Travel the world, explore a neighborhood, or record classroom adventures. Keep track of discoveries with colorful stamps in a hand-crafted journal.

• 1.

  Do you have a passport? Passports began as letters of safe passage from an area’s ruler. Now they are international documents that confirm your identity and citizenship. If you use a passport to visit other countries, it may have some national stamps and seals to show where you are going or have been. Look at passports from various countries. Find out how people get passports in your country.

• 2.

  Try this idea to make a passport-like journal in which to record your adventures. You could keep a diary of your school year, camp, travel, or fun you have with your friends!

• 3.

  <STRONG>Create the pages.</STRONG> With Crayola® Scissors, cut brightly colored paper in half lengthwise. Glue ends together with Crayola School Glue to create a long strip. Air-dry the strip.

• 4.

  Fold the long strip in half so the narrow ends touch. Fold in half two more times. Unfold and refold to make a zigzag of pages.

• 5.

  <STRONG>Design the cover.</STRONG> Cut two pieces of cardboard or recycled file folder slightly bigger than your passport. Glue the covers to the ends of your accordion book. Air-dry your passport.

• 6.

  Decorate your passport cover with shimmery Crayola Gel Markers. Attach your photo if you want to the inside cover.

• 7.

  <STRONG>Start recording.</STRONG> On the inside pages, capture the places you have been in person or in your imagination. Illustrate people, places, and events—whatever your assignment!

• 8.

  <STRONG>Create stamps.</STRONG> Shape white Crayola Model Magic into stamps with handles. Press down to flatten the bottom. Incise designs with plastic dinnerware or build them up with tiny snakes or bits of modeling compound. Air-dry your stamps overnigh

• 9.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Pour Crayola Washable Paint into a clean recycled produce tray. Press your stamp into the paint. Print designs on your passport. Air-dry.

Benefits

• Students examine the function of the passport system of their country.
• Students make simple accordion-fold books.
• Students design and fabricate stamps with which to record information in their books.

Adaptations

• Learn about the recent technological devices used to cut down on passport crime, such as embedded photographs seen only with ultraviolet light and holographic messages.
• Survey the class to find out who has a passport and the countries of issue.
• The possibilities for this passport are endless! Record countries as they’re studied. Recap vacation and camp adventures. Keep a log of classroom events. Record observations on field trips. Keep a diary of performances. Take books on the first day of school to help children get to know each other.