ABSTRACT
Joan Boor was motivated to build a puppet theater in her art room because of mandated requirements to teach her students art from a historical perspective. Knowing these young students are strong proponents of creative play, she wanted to meet them on their terms, rather than on those of older elementary students. So, to teach in a creative, playful, and interesting way, Joan began using and making puppets. She soon discovered that this way of teaching art appreciation and history was a big hit. When Boor teaches a unit to second graders about Roy Lichtenstein, she introduces him by going over to the Timeline Apartment and knocking at his door. Then she takes the Lichtenstein puppet, and a discussion of the time period in which he lived follows. Boor would remind teachers that many young children are natural storytellers and like to repeat the stories about artists. She also provides lessons for her kindergarten students to make puppets and toys.
