Focus:
Students will familiarize themselves with the story of Hansel and Gretel learning character and setting as well as summarizing the story with beginning, middle, and ending parts of the story.

Objectives:
Recognize success and feel pride in one's work
Engage in cooperative activities
Express individual thoughts, ideas, and feelings through puppetry
Engage in creative dramatic activities
Dramatize stories using puppetry
Attend theatrical events
Tell what the story is about
Recall important facts and details
Arrange events in sequential order

Time frame: 3 class periods

Materials:
Black-line masters and/or construction paper
Paper 12" x 18" or 9" x 12"
Scissors
Crayons/ markers/ paints
Paper sacks for puppets
Large paper for scenery

Teaching Activities:
Day One
Read Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm and illustrated by Adrienne Adams or Hansel and Gretel retold and illustrated by James Marshall.

In the whole group setting, discuss the characters and settings of Hansel and Gretel. Use a large piece of paper to list the characters (Hansel, Gretel, father/woodcutter, mother, and witch) and settings (woods, home with mother and father, gingerbread house).

Prior to the lesson, prepare enough papers for your class. Using a piece of 12" x 18" manila paper, fold into half the long way (a "hotdog" fold). Then fold four times across to make five sections (10 sections when opened up).

Open paper and cut from the top down to the centerfold along the four creases. (You are only cutting one side of the paper.) Your children may be able to do this task themselves.

Pass out the prepared papers and tell the children, "Turn the flaps in front of you. Check to see if the flaps can lift from top to bottom." When all children have the papers turned correctly continue. On each of the flaps draw a picture of each of the characters in Hansel and Gretel. Then lift the flap and write the name of the character." Now the children have a flip-flap book with each of the characters of Hansel and Gretel listed. For further extension, have the children write a brief description of the character.

Day Two
Reread the story of Hansel and Gretel and review the characters and settings chart the class made yesterday.

Have the children get into groups of five and select a character to act out. Provide children with copies of the Hansel and Gretel characters (see black-line masters) or allow children to create their own puppets from the paper sacks and construction paper materials.

Allow the children time to cooperate and collaborate on making the scenery (setting) for their puppet show.

Day Three
Allow students time to practice retelling their story of Hansel and Gretel or have another child "read" the story of Hansel and Gretel for the puppeteers to act out.

Students can perform their puppet show for an audience such as a pre-K, other kindergarten classes, or for each other.

EXTENSION:
After the Opera, as a class, use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the stories of Hansel and Gretel. Recreate this diagram on a piece of large paper. Ask the children, "What did you notice that is the same about the book of Hansel and Gretel and the opera?" "What was different in the book than in the opera?" List the similarities and differences your class discusses.