We are starting to make rattles like the Native American rattles. Here are the steps so far:
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| Tape a wooden paint stirrer to a small paper plate. |
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| Place beans, rice, dry noodles on the plate. |
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| Put another paper plate on top and tape shut! |
Our next step will be to add paper mache on top and paint symbols on the rattle. We will also add feathers and yarn to the handle.
I divided the kindergartners in 2 groups so that they could receive extra help while they made their rattles. The other group was using Native American symbol sheets to draw symbol stories. Here are some of them:
Very cool!
I did something like this with a group of Girl Scouts once. Our rattles didn't have handles, though. The kids decorated the bottoms of the plates with Native American symbols. After adding the beans, we used staples around the edges to hold the plates in place; then punched holes somewhat evenly spaced around the edge, and the kids threaded yarn in and out of the holes in a whip-stitch pattern to finish off. When we were finished, they broke into groups and made up some Native American-style dances based on nature themes such as specific animals; storms; growing vines; waving grasses; etc. and some performed the dances while others accompanied with the rattles. Fun stuff!