Patriot Club Schools
Spring Colonial Activities for Patriot Clubs or the Classroom:
April Showers Bring May Flowers
Mount Vernon, home of George Washington, Montpelier, home of James Madison, and Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson all boasted beautiful gardens. This is a perfect season to expose students to colonial life, and activities colonial children participated in during springtime.
If you Google the above homes you can view pictures of the gardens currently restored. It would be helpful to show these gardens to the students and discuss them before beginning the following activities.
The following activities can also be done in connection with Mother’s Day, and made for the children to present to their mothers.
Pressed Flower Place Mats:
Materials:
Spring flowers
Thick books such as Dictionaries
Tissue paper
Poster board
Clear contact paper
Markers or paint
Scissors
Procedure:
1. Place flowers between two pieces of tissue paper
2. Put tissue in between pages of book and stack more books on top
3. Keep flowers in book for two weeks
4. Cut poster board to place mat size (16X12 inches)
5. Draw or paint pictures on poster board (suggestions might include pictures of the above Presidential estates)
6. After two weeks take flowers from books
7. Arrange flowers on the poster board in an attractive manner
8. Cut pieces of contact paper in sizes of 17X 13 inches
9. Working with a partner Roll the contact board over the arranged flowers on the poster board
10.Trim the edges of the contact paper, leaving enough to create a seal on both sides
Flower Vase:
Materials:
Glass juice or Mayo Jar (tall enough to place flowers standing within)
Paper Mache Paste: 1 part flour to 5 parts water, boiled for 3 min. and allowed to cool
Strips of white paper
Paint or markers
Procedure:
Paper Mache jar, covering with three layers of white paper that has paste coating the strips
Allow to dry for 24 hours
Decorate jar with colonial designs or flowers
Dandelion or Wildflower Necklaces:
Procedure:
Pick Wildflowers or Dandelions if available
Pick ones with long, thick stems
Attach them by tying one stem in a knot high up near the flower of another Dandelion or Wildflower, and so on until student reaches desired length
Remind students that these are going to wilt in a couple of days, but can be replaced as long as the flowers are available.
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Suggested Patriot Activities for March
“Look Up to the Bill of Rights!”
On March 4, 1789 the Senate convened for the very first time. This is a perfect time to study the Bill of Rights. An activity that will enhance this study is to make mobiles to hang, emphasizing the Bill of Rights. If you Google: Bill of Rights for Kids, you can obtain that Bill, written in “Kid Friendly” Language.
Materials needed:
Plastic coat hangers of red, white, and blue
Yarn of the same colors
Print out pictures to color of the Bill of Rights
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/constitution-day
Crayons and/or markers
Scissors
Hole punch
Procedure: Have students color and cut out pictures which pertain to the Bill of Rights. Punch holes in the tops of the pictures. Cut yarn the desired length to suspend from the coat hangers. Tie the yarn to the coat hangers in different places, and then attach the pictures to the suspended yarn by tying them on with yarn through the holes. Hang these mobiles from plastic hooks placed in the ceiling, or from light fixtures, etc. They make colorful decorations, and serve as reminders to the children of the Bill of Rights.
“Go Fly a Kite, Ben Franklin!”
As spring weather, and March winds approach, kite flying time is here. A really fun activity for a Patriot Club would be to make homemade kites, after reading one of the following books about Ben Franklin.
1. Ben Franklin and His First Kite by Stephen Krensky
2. How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by Rosalyn Schanzer
Materials Needed:
6 plastic straws
6 plastic jumbo straws
Scissors
Glue
Tissue paper
Cellophane tape
Kite string or other strong, lightweight String
Markers
Procedure:
Cut each flexible straw about 1 & ½ inches on each side of the flexible hinge
Slide one end of each jumbo straw into an end of each flexible hinged piece. Form a hexagon with the remaining straws.
Cut a sheet of tissue paper into a size and shape slightly larger than the straw hexagon. Allow an additional ½ to 1 inch of extra space on all sides.
Place the 6 sided figure on the tissue paper.
Run a bead of glue along one of the straws.
Bring the tissue paper up over the straw and glue it into place. Repeat this with each straw.
Tear a 3 to 4 inch piece of cellophane tape. Tape around the tissue and straw at the center of one of the 6 sides. Repeat with each of the other sides.
Using scissors, carefully poke a hole through the tape and paper just inside the kite area on each of the 6 sides.
Cut three pieces of kite string about 18 e=inches long.
Thread each end of the three strings through opposite holes. Carefully tie each string in place.
Pull the strings together at the center of the kite. Tie these short strings to the remaining ball of string.
Decorate the kite with markers.
Fly your kite, Ben Franklin!
*For further kite information, Google the following site:
www.suite101.com/how-to-make-a-kite for children-a104454?template=article_prin…
* ( Instructions by: Theresa Bledsoe)
“The Patriots are coming! The Patriots are coming!”
The Light of Liberty shines brightly in the eyes of America’s youth, and Constituting America is encouraging students and teachers to become founding patriots in their school, by forming Patriot Clubs. These clubs will provide opportunities for students to explore the Constitution of the United States in exciting ways, and to participate in a variety of both fun and educational activities that will help empower them as our future leaders, with the understanding of our country’s foundation. Through the use of modern technology, and teacher ingenuity, students can take adventures through the history of our birth as a nation, and the relevance the Constitution still holds for us today. Our website will offer suggestions for both students and teachers on club activities, so stay tuned to Constituting America to learn how you can spread the word that, “The Patriots are coming!”
Nancy K. Arnold, Schools Cabinet Secretary for the Patriot Club Project
These are wonderful activities for fledgling patriots.
Have you considered working with the Texas Home School organizations to provide learning materials for young patriots? (Perhaps you already do.) Organizations like THSC.org and TheHomeSchoolMom.com help home-schoolers find teaching materials and other resources for their children students.