Monday, June 25, 2012

4th of July Fuse & Pony Beads Necklace

 This cute 4th of July necklace was a huge hit when we did it. It is a great craft for preschoolers and early elementary children, really working those fine motor skills. 


We also discussed what the colors have come to mean, even though they had no meaning when originally used and the significance is really noted for the country's seal. 

"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."

-USFlag.org

We did this pattern using a basic fuse bead grid.


After fusing the beads together [iron with a piece of parchment paper over the bead piece], the children picked out their red, white or blue yarn for their necklaces. With a large-eyed needle, we threaded the yarn down through middle hole of one of the top corner fuse beads and back up again on the opposite side. 

The children then were shown the red-white-blue red-white-blue pattern and asked to copy it onto each side of their necklaces with pony beads. This took some thinking, and a couple of tries, because they had to thread them on in the opposite order. We discussed SYMMETRY. When done, we tied them in the back, ensuring they were long enough to easily slip on and off. The parents said the children wore them to every 4th of July celebration.

Should have had him turn his around prior to pic! Oh well...
SKILLS
Math: Patterning, symmetry, logic/reasoning
Fine Motor: Fuse bead placement, threading yarn, threading pony beads
Social Studies: Flag, colors and meanings of the flag.
Tags: 4th of July, craft, preschool, children's, Independence Day, necklace, fuse bead, pony bead, 4th, July, President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, United States, Stars and Stripes

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