LOTE topic: Storytelling with Puppets Links to Design, Creativity and
Technology, Levels 3-5 Examples:
Japanese: Bunraku
Chinese: shadow puppets
Indonesian: wayang kulit
French: Guignol
Italian: marionettes, Pinocchio, Sicilian types, Commedia
dell’Arte types
German: Kasperle, Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Key activities for a unit of work: Investigating and designing
; read a story based on traditional puppet theatre and ; Students, individually and in teams, generate ideas
work towards understanding the text based on a design brief, demonstrating understanding
that designs may need to meet a range of different ; view a performance of puppet theatre requirements.
; Look at pictures or actual examples of the puppets and ; Students use a range of methods to research and discuss how they are made. Language focus: collect data in response to design briefs. adjectives and descriptive phrases.
; They use words, labelled sketches and models to ; Discuss some traditional stories and characters of this communicate the details of their designs. They use a type of puppet theatre. Guided research or ‘fact finding’ variety of drawing and modelling techniques to tasks (such as the jigsaw technique) to find out more visualise design ideas and concepts. about the puppets, characters and stories.
; They identify simple systems components and ; Ask the children to draw one or some of the puppets common materials/ ingredients and explain the labelling the different features in the LOTE: parts; characteristics and properties that make them suitable colours; shapes; materials; characteristics; feelings for use in products. evoked.
; They describe how their intended product will function ; Students explore and investigate a range of materials or be used, and what it will look like in the context of from which they can make their versions of the the requirements of the design brief. puppets. Teachers show students materials, tools and
equipment with which they will work and demonstrate ; They identify evaluation criteria from design briefs and
and discuss correct and safe use of tools and use them to justify design choices.
equipment, and the techniques to be used. Producing
; Students, working in groups or pairs, plan their puppet ; Students use their list of steps and are able to choose show. appropriate tools, equipment and techniques to alter
o plan their performance and combine materials and assemble components.
o identify the kinds of puppets that would be ; They use a variety of simple techniques/processes and suitable a range of materials/ingredients to make products that
have moving parts. o allocate roles and responsibilities and begin to
develop scripts ; Students use a range of measuring, marking,
joining/combining techniques to alter materials and o identify a purpose and discuss the kind of finishing/presentation methods, and operate tools and audience they will appeal to. equipment competently, showing consideration of
safety. ; Students write a script for a puppet play. it can be
based on a traditional story, or their own ideas. They ; They make modifications during production. revise, edit and finalise their scripts.
Analysing and Evaluating ; Students explore the stages of a design brief for
developing a puppet for a performance. ; Students test, evaluate and revise their products or in
light of feedback they have gained from others. ; They draw three design options that address the
design brief. They consider different parts and ways for ; They consider how well a product functions and/or how their puppet to move and include these ideas in their well it meets the intended purpose. designs. They label their ideas to show the following: ; Students reflect on their designs as they develop them o the parts of the puppet and use evaluation criteria, identified from design
briefs, to justify their design choices.
o how the parts will be joined ; They suggest modifications to improve their products in
light of evaluation of their performance, function and o how the puppet will move (students use arrows to appearance. show direction of movement)
; They recommend improvements to the performance, o what the puppet looks like function and appearance of others’ products.
o the materials from which the parts are made.
; Students list the materials they will use and also note
why they selected each material.
; As a class, identify simple criteria for the puppets, eg
they must look like particular characters, the pieces
must not come apart. Ask the students to finish the
sentence 'A good puppet should be...'
; Students make their puppet and modify their design if it
does not work as expected.
; Teachers observe and record information about:
o the quality of the product
o the level of competence in using tools
o the ability to make changes as required.
; Students test the puppet and practise the script in
rehearsal sessions.
; Students perform their puppet show before the whole
class and then reflect on its success, including
evaluating the puppet’s design and effectiveness
against the criteria agreed earlier.
LOTE topic: Mask Making Links to Design, Creativity and Contexts: Technology, Levels 3-5 Indonesian: Topeng dance drama
French: le carnaval
Italian: Carnevale
German: Karnaval / Fasching
Japanese: No theatre
Key activities for a unit of work: Investigating and designing
; Students practise words and phrases for describing ; Students, individually and in teams, generate ideas appearance and personality traits based on a design brief, demonstrating understanding
that designs may need to meet a range of different ; They draw masks which symbolise their personalities, requirements. or those of well-known people, and describe them ; Students use a range of methods to research and ; Students view video and/or photos of carnivals or collect data in response to design briefs. performances that involve the wearing of masks. ; They use words, labelled sketches and models to
communicate the details of their designs. They use a ; They learn more about the history, stories, characters, variety of drawing and modelling techniques to regional differences, modern developments and events visualise design ideas and concepts. related to the carnival or performance. Students can ; They identify simple systems components and take part in a variety of ‘fact-finding’ activities via the common materials/ ingredients and explain the jigsaw technique, or web quests, or other kinds of characteristics and properties that make them suitable research. The focus is on learning appropriate for use in products. information and also key vocabulary in the LOTE that ; They describe how their intended product will function will assist with later activities. or be used, and what it will look like in the context of ; Students examine and describe actual examples of the requirements of the design brief. masks if available. ; They identify evaluation criteria from design briefs and
use them to justify design choices. ; Students explore the idea that masks can be representations of traditional characters in the carnival Producing or performance. They work through tasks to practise the language of describing characters’ appearance, ; Students use their list of steps and are able to choose personality traits and typical actions. They prepare appropriate tools, equipment and techniques to alter written and spoken descriptions of these characters, and combine materials and assemble components. and their part in the traditional stories. ; They use a variety of simple techniques/processes and ; Students prepare a design brief for making a mask to a range of materials/ingredients to make products that
wear in a parade. The mask can be based on a have moving parts.
traditional character, or can be an original design. The ; Students use a range of measuring, marking, design brief will include: joining/combining techniques to alter materials and
o background information finishing/presentation methods, and operate tools and o the purpose the mask will serve equipment competently, showing consideration of o labelled sketches safety. o a list of materials needed ; They make modifications during production. o an explanation of the procedure o criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of Analysing and Evaluating the mask
; Students test, evaluate and revise their products or in ; Students make their mask and modify their design if it light of feedback they have gained from others. does not turn out as expected. ; They consider how well a product functions and/or how
well it meets the intended purpose. ; Teachers observe and record information about:
; Students reflect on their designs as they develop them o the quality of the mask and use evaluation criteria, identified from design
briefs, to justify their design choices. o the level of competence in using tools ; They suggest modifications to improve their products in o the ability to make changes as required. light of evaluation of their performance, function and
appearance. ; Students take part in a carnival parade, or ; They recommend improvements to the performance, performance, wearing their masks. (There may have function and appearance of others’ products. been additional work on the costumes, music, food.
etc.)
; Students reflect on their part in the parade, and write
an evaluation of their mask and performance in other
activities.
These activities can be adapted to focus on the making of many other items such as kites, dolls, special foods or meals,
costumes and pottery.
Links to Design, Creativity and Technology, LOTE task: Information Product
Levels 3-5
Examples: Investigating and designing
; board game ; Students, individually and in teams, generate ideas
based on a design brief, demonstrating understanding ; video / short film that designs may need to meet a range of different
requirements. ; segment for radio or TV
; Students use a range of methods to research and ; brochure collect data in response to design briefs. ; web pages ; They use words, labelled sketches and models to ; web quest communicate the details of their designs. They use a
variety of drawing and modelling techniques to ; bulletin visualise design ideas and concepts.
; students’ magazine ; They identify components and materials and explain
the characteristics and properties that make them ; advertisement suitable for use in products. ; packaging ; They describe how their intended product will function ; display board or be used, and what it will look like in the context of
the requirements of the design brief. ; interactive map
; They identify evaluation criteria from design briefs and ; user guide use them to justify design choices.
Information products for a specified audience and purpose Producing are an excellent way for students at all levels to
demonstrate what they have learned in a unit of work. ; Students use their list of steps and are able to choose
appropriate tools, equipment and techniques to Students can tap into the knowledge and skills of the combine materials and assemble components. Design, Creativity and Technology domain by documenting
the process for making the information product: ; They use a variety of techniques/processes to make
products. 1. putting together a design brief which includes
; They make modifications during production. ; background research and explanation of how it
was used to generate ideas for the product Analysing and Evaluating
; labelled sketches or model of the planned product ; Students test, evaluate and revise their products or in
light of feedback they have gained from others. ; explanation of product elements or components,
and their purpose ; They consider how well a product functions and/or how
well it meets the intended purpose. ; explanation of the process, tools and techniques to
be used in creating the product ; Students reflect on their designs as they develop them
and use evaluation criteria, identified from design ; product evaluation criteria briefs, to justify their design choices.
Some or all of the deign brief could be in the LOTE. ; They suggest modifications to improve their products in light of evaluation of their performance, function and
appearance. 2. teacher observation and assessment of the production
process ; They recommend improvements to the performance, function and appearance of others’ products.
3. explicit testing of the product and collecting feedback
on how well it meets its intended purpose
4. opportunity for reflection and evaluation of the product
and process
5. making modifications and improvements