Teacher's Resource
Traditional Indonesian 'Wayang Kulit' Shadow Puppets.
The Wayang Puppet Theatre
UNESCO. The Wayang Puppet Theatre. 2015. http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/RL/00063
Balinese shadow puppet theater is called Wayang Kulit. It is a tradition that has been passed down through generations for over 1,000 years. Mythic tales and archetypal characters from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are played out in shadow, blending high drama, improvisation, and slapstick comedy. In a performance, over 20 intricately-carved leather puppets are manipulated by one puppeteer, the Dalang or Shadowmaster. The Dalang also provides all of the puppet voices, and is the director and conductor.
Reflecting on the Video
Ask students to reflect on what information they have gathered from the video.
Deconstruct the content of this video with classroom discussion using these questions:
· What kind of stories are told using puppets?
· What occasions in which a story might be told?
· What are the puppets made of?
· How are the puppets presented?
· What colours are used in the puppets?
· What kinds of characters are used?
· Who is the target audience?
· Why is it performed in public spaces?
The teacher can approach this by:
Leading the students into a discussion by using ‘Inquiring learning’, the teacher will set a frame work of questions to ask the students about their understanding of the video.
The teacher can handout a work sheet with questions relating to the video, students can work collaboratively in groups or individually to complete the task.
(ACAVAM122)
Present artwork demonstrating consideration of how the artwork is displayed to enhance the artist’s intention to an audience
(ACAVAM120)
Considering viewpoints – societies and cultures: For example – How does the context of time and place, culture and ideology influence the look and meaning of art in public spaces?
(ACAVAR124)
Respecting cultural practices and sensitivities as they research, analyse and examine the way an artist’s cultural experiences have influenced the representation of their artworks.
Assessment
Formative assessment: where the teacher assesses the students work and learning either through discussion or written response, to inform and improve the teaching and learning.
Researching Puppetry
Storytelling using puppets is one of the many art forms that has been practiced and has been made part of their traditions in many counties such as Bali, Java, South India, China and Greece.
Puppetry research task
Ask your students to research different world traditions that use puppets as a form of storytelling.
Research topics:
· Vietnamese water puppets
· Greek shadow puppets
· South Indian puppets
· Chinese shadow puppets
· Marionettes
· Jim Henson’s Muppets
Students will research these questions
· What kind of stories are told using puppets?
· What occasions in which a story might be told?
· What are the puppets made of?
· How are the puppets presented?
· What colours are used in the puppets?
· What kinds of characters are used?
· Who is the target audience?
· Why is it performed in public spaces?
This can be done in class by pairing your students together to complete a work sheet or individually as homework.
This can be done in class by forming the students into groups of 3 to 4 to produce a colour poster that includes images which can be a photograph or hand drawn.
Ask the students to present to the class their poster and report on their findings.
The teacher will ask questions to the group presenting about how it compares or how it is different to Indonesian Wayang Kulit.
Students are required to use ICT to access and locate appropriate information to answer the questions, this will for fill the Australian curriculum’s ICT general capabilities.
This is a great resource for the responding strand for the Visual Arts in Band 7-8, this is particularly relevant to the Australian curriculum’s (ACAVAR123) where the students will analyse how artists use visual conventions in artworks. This unit of work relates to the sub element content description encouraging students to present an informed opinion about a display of artwork as a written review, referring to previous and subsequent work by the same artist/ group of artists.
Students will also practice techniques and processes to enhance representation of ideas in their art making (ACAVAM121). This unit of work relates to the sub element content description that encourages students to research widely to find the most appropriate sources of information about visual art skills, use of materials, tradition and contemporary styles, display options, and source for ideas when developing their own artwork.
Assessments
Summative assessments: where the teacher assesses the students work e.g. poster or worksheet and learning in order to provide a final assessment.
Formative assessment: where students will peer assess their peer’s work through their presentations, while reflecting on their own work and themselves as a learner and as well as on quality of work.
Reflecting on the Video
Ask students to reflect on what information they have gathered from the video.
Deconstruct the content of this video with classroom discussion using these questions:
· What kind of stories are told using puppets?
· What occasions in which a story might be told?
· What are the puppets made of?
· How are the puppets presented?
· What colours are used in the puppets?
· What kinds of characters are used?
· Who is the target audience?
· Why is it performed in public spaces?
The teacher can approach this by:
Leading the students into a discussion by using ‘Inquiring learning’, the teacher will set a frame work of questions to ask the students about their understanding of the video.
The teacher can handout a work sheet with questions relating to the video, students can work collaboratively in groups or individually to complete the task.
(ACAVAM122)
Present artwork demonstrating consideration of how the artwork is displayed to enhance the artist’s intention to an audience
(ACAVAM120)
Considering viewpoints – societies and cultures: For example – How does the context of time and place, culture and ideology influence the look and meaning of art in public spaces?
(ACAVAR124)
Respecting cultural practices and sensitivities as they research, analyse and examine the way an artist’s cultural experiences have influenced the representation of their artworks.
Assessment
Formative assessment: where the teacher assesses the students work and learning either through discussion or written response, to inform and improve the teaching and learning.
Researching Puppetry
Storytelling using puppets is one of the many art forms that has been practiced and has been made part of their traditions in many counties such as Bali, Java, South India, China and Greece.
Puppetry research task
Ask your students to research different world traditions that use puppets as a form of storytelling.
Research topics:
· Vietnamese water puppets
· Greek shadow puppets
· South Indian puppets
· Chinese shadow puppets
· Marionettes
· Jim Henson’s Muppets
Students will research these questions
· What kind of stories are told using puppets?
· What occasions in which a story might be told?
· What are the puppets made of?
· How are the puppets presented?
· What colours are used in the puppets?
· What kinds of characters are used?
· Who is the target audience?
· Why is it performed in public spaces?
This can be done in class by pairing your students together to complete a work sheet or individually as homework.
This can be done in class by forming the students into groups of 3 to 4 to produce a colour poster that includes images which can be a photograph or hand drawn.
Ask the students to present to the class their poster and report on their findings.
The teacher will ask questions to the group presenting about how it compares or how it is different to Indonesian Wayang Kulit.
Students are required to use ICT to access and locate appropriate information to answer the questions, this will for fill the Australian curriculum’s ICT general capabilities.
This is a great resource for the responding strand for the Visual Arts in Band 7-8, this is particularly relevant to the Australian curriculum’s (ACAVAR123) where the students will analyse how artists use visual conventions in artworks. This unit of work relates to the sub element content description encouraging students to present an informed opinion about a display of artwork as a written review, referring to previous and subsequent work by the same artist/ group of artists.
Students will also practice techniques and processes to enhance representation of ideas in their art making (ACAVAM121). This unit of work relates to the sub element content description that encourages students to research widely to find the most appropriate sources of information about visual art skills, use of materials, tradition and contemporary styles, display options, and source for ideas when developing their own artwork.
Assessments
Summative assessments: where the teacher assesses the students work e.g. poster or worksheet and learning in order to provide a final assessment.
Formative assessment: where students will peer assess their peer’s work through their presentations, while reflecting on their own work and themselves as a learner and as well as on quality of work.