KWANZAA
IDEAS
Kwanzaa Lights
Candles play an important role in the Kwanzaa
celebration. Seven candles are placed in a candleholder called the
kinara, three red, one black, and three green. On the first night of
Kwanzaa, the black candle is lit. On each night thereafter, an additional
candle is lit, alternating red and green until the entire kinara is
glowing on the final night of Kwanzaa. To recognize this special celebration,
youngsters will enjoy creating these sparkling Kwanzaa candles. For
each child, cut seven tagboard strips to represent candles. Also, for
each child, cut a wide strip of brown tagboard to represent the kinara.
In three separate containers, mix equal amounts of warm water and sugar,
and then stir the mixtures until the sugar dissolves. Add a different
Kwanzaa color of tempera paint to each container. Then have each child
paint his tagboard candles with the solutions. After his candles dry,
have the child glue them along the top of his kinara. Then invite him
to top each candle with a glued-on, torn tissue-paper flame.
A Kwanzaa Collage
The colors of Kwanzaa are red, black, and green
to represent struggles, pride, and hope. The colors are also used
on the bendera or flag. Use this idea to make a festive Kwanzaa display.
Collect an assortment of red and green art materials such as felt
scraps, pieces of gift-wrap ribbon, foil wrapping paper, beads, sequins,
etc. Provide each child with a large sheet of black construction
paper, scissors, and glue. Encourage each child to make a collage
by gluing items of his choice onto his paper. Display all of the
completed projects on a black background along with the title "Let's
Celebrate Kwanzaa."
Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
Share Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis
Pinkney with your youngsters. This colorful book about Kwanzaa helps
explain the weeklong celebration. It highlights the African words
used during the holiday and gives the phonetic spellings. The detailed
pictures show the family preparing for each day of the celebration.
After reading, have your students brainstorm
a list of family-related activities. Next have each student draw
a picture of his family doing one of the activities listed. Label
each picture with each family's name. Put all the pages together
in a book. Give the book a colorful cover with a geometric border.
In the center, write the word "FAMILY" with a black marker and add
a red paper heart on each side of the word. Put the book on display
at the reading center in your classroom for everyone to enjoy
Kwanzaa Kabobs
Students will love preparing these delicious
fruit kabobs to remind them of the bountiful harvest celebrated during
Kwanzaa. In your cooking center, place a variety of fruit pieces
such as pineapple, apples, bananas, oranges, and maraschino cherries.
Add black paper plates and a supply of red and green toothpicks.
Invite a small group of children to visit the center. Direct each
child to skewer her choice of fruits onto red and green toothpicks
to make kabobs. Then have her place her kabobs on a plate. When each
child has prepared her kabobs, invite the group to sit together to
celebrate the harvest.
KWANZAA NECKLACES
Following submitted by GoanchorD
Dye 3 groups of Mostaciolli noodles red, green
and black with alcohol and food coloring (you can get black food
coloring at craft stores in the cake decorating section). Let
dry. Let children string noodles on yarn.
PLACEMATS
(this is version of African cloth dyeing)
Dribble rubber cement on white paper. Allow
to dry for 1 ½ hours. Paint over glue. When glue is
dry, peel off rubber cement and reveal designs.
KWANZAA
Submitted by Cooter697
A really nice Kwanzaa book that I use is "K
is for Kwanzaa," by Juwanda G. Ford and Ken Wilson-Max. It
goes through each letter of the alphabet relating it to the holiday. I
got this book through Scholastic, Inc. a few years ago. It
has helped a great deal with ideas, etc.
Art Ideas
You could create a class quilt using African
fabrics. Each child could decorate their piece at home with
their family including items(pictures or words) that have special
meaning to them. Bind(or sew) the quilt to hang in the classroom.
Create a African-American flag to hang during
Kwanzaa. It has three colors: black, which represents African-American
people, red, which symbolizes their struggles, and green that stands
for a happy future.
KWANZAA ACTIVITIES
Submitted by Kathy IsaidKnow@aol.com
There are two age appropriate Kwanzaa books
which I have both published by Scholastic. "My First Kwanzaa Book" written
by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate. This book also includes the Seven
Principles of Kwanzaa. The second book is "Seven Candles for Kwanzaa" written
by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A holiday activity which I have used from "Giant Encyclopedia
of Themes "
Light the Kwanzaa Candles
Materials: seven cardboard tissue rolls covered with
construction pper: three red, three green and one black, red , green and black
construction paper candles the same height as the toilet tissue tubes ( made
by cutting the the paper to size, rolling i around a pencil, securing the ends
with tape, and slipping the pencil out) one per child Yellow construction paper
to make the flames
Directions:
!. discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa and how it is celebrated
2 Put the covered rolls on a hard surface in this order-three
red one black three green
3Hand out the candles and tell the children that we are
going to light the Kwanzaa candles
4 One at a time have each child tell the class the color
of his/her candle and place it in the matching candle holder
5 After all the children have put their candles in the
holdes the yellow flames should be visible
Song-"Kwanzaa's here" Comes from Totline " Small
world Celebrations
Tune: "Three Blind Mice"
Red,green, black
Red,green,black
Kwanzaa's here
The decorations are quite a sight
We light a candle every night
The holiday is filled with light
Kwanzaa's here
Cooking activity from Totline (same book)
Nutty Bananas ( uses two favorite African fods
bananas and peanuts (groundnuts) make a mixture of finely chopped
or grated peanuts, wheat germ and cinnamon place small amounts of
the mixture on paper plates and give each child one half of an unpeeled
banana. Children dip the banas into the nut mixture (caution: be
careful of allergies to nuts)
Can also make banana bread if you school has
an oven
Science activity:
plant raw peanuts
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