This document provides details about a "ME Puppet" icebreaker activity for a lower elementary classroom on the first day of school. The activity aims to get students to introduce themselves while also allowing the teacher to identify each student's learning style. Students will make paper plate puppets with their own facial features and use them to tell their classmates their name, favorite food, pet, hobbies, and favorite place. By observing how students engage with the activity, the teacher can determine who understands verbal instructions well and who needs more modeling or support. The puppet activity also encourages cultural sharing as students express preferences through their puppets.

1. LearningTeamIcebreaker
AngelnetStith
September21,2015
SPE/546
Team B: Marjorie Capili, Andrea Cutler, Julia Emig, Erin Windham

2. MEpuppet

3. icebreakerintroduction
ME puppets allow the teacher and students to get to know
each other. This activity also shows the teacher what kind
of learner the student is. Did the student understand the
verbal directions (auditory learner)? Does the student need
to look at an example (visual learner)? Did the student need
to touch the example and look at it closely (kinesthetic
learner)? Students of all learning levels can complete this
task.

4. mepuppeticebreaker:backgroundandstandards
1. Basic Information
a. First Day of School 2016
b. Lower Elementary Level
c. Lesson Name-Me Puppet Ice Breaker
2. Student Learning
a. Content Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.3Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or
clarify something that is not understood.
ii. SL.8.2: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and
evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
b. Content Objective: Students will create ME puppets and introduce themselves to the class.
c. Language Objectives: Students will orally articulate their name, their favorite food, pet, hobbies, families and favorite
place to visit. When students are not speaking they will listen to their classmate that is speaking.

5. mepuppeticebreaker:studentdiversity
a. Learning Styles:
i. This lesson will engage students who are Verbal Linguistic as well as Interpersonal during the presentation both
when they are speaking and listening.
ii. This lesson will engage students who are Spatial and Bodily Kinesthetic while they are building the puppets they
can use different materials to create something as well as stand up by their chair while building the puppet.
iii. This lesson will engage students who are Intrapersonal while they are building the puppet as they can have time
to work alone on the puppet.
b. Cognitive Progression
i. This lesson could include lower level questions such as recalling the information that their peers said.
ii. This lesson could include some higher level question such as analyzing who they think they might work best with
in class based off of what everyone said, or classifying their peers into groups based on similar food.
iii. Students could be asked to evaluate the quality of their puppet.
c. Language Domain
i. This lesson will include speaking during the class presentation as they talk about themselves.
ii. This lesson will include listening as they listen to their peers.

6. mepuppeticebreaker:instructionalsequence
a. Prepare the following materials to make a "ME" puppet: paper plate, yarns of various colors, construction papers
(pre-cut eyes/nose/mouth), popsicle stick, and glue.
b. Give each child a paper plate and tell them that they will use it as the head.
c. Let them pick yarns that they will use as hair and have them use the glue to stick the yarn on top of the paper plate.
d. Then let them pick precut facial features to stick on the paper plate.
e. Use the popsicle stick for handle.
f. When puppets are ready, tell the students that they will have a stage show and have each child hide his/her face with
their puppets and have them tell their classmates about themselves, their favorite food, pet, hobbies, families and
favorite place to visit.

7. mepuppeticebreaker:instructionalmaterials
a. Paper Plates
b. Various colors of yarn that are hair colors
c. Markers, crayons or colored pencils
d. Popsicle sticks
e. Glue
f. Pre cut out face shape pieces (eyes, noses, and lips)

8. taskanalysis
The purpose of this task analysis (Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007) is to determine the specific steps that learners need to
complete in order to engage successfully in the ME Puppets ice-breaker. The following steps take into account a diverse
range of learners, including differing learning styles, multicultural differences, and the specific needs of exceptional children.
This ice-breaker, ME Puppets, is also an effective diagnostic tool. In analyzing how children engage in the task, the teacher
is able to discern the following: Who is able to understand oral directions to complete the task? Who needs more explicit
modeling? Do students express preferred learning styles? Who is able to identify and verbally articulate a favorite food,
pet, hobbies, etc.? Who can comfortably perform, and who needs more support?
Step 1: Provide oral directions to students and demonstrate by holding up each of the materials needed in the
activity. Circulate to determine who needs extra support. Some students may have difficulty, for example, selecting
yarn to use or attaching the materials onto the paper plate “head.” They may also need help with the popsicle stick
“puppet handle.” As teacher circulates, take note of students who may need more explicit modeling and procedural
instruction.

9. Taskanalysispart2
Step 2: Preparing for the “stage show” or performance may be challenging for some students. Therefore, the teacher may
use an additional “favorites tool” that incorporates the use of symbols with linguistic prompts (Kaufman & Wandberg, 2012).
Favorite food:
Your pet or favorite animal:
Hobbies (what do you like to do?):
Family (who is in your family?)
Place (what is your favorite place?)
Make note of who needs more scaffolding to complete this activity. Who requires picture clues to understand what is being
asked? Depending on age of students, who is able to decode text?

10. taskanalysispart3
Step 3: Rehearse for the performance! Some students may need rehearsal time before they “perform” their show. Ask students to
work in pairs to practice what they will say. They may use their “favorites tool” as a scaffold as necessary. If a student is reluctant to
perform, then suggest that students present in partners. Alternately, the teacher may join in the performance.
Step 4: After each performance, help students feel included and successful by asking everyone to applaud. Add a choral chant:
“Welcome [student’s name] to our community!”
Tool for collecting data: Instructional Task Checklist
What was learned about each child’s preferences and cultural background?
Name
Name
Name

11. Conclusion
“The Seven Learning Styles
● Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
● Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
● Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
● Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
● Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
● Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
● Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.” ("Learning-Styles-Online", n.d.)
As the teacher observes the student’s during the lesson and while they work, he/she will make anecdotal notes. These
notes will help the teacher determine which type of learner the student is. Some students will use a combination of learning
styles, while other students will use one primary learning style. The ME Puppet lesson will offer many opportunities to
observe the student during the student work time and while the students present the information with their ME Puppet.
The puppets also foster students’ expressions of cultural diversity. Every child has an opportunity to create a puppet that
represents individual preferences, backgrounds, and experiences. This is an excellent way for the teacher and other
students in the classroom to learn about the members of their new community.

12. References
Browder, D. M., Trela, K., & Jimenez, B. (2007). Training teachers to follow a task analysis to engage middle school
students with moderate and severe developmental disabilities in grade-appropriate literature. Focus on Autism and
Other Developmental Disabilities, 22(4), 206-219.
Common core state standards initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/4/
Kaufman, R., & Wandberg, R. (2012). Powerful practices for high-performing special educators. Los Angeles and London:
Sage Publications.
Learning-styles-online. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/