Students Learn About Prairie Ecosystem with the Help of Puppets

posted October 3, 2014

Hannah’s teacher asked her and her classmates to line up by the door earlier this week. She was told they were going to a special presentation at Red Cloud Indian School’s library. As the class filed into the large, historic post-and-beam room, Julie saw a colorful tent toward the back of the room. Her excitement grew as she sat down next her best friend in front of the tent. Everything was quiet.

The lights above turned off and small stage lights turned on above the tent as Petey the prairie dog popped up through a window in the tent. “Hello boys and girls!” Petey announced. Hannah's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face as the fuzzy animal began explaining where he lived — the prairie — and how he and his family interact with all the other animals.

“It was fun because I learned a lot about prairie dogs.” said Hannah as she rejoined the line before heading back to class. “I know they eat grass and live underground and that they live and work with the other animals.”

Kathleen Siebrasse, Red Cloud’s director of libraries has been working with Maureen Laurie, a puppeteer and former education committee member of the Boulder Audubon Society for the last few years with the hope of inspiring and educating students.

“The students recognize the animals,” says Siebrasse,. “They’re having fun during the show and it makes them curious to learn more and seek out the books we have about animals and the environment. Curiosity is an essential part of learning.”

Laurie notes that the prairie, and more specifically prairie dogs and their ecological value, is often misunderstood even by those who live amongst them.

“Unfortunately there is not much of the original prairie habitat left,” says Laurie, after ther performance. “I work with students all over to inspire and teach with the hope that they will leave with a better understanding how all the animals work together to form a system and that we need to appreciate each of them for the role they play.”

Maureen and her husband travel to national parks and schools across the great plains each year to help educate students about the importance of environmental conservation and inspire them to take a longer look at their surroundings.

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