Alternate Activity 3: Living Being Masks (20 minutes)
Materials for Activity
- Copies of Handout, Mask Template for all participants
- Color markers
- Feathers, cotton balls, mini pompoms, pipe cleaners
- Glue
- Large popsicle sticks
Preparation for Activity
- Print out and photocopy Handout, Mask Template for all participants. You can use any color paper for the masks.
- Place markers, feathers, cotton balls, mini pompoms, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks and glue on worktables for children to share
Description of Activity
If you have time, add this activity before Activity 5: "We Are All One" Game. The masks are meant to help children step into the roles of other living beings, either the characters in the story, "We Are All One" or other living beings you will introduce during the Activity 5 game.Invite children to make a mask representing any of the characters in the story: a rich, sick man; a peddler; an ant; a centipede; or a hungry bird. You may also suggest they choose one of these living beings: a cat, a snake, a tree, a bumblebee, a frog, an elephant, a bear, a fish, or a wolf.
Allow children to decorate their masks with feathers, pipe cleaners and markers. It is not important for children to accurately portray the character or living being they have chosen. Help each child glue a popsicle stick on one side of the mask. When the glue on the popsicle sticks dries, show children how to hold the stick to keep the mask in place.
When you do Activity 5: "We Are All One" Game, use this variation: Ask the children with the appropriate mask to come to the center of the circle as you call out the name of each character or living being. Once they find their poses, invite the others in the circle to imitate the pose(s) and add their ideas of what this living being might say. As in the regular version, the leader will shift focus to a new character or living being by calling, "In our web of life," at which time the group stands in a circle, holding hands, and replies, "we are all one." As you call out characters or living beings that are not represented by any of the children's masks, allow any volunteer to come to the center of the circle.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
