powerful learning

around you

REWARD
Session 1:
Puppet Play
 PUPPET PLAY ACTIVITIES

LANGUAGE
Skills development Equipment Hints and tips
 Fine motor skills  Template  To encourage speaking and listening skills, retell stories,
 Speaking  Scissors and recite rhymes, poems and songs.
 Listening  Glue  To encourage fine motor skills, get learners to tear
 Crayons and Kokis paper, cut and draw.
 Ribbon, buttons and recycled materials for decoration
Possible adaptions for special needs
Instructions  Cut out the template for learners.
 Download the template.
 Provide left-handed scissors for left-handed learners.
 Print onto paper.
 Let learners decorate and construct the puppets.

MATHEMATICS
Skills development Equipment Hints and tips
 Position in space  Template  Get learners to describe objects according to their
 Ordinal numbers  Scissors position.
 Numerical order  Glue  Ask learners to describe objects in relation to each
 Word problems  Crayons and Kokis other or themselves.
 Ribbon, buttons and recycled materials for decoration  Get learners to use directional and positional language.

Instructions Possible adaptions for special needs

 Download the template.  Cut out the template for learners.
 Print onto paper.  Provide left-handed scissors for left-handed learners.
 Let learners decorate and construct the puppets.

1
 LIFE SKILLS
Skills development Equipment How to adapt the grid activity for life skills
 Observe  Template creative arts
 Design  Scissors  Observe puppets and their construction.
 Create (make)  Glue  Make puppets using available resources.
 Evaluate  Crayons and khokis  Use puppets in a performance.
 Perform  Ribbon, buttons and recycled materials for decoration
Possible adaptions for special needs
Instructions  Cut out the template for learners.
 Download the template.  Provide left-handed scissors for left-handed learners.
 Print onto paper.
 Let learners decorate and construct the puppets.

2
 LINKS TO THE CAPS CURRICULUM
Learners can develop a wide range of skills and abilities when they work with puppets. Here are some of the
CAPS objectives that puppet play is good for.

Language

Grade 1: Listening & speaking

 Build an oral vocabulary using topics chosen by the teacher.

 Respond to greetings and farewells, and make simple requests using formulaic phrases, e.g. “May I go
to the toilet?”
 Memorise and perform action rhymes, simple poems and songs.
 Act out simple stories using some of the dialogue.
 Understand and respond to simple questions such as “What…?”

Grade 2: Listening & speaking

 Build an oral vocabulary using topics chosen by the teacher, e.g. feelings.
 Understand and respond to simple questions such as “Which…?”
 Ask simple formulaic questions, e.g. “What is your name?”
 Make simple requests and statements, e.g. “Can I go out, please?”
 Listen to stories and recount them.
 Act out the story using some of the dialogue.
 With help from the teacher, retell the story.
 Memorise and perform simple poems, action rhymes and songs.
 Play language games.

Grade 3: Listening & speaking

 Build an oral vocabulary using topics chosen by the teacher, e.g. finding out.
 Follow and give instructions.
 Respond to and make requests.
 Ask for clarification, e.g. “I don’t understand.”
 Gives a simple oral recount.
 Retell the story.
 Participate in a short conversation on a familiar topic.
 Understand and responds to questions such as “When…?”
 Perform a rhyme, poem or song.
 Play language games.

3
 Mathematics

Grade 1: Numbers, operations and relationships

 Use ordinal numbers to show order, place or position.

 Position objects in a line from first to tenth, or first to last, e.g. first, second, third… tenth.
 Practise number bonds to 10.
 Solve word problems (story sums) in context and explain own solution to problems involving addition
and subtraction, with answers up to 10.

Grade 1: Shape and space

 Follow directions to move finger with puppet, e.g. next to, under etc.

Grade 2: Numbers, operations and relationships

 Use ordinal numbers to show order, place or position.

 Position objects in a line from first to twentieth, or first to last.
 Solve word problems in context, and explain own solution to problems involving addition and
subtraction, with answers up to 20.

Grade 2: Shape and space

 Follow directions to move finger with puppet e.g. next to, under etc.

Grade 3: Numbers, operations and relationships

 Use ordinal numbers to show order, place or position.

 Use, read and write ordinal numbers, including abbreviated form (1st, 2nd, 3rd up to 31st).
 Solve word problems in context, and explain own solution to problems involving addition and
subtraction with answers up to 99.

Grade 3: Shape and space

 Follow directions to move finger with puppet, e.g. next to, under etc.

Life skills

Grade 1: Life orientation

 Topic/themes lend themselves to puppet work in role-play, e.g. me, my Family.

Grade 1: Creative arts (performing arts)

 Improvise and interpret:

o Singing indigenous songs using dramatization.
o Simple improvisation around familiar experiences in own family and community.

4
  Dramatisation: making up short stories and based on a South African poem, song or story:
o Role play (stepping into the shoes of somebody else).
o Developing short sentences of dialogue.
o Classroom performance: dramatisation incorporating a South African song/poem.

Grade 1: Visual arts

 Create in 3D (constructing).
 Make models, encourage personal expression, appropriate use of materials and spatial awareness.

Grade 2: Life orientation

 Topic/themes lend themselves to puppet work in role-play, e.g. people who help us in our community.

Grade 2: Creative arts (performing arts)

 Creative games and skills:

o Interactive story-telling activities.
 Improvise and Interpret:
o Creating short scenes based on appropriate topics, focusing on storyline.
o Creating appropriate characters.
o Showing differences between characters and character’s point of view in short scenes.

Grade 2: Visual arts

 Create in 3D (constructing).
 Construct using recyclable materials; discuss shape, texture, develop craft skills.

Grade 3: Life orientation

 Topic/themes lend themselves to puppet work in role-play, e.g. feelings.

Grade 3: Creative arts (performing arts)

 Improvise and interpret:

o Role play with beginning, middle and end, using stimulus, e.g. South African poem, story.
o Portraying character and objects in the role play using observation, imitation and
exaggeration.
 Dramatise in groups using an existing story based on appropriate topics, to develop own endings:
o Classroom dramas: illustrate different characters through vocal and physical characterisation.

Grade 3: Visual arts

 Create in 3D (constructing).
 Art elements: shape/form, texture.
 Use of tools: safety, consideration of others, sharing resources.

5
 VOCABULARY
Here are some important words to use when working with puppets:

 design  next to  more than

 make  under  less than
 construct  alongside  equals
 role-play  left  share
 act  right  divide
 dramatise  forward  half
 in front  backward  halve
 behind  first, second, third, fourth etc.

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS TO WATCH

 Do it yourself finger puppets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbhlou-vMXg

 Penguin finger puppet tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTJieddGkmM

 How to make finger puppets for kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iInt61sktNk

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES TO READ

Little Red Riding Hood Finger puppet templates:
 http://www.easypeasyandfun.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Free-Printable-Little-Red-Riding-
Hood-Finger-Puppets.pdf
 http://www.easypeasyandfun.com/little-red-riding-hood-finger-puppets/
Finger puppet bead heads:
 http://www.billybear4kids.com/FingerPuppets/BeadHeadFingerPuppet.shtml
Finger puppet bead faces:
 http://www.billybear4kids.com/FingerPuppets/BeadFaces.shtml
Let the kids learn through play:
 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/opinion/sunday/let-the-kids-learn-through-play.html