Activity Page 5

A Child's Glimpse of Cuba
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Activity Page 5

Make Tropical Birds

What You Need

tropical bird patterns and dove pattern glue or glue stick

lightweight cardboard or poster board pencils and fine-lined black markers

pictures of tropical birds, if available one-hole paper punch

scissors heavy thread or yarn

construction paper and typing paper in bright colors

What You Do

In Advance

Trace the bird patterns (see illustration) onto lightweight cardboard and cut them out to make templates. Cut a slit in the dove pattern for the wings.
Cut construction paper into pieces roughly the size of the templates and into strips for feathers. Save the scraps.

With the Children

Show the children pictures of tropical birds. Point out their bright colors and exotic shapes.
Give each child a template of a bird s body. Let the child trace around it onto a piece of construction paper and cut it out.
Have the children cut construction paper strips into tapering shapes of different lengths to make tail, wings, and crest to glue onto the bird s body. They can curl the strips around their pencils.
Children can use the hole punch to make eyes out of scraps to glue on their bird. They can also use scraps for the beak and feet.
Help the children punch a hole in the bird s head or back and run a thread or yarn through so that it can be hung from the ceiling or wall.

With Younger Children

Show the children how to pleat colored paper as if for a fan.
While they are making pleats, you trace the dove template on sheets of construction paper, cut out, and make a slit in each one, and distribute.
Show the children how to slide the pleated paper through the slit to make the dove's wings.
The children can use markers to add eyes.