Helping Hand

1. Discuss these questions: What do you do to help each other in school? Your family? Your friends?
2. Trace handprints on paper with Crayola® Washable Markers and Washable Multicultural Markers. Work with partners to trace hands. Select a matching skin color for the hands.
3. Draw pictures or write words to describe how these hands help other people. Adults or more advanced students can write words for younger children or those with disabilities.

LA: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

LA: Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

LA: Participate in shared research and writing projects.

VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.

VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.

VA: Select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.

Initially, students decide upon several adjectives that help to describe themselves. Students write these words in a list or on the white board for reference. Next, students trace each of their own hands, opposite each other, and write one of the chosen descriptive words on each of the fingers. In between their two hands, students create illustrations that represent their lives in some way. Post these in the classroom.

Invite parents, grandparent, or significant family friends to visit with students in the classroom. Prior to the visit, students compose questions to ask the adults about how they help others. Students interview the adults and make a list of words that help to describe the adults' activities. Students trace the adult hands, write a descriptive work on each finger of the traced hand, and sketch an original scene between the two traced adult hands. Display Helping Hand art work in the classroom.

Using Crayola Model Magic, students make handprints as a keepsake for families. Students paint the handprints their favorite color.