Teagan Higgins is ready for the big puppet show. Higgins and her third-grade classmates made their own puppets and will be performing for the kindergarteners at Chancellor Livingston Elementary School.
“I’m kind of excited and nervous because my sister is in kindergarten and will be watching me,” she said.
In class, the third graders learned Egyptian culture, religion, geography and how it’s similar and different to the U.S.
The students made the puppets and will perform the show to further educate themselves about Egypt as part of the arts in education program offered by the Education Network for Teachers and Artists (ENTA), a group of artists based in Rhinebeck who teach core subjects through the arts.
“We work with the teachers to say ‘What are you studying?’ and ‘Let’s use the arts to help your students learn what you’re working on,’” said Martha Tobias, program developer, coordinator and instructor for ENTA. “We design the program to meet their needs for what they’re teaching.”
Rebecca Burdett, a retired teacher and owner of The Chrysalis Puppet Theater Workshop, was brought to CLS to assist students by first having an art show for the third graders and then having the third graders make three different puppets –stick animal puppets, and paper shadow puppets and bunraku puppet bodies of Egyptian gods and goddesses.
“I’m bringing an art form that I’m really passionate about to them,” she said. “It’s very gratifying to see their energy and enthusiasm about something so new to them.”
Jamie Larson, third grade teacher, added, “They’re extremely engaged learning about the different cultures, and bringing in something so hands-on, it connects it in a whole different way and gets them engaged.”
The third graders are excited about the puppet show, scheduled for May 7.
“I get to show the kindergarteners how we did this,” said Max Rowe. “We’re going to have a lot of fun presenting it and I hope they enjoy the show.”