International Towne crafts and activities

Mexico

Calaveras Puppets
Materials:

* poster board
* skeleton pattern
* scissors
* glue
* wooden balloon sticks
* paper fasteners
* markers
* various materials for clothes, hats, and props (sequins, colored paper, felt, feathers, flowers, etc.)

Procedures:

1. Cut out pattern of skeleton and trace the pattern on poster board
2. Cut out traced pattern of skeleton on poster board
3. Attach arms and legs to body of skeleton with paper fasteners where circles appear on pattern
4. Decorate the calavera with clothes, hats, and props using various materials. Skeletons can take on characters of everyday life such as skate boarders, musicians, children, or a bride or groom.
5. Attach a wooden stick to the back of the puppet.
6. Enjoy the calaveras puppet!

Here is a mini-unit lesson plan on "El Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead)

Here is a link to a 24 page pdf file Education Packet
Packet Contents:
# Bibliography
# 4 coloring pages
# Word search game
# Mix and match puzzle
# Papel picado lesson plan, including an easy-to-use template for younger children.
# Calavera mask project
# Skeleton puppet project

Here are flash cards to print and glue to index cards:

Examples of Teacher made masks



Ghana

To receive “cultural credits,” decorate your own Ceremonial Mask.



Egypt

To receive “cultural credits,” decipher the work of an ancient scribe, which is a Hieroglyphic printable.

Go here to send an Hieroglyphic ecard

Egyptian Name Translator

Egyptian Calculator

Here are some fun Egyptian games for the kids

2 more fun kids pages for Egyptian theme
Great Scott
Guardians


Ukraine

To receive “culture credits,” they had to taste samples of spreads. The boys did not like these, there was hummus on crackers and “some kind of weird jellies”


Finland

To receive “culture credits,” sketch an outline of how you think a structure might appear in a different climate.


China
To receive “culture credits,” Complete an Abacus Exercise.
How to use an Abacus

The China Museum Tour included a worksheet asking the young adult to correctly figure out the country from which each item was from, and then write the name of the country in the blank space provided.
The items:
~ Kath Putti Puppet
~ Wooden Chocolate Stirrer
~ Matroishkas
~ Calligraphy Set
~ Yanomamo Comb
~ Geisha Doll
~ Hanukka Candle Holder
~ Mueso Board
~ Boomerang

The Chinese Dragon Curriculum Unit




Australia

To receive your “culture credits,” select a kangaroo, koala, platypus, or lizard and create your own aboriginal dot art project using colored markers that represent earth tones.


India

To receive your “culture credits” you will practice meditation, by coloring a mandala. As you color the mandal there are a series of questions to ask yourself on a worksheet."A mandala is a source of meditation that the Tibetans use to show your soul and trying to get to the center or to show the universe and everything that is in it."

The Buddha's Art of Healing

I highly recommend you look at the pages of the children’s mandala’s and their stories to go with each one.

Mandala lesson plan
Himalayan Art story telling for kids


Japan

To receive your “cultural credits,” follow the directions for creating an Origami Wallet.
YouTube video showing how to make an origami wallet

Explain to your children what origami is:
Origami (from oru meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper") is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns preferably without the use of gluing or cutting the paper medium. "Origami" nowadays refers to all types of paper folding, even those of non-Asian origin

My children wanted to know why this was a thing in Japan so I looked at and found the history with links to go with any questions.

The origin of the art began as Chinese Paper Folding. The Japanese origin began in the 6th century when Buddhist monks from China carried paper to Japan. The first Japanese origami is dated from this period. Origami had already become a significant aspect of Japanese ceremony by the Heian period of Japanese history. Samurai warriors would exchange gifts adorned with noshi, a sort of good luck token made of folded strips of paper. Origami butterflies were used during the celebration of Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom.



Costa Rica

To receive your “cultural credits,” complete the tables to find out how much rainforest disappears each year. (You can use a calculator. These measurements are approximate and rounded.)
Based on your calculations, approximately how much rainforest vanishes each year? __________________________________________
I would be happy to take a picture of the tables if you want to use them as guides to make your own.

Student Worksheet on the Rainforest

Life in the Rainforest by scholastic

Pictures and information of Rainforest animals, climate and plants

Animals of the Rainforest

Lesson Plans of the Rainforest


Brazil

To receive your “cultural credits,” decorate your own Carnaval headdress using the materials provided. Use your imagination and have fun.