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9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Grades  Project 6 weeks

Puppet Palooza: Write, Make, Perform

Michael H
Updated
TH:Pr6.HS2.a
TH:Pr6.HS1.a
TH:Pr6.HS3.a
DA:Pr6.1.III.a
DA:Pr5.1.I.c
+ 11 more
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Purpose

Students create puppets, write and revise a short play, and perform for a public audience to tell a meaningful story about a real community issue. With support from Gloriana Theater, Sally, and a professional puppeteer, they use writing, design, rehearsal, and performance to shape work for a specific audience and keep viewers engaged from beginning to end. The project helps students build collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and self-direction as they make shared decisions, respond to feedback, and explain their choices in a live Q&A at The Great Noyo Puppet Festival.

Learning goals

Students will write, revise, and perform an original puppet play about a real community or global issue for a specific audience. They will design and build puppets, then improve movement, voice, pacing, and visibility through feedback from peers, Gloriana Theater, Sally, and a professional puppeteer. Students will work in teams to plan rehearsals, share roles, solve problems, and use weekly partner interviews to reflect and revise. They will present their work at The Great Noyo Puppet Festival, answer audience questions about their choices, and reflect on how their story connects to real people and experiences.

Standards
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Pr6.HS2.a - Present a drama/theatre work using creative processes that shape the production for a specific audience.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Pr6.HS1.a - Perform a scripted drama/theatre work for a specific audience.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Pr6.HS3.a - Present a drama/theatre production for a specific audience that employs research and analysis grounded in the creative perspectives of the playwright, director, designer, and dramaturg.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.III.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Model performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Enhance performance using a broad repertoire of strategies for dynamic projection. Develop a professional portfolio (resume, head shot, etc.) that documents the rehearsal and performance process with fluency in professional dance terminology and production terminology.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr5.1.I.c - Collaborate with peers to establish and implement a rehearsal plan to meet performance goals. Use a variety of strategies to analyze and evaluate performances of self and others (for example, use video recordings of practice to analyze the difference between the way movements look and how they feel to match performance with visual affect). Articulate performance goals and justify reasons for selecting particular practice strategies.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Pr4.HS2.a - Discover how unique choices shape believable and sustainable drama/ theatre work.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Cn10.HS3.a - Collaborate on a drama/theatre work that examines a critical global issue using multiple personal, community, and cultural perspectives.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.II.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Model performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Implement performance strategies to enhance projection. Post-performance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. Document the rehearsal and performance process and evaluate methods and strategies using dance terminology and production
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.I.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Demonstrate performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Postperformance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. Document the rehearsal and performance process and evaluate methods and strategies using dance terminology and production terminology.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] TH:Cr3.HS1.a - Practice and revise a devised or scripted drama/theatre work using theatrical staging conventions
Competencies
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Students create original puppets, a short revised script, and simple rehearsal artifacts such as scene drafts, blocking notes, and partner interview notes that show how their work improves over time. Along the way, teams produce quick puppet tests, rough rehearsal scenes, and Q&A prep materials to strengthen voice, movement, pacing, and audience connection with feedback from Gloriana Theater, Sally, and a professional puppeteer. By the end, each team presents a final puppet show about a real community issue, using puppets, script, and ensemble performance to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end. The final products are shared at The Great Noyo Puppet Festival for peers, families, alumni, staff, and community partners, followed by a live Q&A and a short written reflection on the show’s message, real-world connections, and student growth.

Launch

Start with Puppet Passport Kickoff: students rotate through simple stations to try sample puppets, practice voice and movement with a professional puppeteer, and collect ideas about real community issues. Next, in The Great Noyo Puppet Challenge, small groups create a short mini-scene with basic materials, then revise it after feedback from Sally and Gloriana Theater to make the audience care from the beginning. End with a Story Sparks Showcase, where teams respond to community-inspired prompts, improvise puppet reactions, and choose a theme for their original show. This launch helps every student begin as a maker, performer, and collaborator while setting up the final festival, Q&A, and weekly partner reflections.

Exhibition

Students will share their work at The Great Noyo Puppet Festival by performing original puppet shows for peers, families, alumni, staff, and community partners from Gloriana Theater, Sally, and a professional puppeteer. After each performance, the audience will join a short live Q&A where students explain their characters, message, design choices, and how the story connects to real people and experiences. The exhibition can also include a simple display of puppets, scripts, rehearsal photos, and notes from weekly partner interviews. This format lets every student contribute as a performer, designer, writer, technician, or speaker while showing growth in confidence, communication, cooperation, and audience engagement.