Give Our Class a Hand—Celebrate Diversity Banner
Connect with your classmates while displaying pride in your diversity!
1. Discuss these questions: What is a community? How is a classroom of students and teachers a small community? What makes each of us unique? What do we have in common that joins us together?
2. Work with partners to trace your handprints on paper with Crayola Multicultural Crayons. Select a matching skin color for each of your hands. Use Crayola Crayons to write your name on the palm of the hand in a favorite color.
3. Write something special about you on each paper finger and thumb in a different color. You might list your best-loved activity, preferred animal, yummiest food, something you’re good at, or a word that describes your best quality.
4. Shade around the words with a Crayola Multicultural Crayon that matches your skin color. Cut out your paper hand.
5. Spread newspaper on your art area. Choose a Crayola Tempera Mixing Medium to brush over your hand to give it a pearl, glitter, or textured effect. Air-dry.
6. Explain to your classmates why you chose the words on your hand. Look for unique choices and common characteristics. Glue everyone’s hands on a long ribbon. Air-dry.
7. Display in the classroom or hallway as a reminder of your uniquely diverse class!
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.
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.
Windows—Be sure windows are securely closed and locked before decorating. An adult must closely supervise the activity.
- Read the book The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf and Michael Letzig. Children create mini posters about themselves, including a portrait and words describing what makes them unique using just one crayon color. Talk about the challenge of using just one color. In pairs, children create mini posters about a classmate using many colors. Invite children to share their work and talk about what they learned.
- Create community quilts. Children cut paper squares in about eight different sizes. Children write their names on small squares. Glue the small square of paper on a slightly larger square. Label this square "family". Discuss how a family is a small community. Each child glues these squares onto a neighborhood square, then a town square, county square, state square, nation square, and so on, using appropriate regional names. Discuss each community as you build the squares. Attach all of the squares to a large piece of chart paper to create a paper community quilt.
- Assessment: Ask children to write statements about the Give Our Class a Hand garland. Assess writing skills and observe insights about community and diversity.
My Motto
Pop-Up Puppets
Curled-Paper Winter Holiday Cards
