Plaster

Plaster can be used in an art class to make puppets, or any other desired shape, as long as there is a solid medium to wrap, and manipulate, it around while it hardens and dries.  A good introduction or "hook" for plaster is to ask students if they have ever broken a bone and had it set and healed using plaster products.  Creating puppets does not have to be an Art-only activity.  Puppets can be used in Language Arts, Science (what happens to the plaster as it hardens), and even in Mathematics (students can create 2-D shapes or 3-D objects using plastering materials).

Materials:

Sheets of plaster (ripped into strips) and water
*paint may be used to paint plaster puppets once they have set and dried*

Process:

1) If available, have examples of puppets made by students in previous years, or photos of puppets made on-line using fingers and/or hands
2) Encourage students to be creative in their creations and to think outside the box
3) Instruct students to cover their tables in newspaper (this is an activity on the messier side!)
4) Distribute sheets of plaster to each working table, and an appropriate number or water glasses per working station
5) Instruct one or two students per table to rip plaster sheets into strips (to be used to create a puppet using their fingers)
6) Give limited directions on what shapes students should create, and how they should manipulate the material around their finger (observe how students cover their finger tips, and use the plaster to create shapes and extensions on their finger puppets)
7) When the puppets are complete, have students place their creation on a set of shelves to dry (make sure that adequate time is given to allow to puppet to dry to some degree while still on student's finger)
*Once puppets are dry students may choose to paint and decorate them*