In the garden with magnifying glass in hand, I watched the spectacular black swallowtail caterpillars munching on the parsley. Their brilliant green and black stripes with yellow swirl dazzled the eye.  It was not long before I was up in the studio designing my own caterpillar puppet.    

Mr. Caterpillar made his first appearance   in Syracuse mid-August where I gave 8 performances for Early Reading First. I hope your summer has been refreshing and that the upcoming season will be full of zest. I look forward to planning something special for your school and library. 

  

Handy Dandy Puppet 

Good for school and home activities through out the year.

The puppets are easy to make, you might ask a volunteer to sew several for your class or one for each student.  There are many ways to use them with reading/ writing activities.  Click here for pattern and directions. The puppets work well as is - plain and simple. We will add clothes and hair-dos in the winter newsletter. Stay tuned. Puppet manipulation workshops available for children and teachers.

 Action verbs: Have everyone contribute an idea on a slip of paper i.e.: playing basketball, shoveling snow, pulling up carrots etc.  Fold the papers and drop them into a coffee can. Students pick a slip and act out the activity with their puppet. Everyone guesses- good warm up activity. Also Simon says. Simon says puppet bows, Simon says puppet waves, puppet laughs

Character Education Skits: Develop a skit using the character education theme of the month. Draw a storyboard and write the dialogue. Make a sign for the title and each group can perform for the class.

Re-enact a story- assign groups for beginning, middle, and end. Good for recall of character, plot, and action. Good for social skills.

  

Perform using the desk as a play board ( a place for the props)  or make a simple stage out of a display board. Click here for directions. Hand puppets love to use props. Props can be purchased. (a small basket, a watering can)   Students can have fun making their own for example a yogurt container makes a great butter churn- weight it with a few stones inside so it doesn't tip over.

For the classroom :How to use Puppets for Reading , Writing, and Performing.
Everyone is given a hand puppet to learn the basic movements. From action verbs to short skits to using props, we will practice expressing ideas. With these skills, there are many ways to use the hand puppet. Divide the class into small groups and use hand puppets to retell stories, write new ones, portray famous people, and illustrate exotic habitats.


For Teachers: How to Incorporate Puppets Into The Curriculum.
Puppetry is a powerful tool that can be used to "bring literature to life" and make reading magical for children. It lends itself to teaching basic reading components such as beginning, middle and end; sequencing of events; identification of story setting, characters and main idea; as well as aiding in basic comprehension and re-tell fluency. It adds a wonderful art/drama/performing component to the classroom encouraging  working together, creativity, and fun. Add this to your repertoire and be surprised to see which children excel in this format. 
 

Apple Pie Time ( Magic Parade)

Get in a big circle- snap twice to the beat of the verse,
"In the Fall (snap snap )when the leaves (snap snap-)
for the chorus, join hands and circle one way, then the other and finally for "there is nothing more delicious than a warm apple pie" move toward the center together and clap on "warm apple pie"- then back to places for the next verse.

Dear old Wooly Bear ( Waltzing with Fireflies)

This song sets the stage for fall. The wooly bear caterpillar turns into the Isabella Moth. Make the verses into a book and illustrate it. Make  a chart of all the caterpillars and butterflies you see this Fall. Use  nature to encourage curiosity.
          Verse 1.
          "Jack Frost has turned the corn to gold  and dusted the fields all white.
          The flowers lay down in their garden beds waiting for the long winter nights."

Columbus Said (Waltzing with Fireflies)

A great movement song to celebrate Columbus Day-make up motions for chorus - (this can be very creative and fun) Use the song to energize your students between desk work.
    
Country Mouse City Mouse ( Magic Parade)
The classic folktale with a Mrs. McPuppet twist. Compare the different versions. Some interesting vocab - escargot, tuxedo, boa, binoculars, candelabras, chandeliers.
     Chorus is timely for Thanksgiving.
               " Shall we go a  visiting
               our cousins and our grandmas and our uncles and our aunts
               Shall we go  a traveling along that country road
               Yes along that country road.
    

     Tea Party Shuffle (Tea party Shuffle)

The theme can be conversation and manners.  Bring in your favorite stuffed animal. Have an animal cracker tea party- talk about the art of conversation- practice conversing with each other- sip juice.