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Topic: Puppets or Flannel Boards

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Subject: Puppets or Flannel Boards
Date Posted: 1/19/2009 3:56 PM ET
Member Since: 8/20/2008
Posts: 818
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Hello,

I am currently in school to become a teacher and for one of my classess we have to choose to make 10 teacher made materials throughout the semester. The two I am most interested in are puppets and flannel boards. Does anyone have any idea which one the children would enjoy more. I am sure that one would be easier than the other, but I am more interested in your experiences in the classroom. I intend on making these materials good enough that they can be used in my classroom and therefore would like to make ones the children would enjoy. Thank you so much for your help!

 

 

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Date Posted: 1/20/2009 8:26 PM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
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Back when I worked for Head Start, I used both, but found that puppets had more longevity.  Flannel boards were fine, once in a while, but I found that the kids used the puppets far more often.  They're more durable and I found that the kids were far more interested in interacting with one another when they could talk through a character.  I don't use them much now as I'm teaching k-3 LD/CD kids, so my focus is more academic, but even my third graders love it when I break out the puppets for a change of pace reading lesson. 

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Date Posted: 1/20/2009 11:24 PM ET
Member Since: 8/20/2008
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Thank you so much for the feedback. I asked my husband what he liked when he was a kid and he said puppets too, but I just wanted some feedback from teachers. Thank you so much!

 

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Date Posted: 1/21/2009 7:03 PM ET
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Glad I could help. :-)  Good luck with your classes.

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Vicky - ,
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Date Posted: 1/23/2009 5:32 PM ET
Member Since: 7/31/2007
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For puppets it really depends on the age of the group.  3rd-4th graders would love Ms. Frizzle from Magic School Bus and just think of the neat clothes that could be made to change her costumes.

 

My second graders love anything to do with animals.  They actually booed me today when I had to erase a brainstorming activity from the board that involved animals.

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Date Posted: 1/23/2009 8:17 PM ET
Member Since: 8/20/2008
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Vicky, thanks for the great feedback. I definetly want to make some animal puppets!