Even before Mr. Dressup iconicized the “Tickle Trunk,” kids have been using their sibling’s hand-me-downs, their mother’s old dresses and wooden sticks from the forest to live out their wildest fantasies.
The power of the prop is the ultimate tool to set the mood for a new topic in the classroom. Whether you are introducing a new topic in science, a famous mathematical theory or setting the stage for histories greatest battle, a prop box allows students to let down their guards and become fully immersed in the learning. Moreover, students of any age will find these random experiences more memorable than you can imagine!
Prop boxes come in a variety of forms: costume and prop boxes, small item “tool” kits, and formal theme boxes.
I. Costume and Prop boxes:
Costume boxes, or “tickle trunks,” are compilations of hand-me-downs, vintage clothing and old costumes from school plays, thrift stores or Halloween. The DollarStore also provides great little props, such as pirate, princess, and police paraphernalia. But also try to think outside the box. Include scarves, towels, hats, aprons, feathers, curlers and so forth. Students will let their imaginations do the real work. Include props such as swords, jewelry, face paint and other small items. Don’t worry about keeping these boxes orderly- they tend to get a little out of hand in all the fun. I keep my hats, scarves and wigs in a large plastic Tupperware bin, and the costumes in another. Students have added to the collection over the years, not to mention scavenging at Halloween sales!
II: Small “tool” kits
Include items such as fake money and coins, plastic animals and people, stuffed animals, plastic fruit and vegetables, geometry kits, musical instruments, Lego, balloons, Popsicle sticks, fabric samples, masks, cue cards, construction paper and so forth in these kits. The goal is for students to make their own props and costumes, or to create small diagrams and sets.
III. Formal Theme boxes:
These kits take the most planning. They include novels, non-fiction, flashcards, costumes and props and sometimes even scripts. The goal of these kits is to provide an independent experience for the kids. In other words, once the kit is in their hands, the teacher has very little work to do. Using the self-directed kits, students let their imagination guide their experiences.
Here are some example of kits that I have used successfully in the classroom:
FRENCH KIT:
– post cards of France
– wigs and mustaches
– French skits/ plays (for example “Louis La Grenouille“)
– access to costume and prop box
– flashcard making material
– stuffed animals
FORENSIC SCIENCE KIT
– CSI field kit, complete with paintbrush, black ink pad, rubber gloves, index cards, “caution” tape, scissors, tweezers, zoplock pages, permanent marker, flashlight, magnifying glass and evidence log.
– murder mystery instructions and script OR worksheets from The ScienceSpot
– file folder to hold worksheets, reference cards, vocabulary cards, etc
– camera
– Eyewitness books “forensic science” and other non-fiction literature
– Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh), The Club CSI series (David Lewman)
– optional: laptop
MAD SCIENTIST “guess who” KIT
– microscope
– mustaches, green afro wigs, costumes, white lab coat and glasses (3-D glasses with lenses popped out)
– handouts for each student with a famous scientist bio and picture
– worksheet for each student: “fact card” (For example: “I discovered the theory of relativity. I did not graduate high school, etc”
– “Hello, my name is” stickers
* for this prop box, students study their character and create a persona for them. They play a game similar to Guess Who. One students receives a “Hello, my name is” card with a scientists name on it. For example, Einstein. They must interview various people to discover the real Einstein. Once they have identified them they give them the name tag to wear.
– books: Eyewitness science books , A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bill Bryon), biographies
ANCIENT CIVILIZATION KIT
– skits “Archemede’s Bath” (Read-aloud plays: Everyday life in Ancient civilizations)
– prop box and costumes
– video camera
* for this prop box, groups of students each had a different play. They rehearsed and filled their plays, previewing them for the class after editing them.
EARLY MAN KIT
– sticks, rocks, brown, red and grey felt
– Eyewitness books
– handout: stone tools
– script writing worksheet
– Science experiment: students watch”Ice Age DeathTrap” (NOVA). Stop movie at 24:30. Ask students to write down their theories about what happened to the animals. Students are given a box filled with sand, a jug of water and a plastic mammoth (or elephant). The answer is shown at 28:26…
* for this prop box, students played outside, recreating moments from the books provided. Their goal was to create an interactive museum that “tourists” could look at, but also interview. The students explained how they made and used tools, how they lived and what their challenges were. We watch the film (which they LOVE) and try the experiment. Students write out the scientific process of their experiment.
FRACTIONS PROP BOX
– empty pizza box
– construction paper “toppings”
– measuring cups and spoons
– pizza orders (for example: 1/4 pepperoni, 1/2 cheese)
– play money
DECIMALS & PERCENTS PROP BOX
– math menu
– play money
– cash register
– props and costumes
* for this prop box, students were asked to plan either their “vacation budget” or “Christmas shopping list” (in groups of two or three). Once they were done, they were informed that their allowance for the budget was $150. They went back to the drawing board and made major cuts to their original list (this helped them practice subtraction of decimals). Next they came with their new list to the cash register to purchase their items. I pretended to ring through the items. At the end they gave me the money but I informed them they did not have enough. They had forgot to include the 12% tax (this led into an excellent conversation about why we pay tax, where the money goes, how much other countries pay, etc!). Students RE-tallied their results yet again, subtracting some purchases and then adding the tax. Once again they came to the cash register with their play money. I rang each item through “beep, beep” and then they paid me. It was wonderful to see them problem solving together, helping other groups and feeling like they had TRULY purchased their items. PS- these are 13 year olds! No age limit on play here!
These are just some of the ideas that I have used over the years. There are hundreds more, for so many age groups and themes. I find these an excellent way to introduce a new topic or theme. Students get into role and become APART of the learning. I know that these are the moments in the classroom they remember!
Please leave a comment about your own successful prop box. Which age group did you create it for? What would you like to try in the future?
Multiple Intelligences in the Everyday Classroom 
