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Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford’s Theatre

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A great Abraham Lincoln project for kids to bring history to life is a Ford’s Theatre shoebox diorama. You’ll also love my free War Between the States or American Civil War Unit Study and Lapbook page.

Instead of just reading about the events of April 14, 1865, kids can recreate the theater where one of the most important and tragic events in American history took place.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

This project is simple enough to make with a shoebox and basic craft supplies, but it also provides plenty of opportunities to learn about Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, theater life in the 1860s, and what happened on that fateful night.

The building we know today as Ford’s Theatre did not actually begin as a theater. The building was originally constructed as the First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. in the 1830s. The church eventually moved to another location, leaving the building vacant.

First, look at these books about Abraham Lincoln.

FUN BOOKS AND RESOURCES ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN

I have some Abraham Lincoln facts, some great books, and resources to turn your topic into a unit study.

16th President Abraham Lincoln Books and Resources

Add some of these books and resources to make a learning day about Lincoln and his accomplishments to American history

In the early 1860s, a theater owner named John T. Ford leased the building and transformed it into a theater. The first theater on the site opened in 1862, but a fire caused extensive damage that same year.

It quickly became an important entertainment venue in Washington, D.C. and President Abraham Lincoln was a regular visitor. I imagine it was a relief from the tension right after the Civil War. By April 1865, the Civil War was finally coming to an end. On April 9, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.

ABOUT FORD THEATRE

Five days after that on the evening of April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, went to Ford’s Theatre to watch a comedy called Our American Cousin. They were joined by Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris.

The Lincolns were seated in a special box above the stage. This was known as the Presidential Box, or State Box. The box was decorated with American flags and a portrait of George Washington. (You may want to include these details in your diorama because they are some of the most recognizable features of the theater).

During the performance, actor John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln. Booth was a Confederate sympathizer who opposed Lincoln.

A doctor named Charles Leale, who was attending the performance, rushed to help him. Because Lincoln’s injury was so serious, several men carefully carried him out of the theater and across the street to the Petersen Boarding House.

He died the following morning, April 15, 1865, at 7:22 a.m. at just 56 years old.

Ford’s Theatre did not continue operating after Lincoln’s assassination, it became a crime scene, and the government closed the building. Although John T. Ford tried to reopen the theater, public opposition prevented it from returning to normal operation.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Eventually, the federal government purchased the building. The inside was removed and the building was converted into government offices. Over the years, the building had several different uses and even suffered another terrible disaster when part of the building collapsed in 1893, killing 22 people.

Finally, Ford’s Theatre was restored. It reopened as a working theater in 1968, more than 100 years after Lincoln’s assassination.

Today, Ford’s Theatre is a National Historic Site where visitors can learn about Lincoln, the Civil War, the assassination, and the history of the theater.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PROJECTS FOR KIDS

HOW TO MAKE A FORD’S THEATER DIORAMA

For our project, we used a shoebox to create a miniature Ford’s Theatre. You can have your child make their theater as simple or detailed as you would have them do it.

We used this site for inspiration and referencing how the theater looked back then.

You will need:

  • A shoebox with a lid
  • Colorful construction paper
  • scissors/straight edge cutter
  • Glue
Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

We used the top of the shoe box to create the stage. First we drew the shape of a rounded stage.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Then cut it out leaving the edges of the box long so that we could wrap them around the top, tape down and have sides.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Finish it off by covering it in brown construction paper and add wood grain details if you like.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Cover the bottom of your box with red construction paper for the carpet and secure with glue.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Glue the stage in place at one end of the box.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Next, create the presidential box seats layering white for the framework, yellow for curtains, brown seats, and a red wall background.

You can make tiny figures of Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Rathbone, and Clara Harris sitting inside the box.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Draw or make a flag swag out of scrap paper to hang over the edge.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Ford’s Theatre had rows of seats facing the stage. Make miniature seats by cutting small ovals of brown paper and folding them in half.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Glue your rows of seats down to the base.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Add white strips vertically and horizontally to create the balcony and supports around the back of the theater.

Abraham Lincoln Project For Kids: How to Make Ford's Theatre

Finish off your stage with stage curtains in red.

Kid’s Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

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To use with a pioneer unit study, we’re learning kid’s pioneer toys to make. Long before screens, batteries, and plastic packaging, pioneer children on the American frontier made their own fun.

Toys were rarely purchased at a store, but instead they were whittled from scraps of wood, sewn from worn-out fabric, or fashioned from whatever the family had on hand.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

For families studying westward expansion, pioneer life, or the 1800s in general, recreating these simple toys is one of the best ways to make history feel real. Kids won’t just be reading about the past; they get the opportunity to hold it in their hands.

Today we’re making one of the most beloved pioneer toys: the jumping jack.

And we’ll use cardboard instead of wood, which makes this a perfect, low-mess project for a homeschool afternoon. And we will upcycle a cardboard box out of the pantry to keep it free.

Pioneer families who traveled west in covered wagons had almost no room for extra because every pound of cargo mattered when you were crossing prairies, rivers, and mountains, so toys had to be small, lightweight, and often multi-purpose.

Next, look at some living books to use with a pioneer or westward expansion unit study.

LIVING BOOKS FOR KIDS FOR A WESTWARD EXPANSION UNIT STUDY

These books would work with a pioneer unit study too.

Also we love using these books as a read aloud while doing a hands-on history craft.

10 Westward Expansion Resources

Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.

And many toys made at home using leftover wood, corn husks, fabric scraps, or even bones and buttons.

Children were also expected to help with chores from a young age, so toys were usually played with in short bursts… during a break from churning butter, feeding chickens, or minding their younger siblings.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

What pioneer toys lacked in polish, they made up for in imagination. A toy didn’t need to look realistic to be a hit; it just needed to move, spin, or make a sound to be exciting.

MORE PIONEER LIFE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

In addition, let’s take a look at some of the toys that would have been common among pioneers, and I will take you through making your own jumping jack step by step.

OTHER PIONEER TOYS WORTH EXPLORING

Before jumping into the jumping jack project, consider exploring a few other pioneer toys as a themed pioneer toy week in your homeschool.

  • Whirligigs (buttons on string) A button threaded onto a loop of string, twisted, and pulled to make it spin rapidly. Simple, cheap, and endlessly entertaining.
  • Corn husk dolls–made from dried corn husks tied and folded into a human shape, these dolls were especially common because corn was grown almost everywhere. Girls often decorated them with scraps of cloth for dresses.
  • Game of Graces-This game involved throwing and catching a hoop on a stick.
  • Cup and ball–   A small ball attached by string to a wooden cup, tossed and caught. This toy tested hand-eye coordination and patience.
  • Rag dolls-Sewn from fabric scraps and stuffed with cotton, rags, or sawdust, these were often a young girl’s most treasured possession.
  • Cats cradle (string games)–  A pattern game played with a loop of string stretched between the fingers, passed back and forth between two players.

Each of these toys can make a fun companion project, and most require materials you already have at home: string, fabric scraps, buttons, or a stick.

HOW TO MAKE A CARDBOARD JUMPING JACK

A jumping jack is a jointed puppet, usually shaped like a person or animal, whose arms and legs “jump” up when you pull a string. Pioneer children often made these from wood and twine, but cardboard works wonderfully and is much easier for young hands to cut.

You will need:

  • Cardboard (a cereal box works well)
  • Scissors
  • A hole punch (or a pencil to poke holes)
  • Brass fasteners (paper brads), about 5
  • String or yarn
  • Markers, crayons, or paint for decorating
  • A large bead or button (optional, for the pull handle)
Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

First, on the cardboard, draw and cut out a body/head shape (as one piece), two arm pieces, and two leg pieces. Keep the limbs roughly the same length so the toy moves evenly.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

Decorate your jumping jack. Let your child give it a face, clothing, or even turn it into an animal.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

Punch a hole at the top of each arm and leg

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

And punch matching holes at each shoulder and hip on the body.

Use brass fasteners to attach each arm and leg to the body, pushing the fastener through both holes and folding back the prongs loosely enough that the limbs can swing freely.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

Connect the limbs with string. Tie one end of a piece of string to the top hole of one arm, run it behind the body, and tie it to the top hole of the opposite arm. Repeat with the two legs.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

Add the pull string. Tie a separate string to the center point where the arm-string and leg-string cross behind the body.

Let this string hang down below the toy, and tie a bead or button to the end as a handle.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

Test it out. Hold the toy by the head or hang it from a nail, and gently pull the string.

Kid's Pioneer Toys To Make: How To Make A Jumping Jack

The arms and legs should swing up together.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

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I have 19 hands-on rainforest activities for kindergarten. Too, grab more kindergarten activities on my Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum page. Also, look at my pages Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, Rain Forest – Amazon, and Rainforest Activities for Kids for more ideas.

And learning about the rainforest is a fun subject to cover for any grade including kindergarten.

Too, teaching children at the kindergarten age should include hands-on activities and should be play-based.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

Kindergarten learners can discover the rainforest through their senses. And the word “rain forest” denotes the fact that these are the some of the world’s wettest ecosystems.

While exploring nature, they learn through the sense of smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

So, you’ll want to include learning through the senses and a full immersion into the world of nature.

If you have room in your learning space, create a play-based Amazon theme area. Make the jungle come alive through music and props.

AMAZON RAINFOREST ANIMALS

First, begin with what kids this age love and that is animals.

There are many Amazon rainforest animals which your child can focus on.

A few animals which can ignite your child’s love for the wealth of the life that lives in the rainforest are:

  • Jaguars
  • Toucans
  • Iguanas
  • Giant Ant Eaters
  • Kinkajou also called honey bears
  • Harpy Eagles
  • Piranhas
  • Sloth and
  • Butterflies
  • Red and Green Macaw

And look at this ANIMALS OF THE WILD AMAZON Coloring Book for Kids & Adults: Learn about nature of the Rainforest.

Besides the animals are really what excites your kids when learning about the rainforest.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

You’ll love the page I have here Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon where your children can see more pictures.

RAINFOREST ACTIVITIES

Next, I have many rainforest activities for kids of all ages, but your kindergarten aged children will love putting together this fun lapbook.

Actually, my lapbooks are for multiple ages and are mix and match. Not all kids, especially kindergarten are on at the same level. That is perfectly normal.

Kids this age can be reading beginning chapter books, and some are still learning letter sounds. All of this is well within the range of normal for this age.

The point is kids love learning and this is the time for projects. And look how fun this is: Melissa & Doug Stamp-a-Scene Stamp Set: Rain Forest – 20 Wooden Stamps.

For example, look at these free Amazon rainforest lapbooks.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

Look here to read about my free Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

OTHER KINDERGARTEN RESOURCES

Look at some of these other kindergarten resources.

19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten

Look at the 19 crafts below. I know you’ll find one or two that will add some fun to your child’s learning day.

Rainforest Activities

Kindergarten learning should be about hands-on crafts, moving, singing and learning that is play- based or crafts.

These rainforest crafts can be done by all your kids but especially your kindergarten aged children.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

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There are so many easy chemistry experiments to do at home using just basic household supplies in your pantry or under the sink.

You don’t need a lab coat or a cabinet full of chemicals to explore real chemistry. Some of the most fascinating reactions happen with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Milk, vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring aren’t just cooking staples; they’re active chemical ingredients.

Acids, bases, proteins, and gases are all sitting in your pantry, just waiting for the right combination to set off a reaction.

You don’t need a fancy lab to see real chemical reactions in action.

Curdling milk into plastic, watching an egg turn rubbery, or making a volcano erupt on your countertop are all genuine demonstrations of acid-base chemistry, protein structure, and gas production.

That makes your kitchen one of the best (and safest) places to introduce chemistry concepts. For example, acid-base reactions, protein denaturation, and gas production can be learned in the kitchen.

BOOKS AND RESOURCES FOR A CHEMISTRY UNIT STUDY

Next, look at these books about chemistry and with fun chemistry activities.

12 Chemistry Books & Resources for Kids of All Ages

But first here are some resources that are a great introduction and more to chemistry for kids.

Best of all, the ingredients are already in your kitchen, so nothing stops you from starting your first experiment today.

Below I have links to 10 simple experiments you can try today. And take a deeper dive into the coolest one: turning milk into moldable plastic.

 EASY CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS TO DO AT HOME

Gather up your baking soda, yeast, watercolors, vinegar, and other basic items and get ready to amaze your kids with your scientific genius.

Look at the science fun I have found for you below.

  1. Try these Gummy Juice Noodles: Food Chemistry Experiment for Kids.
  2. 2 Fun Chemistry for Kids Experiments & John Dalton Notebooking Pages
  3. Watch a Baking Soda Growing Tree form overnight.
  4. 10 Facts About Oxygen For Kids | How To Do An Underwater Flame Experiment |Free Printable
  5. Make a Simple Chemistry Hatching Dino Egg for the dino lover.
  6. Learn How to Make Elephant Toothpaste | Fun Chemistry Activities & Printable
  7. Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity
  8. Simple Chemical Reaction Experiment – Steel wool and vinegar reaction is great for preschool through early elementary.
  9. How to Make Elephant Toothpaste | Fun Chemistry Activities & Printable
  10. Enjoy edible Delightfully Fizzy Sherbet – Go Science Girls.
Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

 
Even though these experiments use safe household products, this is a great time to introduce lab safety and encourage your child to use proper equipment like gloves and safety goggles.

TURNING MILK INTO MOLDABLE PLASTIC EXPERIMENT

This is the star of the show today; I am giving you the simple breakdown for this one.  With just two ingredients, you can watch milk transform from a liquid into a moldable, rubbery solid, essentially homemade bioplastic.

First, talk about the chemistry behind it with your learner. 

Milk contains a protein called casein, which normally stays suspended in the liquid because of its electrical charge and the milk’s pH balance.

Vinegar is acetic acid, and adding it lowers the pH of the milk.  

That change causes the casein proteins to lose their charge and clump together in a process called curdling or denaturation.

In fact, casein plastic (sometimes called “Galalith”) was actually used commercially in the early 1900s to make buttons, jewelry, and pen casings before synthetic plastics took over-amazing!

You will need:

  • 1 cup of milk (whole milk works best)
  • 4 tablespoons of white vinegar
  • A saucepan
  • A strainer or cheesecloth
  • A bowl of cold water
  • Cookie cutters or molds
  • Paper towels
Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s warm but not boiling (small bubbles forming at the edges are your cue).

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar.

The solid curds you’re left with are almost pure casein, and this protein has a naturally plastic-like structure.

MILK AND VINEGAR PLASTIC (CASEIN PLASTIC)

Watch closely; within seconds, you’ll see white clumps (curds) separate from a yellowish liquid (whey). This is the reaction in action.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Let it sit for a minute, then pour the mixture through a strainer to separate the curds from the liquid.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

I will say this batch doesn’t make much, so if you have more than one kid or want to create a larger plastic shape, you will want to double or triple the recipe to be sure you have plenty.

Rinse the curds gently under cold water, then press out excess moisture with paper towels.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

While it’s still warm and pliable, knead the curds like dough or press flat for the cookie cutter.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Press them into a mold, shape them by hand, or flatten out and cut them with a cookie cutter.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

Let your creation air-dry for 24–48 hours.

Easy Chemistry Experiments To Do At Home

As it dries, it hardens into a solid, plastic-like material.

How to Make a Coat of Arms Activity & Free Printables (Middle Ages History)

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We’re learning how to make a coat of arms activity and I have some free printables at the end of the post. Also, look at my 4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas for more activities.

I’m extremely fascinated by the Middle Ages. I know that the reality of that time was far less romantic than novels and films make it seem, but the castles and the jousting tournaments and the costumes are just wonderful to think of.

How to Make a Coat of Arms Activity & Free Printables (Middle Ages History)

In those years (and in the years since), royal and noble families have had a coat of arms to show what they’ve accomplished in their history.

And, while the coat of arms is often associated with Medieval Europe, it’s actually been used all over the world – from China to Senegal.

To learn more about how these designs were used and passed down through families, we decided to make our own coat of arms! See how you can do the same for a hands-on history lesson!

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT THE MEDIEVAL AGES

Next, add some living books to this hands-on history craft.

9 Medieval History Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add a few of these books to your Middle Ages or Medieval unit study.

Hands-On History: Make a Coat of Arms

A coat of arms is a special design made for a distinguished person or family. The design varies, depending on the family’s (or person’s) accomplishments, titles, and positions.

Each part of the coat of arms actually has a name.

The top third is called the “field” and the bottom two-thirds is called the “escutcheon”, which is actually a small shield within the larger shield.

How to Make a Coat of Arms Activity & Free Printables (Middle Ages History)

Everything on a coat of arms is significant and meaningful. The colors, symbols, choice of animals, patterns, and designs can all denote something different.

The design of a coat of arms can vary greatly, according to family or country. For example, this is the coat of arms of the country of Botswana.

Coat of arms of Botswana

Now compare that one to this one that belongs to the Duke of Westminster.

Coat of Arms of the Duke of Westminster without Order of Garter

There’s a lot going on there, right?

For our coat of arms, we went with a much, much simpler design, but it incorporates some of the significant colors, symbols, and patterns we read about.

To do the activity yourself, you’ll need the following:

  • Printer paper
  • Cardstock
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Blank coat of arms printable (add your email at the bottom and get the freebies instantly)
  • Coat of arms animal symbols printable
  • Mirror facing coat of arms animal symbols printable
Simple Coat of Arms Activity

Start by printing out the coat of arms and the animal symbols.

Coat of Arms Printable Craft

I didn’t have white cardstock, so I printed ours on a white piece of printer paper and then glued it on the grey cardstock we had. Then we cut it out.

If you have white cardstock, you can skip that step and just print the coat of arms directly on that.

Making a Coat of Arms

Now, it’s time to choose your animal symbols! I only included four in this printable, but there are truly scores of different animals that have been used on coats of arms through the years. And they all have a different meaning.

The animals in the printable mean the following:

  • Griffin – means valor & bravery
  • Pegasus – means poetic genius (as an English major, I had to include that one)
  • Horse – means ready for battle
  • Bird – means peace & affection
Creating a Coat of Arms

Then it was time to choose our coat of arms colors! As we learned, blue means truth & loyalty, so we colored the “field” blue.

Choosing Animals for a Coat of Arms

Then we added our animals.

Choosing Colors for a Coat of Arms

And we surrounded them with orange, which means “worthy ambition & work”. Also because it looked cool.

DIY Coat of Arms Craft

Finally, we learned that furs denoted nobility, so you could add a fur-like pattern to your coat of arms to show that you were of the upper class of society.

One of those fur patterns was white with black spots – like a Dalmatian. We went with that.

As I kept looking at it, though, it just didn’t look right. Then it hit me! The animals are supposed to be facing each other!

Finished Coat of Arms Craft

Ahhhh….that’s better!

Be sure to print both pages of the animal symbols so that you can choose two animals that will face one another on the coat of arms.

This was so neat to do! We didn’t know that the coat of arms was so full of meaning, so this was a great hands-on lesson to learn about that.

Looking for an easy hands-on middles ages history activity? Your kids will love making their own coat of arms. Scoot by and download the activity at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus!

The printables are subscriber freebies.

HOW TO GET THE FREE BLANK COAT OF ARMS, ANIMAL SYMBOLS & MIRROR FACING ANIMAL SYMBOLS PRINTABLES

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

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Check out these other hands-on history projects kids can do!

Written by Selena at Look! We’re Learning!