Two Puppets and a Cup of Enthusiasm



Ms. DiMaria and Kerby

Yummy! I just finished making Scotcheroos for our Reading Council meeting tomorrow. We’re having a salad and dessert potluck to judge entries for the local Young Illustrator’s, Young Author’s, and Poetry Cabaret competitions. As I was mixing my ingredients, I thought about the ingredients of a successful minilesson. Yes, minilessons should be short and snappy, focused and explicit, and connected to prior learning. But what else? Still thinking about yesterday’s post on enthusiasm, I pondered how enthusiasm is a key competent in any successful endeavor in the classroom.

Mrs. Kolbach and the Tooth Fairy

Writer’s Workshop has always been a favorite time of the school day for me. My enthusiasm usually spills over to the kids and they excitedly get down to the business of writing. They view themselves as authors and beg to share their pieces during our share time. Today Ms. Kolbach presented a minilesson that had two additional key ingredients- enthusiasm and novelty by way of …yes… you guessed it- puppets. Ms. Kolbach wrote a script for two puppets and together the puppets taught the kids about dental health. The student’s hung on the puppets’ every word. It was a very effective mode of delivery. Well done Ms. Kolbach!

What are some effective ways you have delivered new content to students/adults?