Sunday, January 25, 2015

Hands On History - Ben Franklin style!





Our new Coop is off and flying high!

I'm excited about getting to teach history- we're using Mystery of History - Vol. 4 as a guide for our studies.

With just 6 kiddos in each class, we have the perfect size group for doing fun, hands-on projects.  My FAVORITE way to teach.

This week,  we studied Benjamin Franklin.  The perfect opportunity to make our very own kites!

Here's my process:

Wooden dowels  (I bought one long dowel and cut it into 2 pieces, one longer than the other)  Be careful using the saw!!  See my bandaid....



Then,  I masking taped the sticks together in a cross. 

I took a thin cord, and hot glued it to the tips of the dowels, creating the kite form.


 
After the form is completed,  trace a piece of paper and cut out around - leaving about a 2" overlap.  Take the overlap and glue it down over the string form.  I had the kiddos decorate their kite fronts BEFORE we glued them on the kite form.  I recommend hot glue, it dries nice and fast!
 

 
After the kite is together - add a string from top of kite to bottom of kite to make a cradle.  We used a hole punch to make a hole on the top, and on the bottom.  Then, we reinforced it with clear tape.
 
 
I found adorable little keys at Michaels in the $1 section...  we strung them onto our kite's string for authenticity :-)
 
 
Add a ribbon tail, for cuteness - and flying stability.
 


 Here's a view of the finished kite - front and back.  These turn out to be surprisingly sturdy.  We wanted to go and fly them, but - our weather was not cooperating!




The next generation's greatest inventors!!


 
 
To complete our look - we made pipe cleaner bifocals (another brilliant invention of Ben Franklin's)
 
 


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