Free-born Black abolitionist William Still has been called the “father of the Underground Railroad” (URR)–the network of free Blacks, Quakers, and abolitionists who helped enslaved people in the South escape to the North in the
Blog
Music and composers
Playing Bach
Are you a closet conductor and you love Bach? Do you play Bach on the organ, the piano, or the violin, or do you wish you could? Here is your chance to play Bach as
Read More
Music and composers
Acting out Schubert’s Erlking with silhouette puppets
The first time I learned how music can tell a story was when my mother bought a new recording of Schubert’s song Erlkönig (Erlking/Elf King). The German poem that the composer set to music, written
Read More
Black history
Riding a galloping horse
Shadow puppetry offers opportunities to act out stories from the Underground Railroad, the network of free Blacks, Quakers, and abolitionists who helped men, women, and children escape slavery in the decades prior to the Civil
Read More
Bible stories
Silhouette puppets to act out Bible stories
A new set of mix-and-match puppets in biblical dress is available in the Printable Library. With a choice of different heads, upper, and lower bodies, and optional headdress they will enable you to create characters
Read More
Black history
Puppetry and Poetry
Amanda Gorman’s commanding inaugural presentation has ignited a renewed interest in the equally skilled 18th century poet, Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753 – 1784). A language arts project in which students compare these Black female poets
Read More
Bible stories
Nativity Puppets in Quarantine
On January 6, 2019, the day that Epiphany is celebrated in Western churches, I wrote a blog post telling the nativity story with shadow puppets. Although I originally planned to make the patterns available through my Printable
Read More
Bible stories
The Nativity Story in Twelve Scenes
The following photos, originally posted during the 2018-19 Christmas season, tell the story of the Nativity, from the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the arrival of the three magi. During the 2020
Read More
Greek mythology
How to act out Heracles’ labors using your own imagination
In our post about acting out Greek myths we have touched upon the heroes Perseus and Theseus. The most popular hero however (as seen in Greek art) was Heracles, often known for his Roman name Hercules.
Read More
Greek mythology
Silhouette puppets to act out Greek myths
Are you interested in Greek mythology? Are you stuck at home and looking for some different screen time with your own animations? With shadow puppets and a home-made screen you can turn Daphne into a