Local fifth graders watched a puppet show, learned history, built their own rod puppets and worked on techniques for putting on their own puppet show during the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program’s annual Catskill Puppet Theater Workshop.
“Puppeteers once again used rod puppets to tell the story of Hiawatha, a peaceful leader who united the five First Nations—Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk—into the Iroquois Confederacy,” Herkimer BOCES Honors Program Coordinator Deborah Schoff said. “Students enjoyed the show as they learned more about a democratic government.”
A total of 29 students from the school districts of Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Owen D. Young, Poland, Richfield Springs and West Canada Valley attended the event on Monday, Oct. 6, at Herkimer Central School District.
“After the show, they participated in a question-and-answer session and learned more about the rod puppets and how to put on a puppet show,” Schoff said. “They worked with the puppeteers to create their own rod puppets. They spent time working on techniques to make the puppets move and on how to use their voices to tell a story.”
Being able to host this event at Herkimer Central School District was helpful, Schoff said.
“A special thank you to Herkimer Central School District for hosting the Herkimer BOCES Honors Program,” Schoff said. “Your continued efforts to bring enriching experiences to the students of Herkimer County are very much appreciated.”
