Rosemary F. Hamilton
Creative Writing Through Puppetry
There is an ancient Chinese proverb:
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I hear and I forget
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I see and I remember
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I do and I understand
Puppetry is a fun way to involve students. It can be an outlet for problem students. Through puppets students can empathize with others. What seems pretend can often harbor real thoughts and feelings especially in the adolescent years. Students can overcome shyness, gain confidence, acceptance, and a feeling of security, success, and cooperation in group interactions. It is a novel way to what could and often has been a turn off-Biographies-Oh, do we have to? Personally I used to dread reading them. Knowing this I want to give my students every opportunity to get excited about 1ife stories which I see as an adult are filled with possibilities. What could be more fascinating than people? Ultimately I want my students to write creative dramatics: including antecedent action, initial incident, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouenent, and finis.
After we have read numerous biographical selections mentioned before each student is to pick out a favorite person whom they would like to imitate. They will be taught how to make a simple hand puppet from old gloves, mittens, felt, glue. A couple of students will be assigned to build a stage from a large box and a desk blotter. This back drop allows several changes of scenery to be used.
Each student is to try writing, alone or in pairs, a scripts. They are to use quotes and passages from the selection read. Remind them of the effectiveness of humor. The puppets in turn can only cone to life it you give them voice, movement, appearance, and personality.
During the actual writing remind them to keep the action and dialogue simple, clear, and easy to follow just as we reviewed in the section on “How to Write.” A short introduction by a narrator may be followed by a logical development of the action and dialogue. Finally a clear ending which follows closely on the climax is next. Have the students take turns introducing their puppets, telling their names in puppet voices, as they see, them moving. Puppet voices should be exaggerated. Pick a voice which you think would match the character of your puppet: high, low, fast, along, whisper, hoarse, growling, sweet, squeaky, deep, choppy, yawning, chipper. In characterizing your person think of their point of view, taste in clothes, taste in food, humor, friends, interests, job, personal history, and famous key phrases. Then practice puppet movements; side to side; up and down; forward and back; and in circles.
To demonstrate to my students I have composed this sample skit with puppets.
“Julia Child in Take Human Bites”
Chef-in a poor French accent-Bonjour la classe.
Je suis la galloping gourmet (as she rides in on a hobby horse)
Today we are going to make soup du jour-blowing a kiss at her recipe.
We will make it ala carte-she yells out I don’t care what you bring it out on.
Chef Julia looks at her cook book through her magnifying glass.
(note simple props are used to effect exaggeration)
Out loud she reads and motions:
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1. chop meat-literally she uses karate
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2. pinch of salt-ouch!
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3. 1 cup of water-she throws the cup in too
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4. whip egg whites-uses white spray paint to color brown eggs
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5. 1 rabbit-bugs bunny puppet conveniently appears exclaiming “THAT’S ALL FOLKS”
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6. Voila! she sprays lysol—such aroma.
Julia Child kissing her finger tips says mmmm think the French accent should be on Liptons.
Fini
Having used puppetry before I am always amazed at the imaginative skits students write. They genuinely get excited and look forward to any assigned projects. In fact it works so much that it is difficult to then move on to English drill work. Do we have to?
Dial a Job
The Junior High School age is ideal for thinking about the future. To plan for a career we must start early. Once we begin working it is usually for a long time so it better be a choice well thought out. Review value structure with your students. What is most important to you? Do you want an exciting job with constant change and many challenges, financial security, personal freedom, pleasure, job satisfaction in a job well done, political power, social service, creativity, or a combination of some of these? As we read the selections mentioned in this unit what are some of the jobs and are those people happy? What education and training are required to become some of the people we read about? How much money do you want to make? Consider all the aspects of job selection; what will be your responsibilities, what benefits does it offer, can you get ahead in that company, what are the working conditions, the hours, the salary, and do you have to travel much? Think about your priorities. Does it make any difference if you are happy?
Have each student select a possible career. Let them read and study someone in that field. Give students a sample of a resume.
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NAME
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ADDRESS
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PHONE NUMBER
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BUSINESS EXPERIENCE PRESENT AND WORK BACK
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PROFESSIONAL STATUS—EX. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
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EDUCATION—MOST RECENT AND WORK BACK
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PERSONAL—BIRTHDATE, MARITAL STATUS, HEALTH, HOBBIES, INTERESTS
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REFERENCES—UPON REQUEST
To practice a variation of writing have students fill out a resume as if they would be applying for a summer job as many do. Since so many do not know what they would qualify for have them evaluate themselves first. What abilities do they possess? What do they like to do? Do they want to work outdoors in summer? Make up a personality traits chart and see which ones apply to them.
Have a student make a cardboard dial similar to a giant telephone. Alphabetically jobs will be listed. (For example, A-artist, architect, actor, astronaut) You can cross reference it too.(For example, Norman Rockwell listed under A and R) When you dial a job or a personality there is a report filed already which has been assigned previously.
To encourage an interest in ethnic origins have students select representatives of certain nationalities and study them. They can write menus, dress dolls in native costumes, and keep scrap books on that country.
The best push for career education is field trips. Local businesses are more than willing to accommodate tour groups. Merrill Lynch, Colonial Bank and the New Haven Register schedule tours regularly. The excitement from a trip is an easy motivator for some writing activities.
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To Write the Unwritable Wrong
Teaching autobiographies to your students need not be an impossible dream. Students with poor self-images are shocked when someone is truly interested in learning about their life. Autobiography allows them the chance to share themselves with others. I am somebody, who are you?
My students will step into a make believe time machine. Here they will brainstorm together but jet down information which is pertinent to them. Consider these questions for starters:
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1. Who are your favorite people?
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2. What was the most important thing to happen to you?
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3. What are your favorite hobbies and interests?
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4. What books, movies, and television shows do you like?
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5. What do you dream about?
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6. What are your likes and dislikes?
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7. What makes you happy and sad?
From this gathering of information have students do a time line where they can better order the sequence of events.
Then design a panorama of three scenes from their life. The panorama can take the form of a collage, three dimensional cut out, drawing, painting, or photography. Welcome any other creative suggestions.
My students will review their journals and diaries previously assigned and their time lines to gather information necessary to begin writing. Review the section on “How to Write.” Since my goal is creative writing through autobiography I will be flexible. They will be given numerous suggestions and samples of what they could do. But they will be given the chance in a non-threatening atmosphere to be original. The finished product will be handed in only after we have had a session on how to make book jackets and which captions and photographs to include.
As a culminating activity the class will do a well hanging of burlap, felt, and bright colored yarns. Each student is to be given a standard size rectangle which they can design. For suggestions they can do hand prints, athletic scenes, self-portraits, zodiac signs, birthdays, and personality traits like the funniest, the best athlete, the most ordinary, the shyest and so forth. Your will and prophecy are up to you.