WHAT IS PUPPET QUEST?

journey into the galaxy with moving parts!

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Puppet Quest! is an immersive 12-week creative programme designed specially for KS2 students and their teachers. The programme brings together language learning, puppetry, film and music, to develop skills and nurture friendships. Using arts-based learning as a vehicle, Puppet Quest! explores the wide variety of languages used within a classroom and allows children to become experts in teaching others about their cultural heritage. The project has been developed to celebrate multi-lingual skills in school, particularly with classes that have high percentages of children with English as an Additional Language (EAL). 

 

Step 1: Pairing schools 

Two classes from different schools are paired for the 12-weeks, and they complete a Puppet Quest! journey simultaneously.​ ​Through this pairing, children are given the opportunity to develop friendships outside of their immediate classroom network. Focused on Year 5 students, this comes at a point when their world view is expanding outside of primary school and their homes, and when they are approaching their move to secondary school.​

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Step 2: Embark on the Puppet Quest!

Students taking part in a Puppet Quest! are set the challenge of reuniting the galaxy through a fictional alien being called 'Lit-ke'. Through a series of unexplainable communications that beam into the classroom for deepest space, children are challenged by Lit-ke to:

• Make a puppet ambassador to represent them at the Intergalactic Consortium of Friends.

• Explore different ways of communicating, including using the languages spoken in their classroom and non-verbal interactions.

• Use their imagination to think about what other galaxies and societies might be like.

• Create a song and lyrics to represent their class.

• Perform the song with their puppets to create a filmed message.

• Write penpal letters and make voice recordings, to be sent to other intergalactic beings (students from their partnered school/class).

• Come together at the Intergalactic Consortium of Friends Celebration Event.

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Step 3: Celebrate together

The final session in a Puppet Quest! 12-week programme is a Celebration Event where both school classes are brought together in a neutral venue to see each other's work, eat food, make friends, celebrate culture, and have fun!

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Step 4: Teacher training and legacy

Teachers are integral to the whole process and shadow Moving Parts artists and facilitators, complete CPD training, and contribute to activity planning, so that they develop skills and confidence in this way of working. It is then intended that these teachers can take Puppet Quest! forwards and run it with future students.​