Food Bank Mobile

crayola supplies

household supplies

Why?

What healthy foods do food banks and soup kitchens provide? Show them in an awareness-building grocery-bag mobile.

Steps

  1. 1. Being hungry is a strong feeling. It’s hard to think about anything else but food. In every country, there are people who never know whether they will have something to eat for their next meal. Contact a local food bank or soup kitchen to find out what kinds of foods it offers to hungry people.
  2. 2. Design a food mobile. On paper plates, recycled file folders, or pieces of brown paper bags, draw the kinds of foods available at your food bank with Crayola® Markers. Cut out your drawings with Crayola Scissors. Complete the other side of the food pictures. Punch a hole in each piece and tie it on yarn or string.
  3. 3. Hang the mobile. Turn a paper lunch bag upside down and write your message on the sides. Poke a hole in the center of the bag’s bottom. Loop and knot yarn through the hole for the mobile hanger. Punch holes along the open end of the bag. Tie food drawings to the bag. The mobile looks like food is falling out of an open grocery bag. Hang in a prominent place to remind people to donate generously.

adaptations

Find out where your nearest food bank is located. Plan a group trip to visit it. Find out when its shelves are most likely to be empty and what types of food are needed. Prepare a presentation for your group to kick off a food drive.

Bring your awareness to restaurants and other food services. Ask them to donate leftover food to a nearby shelter, soup kitchen, or food bank.

Older children can learn about the three pillars of food security (availability, accessibility, and best use of food) and what these mean to address world hunger.

Assessment: Determine whether foods are suitable for donating, nutritious, and whether the mobile conveys a compelling message.

benefits

Students empathize with the plight of hungry people.

Students discover one way that hungry people are fed in their area.

Student gain awareness of the specific needs of a food bank and render their understanding in a 3-D format.

grades

Grades 1 to 3
Grades 4 to 6

subjects

Social Studies
Visual Arts

time

30 to 60 minutes
Multiple Sessions

curriculum standards links

US: Research U.S. Standards
UK: Research UK Standards
Canada: Research Canada Standards

safety guidelines

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

String-Like Materials—Includes string, raffia, lacing, yarn, ribbon, and other similar material. Children 3 years and younger should not be given any string-like material that is longer than 12 inches. Close adult supervision is essential whenever children use string-like material. When crafts are to be worn around the necks of children 8 years and younger, attach the ends of the “string-like material” with clear adhesive tape, which allows easy release of the bond if the craft becomes entangled or caught on equipment. For children older than 8 years, the ends of the “string-like material” may be tied and knotted.

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