Students are given cardboard of a good size for them to carry above their backpacks, about shoulder width or a little wider. They draw monsters, which they cut out with kid-friendly cardboard saws (or the teacher and artist helps them, depending on grade level). (Nicole has about 15 of these which she will bring, which usually works fine for classes.)
Depending on timeline, students then paint their puppets with school grade tempera paint, perhaps adding accents with markers and/or oil pastels before or after (or just use oil pastels and markers if we’re doing this with a quick turnaround).
Students are encouraged to think about shape, and to include cutouts in their design for eyes or mouth, as it makes the puppet lighter and less wind-heavy. If we are divided into multiday sessions, the other side is painted. Perhaps the bamboo verticals are already attached so they get painted in.
Ideally there's one more session for adding non-paint findings – flagging tape hair threaded through the cardboard, for example - as well as for fitting the monsters to the straps of the backpacks in a way that works for each student. Then we parade! It would be great to include other classes playing drums or other musical instruments.
| Grade Suitability | K-12 (assistant needed for Kindergarten classes) |
| Maximum Class Size | 28 (smaller for younger grades) |
| Time Required | 2 hours of instructional time divided over at least 3 sessions. Some prep required. |
| Material Required | A class set of backpacks (though we can parade monsters just on handheld sticks instead). Two 6-foot bamboo poles per puppet, as well as a variety of other sizes. Small zipties. sticky clear duct tape, tuck tape, largish cardboard (depending a bit on student size. bike boxes are ideal-Nicole can provide these). Bike tubes for puppet neck stopper - Nicole can provide. Kid friendly cardboard saws, awls - Nicole can bring these. Markers, tempera or acrylic paint, brushes, newspaper etc to protect floor or desks. If there's time, flagging tape to add to puppets, laced through the cardboard. Nicole can provide this. Hot glue gun for repairs. |
| Material Cost | Depends on what is available in the classroom. |
| Language of Instruction | English |
| Communities | All |
| Availability | Artist available mid-November to June |
Nicole Bauberger is a storyteller, painter, sculptor, writer and arts educator. Teaching and learning live close to the heart of her art practice. She educated herself mostly through collaborations and apprenticeships with other artists. She had the blessing of a learning friendship with Mrs. Annie Smith of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation which continues with Annie’s family today. Nicole loves to bring what she has learned in these relationships into schools, continuing to learn from collaborative adventures with students. For four years she created murals with students in Ontario High Schools through the Ontario Artists in Education Program. Her work can be seen out in the community and at the Yukon Artists @ Work Gallery.
Click here to read Nicole's published article in the Canadian Art Teacher's Journal (p. 49).