Lesson Overview

Inspired by the QAGOMA exhibition "Make-Believe & Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company," this lesson invites Samantha into the whimsical world of puppetry and storytelling. Samantha will explore how physical puppets are used to express emotions, build unique characters, and tell imaginative stories. By the end of this lesson, she will design her own puppet character and perform a three-part narrative (Beginning, Middle, and End).

Materials Needed

• Visual Inspiration: Access to QAGOMA's exhibition webpage or images of Jim Henson's puppets (Kermit the Frog, Fraggle Rock characters, or Sesame Street puppets).
• Puppet Making Supplies: One clean, plain sock OR a paper lunch bag.
• Decorating Supplies: Googly eyes, colorful yarn (for hair), felt scraps, buttons, markers, glue, and kid-safe scissors.
• Storytelling Tools: Printable "My Puppet's Story Map" (or a blank sheet of paper folded into three sections labeled "Beginning," "Middle," and "End").

Learning Objectives & Success Criteria

1. Introduction & Hook (10 Minutes)

The Hook: The Magic of Jim Henson

(Show Samantha a picture of Jim Henson surrounded by his famous puppets, or play a quick, fun clip of a Muppet or Fraggle Rock character interacting with a human.)

Educator Script: "Samantha, look at these amazing creatures! Have you ever wondered how these puppets come to life? A wonderful artist named Jim Henson invented them! He realized that a simple piece of cloth, some fuzzy hair, and two big eyes could tell the most magical stories in the world. Down at the QAGOMA gallery, there is a whole exhibition celebrating this 'Make-Believe & Magic.' Today, you are the artist and the storyteller! We are going to build our own puppet friend and create a brand-new adventure for them. Ready to dive into the world of make-believe?"

Learning Goal Announcement

Educator Script: "By the end of today, you will have built your very own puppet, given them a name and personality, and performed a mini-puppet show showing a beginning, middle, and end of their story!"

2. Body of the Lesson: I Do, We Do, You Do (35 Minutes)

Part A: "I Do" - Exploring Character and Story Structure (10 Minutes)

Goal: Teach Samantha how physical features translate to personality, and model the 3-part story structure.

Educator Instructions: Hold up a pre-made puppet or a well-known character toy (like Elmo or Kermit). Demonstrate how to "read" the character:

• Look: "See how this character has big, wide eyes? That makes them look curious and happy!"
• Voice & Movement: Show how the puppet moves its mouth when it talks, and give it a silly, high-pitched voice. "Hello, Samantha! I love to eat cookies!"
• The Story Map: Explain that every great puppet adventure has three parts:
  1. The Beginning: Introduce the character and where they are (Setting). (Example: Cookie Monster is in his kitchen.)
  2. The Middle: A little problem happens! (Example: Oh no! The cookie jar is completely empty!)
  3. The End: The problem is solved. (Example: He learns to bake some delicious new cookies with his friend!)

Part B: "We Do" - Brainstorming and Character Creation (15 Minutes)

Goal: Co-create the physical puppet and brainstorm character details.

Educator Instructions: Help Samantha select her base (sock or paper bag). Assist with the scissor work or glue gun usage if necessary, but let Samantha make the creative choices.

Guided Questions while Crafting:

• "What color hair should your puppet have? Will they look silly, sleepy, or full of energy?"
• "Let's put the eyes on. If we place them close together, do they look goofy? If we place them far apart, do they look sleepy?"
• "What is your puppet's name? Let's practice their special puppet voice together!"

Part C: "You Do" - Story Mapping (10 Minutes)

Goal: Samantha independently plans her story using her new puppet.

Educator Instructions: Give Samantha the "Story Map" paper (divided into 3 columns or boxes: Beginning, Middle, End). Ask her to draw or write a simple word/sentence for each box:

• Box 1 (Beginning): Where is your puppet today, and what are they doing?
• Box 2 (Middle/Problem): What unexpected or funny thing happens to them? (e.g., they lost their favorite shoe, a friendly dragon ate their sandwich, it started raining jellybeans).
• Box 3 (End/Solution): How do they fix the problem?

Scaffold: If writing is tiring, Samantha can draw the pictures and dictate her ideas to you to write down!

3. The Grand Finale: Puppet Show & Assessment (10 Minutes)

The Puppet Performance

Set up a simple "stage" using the back of a couch, a table, or cardboard box. Give Samantha 2 minutes to rehearse, then let her perform her puppet show!

Educator Instructions: Watch the show and look for:

1. Does the puppet have a distinct voice or personality?
2. Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
3. Does Samantha show enthusiasm and creativity?

Formative Assessment & Reflection

Celebrate the performance with a big round of applause! Ask Samantha these reflection questions to reinforce learning:

• "What was your favorite part of your puppet's adventure today?"
• "How did your puppet feel when the [problem] happened, and how did they show that feeling?"

4. Adaptations & Extensions

For Extra Support (If Samantha gets stuck):

• Story Starters: Provide a choice of 3 simple problems: "Your puppet lost their keys," "Your puppet wants to fly but has no wings," or "Your puppet wants to make a new friend."
• Puppet Design: Use pre-cut felt shapes so she can easily arrange features without struggling with scissors.

For an Extra Challenge (Extension Activities):

• The Next Episode: Have Samantha write a "Part 2" to her story or introduce a second puppet character (played by the educator) to practice dialogue and cooperative storytelling.
• The Exhibition Connection: Write a mini "exhibition label" describing her puppet, just like the real labels on display at QAGOMA (e.g., "The Fluffernutter, created by Samantha in 2024. Made of fuzzy yarn and joy.").