Goals
Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials (NCAS VA:Cr1.1.Ka)
Make art or design with various materials and tools to explore personal interests, questions, and curiosity (NCAS VA:Cr1.2.2a)
Propose design ideas that support the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work (NCAS TH:Cr.1.1.5.b)
This approximately 15 minute long recorded video tutorial is for children ages 5 to 10, with parental supervision, to create their own personal shadow puppet theaters and to learn storytelling tools. This tutorial will cover how to build the theater box from recycled and household materials, how to make paper cut out characters, and how to “set the stage”. There will also be story suggestions (fairy tales, prompts, etc.), and variations to explore (for example, the effects of different colored paper and light). After completion, students will have learned about a historically significant art form and have a craft that can provide hours of entertainment and imaginative exploration beyond the video tutorial.
Age Group
All Ages
About the creator
Katherine Sharpless
Katherine Sharpless is a scenic designer and fine artist originally from Milwaukee, WI. She graduated with a BFA in drama and a minor in art history from Carnegie Mellon University. She has worked as a painter, carpenter, and designer for theatre, film, and museums across Pittsburgh and the East Coast and has created murals, paintings, and sculptures for her community. She aspires to create positive and life-affirming stories with her work and to promote environmental practices in the arts.
