2: Today we also have the privilege to talk to a group of people who seek to understand the world’s problems in a rather unique way. Please welcome with me (name of CWV group).
Ann. 1: Thank you so much for coming in today!
Abbie: Thanks for having us!
Ann. 1: So can you tell us a little bit about what you guys do?
Abbie: Sure! We are just a group of friends that actually travel around the country finding various problems . When we learn about a problem, we then figure out how this problem relates to the Christian Worldview.
Ann. 2: That is fascinating! So what do you think about this problem that we had with the red-winged blackbirds?
Autumn: Well, first of all, we believe that red-winged blackbirds were created by God. They are actually very beautiful birds and I think that God created them for our enjoyment.
Ann. 1: They definitely haven’t been an object of enjoyment lately though!
Abbie: No, and that is because sin has come in between our relationship with the created order. Because of sin, animosity and fear has come up between animals and humans.
Laura: Now, the problem has been fixed, at least for a short while. This is kind of like redemption in the Bible. Christ redeemed us, but we will continue to sin until His return.
Ann. 1: We appreciate you all joining us.
Autumn: Thanks for having us.
Madison: Yes, it was really great to be here!
Group Leaves.
Ann. 2: That is it for today! Thanks for joining us!
Size and shape- A stocky, broad-shouldered blackbird with a slender, conical bill and a medium-length tail. Red-winged Blackbirds often show a hump-backed silhouette while perched; males often sit with tail slightly flared.
Behavior- Male Red-winged Blackbirds do everything they can to get noticed, sitting on high perches and belting out their conk-la-ree! song all day long. Females stay lower, skulking through vegetation for food and quietly weaving together their remarkable nests. In winter Red-winged Blackbirds gather in huge flocks to eat grains with other blackbird species and starlings.
Flock- Red-winged Blackbirds roost in flocks in all months of the year. In summer small numbers roost in the wetlands where the birds breed. Winter flocks can be congregations of several million birds, including other blackbird species and starlings. Each morning the roosts spread out, traveling as far as 50 miles to feed, then re-forming at night.
Other facts- Different populations and subspecies of Red-winged Blackbirds vary markedly in size and proportions. An experiment was conducted that moved nestlings between populations and found that the chicks grew up to resemble their foster parents. This study indicated that much of the difference seen between populations is the result of different environments rather than different genetic makeup’s. Male Red-winged Blackbirds fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season, spending more than a quarter of daylight hours in territory defense. He chases other males out of the territory and attacks nest predators, sometimes going after much larger animals, including horses and people.