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Art and Life in Africa Project

Lesson Plan Databank


Plan Number: 020

Title/Lesson/Theme: Rod Puppets

Designed by: Sandra Quintero

Grade level/Discipline: Elementary Art

Estimated Time: 6-50 minute blocks

Objectives (what will be assessed?):

Students will create large papier mache rod puppets. They will compare their puppets to African masquerade puppets.

Students will make connections between their own art and the art of Africa.

Description/Background:

Students will be introduced to the rod masquerade puppets of the Bamana people of Mali through a slide show created from the ALA CD. They will create their own rod puppets and use them in the local annual Viesha parade. Students will process how their puppets are similar to the puppets of the Bamana.

Step by Step Procedure:

1. armature for puppet heads from newspaper and cardboard attached to dowel rod.

2. Paint puppet heads.

3. Create puppet bodies from cloth.

4. Add details to puppets with yarn, fake fur, felt, etc.

5. Use puppets in a parade.

6. Process by discussing how the Bamana people used their puppets and how we used out puppets View puppets from around the world.

7. View slide show of rod masquerade puppets of the Bamana people. (click here to view or download sample list)

8. Watch demonstration on puppet construction.

9. Sketch ideas for puppets.

10. Make.

Assignment in CD (essays, chapters):

Field essays by Mary Jo Arnoldi

Studio Materials Needed:

Newspaper, masking tape, cardboard, art paste, fabric pieces, yarn, fake fur, felt, paint, dowel rods

Vocabulary:

Papier mache, rod puppets, masquerade, Bamana, Mali, Viesha

Evaluation/Assessment tool (how will objectives be assessed?:

Completion of puppets. Quality of final product. Written paragraph comparing the Bamana rod puppets to the students own puppets.

Bibliography/Alternative resources:

Websites:




Submitted 7/24/98