How Crayons Are Made

 This video shows how people make crayons taken from "Mister Rodger"s Neighborhood"

Mister Roger's Neighborhood character coloring pages at PBS

Visit Jan Brett's Coloring Pages

Download and print her charming coloring pages at her website here.

Jan Brett (born December 1, 1949) is a best-selling American author/illustrator of children's books. Her books are known for colorful, detailed depictions of a wide variety of animals and human cultures ranging from Scandinavia to Africa. Her best-known titles include The Hat, The Mitten, The Three Snow Bears and Gingerbread Baby.

Doodle a candy corn turkey, landscape, birds, butterflies etc . . .

A completed candy corn, Thanksgiving turkey picture.

       This sweet little Thanksgiving turkey picture is made with candy corn, felt tip markers, white glue and a bit of goofy imagination.  Assemble a similar picture and fight cavities with creative endeavor! Children won't be able to decide which activity they love more, eating or crafting, crafting or eating . . .

      In this project a variety of artistic agenda are combined:

• developing a more complex picture type from a singular design element
• using patterns to identify both themes and space
• tracing and transferring shapes while also adapting individual interpretations of that same design element into more personal drawings
• identifying hidden shapes within a picture

      Students ranging between ten and twelve years of age will complete this art project with abundant, happy elaboration if given time. Encourage them to make creative modifications. For example; suggest them to imagine the challenge within the context of an animation or a comic strip.

The fan tail feathers of the turkey are made from real candy corn. The sun, birds and butterflies are drawn from the candy corn. The trees and body of the turkey are traced from patterns. (included below)

A close up photo of the patterns used to fill larger spaces.

An addition simple set of candy corn patterns for those of you who are working with students younger than fourth grade.

 
More Candy Corn Craft Ideas:

• How to make a crochet candy corn craft for Halloween
• Knit a candy corn creature
• How to make a candy corn trick-or-treat bag
• Make an adorable candy corn costume

Craft a Fall Landscape Using Leaf Rubbings

Create the leaf rubbings first, then cut these out to glue into a collage pumpkin patch.

       When I was a child, leaf rubbing was probably the standard craft for every early elementary student to practice during the fall months. Most probably because it was an economical craft and students of all ages seemed to be fascinated by it. All you need is just a few crayons, typing paper and of course, a collection of fall leaves to rub the prints to begin with. Arrange the leaves vein side up on the table, and then position your typing paper on top of the leaves. Using even pressure, color over the white typing paper with crayons to reveal the raised surface of your leaves. 

 An additional water color technique using leaf rubbings 
from Lauren Behar.

      But why not take the activity a little further? Parents and Teachers can also inspire young students to compose a simple landscape with their leaf prints. The leaves could become trees, standing on the edge of a pumpkin patch if you'd like. I cut out my fall leaf rubbings and used them in the picture below to symbolize landscape elements. Teachers can talk to their young students about making a picture that illustrates the sky, fields, vegetation and larger plants or trees.

      If you wish to complicate the assignment even further, fourth graders could also design a scene depicting one point perspective. The art project could conform to a wide variety of agenda.

Above is my completed teacher's sample of a pumpkin patch. This particular leaf rubbing project
would be appropriate for third, fourth and fifth graders.

 Additional pumpkin patch crafts:

• Pumpkin Patch Art
• Make a Pumpkin Patch Cake
• Rice Krispies Treat Pumpkin Patch
• Wet Chalk Pumpkin Patch
• Perspective Pumpkin Patches
• Branching, Curvy, Twisted Lines in A Pumpkin Patch
• 6th Grade Value Pumpkin Patch

Craft a Goldfish Turkey Collage

My teacher's sample of a Thanksgiving turkey made from left over Goldfish crackers.

      This Thanksgiving turkey is collaged with stale Goldfish crackers. Just download and print out my pattern below. Trace and cut the pieces out of a variety of orange, yellow, brown and tan construction papers. Then glue the crackers onto the tail feathers of your turkey pattern. I arranged these on top of ordinary white school glue and allowed the picture to dry over night before displaying it here. I also added a few little details to my turkey with a black permanent ink pen.

Points of View

by Abbie Farwell Brown

By a little girl.

I'm thankful for so many things

'Tis hard to name them all:

I'm glad that I am not grown up,

But still am nice and small.

I'm thankful that I live to-day,

And not long, long ago

Before my dear mamma was born,

And all the friends I know.

I'm thankful for my little pets,

For every doll and toy.

And, oh, I'm thankful I'm a girl,

And not a horrid boy!

By a little boy

I'm thankful that it doesn't rain,

So I can go and play:

I'm thankful that I'm growing big,

And bigger every day.

I'm thankful for a holiday,

For football, dogs and skates,

For candy and all sorts of things,

For our United States.

I'm thankful for my rubber boots

And that my hair won't curl.

And, oh, I'm thankful every day

That I am not a girl!

Craft a Pretzel Turkey Collage

      Are you looking for a way to recycle pretzels? Well, I certainly was after a so many were left over from our school's fall festival. We were afraid to eat the crackers for fear of catching a cold or some such thing. So, I did what any sensible art teacher would do. I made a sample turkey out of the left overs of course!

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Print out the template twice so that you can cut all of the pieces out; the images are overlapped within the pattern. 
2. Cut and trace around the pattern thus: the tail fan in orange, the body in yellow, the feet in brown, the snood red and the bill orange. 
3. Paste all of these parts in layers according to the photos shown below. 
4. Draw the eyes of the turkey.
5. Paste a piece of brown twine between the back tail fan and a piece of poster board. 
6. Trim the poster board so that only the fan shape shows after you hang the turkey. 
7. Now use a generous amount of clear drying white glue onto the orange construction paper and arrange the pretzels in a decorative pattern on top. 
8. Allow the turkey to dry over night in a warm dry place before moving it around!
   

You will need the following supplies to craft this turkey: 

• print out the template below
• scissors
• brown twine for the hangger
• white school glue
• a very large piece of standard sized orange construction paper
• red, brown, and yellow construction paper scraps
• lots of stale pretzels
• poster board for backing the project
• permanent ink, black felt tipped pen

The full view of may pretzel turkey collage. Teachers might like to display these happy little fellow in their rooms this fall!

I came up with the design idea after cleaning up a table full of discarded treats at our school's fall candy corn festival.

Although the pretzels were no longer safe to eat, I thought surely I could come up with a way to recycle the snacks?

I don't know how long I can keep him without a insect or mouse discovering him but at least he is festive dressed for for this year.

I've included a template/pattern of my pretzel turkey for you to download and print out for the craft above. Don't forget to back the craft with poster board or cardboard. It needs a little extra support!

Thanksgiving

by Clora Allen

November skies are gray and drear.

November winds are sighing.

November grass is brown and sere.

November leaves are dying.

The corn is gone from vale and hill.

The birds have ceased their calling,

The trees are bare, the brook is still.

The old brown leaves are falling.

The apples are stored in box and bin.

With glee the house is humming.

The nuts are gathered, the pumpkins in,-

Thanksgiving Day is coming!

Washington's Birthday

Among the gifted author's utterances was the following noble ode, written for Washington's birthday, February 22, 1878, for a religious journal.

by William Cullen Bryant.

Pale is the February sky,

And brief the mid-day's sunny hours;

The wind-swept forest seems to sigh

For the sweet time of leaves and flowers.

Yet even when the summer broods

O'er meadows in their fresh array,

Or autumn tints her glowing woods,

No mouth can boast a prouder day.

For this chill season now again

Brings, in its annual round, the morn

When, greatest of the sons of men,

Our glorious Washington was born.

Lo, where, beneath an icy shield,

Calmly the mighty Hudson flows,

By snow-clad fell and frozen field

Broadening the lordly river goes.

The wildest storm that sweeps through space,

And rends the oak with sudden force,

Can raise no ripple on his face

Or slacken his majestic course.

Thus, mid the wreck of thrones, shall live

Unmarred, undimmed, our hero's fame,

And years succeeding years shall give

Increase of honors to his name.

The Firemen Say Safety Comes First!

photo by Sylvain Pedneault.

      Firefighting is the act of extinguishing fires. A firefighter suppresses and extinguishes fires to protect lives and to prevent the destruction of property and of the environment. Firefighters may provide other valuable services to their communities, including emergency medical services.

      Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training, in both general firefighting techniques and developing specialist expertise in particular fire and rescue operations, such as aircraft/airport rescue, wilderness fire suppression, and search and rescue.

      One of the major hazards associated with firefighting operations could possibly be the toxic environment created by combustible materials, the four major risks are smoke, oxygen deficiency, elevated temperatures, and poisonous atmospheres. Additional hazards include falls and structural collapse that can exacerbate the problems entailed in a toxic environment. To combat some of these risks, firefighters carry self-contained breathing equipment.

      The first step in a firefighting operation is reconnaissance to search for the origin of the fire, to identify the specific risks, and to locate possible casualties.

      Fires can be extinguished by water, fuel removal, or chemical flame inhibition.

 

Free Smokey The Bear Coloring 

Smokey says, "Keep it clean...around your house!"

Leave a cold trail.

 

Smokey says, "Make sure your chimney and fireplace are fireproof!"

"For a safe barbeque - put your briquets in a fireproof bucket!

Smokey says, "Be Careful With Fire!"

Thanksgiving From the American Sunday - School Union: 1873

      When my father was still alive, he collected small antique books, most usually of a religious origin. This small Union Hymns manual was distributed by the American Sunday School Union in Philadelphia, 1873.

      He told me that such small books were also normally carried by soldiers during the civil war. My father taught as a history professor in religious collages for over twenty years after retiring from ministry, so I suspect that his information is accurate. Although his doctorate was in Greek and Roman history, he frequently taught American Civil War history too.

      I am very thankful for all he taught me about Jesus and this little post is dedicated to him.

Excerpt from the Thanksgiving category of the antique volume:

Thanksgiving.

For the blessings of the gospel. C.M.

Let every mortal ear attend,

And every heart rejoice!

The trumpet of the gospel sounds,

With an inviting voice:-

Ho! all ye hungry, starving souls,

That feed upon the wind,

And vainly strive, with earthly toys,

To fill an empty mind:

Eternal wisdom has prepared

A soul-reviving feast;

And bids your longing appetites

The rich provision taste.

Ho! ye who pant for living streams,

And pine away and die;

Here you may quench your raging thirst,

With springs that never dry.

Rivers of love and mercy here

In a rich ocean join;

Salvation in abundance flows,

Like floods of milk and wine.

The front cover of the New Union Hymns: American Sunday School Union.

The backside of the New Union Hymns: American Sunday School Union.

The inside inscription of the New Union Hymns: American Sunday School Union.

The two illustrations of the New Union Hymns: American Sunday School Union.

Craft a Funny Gobbler From Paper Plates

This seated turkey craft is ready to hang. His tail feathers and body are held together and spin on a brass brad.

Supply List For This Turkey:

• a variety of magic markers
• one black permanent ink marker
• one printed copy of the turkey graphic below
• two paper plates, one larger than the other 
• one brass brad

      This funny paper plate craft is so easy to assemble after coloring the template and drawing "feathers" on to the perimeter of two paper plates. Just find the center of the paper plates and turkey graphic and then poke a brass brad through all three and clamp the elements together. Hang the gobbler up and spin him around to make him look dizzy!

For best results print the turkey graphic out on heavy weight paper. Above you can see how he looks before attaching the tail feathers made from two paper plates.

Download and print this funny gobbler graphic for your next Thanksgiving craft today.

Something to Be Thankful For 

by Clara J. Denton

I'm glad that I am not to-day

A chicken or a goose,

Or any other sort of bird

That is of any use.

I'd rather be a little girl,

Although 'tis very true,

The things I do not like at all,

I'm often made to do.

I'd rather eat some turkey than

To be one, thick and fat,

And so, with all my heart, to-day,

I'll thankful be for that!

Just Admiring the Giant, Halloween, Yard Art on A Lovely Fall Day . . .

What on Earth . . . ?

I think I saw this in a movie once or . . . twice.

What's the . . .?

No way.

Wow, that's a really BIG CAT!

Learn about "Boo at The St. Louis Zoo" 

from GmaGpaAdventures

Strawberry, Raspberries and Bread Graphics for Games and Number Books

Large loaf of bread graphics for games and number books.

Sliced loaf of bread for games and number books.

Tiny strawberry graphics for games and number books.

Baskets of raspberries for games and number books.