Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

- 1 - NUAE & UCSJ

Puppets

An integrated approach

to

Culture and Tradition

and

Sculpture, Model Drawing, Picture Drawing,

Decoration, and Basic Aesthetic

including

Drama and Performance

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

- 2 - NUAE & UCSJ

Why working with puppets in Primary Schools?

Teacher reflections:

Cultural Reason: Vietnam has a long and strong cultural tradition on puppets in different

context. A visit to

Ethnic Museum in Thai Nguyen and/or Hanoi gives you a deep impression of the traditions

within the different ethnic minorities.

Water puppet Ceremonies

Pedagogical reason: Art Education can set focus on this aspect in Vietnamese culture and at

the same time facilitate a strong teaching and learning approach that can integrate the areas

in Art Education: Sculpture, model drawing, picture drawing, decoration, and basic aesthetic

and elements from other subjects such as:

- reading, writing and speaking in front of an audience

- legends, myths, and fairytales

- construction, drama and performance

- culture and history

- e.g.

Tip!

The Primary School teacher can use simple puppets in their pedagogical work. It doesn’t take long

to create a ventriloquist’s dummy. A hand, a pen, a sock, a mitten is all it takes.

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

- 3 - NUAE & UCSJ

1. Approaches to Art Processes with Puppets

Approaches to puppet theatre can be:

A. Creating a puppet can start from inspiring material. It can be found objects

After creating puppets the teacher might guide the learners to give their own puppet an IDENTITY

by asking

Key Questions

What is the gender?

How old is he/she?

What name does he/she have?

What is his/her profession?

Where and with whom does he/she live?

Who is in his/her family?

Who are his/her friends?

?

Let the puppets with their new identity meet in small groups/families and start creating a story.

Aims/ objectives

This element will

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to

Inspire the student to plan and conduct

integrated processes combining

sculpture, decoration, picture drawing

and basic aesthetic

Challenge the student’s to think and plan

cross curricular

Select motivating starting point for the

processes

Arrange practical conditions and

logistics related to the processes

Plan a progression towards a

presentation

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

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B. Creating a puppet can also start from an inspiring story, legend, and fairytale

Grade 2: H:C:Andersen

Learners in grade 2 have made puppets on sticks. They have found inspiration in a fairytale by

H.C.Andersen. They have each chosen a character to draw, colour, cut, and paste on a stick. They

have learned the content of the story, practised the drama and presented the story for their parents,

but also for other classes at their school.

Grade 4 have made papier maché puppets

inspired by a Nordic legend

Puppets to a fairytale made by teacher trainer student

C. Creating a puppet to a self-made story or case

Grade 5 has made puppets of themselves.

They make self-made stories about their class to show parents.

They also use the puppets to play and discuss critical situation.

It is easier to let a puppet express feelings that are difficult to say.

A teacher might also use a puppet to talk about taboo matters

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

- 5 - NUAE & UCSJ

2. Approaches to creation of puppets

A. Puppets made of found objects

Boxes Plastic bottle Vegetables Paper tube

B. Puppets made of drawn or painted figures on solid paper

Grade 2

The stick can be mounted from below or sideways dependant on where the play is taking place

Aims/ objectives

This element will

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to

Challenge the students to create puppets

of different difficulty

Stimulate the students’ awareness of the

level of difficulty of each material

Stimulate the students to compare how

time-consuming each design is.

Create puppets with different levels of

time-consume and difficulty

Create puppets with strong identity and

expressions

Choose the appropriate material, design

for learners at different

Facilitate processes with puppets for

grade 1-5 with relevant progression

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

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C. Puppets made by tearing or cutting figures

Work with simple puppets in primary school and advance to more

complicated puppets in secondary or college

D. Puppets made by modelling in papier maché

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

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1. Make a tube of paper fit for one or two fingers. 2. Crumple up two pieces of newspaper and form an oval 3. Model the features of the face emphasizing the

characteristics of the figure 4. The modelled figure dries 5. Make sure you make a “collar” to carry the dress 6. Paint is added to underline the characteristics 7. Hair and other items are added 8. A dress is made by stitching material to a dress 9. Practicing the play is essential as it is difficult to

concentrate on both acting and speaking at the same time 10. Making the scenery

D. Marionette or large puppets

These designs of puppets are too complicated and time-consuming for primary schools, but might

be interesting at college level.

Front and back of “dress” for the large puppet as well as hole for the head of the puppet and the

hand of the person manoeuvring the puppet.

Teacher Education in Art for Primary Schools - draft

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4. Scenery for performing

A scenery behind two tables on top of each other is quickly establish whereas a more permanent

scenery might be constructed by enthusiastic parents or colleagues

Simple sceneries for plays and comic strips.

Aims/ objectives

This element will:

Outcomes

At the end of this element the students will be

able to:

Stimulate the students to develop

different sceneries according to the level

of teaching, and the time and facilities

available

Stimulate the student’s to select relevant

content for the stories to be told

Challenge the students to experience

puppets and role play

Introduce the latest news on the

pedagogical outcome of plays and role

plays

Create scenery relevant for the play

Play with puppets and create an illusion

for the audience

Express an understanding of the

connection between music and body

movement

Cooperate in a team presenting a story

Reflect on the outcome of such

integrated and cross-curricular processes