Trace around your hands to imitate the look of intricate henna designs on paper. These traditional, temporary tattoos are used to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Hindu weddings, and other auspicious occasions.

• 1.

  Ancient Egyptians decorated mummies with henna. Over time, the tradition for celebrating auspicious occasions with beautiful henna body art spread through Africa, India, and Arabic countries. Henna-decorated hands now are common around the world when people celebrate events such as Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Find out more about this ancient tradition, and then show what you’ve learned with henna hand designs on paper.

• 2.

  Trace around your hands, spread apart, on construction paper with Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils. Between them, draw a Muslim girl, Hindu bride, or other female celebrating a special occasion. Color her skin with Crayola Multicultural Markers. Color her clothing (traditional or contemporary) with your colored pencils.

• 3.

  Use a brown or red Crayola Fine Line Marker and your imagination to create henna-like designs on the hands. Make the art intricate and delicate. Write or present a description of the event that is being celebrated and the meaning of the symbols.

Standards

• LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
• LA: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• SCI: Ask questions about the natural and human-built worlds.
• SS: Describe ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.
• VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.
• VA: Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of ideas.
• VA: Describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts.

Adaptations

• Students investigate wedding ceremonies from differing cultures. Document specific practices from culture to culture. Prepare an electronic presentation to share with classmates.
• In small groups, students further their research into the observance of Ramadan and celebration of Eid al-Fitr by Islamic families. Students reveal the significance of these events to the Islamic culture.
• Children investigate the lanterns used to usher in the Islamic holiday of Ramadan. Students construct an original lantern.