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"Frogs Make Me Hoppy"Learning about frogs is easy when children get to create their own puppets, use voice for onomatopoeia, and then make the puppet come alive using the whole body!... Read more

"Frogs Make Me Hoppy"
Learning about frogs is easy when children get to create their own puppets, use voice for onomatopoeia, and then make the puppet come alive using the whole body!

Workshop #1: Reading of "Frog Song" by Brenda Z. Guiberson which journeys around the world to learn about an amazing variety of frogs and environments and habits. Onomatopoeia is a technique utilized in the book, which I use to invite the students to join in through a call and response. We learn to hear the differences in sound patterns from frogs around the world and discuss the various habitats through the story, which may change the way in which the frog eggs are protected in order for their species to survive.

Workshop #2: Frog Puppet/Mask-Making: We create frog puppets utilizing some everyday objects. Students choose the design for their frog puppets, real or imagined. To aide in their design I will have our book "Frog Song" available for them to revisit along with high-resolution photographic images of frogs/toads from around the world. They can view the patterns in the photographs and repeat them in their individual designs. Then they add the puppet elements for their hands and then the dramatic element of surprise with the party blowout for the tongue.
Workshop #3: Puppetry Workshop
We learn a pattern of movements to create a short frog drama to warm up. We are learning how to express ourselves with our full bodies while still using a puppet while considering our spatial relationships. They learn puppetry techniques which is a fun way to teach the students to focus, since the puppet's eyes have to "focus" in order to help the audience imagine that it is alive!

1) The first day would be an in class reading to introduce the students to frogs, so normally 30 minutes is allotted. 2) The hands on workshop for building & creating the frog puppets shou... Read more

1) The first day would be an in class reading to introduce the students to frogs, so normally 30 minutes is allotted.

2) The hands on workshop for building & creating the frog puppets should be 45 minutes in length.

3) The final puppetry movement workshop works very well anywhere from 30-45 minutes, so my planning is flexible based on the time available.

(Note: I prefer to combine 2 of the three workshops together on the same day, since the program offers variety between sitting, creating and moving. i.e The program works best when Workshop #1 & #2 are done in one classroom together for 30 minutes of story time & 45 minutes of puppet-making to immediately follow)

Workshop #1: book "Frog Song" by Brenda Z. GuibersonWorkshop #2: paper plates, construction paper, party blowouts, foam sheets, extra staplers and glues sticks (unless glue sticks are available ... Read more

Workshop #1: book "Frog Song" by Brenda Z. Guiberson
Workshop #2: paper plates, construction paper, party blowouts, foam sheets, extra staplers and glues sticks (unless glue sticks are available in classrooms already)
Workshop #3: Sound System & additional Puppet Materials for demonstration, presentation & activity.

Workshop #2 ONLY:markers scissors*Please also have two medium-large staplers available. Workshop #3: Puppets that students created in Workshop #2 must be accessibl... Read more

Workshop #2 ONLY:
markers
scissors
*Please also have two medium-large staplers available.

Workshop #3:
Puppets that students created in Workshop #2 must be accessible for the students to use during the 3rd (final) workshop.

Workshop #1 story time areaWorkshop #2 tables / work surface for creation, place to store/display their puppets until next workshop; Minimum of 7' x 7' open floor space for me to present and int... Read more

Workshop #1 story time area
Workshop #2 tables / work surface for creation, place to store/display their puppets until next workshop; Minimum of 7' x 7' open floor space for me to present and introduce the puppet that we are making, because it requires full-bodied movement.
Workshop #3 open space (i.e. dance studio, theater stage, gym, cafeteria with tables cleared) so that we can move safely without obstructions. The students should get their puppets that they made previously back in this lesson in order to learn how to properly manipulate them for best dramatic effect, but it is better to have a table with them laid out on so they can focus on the demo first.