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Puppet template for each child, basic craft supplies

Scissors and glue for the students.

It is ideal if we are in a classroom where we can do the craft at desks, then also clear desks or tables to make enough room for the students to all be able to stand in a circle for acting warm ups, and sit on the floor as an audience.

I can express ideas that are important to me by using acting and puppets. I can talk comfortably and clearly about my thoughts to my teacher and classmates. I can create a character. I can tell a story with an introduction, a problem, and a solution. I can be a good audience member. I can be a good listener for my classmates.

Students will participate in activities that teach both the basics of acting and reinforce ideas of spoken narrative structure. The teaching artist will lead students in acting activities that allow them to feel more comfortable expressing themselves and working as a group. Next students will create puppets out of basic craft materials. The workshop will conclude with students having a chance to perform with their puppets. As a class they will be asked to create a problem and a solution for each puppet show. The teaching artist will prompt students to think of problems and solutions they may encounter in their everyday lives, for example, a problem or a concern someone may face in school. In addition, students will be encouraged to create a unique voice for their character. Students are then asked to perform the dramatizations. Following the conclusion of the performance, the teaching artist discusses the content of the piece, the choices the characters made, and asks the other students in the class to comment on whether they agree with the characters' decisions, or find out what the students could have done differently. The teaching artist stresses appropriate audience behavior and participation throughout the activity. This workshop can also be altered to use puppetry to dramatize all or sections of a story that students read in class. Playhouse on Park staff can meet with the teacher in advance to plan the lesson and confirm that the selected story will work with the workshop format. At the end of the session, students should feel as if they have created a character, learned about dramatic story structure, used their voices to perform, and explored topics relevant to their lives in a comfortable and safe setting.

One or two parents may be present to assist students with the craft portion and to watch and help guide appropriate audience behavior, but this is not required for the workshop to run smoothly.