Masterpiece Monday: Silhouettes

In honor of President's Day, we made silhouettes.  Though I could not think of a silhouette "masterpiece" off the top of my head, I did find some information about August Edouart and a whole website devoted to silhouettes!

Supplies
Black paper
White paper
Tape
Pencil
Scissors
Bright light source

1)  Discuss the presidential faces on the sides of coins (the US Mint is a great resource -- they also have a special site for kids).  Discuss what a profile shot looks like and share photos of silhouettes (there are several here).

 (She's very happy to be doing this project.  Well, not really...but she was cheerful by the end!)

2)  Tape a black piece of paper to the wall.  Stand your child in front of the paper and shine a direct light onto them.

3)  Trace the profile.  Have your child cut it out. 

4)  Glue the silhouette to a sheet of white paper.

This project requires pretty good scissor skills, so it works best for ages four and up.

Simple Coin Sort

After exploring coins, this easy activity gives little ones a chance to improve their sorting skills -- and the older children can begin to associate monetary value with each coin.

Supplies:

Paper

Marker or pen

Coins

 1.  Draw four circles on the paper.  Label with 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, and 25¢.

2.  Demonstrate how to sort the coins.  Discuss the value of each coin.  Allow your child to practice!

Coin Exploration

With President's Day coming up next Monday, I thought a few coin activities would be appropriate!  Please make sure to discuss coin safety (i.e. don't swallow them!!) with your little ones and do not leave them unattended with the coins!  Consider using plastic coins if your child has a tendency to put things in her mouth! 

Supplies:

Coins

Paper

Crayons

Scissors

Stapler

1)  Spend some time observing and discovering coins:  What president is on each coin?  What is on the back?  What color are the coins?  What coins have ridges around the edges?  A magnifying glass would be fun with this activity!

2)  Fold a paper lengthwise and then in thirds (so you have six sections).

3)  Do a coin rubbing in four of the sections.  It may be easier to cut the paper apart first.

4)  Add a title page and staple the booklet together!