CRAFTS FOR GRADE 3
LESSON 1
1. ACT OUT THE QUOTE FROM STORY FIVE
NOTE: Any of the stories can be acted out. Remember we do not portray the Manifestation of God.
2. CUT APART CARDS
Cut the cards apart and mix them up. How fast you can pair up the correct ones?
3. CONSTRUCT AN HONESTY TREE
Objective: To create a visual representation of the virtues of truthfulness and honesty through a craft activity.
- Brown construction paper or cardstock (for the tree trunk)
- Green construction paper or cardstock (for leaves)
- Glue or tape
- Markers or colored pencils
- Small slips of paper or sticky notes
- Optional: Stickers or embellishments
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the concepts of truthfulness and honesty with the children, explaining their importance in building strong and trustworthy relationships.
- Cut out a tree trunk shape from brown construction paper or cardstock. This will serve as the base of the “Honesty Tree.”
- Cut out leaf shapes from green construction paper or cardstock. Prepare enough leaves for each child to represent their acts of honesty.
- Instruct the children to decorate the leaves with drawings or words that represent instances of honesty and truthfulness. They can share personal experiences or create imaginary scenarios that highlight the virtues.
- Glue or tape the leaves onto the branches of the tree trunk, creating a visual representation of the honesty tree. Encourage the children to overlap the leaves to make the tree look full.
- Optionally, use markers or colored pencils to add details to the tree trunk, such as bark patterns.
- Provide each child with small slips of paper or sticky notes.
- Encourage the children to write or draw examples of times when they were honest or truthful on the slips of paper.
- Attach the slips of paper to the branches of the honesty tree, creating a collection of shared experiences.
- Optionally, add stickers or other embellishments to enhance the overall design of the honesty tree.
- Discuss the completed honesty trees as a group, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness and honesty in their daily lives.
- Display the honesty trees in a communal area to serve as a visual reminder of the virtues and the positive impact of honest actions.
This craft not only fosters creativity but also encourages children to reflect on and share instances of truthfulness and honesty, reinforcing the importance of these virtues in building a strong and trustworthy community
4. BASED ON STORY TWO CONSTRUCT A BOAT
If you remember, this story took place on a boat with a rude man. Build your boat:
5. MATCH MESSENGERS TO SYMBOLS
FROM AUSTRALIAN PEACE PACK
BASED ON STORY 3
1. KINDNESS HEART COLLAGE
Objective: To create a craft that visually represents the essence of kindness, inspired by the quote: “Bahá’u’lláh was the essence of kindness. In even the smallest of gestures, He reflected the infinite love that God has for every one of His creatures.
- Construction paper (various colors)
- Child-safe scissors
- Glue or glue sticks
- Markers or colored pencils
- Heart-shaped templates (or draw hearts freehand)
- Stickers, foam shapes, or other embellishments (optional)
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the concept of kindness with the children, using simple language and examples that they can relate to.
- Provide heart-shaped templates or guide the children to draw hearts on different colored construction paper.
- Encourage the children to cut out the hearts using child-safe scissors. The number of hearts can vary based on the size of the collage.
- On each heart, ask the children to write or draw a small gesture of kindness that they can do for others. These can be simple acts like sharing, helping, or saying something kind.
- Decorate the hearts further with markers, colored pencils, stickers, foam shapes, or any other embellishments that the children enjoy.
- Once the hearts are decorated, arrange and glue them onto a larger piece of construction paper to create a heart collage.
- In the center of the collage, write or attach a small quote: “Bahá’u’lláh was the essence of kindness.”
- Discuss the completed Kindness Heart Collage with the children, emphasizing the idea that, like Bahá’u’lláh, even small gestures of kindness reflect the infinite love that God has for all creatures.
- Display the heart collage in a communal area, serving as a visual reminder of the importance of kindness in our daily lives.
This craft not only promotes creativity but also encourages children to reflect on and express the concept of kindness through simple and heartfelt gestures, aligning with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
2. KINDNESS ROCK
Objective: To create painted rocks with uplifting messages and images that promote kindness.
Materials:
- Smooth, clean rocks (size depends on preference)
- Acrylic paints
- Paintbrushes
- Water cups and paper towels
- Permanent markers
- Mod Podge or clear sealant (optional)
- Small containers for paint mixing (optional)
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the concept of kindness with the children, explaining that kindness rocks are a way to spread positive messages and brighten someone’s day.
- Collect smooth rocks of various sizes. Ensure they are clean and dry before starting the craft.
- Set up a painting station with acrylic paints, paintbrushes, water cups, and paper towels. If desired, provide small containers for paint mixing.
- Encourage the children to paint their rocks with vibrant colors. They can also paint simple patterns or backgrounds.
- Once the base coat is dry, ask the children to use permanent markers to write or draw uplifting messages, quotes, or images that promote kindness on the rocks. Examples include “Be Kind,” “Spread Love,” or smiley faces.
- Allow the painted rocks to dry completely.
- Optionally, apply a layer of Mod Podge or clear sealant to protect the designs and add a glossy finish.
- Discuss the completed Kindness Rocks with the children, emphasizing how these rocks can be placed in various locations to inspire kindness in others.
- Encourage the children to take their kindness rocks home or consider placing them in a community area where others can find and enjoy them.
This craft not only promotes creativity but also provides a tangible and interactive way for children to express and share kindness in their community. The painted rocks can serve as reminders to be kind and thoughtful to one another.
BASED ON STORY 4
JUSTICE SHIELD
Objective: To create a symbolic craft representing justice and courage inspired by the story of Bahá’u’lláh’s stand against an unjust tax collector.
- Cardboard or thick paper
- Paints or markers
- Paintbrushes or markers
- Glitter, sequins, or craft embellishments (optional)
- Craft sticks or wooden dowels
- Glue or tape
- Scissors
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the story of Bahá’u’lláh’s courageous stand for justice with the children. Emphasize the importance of fairness and standing up for what is right.
- Provide each child with a piece of cardboard or thick paper as the base for their “Justice Shield.”
- Encourage the children to draw or paint symbols, images, or scenes that represent justice, fairness, and courage on their shields. They can depict scenes from the story or create their own representations of justice.
- If using paint, allow the artwork to dry completely.
- Optionally, add glitter, sequins, or other craft embellishments to enhance the visual appeal of the shields.
- Once the artwork is complete and dry, attach a craft stick or wooden dowel to the back of each shield using glue or tape, creating a handle for the shield.
- Discuss the completed Justice Shields with the children, asking them to share the elements they included to represent justice and courage.
- Encourage the children to hold up their Justice Shields as a symbolic gesture of standing for what is right and fair.
- Optionally, organize a small “Justice Parade” where the children can showcase their Justice Shields and share what they have learned about standing up for justice.
- Display the Justice Shields in a communal area, serving as a reminder of the importance of fairness and courage in promoting justice.
This craft not only engages children in creative expression but also reinforces the values of justice and courage inspired by the story of Bahá’u’lláh. The Justice Shields serve as visual reminders of the virtues they represent.
CHAIN OF JUSTICE
Objective: To create a collaborative craft that symbolizes unity and interconnectedness in the pursuit of justice.
Materials:
- Colored construction paper or cardstock
- Child-safe scissors
- Markers or colored pencils
- Glue or tape
- String or yarn
- Hole punch
- Craft sticks or Popsicle sticks (optional)
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the theme of justice with the children, exploring the concepts of fairness, equality, and working together for a common cause.
- Cut out strips of colored construction paper or cardstock. Each strip represents a link in the “Chain of Justice.”
- On each strip, ask the children to draw or write about a situation where justice was served or a positive action they can take to promote justice.
- Decorate the strips with markers or colored pencils to make them visually appealing.
- Optionally, punch a hole at each end of the strips for threading.
- Connect the strips by threading them through each other, forming a chain. If you punched holes, thread string or yarn through the holes to connect the links.
- Discuss the completed “Chain of Justice” with the children, emphasizing how each link represents a positive action or example of justice.
- Encourage the children to work together to create a long and interconnected chain, symbolizing unity in the pursuit of justice.
- Optionally, attach craft sticks or Popsicle sticks to both ends of the “Chain of Justice” to create handles.
- Display the “Chain of Justice” in a communal area, allowing everyone to see the collective effort in promoting justice.
- As a group activity, the children can reflect on additional ways they can contribute to justice and add more links to the chain over time.
This craft fosters collaboration and discussion while visually representing the interconnectedness of actions taken for justice. The “Chain of Justice” serves as a tangible reminder of the collective effort needed to promote fairness and equality.
FROM STORY 5
GUIDING LANTERNS OF VIRTUE
Objective: To create lanterns as symbols of guidance, inspired by the quote, “Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, that from your behavior and conduct they may be enabled to recognize the signs and commandments of God.”
Materials:
- Colored construction paper or cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Markers or colored pencils
- Tissue paper (multiple colors)
- Battery-operated tea lights or LED candles
- String or yarn
- Hole punch
Procedure:
- Begin by discussing the quote with the children, explaining the idea of using their actions as a guide for others to recognize God’s signs and commandments.
- Provide each child with a piece of colored construction paper or cardstock to create the main body of the lantern.
- Instruct the children to cut out shapes or symbols that represent virtues and positive actions. These could include hearts, hands helping each other, and other symbols of kindness and compassion.
- Using markers or colored pencils, have the children decorate their cut-out shapes with words or phrases that express virtues such as love, kindness, honesty, etc.
- Glue or tape the decorated shapes onto the colored construction paper or cardstock.
- Cut strips of tissue paper and glue or tape them around the edges of the construction paper, creating a vibrant and colorful border for the lantern.
- Fold the construction paper or cardstock into a cylinder shape and secure it with glue or tape, forming the lantern.
- Punch holes near the top of the lantern and tie a piece of string or yarn through the holes to create a handle.
- Place a battery-operated tea light or LED candle inside the lantern to simulate a glowing light.
- Discuss with the children how their lanterns symbolize the guiding light of their positive actions, and how they can inspire others to recognize the signs and commandments of God through their behavior.
- Display the lanterns in a communal area, creating a beautiful and symbolic representation of the quote.
This craft not only encourages creativity but also serves as a tangible reminder for children to let their actions be a guiding light for others in recognizing divine virtues and commandments.
MAKE UP A BOARD GAME
MAKE UP A BOARD GAME THAT HELPS OTHERS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD BASED ON THE QUOTE FROM THE STORY
“Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, that from your behavior and conduct, they may be enabled to recognize the signs and commandments of God.”