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Create a Pumpkin Candleholder


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Subjects

  • Arts & Humanities
    --Visual Arts
  • Social Studies
    --Holidays

Grade

  • PreK
  • K-2
  • 3-5

Brief Description

An easy-to-make pumpkin candleholder is sure to be a Halloween hit.

Objectives

Students

  • follow instructions.
  • demonstrate patience and creativity as they work with tiny pieces of paper and glue.

Keywords

Halloween, pumpkin

Materials Needed

  • baby food jars (or other small jars), one per student
  • orange tissue paper, crepe paper, or napkins
  • white liquid glue
  • paint brushes
  • masking tape
  • black construction paper
  • tea-light candles (available in craft stores and most large discount stores)

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will create a pumpkin candleholder for use at home on Halloween night.

  • Provide each student with a baby food jar (or another small jar). For identification purposes, students might write their initials on a small piece of masking tape and tape that to the bottom of the jar.
  • Create a 50/50 mixture of white glue and water. You might pour the mixture into each student's baby-food-jar lid, since that lid will have no other use in this project.
  • Have students rip the tissue paper (or crepe paper or orange napkins) into small pieces. Pieces about an inch square or smaller are best. Neatness of rips is not important; uneven ripped edges are great!
  • Next, students should "paint" their jars with the glue mixture.
  • Then have students cover the jar with the small orange-paper pieces. It's a good thing if the paper pieces overlap a bit. Caution students to not wrap paper over the mouth/rim of the jar; that would present a fire hazard when the candle is placed inside the jar.
  • When the jar is covered with pieces of orange paper, students might use the glue to "repaint" any areas where the paper seems a bit loose.
  • Place all the students' jars in an area where they can dry.
  • After the jars are completely dry, have students cut pumpkin eyes, a nose, and a mouth from black construction paper. Glue the jack-o-lantern face parts to the candleholder.
  • Emphasize to students that it is VERY IMPORTANT for an adult to be present when the candle is lit. The candle might be displayed on the dinner table on Halloween night, or it might be part of a display on a small table where candy for trick-or-treaters is kept.

Assessment

  • Did students follow directions?
  • Did they demonstrate patience and creativity as they created their pumpkin candleholders?

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts
GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas

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Copyright© 2006 Education World

10/13/2006