Puppets: Peter and the Fox Script

Practice paper : Puppets

Subject: English.

Students: from 8 to 12

Time: class around 60 minutes, play between 10 and 15 minutes.

Participants: Tamagni Gala, Cielo Sampietro, Cavalotto Andrea and Haag Sofia.

Story: “Peter and the fox”.

Resources needed: puppets, “scenario”, computer (music), loudspeakers and script.

Purposes:

Our aim is to teach through a story based methodology, new vocabulary as well as go over previous vocabulary learnt by the students through the use of puppets. By vocabulary we mean for example: colours, numbers, objects in general for example if the setting is the woods, the elements, there such as trees, animals, nature of it is a town vocabulary related to what it may be presented there) physical features, a wide variety of adjectives and elements that exist in different surroundings.

          This tool (puppets) is not only useful to keep them motivated and entertained but also to make the children associate the vocabulary with characters and images; and at the same time as a story will be narrated and the characters will be talking, the students will be able to understand and learn more words and structures related to everyday speech and even associations with the past.

 The play will also involve preliminary activities (before the play) in order to revise previous knowledge and introduce the topic, vocabulary and characters; direct interaction between the students and the puppets and even the use of body language. We want them to feel motivated, excited and also inspired; interaction with puppets will engage their curiosity and participation, it is a valuable resource to make them acquire new vocabulary and to go over previous knowledge.

Most of their senses will be “active”, they will see, hear and even touch and play with the puppets, their increased cognitive abilities will make this process of learning even more possible.

Also, after the play, we aim to give the students homework (with clear instructions) related to puppets and the topic in order to consolidate what they have learnt. For example,

Also we do not only want to teach everything we have mentioned before without taking into account the message of the story. We did not choose it only because we consider it rich and fun for teaching but also because of the moral it reflects, the idea of honesty and helping others. Transmitting values to our students is essential in order to build up their democratic citizenship!

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

·       Revise and integrate previous knowledge.

·       Learn new vocabulary/lexicon identifying it with images provided through the play

·       Pronounce correctly new words 

·       Make use of their body through TPR activities

·       Activate or make use of their representational systems: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic.

·       Motivate and engage their curiosity through the play

Activities Previous to the play:

In order revise previous knowledge and introduce the topic (vocabulary and characters) we will ask the students a few general questions such as:  “Children do know what this is? (showing them a sheep)  What colour is it? Do you know where sheep live? What do they eat?

Script:    “Peter and the fox”

Once upon a time, there was a little Shepherd who lived in a town near the woods. His name was Peter and his job was to take care of the sheep.

·       During this introduction we will present Peter and the sheep in the scene. After this we will stop  telling the tale and introduce them to the students, directly asking them trough Peter if they know what a shepherd is, what is he like, what is he wearing, what many sheep are there, the colour and characteristics, etc.

He was always bored and alone on the field; he used to play alone trying to find out how to entertain himself. Finally he had an idea to have fun.

_ Peter: “This will be so funny, it is just a joke”

So one day, Peter started to shout:

_ Peter: “Help, help! The fox is coming!”

The alarmed neighbours ran out to help him:

_Neighbours:” Run, run, Peter is in danger. Hurry up!”

 But they just found Peter laughing

_ Peter: “Ha, ha, ha, you are so silly, I was joking!”

The neighbours went back home really angry and disappointed.

·       During this scene we will present 4 characters/puppets based on the neighbours and reproduce recorded sounds such as people angrily murmuring.

On the next day, Peter decided to make the same joke.

_Peter: “Help, help! the fox is coming again, please help me he is going to eat me and my sheep!”

This time, some of the neighbours didn’t pay him attention, but the others who really believed Peter was in danger, ran out again to help him.

_ Neighbours: “Hurry up, maybe he really is in danger this time”

But it was a bad joke again, Peter couldn’t stop laughing and the good neighbours just decided to ignore him.

_ Peter: “Hahahaha you are so silly”

_ Neighbours: “This was the last time, we will never believe him again. He is a liar!”

The day after, Peter the Little Shepherd was with the flock when a big fox appeared.

_ Wolf: I am the fox, I live in the woods and I am really hungry. Do you see any sheep I can eat?”

When the wolf saw Peter’s sheep he started to eat them. Peter could not believe it and started to shout again.

 _ Peter: “Help, help! A big grey fox is eating my sheep!”

But no one in town ran out to help him. So the big grey fox ate all the sheep. Peter felt really sad and alone. From that day on he never lied again and started to look for a job considering that he didn’t have any sheep left.

_ Peter: “I will never lie again, it is not funny and people do not trust me anymore, they were very kind and tried to help me. I can have fun and be honest without hurting people’s feeling”.         THE END

Activities after the play:

We will let the students interact and play with the puppets as well as give them some homework: explain step by step how to make at home finger puppets based on animals that live in Argentina. Then, next class we will all play with the puppets and go over vocabulary such as colours, size, where each animal may live or eat etc. But instead of making the children choose an animal we will make the children pick a paper with an animal name (that we teachers write) so as not to repeat animals and have the opportunity of a wide range of puppets.

Another choice can be to ask the students to bring for next class any material they have at home to prepare the finger puppets in class; also we (teachers) will bring the materials.