Shadow Puppets: A Design Lab Connected Classroom

Create a simple jointed shadow puppet using index cards, brass fasteners & wooden sticks that perform complex actions and can tell a story.  Students can work alone or in groups to make puppets perform a shadow play. As they design and test puppets to achieve desired effects, they will explore how light interacts with matter, it's role in creating shadows, and how an object's shadow is affected by the intensity and position of the light source. They also explore hinges and levers as they create joints on their puppet and try to control them in the performance of their story. Their creation of stories that go along with it demonstrate how design thinking can foster the integration of STEM and language arts. Best suited for Grades 1 -- 3 Teachers Sign up here to include your classroom: http://goo.gl/JxjktK Materials  • index cards • black markers or pencils  • scissors • brass fastners • straws • chopsticks/wooden coffee stirrers (either or) • hole punchers • scotch tape • light source; a flashlight or clip on lamp or a projector (to create a shadow wall)  • blank wall Lesson Plan • Introduction: 7-10 minutes • Shadow Puppet building: 10-12 minutes • Share out: 7-10 minutes