Free Choice Blog

Puppeteering 

    I honestly have never incorporated puppets into my storytelling, and after this week's videos and readings, I feel like it really inspired and encouraged me to try with my younger students. I have always been hesitant because I am by no means a ventriloquist. I think of this incredible girl, Darci Lynne from America's Got Talent, and there is no way I would ever be able to recreate what she does! 

    I think seeing Storytelling with Puppets and Alina Celeste performing on YouTube made it seem really doable. They don't worry about being perfect, not moving their lips, being a ventriloquist, etc. They just have fun, embody the character, and do fun voices! I already try that when I am reading a book, so I think that incorporating puppets into storytelling would just add a more interactive part to draw in the students. 

Shadow Puppets

    I also thought the Sleeping Beauty Shadow Puppet video was gorgeous. It's such a really beautiful, visual art form and I think it would be incredible to try. I was reminded of a performance I saw while teaching in China, and I even have some of the shadow puppets put away somewhere special. This is such a fun story, and I think you would enjoy watching The Great Zodiac Race. It's a story that tells the origin of the Chinese Zodiac and why the animals appear in the order they do. And it also explains why cats like to chase rats! 

    

Storytelling

    This week I loved reading the article Storytelling for Fluency and Flair by Campbell and Hlusek. I could just imagine the fun and excitement building in the third grade students as they each prepared, practiced, and performed their own stories. What an incredible opportunity for the students to take something they have seen and heard modeled and be able to adapt it and make it their own! I love that they rewrote scripts, modified language, created props and costumes. This was a great example of putting learning into the hands of the students and allowing them to guide their own fluency, reading, and writing skills! 

    I was curious about the initial story that was used as a model, so I found a video of the Nutmeg Princess as mentioned, told by the original author, Richardo Keens-Douglas. He was a very fun and entertaining storyteller, and I loved his enthusiasm, voices, and excitement telling the story. 

    As a developing storyteller myself, I could really feel his love for the story he was telling. I also loved this list from the article that they used with the students. I think they're applicable for all of us, as well! In thinking ahead to the story I will tell with no props and no book, I know how much I will have to practice and practice and practice! 

Readings: 

Myths

The Jade Emperor: A Chinese Zodiac Myth by Anita Yasuda

The Monkey King: A Chinese Monkey Spirit Myth by Anita Yasuda

Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott

The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico by Nina Jeff

Stolen Fire: A Seminole Trickster Myth by Anita Yasuda 

Parables

(All from the Bible) 

Wise and Foolish Builders from Matthew 7:24-27

Salt of the Earth from Matthew 5:13

The Growing Seed from Mark 4: 26-29

Mustard Seed from Mark 4:30-32

Lamp Under a Bowl from Matthew 5:14-16

Tall Tales 

Johnny Kaw: A Tall Tale by Devin Scillian 

Tumbleweed Baby by Anna Myers

My Pet Rattlesnake by Joe Hayes

American Heroes and Legends: John Henry by Brad Kessler

Miss Sally Ann and the Panther by Bobbi Miller 

References

Campbell, T., & Hlusek, M. (2015). Storytelling for fluency and Flair. The Reading Teacher, 69(2), 157–161. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1384 

YouTube. (2020). The Nutmeg Princess. YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX3imy5sBww. 

YouTube. (2013). Puppets in the Library. YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyUQhmSj66s. 

YouTube. (2021). Vip Puppets Shadow Puppet Show: The legend of the Chinese Zodiac. YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_yoiUexl7U.