Wax Museum Puppets Brought to Life

March 15, 2021 | Heather Palmer Welesko

The third grade is celebrating their studies of notable Americans. We have already featured how they write biographies. Now we will showcase their puppet making skills and the three week process this entails.

Students were first asked to draft a sketch of the puppet. They then drafted a sketch of what their puppet would be wearing. Then they formed their puppet’s head out of clay, and added divots to form the eyes. They attached those heads to sticks and painted them, practicing matching skin tone and adding details. Next, each puppet needed clothes. Finally, the puppets were accessorized.

Below are some before and after photos of some of the puppets. This process required not merely artistic skill, but also the ability to plan, time manage, persevere, and take advice. Students needed to think flexibly. They worked mostly independently, but also took time to help each other. The puppet making is one of the crowns of the show 🙂

Caroline with Ruth

Jerry dressing Barnum

Isabelle using felt to dress Maria Tallchief

Puppets in Process

Puppets Completed

Heather Palmer Welesko

Literacy and Assistant Teacher, Grades 4 & 5

Heather Welesko has taught at Mustard Seed School for nearly a decade as a literacy and assistant teacher. She has taught literature and writing at Kean University and Harold Washington College of Chicago. Heather holds an MFA in writing and poetry from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MA in Leadership and Spiritual Formation from Evangelical Seminary.

Ms. Welesko is enthusiastic about professional development, and has advanced training in the Handwriting Without Tears program; the Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Program, and the Responsive Classroom/ Development Designs Program through Origin. She continues professional develop through The Columbia University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. She’s passionate about literature, creativity, comprehensive education, and believes strongly in teaching identity and diversity awareness and inclusion.

Ms. Welesko is a poet, artist, and yogi, and is still, always learning.

Wax Museum Puppets Brought to Life

Puppets in Process

Puppets Completed

Heather Palmer Welesko

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