Learn about the clothing worn by Europeans when they first came to the Americas. Create a historic, miniature figure wearing authentic attire of the period.

• 1.

  Research the clothing that was worn by European immigrants when they started to come to the American continents. Discover how religious beliefs and cultural history influenced clothing designs for men, women, and children. These directions are for making a female figure in a simple dress. Modify the steps as needed to create other attire.

• 2.

  Fold a sheet of Crayola Shaper Paper™ in half and in half again. Cut along folds to make four small sheets.

• 3.

  Place a paper cup upside down on a flat surface covered with newspaper. Dip one small sheet quickly into a bowl of water. Attach short edge of sheet vertically to top edge of cup pleating the top together to form one-third of the skirt.

• 4.

  Repeat Step 3 twice, attaching two more panels to complete the skirt.

• 5.

  Crumple a paper towel into a ball to place on top of the cup. Cut the last quarter sheet in half vertically. Dip in water and attach the short end at the waist. Stretch the piece around to the other side of the waist. Hold in place for a minute or until the paper adheres.

• 6.

  Cut the last small paper in half. Dip into water and roll into small tubes to create arms. Flatten one end. Attach flat ends to top sides of torso.

• 7.

  Fold a second sheet of Shaper Paper in half and in half again. Cut out one-quarter sheet. Cut it in half vertically. Dip each piece in water and attach the short ends at the front waist. Stretch the pieces over and around to the back of the waist. These pieces cover the top of both arms.

• 8.

  Cut out another quarter sheet and cut it in half. Attach the short ends to make one long vertical sheet. Fold this sheet in half and cut along vertical line. Dip into water and fold in half and in half again lengthwise to create a belt. Wrap around the waist to secure torso.

• 9.

  Crumple a half paper towel into a small ball to create the head. Cut another quarter sheet in half horizontally. Dip in water and cover the head, wrapping it tightly around the paper towel ball. Set aside.

• 10.

  Fold a third sheet of Shaper Paper in half and in half again. Cut out one-quarter sheet and cut it in half vertically. Dip one section in water and fold in half. Set head on top of figure. Wrap newly folded sheet around the head, meeting two corners to create a collar. This secures the head on the figure.

• 11.

  Fold another quarter sheet in half horizontally. To make a hat, draw a circle about 2.5 inches (6 cm) in diameter. Draw another circle, about 3/4 inch (2 cm) in diameter, on cardboard. Cut out all circles. Place the smaller circle in the center of the bigger circle. Trace around the edge of the small circle. Cut out the circles in the middles of both larger circles. Using a wet paint brush, dampen one circle surface and attach to the other. Wet around the inside edge of the circle and attach the hat to the figure’s head. Hold in place for a moment until hat adheres to head. Air-dry the figure overnight or until completely dry.

• 12.

  Decorate your figure and its apparel with Crayola Watercolor Paints. Air-dry the paint. Orally describe the clothing, culture, and period it represents to your classmates.

Standards

• LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• LA: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of aspects of a topic.
• LA: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
• 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.
• SS: Give examples of and explain groups and institutional influences such as religious beliefs, laws, and peer pressure, on people, events, and elements of 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.

Adaptations

• In small groups, students research accessories from different eras such as hats, belts, men's ties, etc. Create 3-D models and compose a written comparison of the items.
• In small groups, students write an original story that incorporates each of the groups members colonial figures. Act out the story and videotape it. Upload the file to a classroom computer for future viewing.
• Students investigate military uniforms from the colonial era and contemporary uniforms. Compare and contrast the two. How do each reflect the era that they were/are used in?