We will start by watching the shadow puppet play 'Peter and the Wolf'. While you are watching the play, you will fill out a puppet play planner describing parts of the play.

• Characters (who is in the play)
• Setting (where does the story take place)
• Problem: (what is the main problem in the story)
• Solution: (how is the problem solved)
• Plot/Action: (step by step, what happens in the play)

Allow students time to complete the character portion of the planner.

I had to define 'meadow' - we don't have any of these in San Diego and many students were unfamiliar with the word.

There were many actions in this puppet show: students tended to forget the sequence of actions unless I stopped the video periodically and allowed them time to write on their planners.

Students were able to do this with little difficulty.

Here is a completed planner for Peter and the Wolf.

Students will write their own shadow puppet plays using the planner. They will self-group into teams of 2-4. I allowed them 20 minutes of planning time.

I circulated among the groups and found that some groups had difficulty beginning this planner. I sat with individual groups and guided them through a discussion of characters, setting, problem and solution. This clarified the project for most groups, and they were able to complete the plot/actions independently.

Some groups found it helpful to pull out the practice shadow puppets they created during the last class, and refer to them during the planning process.