Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
West St. Paul, MN
In Fall of 2015, Z Puppets begins our fourth year of partnering with Moreland Arts & Health Sciences to embed our innovative arts & mindfulness program, Monkey Mind Pirates, into the school community.
Funded by a grant from the MN State Arts Board's Arts Learning Program and the Arts & Cultural Heritage Legacy Amendment, Moreland is able to bring Z Puppets into all Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classrooms, 3rd and 4th grade after school and summer programs, Special Education classrooms, Professional Development for educators, parent and family workshops, and community events.
Watch the Mini-Documentary about Monkey Mind Pirates curriculum at Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School.
Kindergarten & Special Education:
Z Puppets artists teach students the fundamental building blocks of theater, mindfulness, and yoga through the characters and songs of Monkey Mind Pirates. Skills covered include impulse control, spatial awareness, emotional self awareness and regulation, basic health standards, and theater standards.
How many different monkeys do you see in this video? Thanks to the 2014 1st graders at Moreland Arts & Health Science Magnet School for helping us find even more Monkey Mind Pirates.
Students from Ms. Maczko and Ms. Link-Valenstein's 2015-2016 classes collaborated on this original song and puppet video.
Students from Ms. Hauge and Ms. Stoeffel's 2015 and 2016 classes collaborated on this original song and puppet video.
Students from Ms. DeLaForest and Ms. Weum's 2015-2016 classes collaborated on an original song and puppet video.
Students from Ms. Schlemmer and Ms. Niemczyk's 2015-2016 classes collaborated on this original song and puppet video.
1st Grade:
1st Graders made Shadow Puppets in 2015 to describe the monkeys that keep them from calm.
Students in the Fall semester learn to create shadow puppet monkeys to represent the things that keep them from finding calm. They also take regular Adventures to Calm where they practice basic yoga poses and guided meditations. In the Spring, students create shadow puppet videos to bring to life songs written by 2nd graders.
Ansel's Song
Lady Bronte's Song
Winston's Song
The Ferret's Song
Second grade:
Students create ibooks describing the Monkeys that keep them and their classrooms from Calm, and explore ways to tame these monkeys, using yoga and mindfulness techniques they practice in each Z Puppets session. They also write and professionally record their own songs describing the Monkeys they uncover.
Listen to some of their songs below:
2nd Graders recording the songs they wrote at McNalley Smith College of Music. (2015)
2nd Graders learning about the equipment at McNalley Smith College of Music. (2015)
third & fourth grade:
Students have the opportunity to participate in after-school and summer programs to explore deeper the worlds of music, visual art, mindfulness and yoga.
Summer Program for 3rd & 4th graders in 2015.
After School Program for 3rd & 4th graders in 2015.
parents and families:
Moreland families participate in evening workshops in puppetry and music, and then perform alongside Z Puppets artists in public performances.
Community events:
Join Z Puppets and Moreland at the following events in the community:
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
