(Projects can be Community Service, MLK or Valentine Holiday Related)
Cards and Envelopes
Vocabulary: Symmetry and asymmetry
Materials: Glue, scissors, and pencil, markers, colored pencils or crayons can also be very useful, stencils or tracers for card making and envelope making
Directions:
- The simplest method of making a card is folding a vertical format paper in half. First fold down so it’s a horizontal rectangle and then fold in half across so it is vertical again.
- For pop-up method: Fold paper in half, then again in half, and cut two slits in the center of the paper, folding that rectangle shape in the opposite direction from the other crease.
- Paper folded like an accordion can be another way to create a card.
- Another way to create a card with a 3-D effect is to include a small accordion inside a larger card for a pop-up effect.
Opportunity for Discussion and play:
Cards can be a great tool to incorporate poetry and self-reflection, reinforce connection between people, and create compassion between strangers (include first names only when sending cards to soldiers or senior citizens).
- Discuss types of messages and bring quotes.
- Have students research different messages.
- How can a message be particularly meaningful for family members and friends, senior citizens and soldiers?
Card making and envelope making can also be a wonderful vehicle for self reflection. This can be done by having students think of a personal challenge, think of themselves a year from now or four years from now or even as an adult writing about their current self.
- What would your future self suggest to your current self?
- Write to your future self and ask for guidance on how to reach the goals and dreams that you want to have realized in the future.
- Have the happy future self write to the current self and help create a timeline or strategy to reach those goals.
An envelope can be a kind of treasure chest where students can cut out things that they love or value. Making little precious pictures and putting them inside their treasure chest can be delightful to watch. Discuss how they can keep these private and decorate the outside of the envelope like a treasure chest with a lock. Students can also take an envelope and draw things that represent their external self versus the things that represent how they feel inside, and then fold and glue envelope.