Shadow Puppet Resources

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I would share the resources I used to create the shadow puppet show for a black and white themed program for Spanish and bilingual story time that I did in October 2012. (Here is the link to my previous post: http://www.librarianlindsay.blogspot.com/2012/12/black-and-white-spanish-and-bilingual.html)

For inspiration, I actually looked at print books available in the children's department. Here's what I checked out:

Anderson, D.  (1997). Amazingly easy puppet plays: 42 new scripts for one-person puppetry. Chicago: American Library Association.

Bryant, J., & C. Heard. 2002. Making shadow puppets. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can.

Sims, J. (1988). Puppets for dreaming and scheming: More than80 ideas for puppet projects, props, and stages. Santa Barbara, CA: Learning Works. 

I actually used the template for I Know an Old Lady from the Andersen book (I do have to double check). First, I made a copy of the templates using a copy machine. Then I cut the templates, traced the designs on black poster board, and cut them out. Then I attached the individual animal silhouettes with straws and tape. The old lady did require a brad so her jaw could move up and down (the jaw piece had its own straw, so the old lady gets two straws). Here's how they turned out:

For my literacy skill tip for the program, I shared with the parents an easy way to make their own shadow puppet theater with a cardboard box. Here is a link that offers information on how to make a shadow puppet theater out of a cereal box: http://www.squidoo.com/shadow-puppet-theater I also found a very cool blog, The Rowdy Pea, that has a post on making a shadow guessing game: http://rowdypea.typepad.com/the_rowdy_pea/2008/02/the-mystery-sha.html After you make a  shadow puppet theater out of a box (or cereal box), all you do is hold up different items from around the house behind the "curtain" and light and have the kids identify the items. Fun!