Unit
Puppetry
Created by Jenny Goodfellow
This unit on Puppetry is designed for middle school and up, to introduce students to the material and get them comfortable with performing in a safe and low exposure environment.
This is a unit that builds to a culminating experience for your students. Each lesson is designed to explore techniques, provide opportunities for creative collaboration among your students, and give them opportunities to perform. Some of the lessons require materials to build or create puppets. Puppetry can be as easy as drawing a face on your finger for finger puppets, to actually purchasing your own finger puppets for students to use.
While the focus of this unit is puppetry, your students will explore other skills as well. There’s the obvious ones of creative thinking, teamwork, and problem solving. They are also going to explore storytelling, performing skills, and playwriting.
Start here
The overview lays out the objectives for the unit, as well as lists and describes the 9 lessons in the series.
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1Lesson 1PuppetQuestThrough a PuppetQuest, students will learn about the different types and origins of puppetry.
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2Lesson 2Shadow Hand PuppetsOne of easiest and earliest forms of puppetry, students will learn to create shadow puppets using just their hands. After they have practiced their creations, they will create a group/partner scene using the shadow puppets.
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3Lesson 3Shadow Puppet Cut-OutsStudents learn how shapes create interesting dynamics in shadow puppets. Students will have a packet of shadow puppet cut-outs. These cut-outs include animals that can be attached to a popsicle stick. In groups/partners, students will use the cut-outs in the packet to create a scene. They will also create an original cut-out.
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4Lesson 4Finger PuppetsIf you have the resources, purchase finger puppets for this lesson. It can also be easily done with drawn faces on index fingers, or faces on popsicle sticks. Using well known fairy tales like “Little Red Riding Hood” or “The Three Little Pigs,” students will retell these stories from a different perspective, using their finger puppet.
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5Lesson 5Create and Character/Object PuppetsStudents will bring in an object that they can turn into a puppet. Using the object puppet, students will create an original character and establish movement patterns and character voice. Character Worksheet and Practice Sheets are included, to perform their original puppet characters.
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6Lesson 6Hand PuppetsStudents learn proper hand puppet technique and practice these techniques with a prewritten scene. Teachers can also choose to use traditional hand puppets, or students can make their own using socks/paper bags.
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7Lesson 7Script WritingStudents will write their own puppet play using the same format as the prewritten scene. In pairs, students will go over guidelines for creating a character and writing a scene.
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8Lesson 8Puppetry CompanyUsing the guidelines provided and their previous scene, students will create a Puppet Company complete with a logo, the name of their production, and a picture that gives clues about the production. Students will also learn about professional puppet companies.
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9Lesson 9Putting it All TogetherThis final lesson is a culminating performance. Students practice their scene using their hand puppets, then perform. Those watching will fill out a feedback sheet, which is discussed after the performance. A Unit Reflection and a Performance Reflection are included.
Standards Addressed
Technical Theatre/Design 10-20-30 - Costume
Speech Drama 10
Speech Drama 20
Speech Drama 30
Improvisation Drama 10
- 1 use warmup techniques for preparation of body, voice and mind
- 10 demonstrate appropriate rehearsal methods
- 11 apply the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, climax and plot in planned and unplanned scenes
- 12 create, relate and polish a story
- 14 discover how various emotions affect one vocally and physically
- 24 select and use vocal techniques appropriate to a character
- 26 use body language to add physical dimensions and depth to a character
- 3 maintain concentration during exercises
- 9 use appropriate stage directions
Improvisation Drama 20
Acting Drama 20
- 1 analyze a script for explicit character clues
- 3 demonstrate understanding of and identity motivation and objectives (overall, main and immediate).
- 5 demonstrate a character’s main objective within a scene
- 7 demonstrate the ability to play a character from the character’s point of view
- 8 demonstrate the ability to memorize required text
- 9 demonstrate the ability to pick up cues effectively
Acting Drama 30
Movement Drama 10
Technical Theatre/Design 10-20-30 - Management - Set
Playwriting - Drama 20
Directing - Drama 30
- 1 demonstrate understanding of the function of the director
- 10 apply compositional elements of stability, sequence and balance to reinforce emphasis within exercise.project
- 7 demonstrate understanding of the compositional methods of emphasis: body position, stage area plane, level, contrast, space, repetition
Improvisation/Acting Level III - Advanced
Junior Goal II Objectives
Junior Goal III Objectives
Junior Orientation
- communicate through use of voice and body
- demonstrate a willingness to take calculated and reasonable risks
- demonstrate awareness of the multidisciplinary nature of drama/theatre
- demonstrate trust by becoming comfortable, physically and emotionally, with others
- focus concentration on one task at a time
- generate imaginative and creative solutions to problems
- listen effectively
- meet deadlines and follow through on individual and group commitments
- offer and accept constructive criticism, given specific guidelines, with a desire to improve
- recognize the purposes of and participate in warmup activities
- respond to directions without breaking concentration-side coaching
- share ideas confidently with others
- show awareness of story sequence
- support positively the work of others
- work cooperatively and productively with all members of the class in pairs, small groups and large groups
Speech Level I - Beginning
- 1 speak spontaneously
- 2 use vocal relaxation and warm-up techniques
- 3 use effective breathing techniques
- 4 use techniques of storytelling
- 5 recognize the need to control and protect the voice
- 6 use volume appropriate to situation
- 7 create vocal sound effects to explore voice potential
- 8 understand volume, articulation, projection, rate, pause, phrasing, pitch and intonation
Speech Level II - Intermediate
- 10 demonstrate effects of intonation, rate, pause and phrasing on the meaning of words
- 11 use pitch to effect quality of voice production
- 12 demonstrate a stage whisper
- 13 use voice to communicate mood and emotion
- 14 use a variety of character voices
- 9 use volume, articulation and projection to achieve clarity
Improvisation/Acting Level I - Beginning
- 10 use essential story elements in spontaneous and planned scenes
- 11 create a dramatic situation in response to varied stimuli: objects, pictures, music
- 12 make logical choices within the boundaries of situation and character
- 5 create and tell a story spontaneously
- 6 understand and apply the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, climax and plot
- 7 use stage vocabulary: stage areas, body positions and crosses
- 8 demonstrate appropriate rehearsal behaviours and routines
- 9 communicate a clear beginning, middle and end in spontaneous and planned scenes
Improvisation/Acting Level II - Intermediate
Junior Goal I Objectives
- develop a positive self-image
- develop a sense of responsibility and commitment
- develop self-confidence
- develop self-discipline
- develop the ability to initiate, organize and present a project within a given set of guidelines
- develop the ability to interact effectively and constructively in a group process
- develop the ability to offer and accept constructive criticism
- develop the willingness to make a decision, act upon it and accept the results
- explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
- extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
- extend the ability to think imaginatively and creatively
- extend the ability to understand, accept and respect others- their rights, ideas, abilities and differences
- strengthen powers of concentration
Theatre Studies Level III - Advanced (The script)
Technical Theatre - Levels I, II, III - Awareness
Senior Goal I Objectives
- apply imaginative and creative thought to problem-solving situations
- demonstrate a sense of inquiry and commitment, individually and to the group
- demonstrate a sense of responsibility and commitment, individually and to the group
- demonstrate respect for others-their rights, ideas, abilities and differences
- demonstrate the ability to contribute effectively and constructively to the group process
- demonstrate the ability to initiate, organize and present a project within a given set of guidelines
- demonstrate the ability to offer, accept, and reflect upon, constructive criticism
- develop a positive and realistic self-image
- develop a sense of inquiry and commitment to learning
- extend physical and vocal capabilities
- extend the ability to concentrate
- extend the ability to control and express emotions
- extend understanding of, acceptance of and empathy for others
- increase self-confidence
- increase self-discipline
Senior Goal II Objectives
Senior Goal III Objectives
Orientation Drama 10
- concentrate on the task at hand
- cope with success and failure in positive ways
- demonstrate behaviour appropriate to given circumstances
- demonstrate effective use and management of time
- demonstrate self-discipline, self-direction and a sense of responsibility
- display consideration and respect for self and others
- listen to self and others
- make effective decisions or choices
- offer and accept constructive criticism with a desire to progress
- positively support the work of others
- share ideas confidently
- solve problems imaginatively and creatively
- work cooperatively and productively
- work with abstract concepts
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