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Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

August 18, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some Incan crafts for kids. Also, look at my page Meso-America Free Unit Study and Lapbook for more activities.

We’re going on a journey to learn about Incan jewelry, a sparkling part of history that’s full of amazing stories and stunning designs!

Grab a great reference book or two to use along with these ideas that I have gathered up.

The Incas were a fascinating civilization that lived in South America, mainly in what is now Peru, from the 15th to the 16th century.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

They were known for their incredible architecture, like the famous Machu Picchu, and their impressive artwork.

And guess what? They also created some truly awesome jewelry!

There is also a tutorial for stunning salt dough Incan jewelry at the bottom, a great project for your learner to work on as you read about them.

Who Were the Incan

Before we get into these Incan crafts let’s learn a little bit more about these peoples who helped shape the generations that came after them.

  • The Incas were an ancient civilization that lived in South America from the 13th to the 16th centuries. They were one of the largest and most advanced civilizations in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans.
  • The Incas were known for their impressive stonework, their extensive road system, and their agricultural terraces. They also had a complex system of government and religion.
  • The Inca Empire began in the Cuzco Valley in Peru. Over time, the Incas conquered many other tribes and kingdoms. At its peak, the Inca Empire stretched from present-day Ecuador to Chile and Argentina.
  • The Incas were master builders. They built large cities, temples, and fortresses. They also built an extensive road system that connected all parts of their empire.
  • The Incas were very skilled farmers. They used terraces to grow crops on steep mountainsides and built aqueducts to bring water to their fields.
  • The Inca Empire was a powerful and prosperous civilization. But it was eventually conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century.

Gold was the sacred metal of the Incan people.

They called it “the sweat of the sun god”.

The lore of their land of gold and silver is what led to the Spanish soldiers attacking the Inca for their treasures.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

The Maya, Aztec, and Inca of Central and South America shared many common elements.

The groups practiced farming, developed social structures, raised up armies, and worshiped many gods.

But these three civilizations were as different as the terrains they called home.

Books about Meso-America For Kids

Next, look at some of these books to grab when learning about South America.

5 Resources for Learning about Meso-America, the Aztec, Inca, and Maya

Add some of these books to your unit study about Meso-America.

DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs

This fun, fact-filled book for kids ages 6–9 is the ultimate guide to three great civilizations of the American continents—the Maya, Incas, and Aztecs. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits,
it’s the perfect book for any kid who can’t get enough of ancient history.

DK Eyewitness Books: Aztec, Inca & Maya: Discover the World of the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas―

Journey back in time to experience the rise and fall of the Aztecs, as well as other Mesoamerican peoples, including the Incas and Mayas. You’ll explore their vast empires and lost worlds in spectacular detail, and meet their gods and goddesses and marvel at their precious stones. Join them farming and hunting, team up for sports and games, taste the food and drink, and dance at their celebrations. Then, after centuries of growth and progress, discover how the Spanish conquest
brought these civilizations crashing to their knees.

Llamas and the Andes: A nonfiction companion to Magic Tree House #34: Late Lunch with Llamas

Track the facts about llamas and other animals of the Andes in this nonfiction companion to the bestselling Magic Tree House series!When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #34: Late Lunch with Llamas, they had lots of questions. Why do people raise llamas? What are llamas' closest relatives? How tall are the Andes mountains? What other animals live there? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about llamas and the Andes.

Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors. 

Incans Aztecs Mayans

Fascinating account of three major civilizations that existed in the New World before Europeans arrived. How did they live? What did they achieve? What happened to them? Seeks to interpret history from a biblical perspective.

Also, look at more Incan crafts for kids activities.

More Incan Crafts for Kids

  • Discovering Geography Through a Field Trip to Incan Ruins
  • Recreate these Easy Nazca Lines Craft For Kids to demonstrate the unsolved mystery of the ancient markings found in the Peruvian desert.
  • 7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model
  • These Incan Inti Masks are simple to make with just cardboard and markers.
  • One of the most important symbols to the Inca was the sun god, Inti, also known as Apu-Punchau, and appears in many of the artifacts found. Make your own version with a Metal Foil Inca Sun.
  • Make 3D relief Peruvian Masks and talk about the importance to their culture in rituals, celebrations of patron saints, ceremonies, and special dances.
  • Because the animal was so important to their culture for food, wool for clothing, and as pack animals we couldn’t leave out this Cardboard llama Weaving Craft.

For a book that’s some bang for your buck learning about the 3 different ancient civilizations we really enjoyed this DK Find out Maya, Incas, and Aztecs.

You get a little bit of info on a lot of topics like their food, children, gods, ceremonies, medicines, calendars, daily life and more.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Finally, look at how to make stunning salt dough Incan jewelry.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry

Before you begin look through your books or online for Incan designs to model your jewelry after.

Because of the importance of gold to the Inca we painted our pieces gold.

You will need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½  cup table salt
  • ½ cup water
  • Craft paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Measuring cups
  • Tools-toothpicks, rollers, craft sticks, straw etc
Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

First. combine flour, salt, and water.

Mix until everything is incorporated, and the dough is fairly smooth.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Transfer to a smooth surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, if the dough is too sticky work a little flour into it as you knead it.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Roll dough to ¼” thickness or so, if you don’t have a roller, you can use a tin can or a cup.

Cut out your general design using cookie cutters, cups, or even a craft stick. we went with a ceremonial mask.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Use whatever tools you have on hand, forks, toothbrushes, toothpicks, wooden craft sticks, a clay knife, etc. to add details to your designs.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Roll small coils of clay or make little dots and add it to your pieces to add dimension, to help it stick you can add a tiny bit of water with your fingertip.

Use a straw to poke a hole at the top of your pendant design to put your string through.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Carefully transfer your jewelry to a baking sheet.

Then place it into an oven that has been preheated to 200 °.

Bake for an hour and a half and then flip.

How to Make Salt Dough Incan Jewelry With Kids

Then, bake for another hour and a half.

If it’s completely dried you can remove it if not bake for an additional hour or as needed.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Allow your pieces to cool a bit and then paint.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Once the paint is dried, run your string through the hole to create your necklace.

Or if you’re making earrings, you can glue earring posts to the back of the pieces.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

We created a ceremonial mask that looks like a warrior

And a beautiful gold disc.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

As well as a golden llama.

Incan jewelry is a beautiful reminder of how creativity and culture come together.

From dazzling gold to colorful stones, the Incas made jewelry that was as meaningful as it was beautiful.

Make Stunning Salt Dough Incan Jewelry | Incan Crafts for Kids

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Ancient HIstory, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool, homeschoolhistory, Inca, jewelry

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

August 17, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing an incredible slime recipe to add to your fun day when learning about insects. Also, look at my page Free Kids Insect Unit Study for more ideas.

It sounds kinda icky, but it’s actually super interesting.

Let’s dive into the sticky, squishy world of insect slime and discover why it’s one of nature’s coolest tricks.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Insect slime, or as scientists call it, “exudate,” is a gooey substance that some insects produce.

It’s not just any slime.

It is made of special proteins and other natural compounds that help insects in various ways.

However, regular slime can stretch, squish, and even bounce!

The magic of slime lies in its unique texture and the way it changes under different pressures.

It’s like a science experiment and a toy all rolled into one!

3 Ways Insects Use Their Incredible Slime

1. Hunting

Did you know that some insects use slime to catch their prey?

The sticky goo can trap small insects or other tiny creatures, making it easier for the slime-producing insect to feast.

2. Defense Mechanism

Many insects use slime to protect themselves from predators.

For example, some caterpillars can shoot out a sticky slime when they feel threatened. This goo can deter predators or even make them slip away!

3. Building and Home Making

Some insects use slime to build their homes.

Silk-spinning spiders, for instance, create intricate webs out of a slimy substance that hardens into strong silk threads.

Similarly, certain beetles use slime to line their burrows, making them smoother and more comfortable.

Also, look at some of these fun books to your learning day.

Insect Books for Kids

11 Insect & Bug Books for Kids Who Love to Be Read To and Read

Add one or two of these books to your home library about insects. I love living books but love to add reference books to our day when I find them.

When Insects are Babies

Describes briefly the short infancy of such common insects as the grasshopper, praying mantis, cicada, earwig, and twelve others.

We Like Bugs

This illustrated book for children asks the Have you ever seen a doodlebug? A dragon fly? A leafhopper? Find out all about bugs in this book.

Fabre's Book of Insects

Hailed by Darwin as "The Homer of Insects," famed French entomologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823–1915) devoted hours of rapt attention to insects while they hunted, built nests, and fed their families. Working in Provence, in barren, sun-scorched fields inhabited by countless wasps and bees, he observed their intricate and fascinating world, recounting their activities in simple, beautifully written essays.This volume, based on translations of Fabre's Souvenirs Entomologiques, blends folklore and mythology with factual explanation. Fabre's absorbing account of the scarab beetle's existence, for example, begins with the ancient Egyptians' symbolic view of this busy creature, eventually leading to a careful discussion of its characteristic method of rolling a carefully sculpted ball of food to its den. Elsewhere, he discusses with infectious enthusiasm the physiologic secrets behind the luminosity of fireflies, the musical talents of the locust, the comfortable home of the field cricket, and the cannibalism of the pious-looking praying mantis, among other topics.These charmingly related stories of insect life are a rare combination of scientific study and literary classic that will delight entomologists, naturalists, and nature lovers alike.

Children of Summer: Henri Fabre's Insects

Henri Fabre (1823-1915) was a famous explorer yet he seldom left his own backyard. He spent his whole life discovering the secrets of the insect world. His home and its surroundings served as his laboratory, and his lab assistants were his wife and children. The entire family shared his passion for insects, especially his youngest son, Paul. Follow Paul as he assists his famous father uncover the secrets of his "children of summer"-insects. You'll meet the undertaker beetle that buries dead animals; the acorn elephant beetle, whose snout is so long that it must hold it straight out to keep from tripping over it; caterpillars that spin tents and roadways of silk; red ants that kidnap black ant babies and raise them as slaves; dancing scorpions; dung beetles that get their nourishment from animal droppings; male peacock moths that pay homage to their princess but don't eat a single meal as adults; and many other unusual creatures. On the way, you'll get to know a fascinating scientist widely regarded as the father of modern entomology. Through texts drawn from the beautiful written records that Fabre kept of everything he did and saw, and exquisite illustrations done in close, scientific detail, this enchanting book reaches far beyond the boundaries of its subject to engage even those who didn't know they were interested in bugs.

Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and Spiders

Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky brings out the beauty—and the “wow!” and the “yuck!” factors—of hundreds of insects and spiders. Eight spectacular gatefolds show moths and mosquitoes, butterflies and beetles, spiders and silverfish life-size, up close, and personal!

Insects Do the Strangest Things (Step-Up Books)

Describes insects that have peculiar and strange characteristics, such as the camouflage of the walking stick, and the driver ants that prefer people to picnics.

Insect Life

Be immersed in the fascinating world of insects as you're taken on a journey observing and learning about the world around you.

This volume teaches about what makes an insect, the parts of a caterpillar, moths, butterflies, beetles, wasps, bees, flies, crickets, grasshoppers and more!

The Big Book of Bugs (The Big Book Series)

From moths and beetles to worms and spiders, the world is crawling with fascinating bugs. The Big Book of Bugs is the first fact-filled book for children to explore the vast array of creepy-crawlies that share our Earth.

In the first pages, children learn that bugs live nearly everywhere on the planet and gain tips on how to become a young bug spotter. As the book continues, the scenic compositions on each page are dedicated to key groups of bugs, including beetles, moths, butterflies, bees, snails, crickets, grasshoppers, worms, and spiders. Some spreads approach the world of bugs thematically, such as bugs that come out at night, baby bugs, and life cycles, how bugs hide and show off, and how some bugs love to live in your home. The conversational, funny text is also full of facts that will astonish children and adults, and accompanied by Yuval Zommer’s colorful illustrations. Illustrated in color throughout.

Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)

An introduction to the world of insects, caterpillars, and butterflies including identification information, educational activities, and fun facts.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. Safety tips are provided and interesting activities are suggested.

The Beetle (Dimensional Nature Portfolio Series)

Features the beetle in huge, three-dimensional form. The book consists of an enormous center pop-up and two seven-page books, one bound into each cover, which are full of additional pop-ups, anatomical cutaways and photographs taken through electron microscopes.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

In this beautiful nonfiction biography, a Robert F. Sibert Medal winner, the Newbery Honor–winning author Joyce Sidman introduces readers to one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. 

Richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, The Grew Who Drew Butterflies will enthrall young scientists.

Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be “born of mud” and to be “beasts of the devil.” Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them? The Girl Who Drew Butterflies answers this question.

Next, look at some of these other insect activities.

  • 4 Cicada Insect Fun Facts For Kids | How to Make A Cicada Clothespin Craft
  • How to Make a Fun Ladybug Watercolor Labeled Picture
  • Free Kids Insect Unit Study┃ How to Make Clay Insects
  • 8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft
  • Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids
  • Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft
  • Fascinating and Fun Honey Bees Unit Study and Lapbook for Kids
Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Additionally, look at these other slime activities.

More Incredible Slime Activities

  • How to Make Fluffy Lemonade Summer Slime With Kids
  • The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime
  • How to Make Gingerbread Slime For Play | 9 Slime Craft Ideas
  • How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning
  • Winter Craft Ideas for Kids Animals in Winter Fun Snow Slime
Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Finally, look at how to make insect slime.

How to Make Insect Slime With Kids

Supplies:

  • 1 (6oz.)  bottle of green glitter glue
  • ½ tbsp. Baking soda
  • 1 tbsp. Contact solution
  • Insect toys
  • Mixing bowl
  • Mixing spoon
  • Plastic mat
Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Directions:

First, pour the glue into the mixing bowl.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Add the baking soda and stir well until combined.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Pour in the contact solution and stir until slime becomes stretchy.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

 Note: Your slime will feel sticky at first and it will seem like there’s too much contact solution.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

However, keep kneading the slime and it will get to the desired consistency!

I did not have to add any extra solution to this recipe.

Once the slime is at the desired consistency, it’s ready!

Use a plastic mat for play time.

Fascinating Insect Incredible Slime: A Kids’ Guide To Nature’s Goo

Add the insect toys to the slime. Store the slime in an airtight container or a jar.

Insect slime is an amazing part of nature that helps insects in many cool ways.

So next time you see a bug, remember that its slimy tricks are part of what makes it so awesome!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, insects, slime

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

August 16, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You may have seen a flat handprint letter V for volcano. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more letter activities. And look at my page Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano.

But have you ever seen a standing model one? I can’t wait to show you how to make your own today.

When teaching letters to younger children, incorporating fun hands-on activities goes a long way in helping them remember what they have learned.

This one is inexpensive and easier than you might think.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

You can make a handprint volcano model to help your child identify the different parts of the volcano.

Also, use it as an art project and for a neat keepsake.

But don’t stop there with just one activity.

Check out my volcano facts and activity ideas to create a simple study for your child while they learn about V with a science theme.

There are volcanoes all over the world, and they come in all different shapes and sizes.

Some volcanoes are tall and pointy, while others are short and wide.

Some volcanoes are covered in snow and ice, while others are surrounded by lush forests.

Kids love to learn about the powerful volcanoes and there is so much to learn about them, no matter what they look like, volcanoes are amazing natural wonders. 

Books for Kids About Volcanoes

First, look at some of these volcano books.

12 Volcano Books & Resources

Add one or two of these books to learn about volcanoes and add some hands-on ideas to learn about the types of volcanoes.

Volcanoes

Did you know there are four main types of volcanoes? Or that volcanoes are classified as active, dormant, or extinct? The Devil’s Tower in Wyoming is an extinct volcano. It’s about 40.5 million years old!

Birth Of an Island

Simple explanation of how an island is formed. B/ W sketch illustrations.

R&R Games The Table is Lava Family Game

As Dawn breaks, mount kahlualualuau is spewing its fiery lava down onto meepleville. The natives are frantically trying to escape the rivers of lava and remain on safe ground. Whoever’s tribe survives the eruption with the most Meeples shall be the winner!

Volcano: Eruption and Healing of Mt. St Helen's

In this extraordinary photographic essay, Patricia Lauber details the Mount St. Helens eruption and the years following in Volcano: Eruption and Healing of Mt. St. Helen's.Through this clear accurate account, readers of all ages will share the awe of the scientists who witnessed both the power of the volcano and the resiliency of life.

The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

Science is vital for every inhabitant of today’s world, and being scientifically informed and literate is a crucial part of any child’s education. Science can seem daunting –- especially as scientific knowledge advances so quickly –- and this volume is the perfect purchase for any family. It will bear repeated use by all the family from 10+ through the teenage years.

All About Volcanoes (A True Book: Natural Disasters) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Conditions on Earth are becoming more and more extreme and kids want to learn about it!

Is it true that, at any given time, about 20 volcanoes are erupting somewhere on Earth? Yes! Sometimes volcanoes erupt with a big, dangerous bang. Other times they spit out lava so slowly that you could walk faster than it flows.

How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World

‘[An] irresistible account of a child’s imaginary 8,000-mile journey through the earth to discover what’s inside. Facts about the composition of the earth are conveyed painlessly and memorably.’ —SLJ. ‘An exciting adventure. . . . Illustrations [by Caldecott Medal winner Marc Simont] explode with color and action.’ —CS.

Volcanoes! (National Geographic Readers)

The cool story of volcanoes will intrigue kids and adults alike. Hot melted rock from the middle of our planet forces its way up through cracks in the Earth’s crusts, exploding violently and sometimes unexpectedly in volcanic fury that can terrorize populations for months, even years.

National Geographic Readers: Erupt! 100 Fun Facts About Volcanoes (L3)

Kids will burst with excitement as they learn all about the science and wonder of volcanoes in this new National Geographic Kids Reader.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Ultimate Volcano Kit – Erupting Volcano Science

UNFORGETTABLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS – This is a great hands-on experiment kit for any science fair; the updated mold and instructions make it easy to assemble a sturdy volcano form and realistic paint colors give the volcano a lifelike look.

Natural and Earth Science Educational Flash Card

This set of 48 cards features a colorful illustration on one side and informational facts on the other side.

The Magic School Bus: Blasting off with Erupting Volcanoes

MIX YOUR OWN LAVA: Use the included mixture to form your own “lava” and experiment with explosions by making your own volcano erupt!

Volcano Facts

  • Volcanoes are like big mountains, but they’re special because they have a secret inside. Deep down, volcanoes are filled with hot, melted rock called magma.
  • Sometimes, the magma gets too hot and it has to find a way to escape. It bursts out of the top of the volcano and flows down the sides, just like when you squeeze toothpaste out of a tube and it has to come out and flow over.
  • When magma comes out of a volcano, it’s called lava. Lava is really hot, so it can be dangerous. It can burn things and even destroy houses. But volcanoes can also be beautiful. When lava flows out at night, it can look just like a river of fire.
  • Volcanoes can also make loud noises and sometimes they even shake the ground. That’s because when magma comes out of the volcano, it can create a lot of pressure. The pressure can cause the ground to shake and make a loud boom.
How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Volcanoes are a part of nature, and they’re not always dangerous.

In fact, they can even be helpful. The lava from volcanoes can make new land, and it also helps to fertilize the soil.

Letter V For Volcano Activities

  • Practice pre-writing skills by giving your child a couple of craft sticks and teaching them to form it into the letter ‘V’.
How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Of course reading a great science book about Volcanoes like Gail Gibbons’ books is a wonderful activity for developing language skills, listening skills, and learning science facts

Take some of the ideas from my Celebrate National Vinegar Day With A Hands-on Study of Volcanoes and create your own mini unit perfect for a younger child.

Recreate this Volcano Blow Art page at home for a unique project that turns out different every time you do it

Watch Volcanoes for Kids| How Volcanoes Work as an entertaining way to teach volcano facts.

Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

We are going to create a volcano handprint craft that is out of the ordinary and will really capture your child’s imagination.

 Once they make it, they can continue to enjoy it by using it alongside their dinosaur toys, as a display on the shelf, or use it to create a larger scene from craft foam.

You will need:

  • Craft foam in assorted colors
  • Craft paint- red, yellow, and/or orange
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
  • Little willing hands
How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

First, twist brown craft foam into a funnel shape.

It needs to be narrow on one end and wide at the other, overlapping it about ¼”

Run hot glue down the inside seam and hold in place until it hardens.

Be sure you leave the opening at the top about 1 ½” in diameter so your ‘lava’ will fit inside.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Use scissors to trim the top and bottom off to make it straighter.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Trace a small hand onto at least two colors of craft foam, like red and orange.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Cut the handprints out.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Glue the bottom of the hands inside the volcano so it looks like lava spewing out the top.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Secure the base of the volcano on a square of green craft foam to help it stay up, use hot glue and hold it in place until set.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

To really give it a flowing colorful effect and some texture you can also drip some paint down the volcano as well to create lava flow rather than just explosion.

How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: alphabet, earth science, handprint, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, kindergarten, letter sounds, phonics, volcano

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

August 12, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Gather up air dry clay and some craft paint to create fun desert crafts for kids with me today.

When you learn about something it doesn’t have to just be diagrams and dioramas that get tossed out after a few weeks.

Get creative.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

And do something that’s beautiful and functional while you learn about whatever your topic is.

In this case, we are headed to the desert to learn all about it.

So in honor of that, we are going to take some air, dry clay and turn it into an adorable cactus jewelry holder that can be enjoyed long after the lesson is over.

Use beautiful books to delve into different types of cactuses and their characteristics.

And then re-create one.

I used Nature Anatomy along with our craft for this great desert information.

Of course, I also have another handful of desert crafts for kids to inspire you and your child on your learning journey.

First, look at some of these books.

18 Desert Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these living books and references books about the desert to your library.

The Seed & the Giant Saguaro

Children's reader on the subject of deserts and what lives there Large book with very large kid friendly illustrations

Cactus Hotel (Rise and Shine)

It is another hot day in the desert. Birds and other animals scurry about looking for food. When they get tired they stop to rest at a giant cactus. It is their hotel in the desert!Many different animals live in the cactus hotel. It protects them; and they protect it, by eating the pests that could harm the cactus.The cactus grows larger and larger and will live for about two hundred years. When one animal moves out, another moves in. There is never a vacancy in the cactus hotel.This story--about a desert, a giant cactus, and the animals who live in it--is one that even the youngest child will understand and enjoy.

Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus

A venerable saguaro cactus stands like a statue in the hot desert landscape, its armlike branches reaching fifty feet into the air. From a distance it appears to be completely still and solitary--but appearances can be deceptive. In fact, this giant tree of the desert is alive with activity. Its spiny trunk and branches are home to a surprising number of animals, and its flowers and fruit feed many desert dwellers. Gila woodpeckers and miniature elf owls make their homes inside the saguaro's trunk. Long-nosed bats and fluttering white doves drink the nectar from its showy white flowers. People also play a role in the saguaro's story: each year the Tohono O'odham Indians gather its sweet fruit in a centuries-old harvest ritual.

Where Is the Sahara Desert?

Imagine over three million square miles of sand dunes that are as tall as a ten-story building. That place is real -- it's the Sahara Desert! Vast, yes! And home to fascinating creatures such as ostriches and fennec foxes as well as amazing plant life. The shallow roots of the mesquite tree can grow almost 200 feet across to absorb water. Readers will also learn about the famous trade routes of the past with caravans of up to 10,000 camels, European explorers to the region (some very unlucky ones), and native populations like the Berber and Tuareg, the faces of the men are blue from the dye in the veils they always wear.

Where Is Antarctica?

Antarctica, the earth's southernmost continent, was virtually untouched by humans until the nineteenth century. Many famous explorers journeyed (and often died) there in the hope of discovering a land that
always seemed out of reach. This book introduces readers to this
desert--yes, desert!--continent that holds about 90 percent of the
world's ice; showcases some of the 200 species that call Antarctica
home, including the emperor penguin; and discusses environmental dangers to the continent, underscoring how what happens to Antarctica affects the entire world.

A Desert Scrapbook: Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran Desert

In the early morning hours, an artist stirs. Gathering her paints and notebook, she heads into the Arizona Sonoran Desert to explore its treasures. Sketching, painting, and writing, she records all that she sees and as night falls, she spreads out her pictures to make this scrapbook of her day, from dawn to dusk.

This Place Is Dry: Arizona's Sonoran Desert

Surveys the living conditions in Arizona's Sonora Desert for the people and unusual animals that live there. Also describes the engineering accomplishment of Hoover Dam.

Desert Solitaire

In Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey recounts his many escapades, adventures, and epiphanies as an Arches National Park ranger outside Moab, Utah. Brimming with arresting insights, impassioned arguments for wilderness conservation, and a raconteur’s wit, it is one of Abbey’s most critically acclaimed works.   Through stories and philosophical musings, Abbey reflects on the condition of our remaining wilderness, the future of a civilization, and his own internal struggle with morality. As the world continues its rapid development, Abbey’s cry to maintain the natural beauty of the West remains just as relevant today as when this book first appeared in 1968.

Coyote Raid In Cactus Canyon

While the rest of the animals hide from view from a group of rambunctious coyotes, the fearless gang takes full advantage of the open space of Cactus Canyon and participates with great zeal in an array of nighttime activities, but an unexpected encounter with a rattlesnake quickly puts an end to the coyotes fun as they are sent running for cover, too!

Roxaboxen

Marian called it Roxaboxen. There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill—nothing but sand and rocks, and some old wooden boxes. But it was a special place. And all children needed to go there was a long stick and a soaring imagination.

Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry? All About Deserts

n this latest installation of the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, the Cat takes Sally and Dick to explore different kinds of deserts around the world,  from the hot, dry Sonoran and Mojavi to the bitter cold Gobi and Antarctica. Young readers learn why deserts are dry, and how plants and animals—including cactus, kangaroos, camels, penguins, roadrunners, and many others—have adapted to survive the unforgiving climate. Also included: how sand dunes are formed; the reason we see mirages, and how shallow water beneath the surface of the ground can create an oasis. Fans of the new PBS preschool science show The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! (which is based on the Learning Library series) won't want to miss this hot new addition to the series!

One Day in the Desert

‘A wounded mountain lion moves from his mountain habitat to a Papago Indian hut in Arizona’s Sonoran desert during a record-breaking July day. All creation adapts to the blistering heat until a cloudburst causes a flash flood. With a measured yet vivid style, this introduction to desert ecology makes a memorable impact."

Deserts

This intriguing yet simple description will captivate young readers who have an interest in the unfamiliar.

A Walk in the Desert (Biomes of North America)

Take a walk through the desert. This hot, dry biome of the southwest is full of life. How do plants and animals of the desert live? As you wander through the desert, discover how each and every plant and animal relies on the others to live and grow.

Wildlife of the Southwest Deserts

Learn about the fascinating creatures of the desert Southwest including: Venomous Animals Insects and Arthropods Rattlesnakes, Lizards, Desert Tortoise The Roadrunner and other Birds Bighorn Sheep, Kit Fox, Coyote.

Indian Uses of Desert Plants

Now in its fourth edition, this is a beautiful book with both historical and contemporary images showing the most important plants used by Native Americans. Medicinal, food resources, tools and shelter are just some of the uses discussed. Plants shown and described are among the most widespread plants in the desert Southwest.

Desert Snakes

Learn all about desert snakes with the beautiful book by James W. Cornett.

The Namib Desert

An excellent introduction to the natural history of the Namib Desert of southwest Africa. At its heart, second only to the Atacama Desert of Chile and Peru as the driest place on Earth. Also, it is the oldest desert on our planet and the only desert with a megafauna including elephant, giraffe, and rhinoceros. The lofty orange dunes, highest in the world, are also shown and discussed.

7 Desert Crafts for Kids

  • Here are 8 Desert Craft Ideas | How To Make Egg Carton Cactus for another unique craft to go along with learning about the desert.
  • Recreate the Puffy Paint Cactus Craft Idea For Kids, using different types of cactus as inspiration.
  • Making 3D Felt Cactus Plants is great for older kids, middle to high school. Giving them more of a challenge.
  • Use colored sand to recreate the gorgeous colors of desert landscapes with Desert Sand Art: Hands-on Learning (Colors of the Desert).
  • Every art piece is unique when you make these Desert Sunset Paintings.
  • Preschoolers will love this Popsicle Stick Camel Craft as they learn about the characteristics and differences of Bactrian(single hump)or Dromedary (two hump) camels.
  • While maybe not exactly a craft your child will enjoy creating and recreating desert scenes over and over with the Desert Play Doh Pretend Play.

Fascinating Facts About the Desert

Before we get into our fun craft for the day let’s learn a little bit more about the fascinating desert.

 They are home to a variety of plants, animals, and people who have adapted to the dry climate.

  • The Desert-Deserts are dry, sandy places with very little water. They are often very hot during the day and very cold at night. Deserts can be found all over the world, but they are most common in Africa, Asia, and North America.
  • Plants and Animals-The plants and animals that live in deserts are adapted to the dry, hot climate. Many desert plants have long roots that help them reach water deep underground. Some plants, like cacti, store water in their stems and leaves ,they provide shelter for animals, and help stabilize the soil with their roots.

Desert animals often have long ears or tails that help them cool down, they may also be nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are active at night.

People-People have lived in deserts for thousands of years.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

They have learned to adapt to the harsh environment by building homes that are cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

They also use special techniques to grow crops and raise animals in the desert.

How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

You will need:

  • Air dry clay
  • Craft paint
  • Wood craft sticks
  • Paint brushes
  • Clear spray coat
7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

First, you want to do is build your cactus structure out of craft sticks.

This will help give your base some form and keep it in place while it dries.

Cut your wood pieces to size and hot glue them together to create the basic shape of your cactus.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Now get out your air, dry clay, and start covering the base form completely, completely smoothing the joints as you go.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

If you like, you can even create a pretty bloom to hot glue on the cactus later.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

The next step is to create a base did this by grabbing a small plate and pressing the clay into it to get the shape and size

Move from the plate so that both sides can dry completely.

You can crimp the edges like a pie, leave as is, or cut smooth edges.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Once you’re satisfied with your cactus, let your pieces dry overnight.

Paint each of your pieces and set them aside to dry again.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Now the final step is attaching everything using hot glue.

Attach the cactus to the base plate and then the bloom to the cactus.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Once the glue has set, take the piece outside and give it a good 2 to 3 coats of clear sealer, you can choose either. It’s up to you.

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Look how cute it is sitting on a dresser holding random earrings, necklaces and bracelets

7 Desert Crafts For Kids: How To Make A Clay Cactus Jewelry Holder

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: desert, earth science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, science

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

August 9, 2024 | Leave a Comment
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We’re taking a leftover pool noodle from summer and creating a fun pitcher plant craft to demonstrate how this amazing plant works. Also, look at my free lapbook and Carnivorous Plants unit study.

In tropical and subtropical regions of the world, you can find pitcher plants.

Those places are warm and have humid climates that pitcher plants need to thrive.

Pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants are unable to attain enough nitrogen from the soil where they grow.

This is an important requirement for plants.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

So, in order to survive they have adapted by trapping and absorbing insects which provides them with nitrogen and phosphorus.

They have several different ways that help them attract and trap bugs.

For example, they have pitcher shaped leaves, bug enticing nectar, slippery walls, and enzymes. 

While it’s kind of gross it is really neat and fascinating!

Pitcher-shaped leaves. The pitcher-shaped leaves of pitcher plants are designed to trap insects.

It has leaves that are brightly colored. Too, they have a slippery surface, making it difficult for insects to climb out once they fall in.

Sweet nectar-Pitcher plants produce a sweet nectar that serves as bait for insects.

This nectar is located at the rim of the pitcher and near the opening, enticing insects to investigate.

Slippery walls. There are tiny, downward-pointing hairs in the inner walls. This makes it slippery and difficult for insects to climb out.

These hairs act like a one-way door, allowing insects to enter the pitcher but preventing them from escaping.

Digestive enzymes- Pitcher plants produce digestive enzymes that help them break down and absorb the nutrients from the insects they capture.

These enzymes are secreted into the liquid at the bottom of the pitcher and break down the insect’s body over time.

Books About Carnivorous Plants

Also, add these books to your home library.

11 Carnivorous Plants Resources

Add some of these books and resources for a carnivorous plants unit study for multiple ages.

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants: Grades 2-4

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants. This is a natural science book for a young audience. There are over 760 different kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They attract, capture, and digest their prey in order to supplement the nutrients that are deficient in the soil they grow in. This book describes all four major types of traps used by the meat-eating plants. Children will learn all the tricks these plants have in store for their unsuspecting prey.

Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Other Deadly Flora

Carnivorous plants: they're weird, they're gorgeous, and they're the perfect addition to your urban jungle of pothos, snake plants, and succulents. However, they can also be intimidating to grow and care for. Let Killer Plants be your guide as it walks you through the different types of carnivorous plants and how to keep each variety alive and well.

Carnivorous Plants Coloring Book: Carnivorous Plants Gift With Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants And More

This Coloring Book is a lovely tool to express your creativity and embody your colorful ideas.

35 pages to color With custom sized pages (8,5" x 11") and soft cover this book is perfect for keeping it at hand wherever you go. With it's artful cover page this coloring book will always brighten up your life and be an eye-catcher for everyone else.

Meat-Eating Plants -A Carnivorous Plant Story: Science for Young Readers

Meat-Eating Plants - a carnivorous plant story. There are over 760 kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They developed this amazing meat-eating habit in order to survive in their mineral-poor environment. There are four major types of traps used by carnivorous plants: pitfall trap, sticky-leaf trap, snap-trap, and suction trap in the water. All these trap mechanisms are explained using amazing color images. Youngsters will explore the wonders of nature as they read along about these amazing plants!

Predator Plants: 20 Questions Kids Ask About Carnivorous Plants

Get ready to dive into the thrilling world of carnivorous plants with "Predator Plants"! This enchanting guide is designed to captivate the minds of both kids and their parents. With 20 fascinating questions answered, this comprehensive book unravels the mysteries of these
botanical wonders, exploring their unique characteristics and abilities.

Elizabite: Adventures of a Carnivorous Plant (Curious George)

Elizabite is a carnivorous plant who eats insects as appetizers and enjoys hotdogs for snacks. Whether it walks, talks, flies, or barks, Elizabite is ready to make a meal of it. Her cheerful, hungry smile and infinite appetite attract much attention - a scientist examines her, a professor studies her, and everyone agrees that she is one of a kind. In an effort to control her diet and her unpredictable temper, Elizabite's admirers chain and muzzle her. But not even a barbed wire fence can prevent her from following her heart's (and stomach's) desire! Only when her unique appetite prevents a crime does Elizabite win the respect she deserves.

Nature Venus Fly Trap - Fun and Easy to Grow Kids Terrarium Set

  • Easy And Fun To Grow - Franki "The Ferocious" Fly Trap - Great Kids Gift
  • Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.
  • Watch Out Flies! - Plants Will Grow Into Bug Eating Monsters!
  • Each Kit Comes With A Genuine Jasper Stone (Color Varies)

Hungry Plants (Step-into-Reading, Step 4)

This book offers readers a bug’s-eye view into the strange and fascinating world of carnivorous plants. From the “jaws” of the Venus flytrap to the pretty sundew plant whose delicate tentacles entrap its prey, the unique anatomy and behaviors of meat-eating plants are detailed with clear, engaging text and art.

Plants that Eat Animals (Rookie Read-About Science: Plants and Fungi)

Discover a variety of carnivorous plants, including the Venus fly trap, sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort. The natural world comes alive for young readers (Ages 6-7) with Rookie Read-About "RM" Science! With striking, full-color photos and just the right amount of text, this series immediately involves young readers as they discover intriguing facts about the fascinating world around them.

DK Readers: Plants Bite Back! (Level 3: Reading Alone)

There are plants that prickle, sting, and even munch insects for lunch! So, never bite a strange plant—it might bite back!   Stunning photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging,
age-appropriate stories in DK Readers, a multilevel reading program guaranteed to capture children's interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge.

Venus Fly Trap - Kids Terrarium Kit - Grow Your Own Seeds. 6 Plants That EAT Bugs

Live Carnivorous Plants Including Venus Fly Traps, Sundew and Pitcher Plants.

Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.

10 Incredible Facts About The Pitcher Plant

  1. Pitcher Plants can be houseplants. They do best as terrariums with adequate sunlight and mildly acidic soil.
  2. Pitcher plants can be found in various habitats. They can be found in rainforests, swamps, bogs, and even some coastal areas. And they can be found growing on the ground, on trees, or even on rocks.
  3. Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants, this means that they trap and eat insects and other small animals to obtain nutrients.
  4. They have modified leaves that evolved into pitcher-shaped structures, perfectly designed to capture prey.
  5. The inside of the pitcher is lined with downward-pointing hairs and glands that secrete a slippery liquid. This liquid attracts insects with its sweet aroma but makes it difficult for them to climb out once they fall in.
  6. Once an insect falls into the pitcher, it drowns in the liquid. Then it is broken down by enzymes and bacteria, releasing nutrients that the pitcher plant can absorb.
  7. There are approximately 170 known species of pitcher plants. Each has unique characteristics.
  8. Pitcher plants are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with the greatest diversity being in Southeast Asia.
  9. Some pitcher plants, such as the Rafflesiana pitcher plant, can grow to be over 10 feet tall, which makes them the largest carnivorous plants in the world.
  10. Pitcher plants play a very important role in the ecosystems by helping to control the population of insects, like mosquitoes, which can carry diseases.
How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Pitcher Plant and Other Carnivorous Plant Resources

  • Carnivorous Plants Unit Study
  • Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Notebooking Pages & Easy Hands-on Science Activity
  • Get a two for one resource in this C is for Carnivorous Plants: Book and Craft.

Botanicum is a wonderful resource full of incredible vintage illustrations and covers a wide variety of plants including our Pitcher Plant.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

You will need:

  • Pool noodle
  • Green felt
  • Red paint or markers
  • A small knife
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun/glue stick
How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

First, cut a couple of lengths of pool noodle.

Cut it down to the size you would like your pitcher plants.

Vary them in height.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Then take the knife and scrape the bottom 3/4 tapering the shape a bit.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Hollow out the center a little more to make the opening larger.

Measure and wrap felt around your pool noodle secure the back with hot glue.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Cut a piece of pipe cleaner 1 ½”  = long hot glue on the back of the plant, hiding it behind the felt seam.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Fold the felt inside on both ends of the pool noodle and secure with hot glue

Next, cut two small slices off the pool noodle, an 1/8” or less.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Shape your small slices a little bit to give them a bit more of a leaf shape.

Then cut felt slightly larger and hot glue with the end of the pipe cleaner in between the two pieces.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Use red paint or markers to color veins along the length of the plant and all over the top as well as the inner lip.

Allow the paint to dry completely.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Cut a few more long leaf shapes from green felt and hot glue to pipe cleaners your leaves and plants inside of a pot.

Your small piece of pipe cleaner makes it easy to demonstrate how the plant opens and closes to trap its prey.

How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: carnivorous, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, pool noodles

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