Grey Seal Puppets

Through puppet theatre performances, students will be introduced to theatre skills, various puppet styles and story-telling. (R7 – Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.)

The performance encourages students to explore their own creative outlets relative to the theatre experience. By watching the performance, students will learn that puppetry is a collection of art forms on display; movement, visual art, drama, role play, pantomime, dance and more.(SL2 – Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. )

Students will identify and apply specific character traits and virtues demonstrated by the performances. They can then take this ability and apply it to stories they write themselves.(W4 – Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.)

From the Arts Education, Theatre Arts K-8 Standards:

Through the use of puppetry students will be introduced to the literary skills involved in storytelling (K-8.C.2 – Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings.)

Performances of classic fairy tales will encourage students to read and re-enact these timeless stories on their own. (K-8.AE.1 – Understand how to design technical theatre components, such as costumes, sets, props, makeup, lighting, and sound.)

Students will be able to assess character traits and morals illustrated in the performances and apply them to real life situations. (K-8.CU.2 – Understand the traditions, roles, and conventions of theatre as an art form.)

Example: From our telling of the fable “The Tortoise and The Hare,” students recognize that fastest is not always best and that slow and steady is the way to go. After the audience affirms this realization they also realize that they inherently knew this already and should apply the same lesson to their own lifestyle.