Puppets in Multiple Visions
Girard's interest in the human form is present in his installation. One wonders how many elements of his collection are figures. Puppets in "Multiple Visions" appear in many of the settings and range from a marionette of Pinocchio to Punch and Judy characters to ancestor puppets from Mail, to shadow puppets to wooden puppets from Rajasthan, India. Walking around the Girard Wing, one feels a bit like a character on Girard's grand theater.

Vocabulary

Ancestors - a relative from whom one is descended, usually more remote than a grandparent

Audience - a group of spectators

Character - features or attributes that distinguish an individual

Doll - a small scale figure of a human used in play

Figure - the shape or form of a body

Marionette - a jointed figure that is manipulated by strings

Performance - a public presentation

Puppet - a small scale figure that is manipulated by hand

Rod - a stick

Shadow Puppet - a puppet whose shadow is the focus of performance

Stage - a raised platform where a performance takes place

Project: Puppets

NM Standards: Art, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Objectives
1. To understand how puppets can reflect the cultures that it comes from (historical and cultural understanding.)
2. To name and discuss the characteristics of puppets (perceiving, analyzing and responding.)
3. To create a puppet using mixed media (creating and performing.)

Materials
Craft foam or lightweight railroad board approximately 9" x 12" and subdivided and cut into 4 pieces 1" x 9" (arms & legs), 1 piece 4" x 9" (body), and 3 pieces 3" x 4" (head, hands & feet), pencils, glue and glue brushes, scissors, paper fasteners, 1/8" wooden dowels 18" long (up to 3 per puppet), masking tape, sequins, feathers, pom-poms, fabric scraps, buttons, yarn, markers (optional).

Motivation
Ask the students what the difference is between a puppet and a doll. What are the similarities? What different kinds of puppets have they seen? What do puppets tell us about the people or animals that they represent? What can puppets tell us about the people who made them or who use them to put on puppet performances? Pass around some puppets and have students animate them for each other.

Explain that the students will be making stick puppets that can be human, animal or some combination of human and animal characteristics. The only limits are the materials that are available and their imaginations.

Procedure
1. Each student chooses a color of craft foam or railroad board to work with. Explain the way that the cut pieces are designated for different body parts. Have the students lay out their foam pieces accordingly to visualize the form of the figure/animal. For animal figures, the students may want to orient the body part horizontally.
2. The students refine the body part shapes by drawing on them with pencil and then cutting away the portions they do not need.
3. Attach the body parts with paper fasteners, overlapping the foam pieces and piercing them with the fasteners. Students can articulate knee, elbow, waist and other joints by cutting the shapes and then using paper fasteners to attach different sections.
4. When the body has been assembled, use glue to adhere the decorative elements to the foam.
5. Let dry.
6. Attach at least one dowel to the back of the puppet with masking tape. Some students may want to attach dowels to the hands or feet as well.

Evaluation

Have students bring their puppets to life individually, Showing how they move, exploring the characteristics and their features, including their voice.

Organize a student puppet show using the puppets they made.

Have a student led puppet making workshop for other students in the school.

Extensions and Connections
Students can research historic figures and use their work as a basis for making puppets. They can use their puppets to create a related puppet show. (History, Visual and Performing Arts)

Students can explore different types of puppets, for example, marionettes, shadow puppets, giant puppets, finger puppets. They can make different kinds of puppets and put on a show or use them in a procession. (Visual and Performing Arts)

Bibliography

Children's Books

Collodi, C. Pinnochio. Various Publishers.

Adult Books

Brown, Osa. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Activity Book. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art & Harry Abrams, 1983.

Gomez, Aurelia. Crafts of Many Cultures. New York, Scholastic Inc., 1992

Peattie, Sara and the Puppeteer's Cooperative. 68 Ways to Make Really Big Puppets. Glover, Vermont: The Bread & Puppet Press, 1996.

Ruby, K. Wise Fool Basics. Berkeley, California: Wise Fool Puppet Intervention, 1999.

Rump, Nan. Puppets and Masks, Stagecraft and Storytelling. Worcester, Massachusetts: Davis Publications, 1996.

Terzian, Alexandra M. The Kids' Multi-Cultural Art Book. Charlotte, Vermont: Williamson Publishing, 1993.


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