Puppet
Plays by Fifth-Grade Students
By
DeAnn Setler
DeAnn Setler was the library
media specialist at Boreman Elementary School in Charleston, West
Virginia for four years. She has a master's degree in secondary education. Reprinted
in AppLit with permission,
from Journey Through Fantasy Literature: A Resource Guide
for Teachers. Vol. II, pp. 125-28. Ed.
Roberta T. Herrin. Developed during a Teachers Institute sponsored
by East Tennessee State University and the National Endowment for
the Humanities, 1988-89.
See
also:
Student Activities
on Folktales
Index of Student
Writing in AppLit
Complete
List of AppLit Pages on Drama
Students Write
Jack Tales - with nine Jack Tales written by fourth graders
Puppets "R" Us
is a puppet show club consisting of seven fifth-grade students. Students
in the club are Rich Adkins, Stanley Parsons, Amber Thaxton, Amber
Tincher, Leah Stover, Jessica Eisenhard, and Doug Ford. These students
write their own scripts and record their parts on a cassette tape.
During performances students play the cassette tape and then are free
to concentrate on working the puppets. The students performed at the
Boreman Elementary School talent show and for kindergarten through
third-grade classes, and planned to perform for community functions
the next year.
The Mixed Up Easter Bunny
By Rich Adkins, Leah Stover, Stanley Parsons and Jessica Eisenhard
Narrator: One day the Easter Bunny walked into his workshop. Noticing
that he had dropped an egg, he bent down to pick it up. He bumped
his head on a shelf and was knocked unconscious.
Bunny: Ouch! Where am I?
Owl: Don't worry, son. You'll be all right in a little while.
Narrator: The owl helped the Easter Bunny to bed, and when he woke
up he thought he was Santa Claus.
Bunny: Ho, ho, ho! Where's my red suit? Where are my elves? Where
am I?
Narrator: So the Easter Bunny climbed out of bed and had an urge for
cookies and milk.
Bunny: Hmmmm, let's see here. Why aren't there Christmas cookies?
Where in the heck are my reindeer?
Owl: What's the matter?
Bunny: Oh, nothing.
Owl: Are you sure?
Bunny: Of course. Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!
Narrator: The Easter Bunny heard the doorbell ring, and a little girl
walked in.
Girl: Easter Bunny! Easter Bunny! I love you! I have been a very good
little girl this year. Speaking of presents, what are you going to
bring me?
Bunny: I am going to bring you lots of neat stuff.
Girl: Okay. Bye.
Narrator: As the Easter Bunny was looking in the mirror, he noticed
that he might not be Santa Claus, like he thought he was.
Bunny: What are these long ears doing here? And where is my beard?
Owl: That's what I've been trying to tell you. You're not Santa; you're
the Easter Bunny! You were knocked unconscious, and you thought you
were Santa. Now you'd better deliver those eggs to all those good
little boys and girls.
Bunny: I'm on my way! Bye!
All: Happy Easter!
How Grandpa Saved
Easter
Henry: Amber Tincher
Mr. Turtle: Amber Thaxton
Grandpa: Doug Ford
Narrator: Amber Thaxton
Henry: Hi, Grandpa! Whatcha doing, Grandpa? I came to hear a story,
Grandpa!
Grandpa: Okay, sonny. Well, it all started when . . . I was just a
young . . .
Henry: Hurry up, Grandpa! I want to hear the story, Grandpa.
Grandpa: If you keep interruptin', I won't finish it!
Henry: Okay, Grandpa, I'll be quiet, Grandpa, okay!
Grandpa: It all started when I was eight and one-half years old. No
one believed I could do anything. I ran into the Easter Bunny, and
he was complaining about his leg.
Henry: What did he do to his leg, Grandpa? Huh? Huh?
Grandpa: He broke his leg. So I said, "Can I deliver the eggs
for you?"
Henry: Was it fun, Granpa? Huh? Huh?
Grandpa: Yes, it was, sonny. The day I delivered the eggs I ran into
Mr. Turtle, and he invited me to tea. I said, "Yes." After
I had tea, the turtle asked me what I was doing in this neck of the
woods. I said . . .
Henry: What did you say, Grandpa? Huh? Huh? What did you say?
Grandpa: If you would BE QUIET, I could tell you!
Henry: Oh, Grandpa, I'll listen, Grandpa.
Grandpa: Now back to my story . . .
Narrator: Grandpa thinks back to his old days, about him and the turtle.
Grandpa: Well, Mr. Turtle, I'm going to deliver these Easter eggs.
Turtle: Isn't that the Easter Bunny's job?
Grandpa: Yes, but he broke his leg, so I have to do it.
Turtle: I think that you are too little to handle a responsibility
like that.
Grandpa: But the Easter Bunny told me to!
Turtle: Well, I hope you do a good job.
Grandpa: Okay, bye!
Henry: What happened next, Grandpa? Tell me, Grandpa!
Grandpa: Okay, I'll tell you. It all ended up okay, and I delivered
all the eggs.
Henry: That was a great story, Grandpa! And I listened, too. Didn't
I, Grandpa?
Grandpa: Good-bye, Henry!
Honky the Pig
By Amber Thaxton and Amber Tincher
Narrator: This is about how Honky and the farmer became friends.
Farmer: I wish that pig Honky would get fat so I could sell him at
the market.
Wife: Now don't get upset, George. He's just a little pig.
Farmer: I know, Doris, but I need the money.
Wife: Well, just feed him more.
Narrator: As Honky was passing back and forth, he ran into his friend
Charissa the cow.
Cow: What's wrong, Honky?
Honky: I'm starving!
Cow: Then why don't you eat?
Honky: I would, but then the farmer would sell me at the market.
Cow: Oh . . maybe I could help.
Honky: How?
Cow: Just do what I tell you.
Narrator: The cow's plan was to try to get the farmer and Honky to
become friends. The cow told Honky to jump into the farmer's arms
and lick him.
Farmer: Doris, do you think I should sell Honky?
Wife: What do you think?
Farmer: We really need the money, but . . . well, Honky is my only
friend other than you.
Wife: Then don't sell him.
Farmer: Okay.
Narrator: Now Honky is fat and he is scared!
Farmer: Honky, I've decided not to sell you.
Narrator: Here are Honky's thoughts: I love this dude!
The Mannerless Monkey is another puppet play by this group, to be reprinted here later.
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