I have not had the chance to post much recently.  HOWEVER.  I have a fantastically scary project for my final teaching practice.  I have 5 weeks in which to teach 25 (very damaged and difficult) 10-11 year olds how to make simple marionettes for the end of term production of Sound of Music. 

We are making the sheep and goats for the "Lonely Goatherd" yodelling song.  3 children will be acting as puppets for the girl, goatherd and mother, with 3 other children pretending to operate them.  Then the "puppets" will be, in turn, operating the goats and sheep.

I basically have 5 weeks, 2 hours per week, with little or no resources to produce these.  I am thinking scrunched newspaper bodies with laminate paper mache over the top, only one joint between the neck and body and the legs as string with paper mache hooves on  the end.  Operated by either two rods or by a simple T bar.

What do you think?
Any ideas welcome and also any behaviour management tips for the classes.  They are UK inner city, in a school that takes both learning and behavioural difficulty (often both) children.

Happy Days!
Thanks,
Charlotte

Sounds challenging!  Have you considered the old "gooney bird" construction using pom pons strung together?

Marty

It does sound like you have your hands full. I would just keep it simple and not involve to much work. I am positive that you will come up with just the right puppet.

Billy D.

Good suggestion, Billy.  It definitely sounds like a situation to which the K.I.S.S. principle should be applied.

Marty

I remember making a stork or flamingo marionette when I was in 5th or 6th grade with wood head and feet and body (simple no frills cut outs) and pom-pom strings for legs and neck.  It was fun to build and use and it worked great.

Paper Mache~ ? Kids getting messy makes good TV. They should have a great time.

Give them a little comedy and they will be intent to listen.

If you want some help with the lesson, were all here to help and give our suggestions.

Have fun!

Thank you all.  I had considered the pom pom method but we are strapped for cash and unable to buy in anything.  However this is not actually a bad thing as it means I have to be inventive.  I think that the first trial run is about ready to do, basically it will be two balloons (one only slightly inflated) inside a stocking.  The kids will paper mache around the two balloons making the stocking the joint.  These form the head and body sections.  We will attach string legs with paper cone and papier mache hoofs.  The strings will be one to the head and one to the body operated from a single bar.  Each child can either paint or paint and collage the animal.

I will let you know how draft one goes

I work in a similar class only with 5 kids.  Do not use Paper mache.  Way to tediouse for them usually and they get pretty upset and frustrated with it and the wait time for it to dry builds up to much anxiety.  I like the crunched up paper body covered in masking tape to keep the ball from unwrapping.  Then glue cotton balls over it for the sheep.  Get some short fake fur to cover the goats body.  Keep it simple and keep things moving along in a steady and simple way.  It is a hard class and such a variety of needs that some will not succeed to the end and that will just be life.


I hope this gets you thinking more ......

Daryl H

Thanks Daryl,
I had thought about the whole drying thing, the health and safety laws in the uk mean that we can't use traditional paper mache, we will have to laminate strips of newspaper using white glue.  I have considered using plaster soaked bandage (known as modrock here) for the first layer and then move them on to a layer of paper laminate and then the paint layer.

I have used this technique successfully with 8 year olds, sadly often more sensible and cooperative than 11 year olds!
I will post pictures of the finished projects what ever method I use.

Just curiosity, but how is paper mache effected by UK health and safety lqaws?  Does this have to do with the potential of molds developing?

Marty