workshops

The Engineering of a Puppet Show

A classroom workshop for children conducted by Black Cherry Puppet Theater in accordance with the Maryland Department of Education Contents Standards and Outcomes. This intensive curriculum based workshop was developed in collaboration with engineers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, faculty at The Maryland Institute College of Art and accredited teachers. It's goal is to provide a hands-on educational experience that is exciting and relevant and grants a sense of accomplishment to those participating. Children learn art, planning, presentation and writing skills while creating a puppet show. Each child makes a hand and rod puppet that they keep.

Classes are divided into work-groups in order to develop scripts, backdrops and props which are the basis for a live performance presented at the end of the program. The workshop applies the principles of engineering project management including planning, goal setting, problem solving, and time management to the classroom. It stresses creativity, literacy and teamwork while demonstrating that learning can be both challenging and fun and that anyone of any means can create puppets and puppet theater anywhere. Puppet theater is unique among the arts because the audience focuses on the puppets, not the performers. It combines aspects of theater, visual, music and literary arts in one discipline. Since the audience focuses on the puppet rather than the performer, it is an ideal creative outlet for children. Puppet theater has a special place in the classroom because of the many opportunities it provides for curriculum integration.

OBJECTIVES:

oTo develop art, language arts, music,communication and performance skills
o To provide a meaningful and
challenging educational experience
linking the design, construction and
presentation of puppet shows in the
classroom.
o To provide children with an
understanding of cultural diversity,
customs, traditions and arts of the
world through myth, fable and folk
tales.

o To introduce the concepts of
engineering project management
including goal setting, teamwork,
planning, and time management.

o To provide children with a sense of
accomplishment and pride in a job well
done

FORMAT:

The process of developing a puppet show in the classroom usually takes 10-14 half days. The production is kept as simple as possible. The steps involved include:

o Planning, scheduling, time management using bar charts
o Developing presentation skills.
o Production of puppets, staging, sets and props.
o Rehearsing
o Final Performance

"It was a lot of work but I really enjoyed it. It was a very positive experience for me and my students. The Black Cherry staff was very good. They were accommodating to the children but wouldn't tolerate inappropriate behavior. The staff was able to speak on the student's level even though the concepts were often way above them. I was very impressed with the way the troupe provided guidance or leadership but also independence when helping the students draw the backdrops. The troupe gave the framework and the students' work evolved from that… The students learned a lot of important things about deadlines, teamwork, and responsibility. They learned art skills, inflection, characterization and aesthetics. It was the type of activity that the kids will remember all their lives and they will no doubt keep the puppet they made forever"… Mr. Linsenmeyer, 3rd grade teacher, Medfield Heights Elementary School

For more information contact:
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore MD 21223-2555
(410)752-7272

info@blackcherry.org