How to Make a Martin Luther King Day Rainbow Pin

On the third Monday of each January, people celebrate Martin Luther King Day with different activities. Students of all ages often study the great civil rights leader in January as well. Younger children may enjoy a craft that shows how people of all different colors live together.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Polystyrene plate or tray
• Scissors
• Three different colors of yarn to represent hair color
• Three 5/8-inch wooden beads in light and dark colors
• White craft glue
• Toothpick
• Six small wiggle eyes
• Three pom-poms, two black and one white
• Permanent marker
• Pin-back

1. Work on top of a polystyrene plate or tray. This project uses glue that can stick to other surfaces.

2. Cut six one-inch pieces of yarn "hair" from three different colors of yarn. You might choose black or brown for brunette, yellow for blond and red.

3. Put a few drops of glue inside the hole of each bead. With the toothpick, push the ends of the six pieces of one color of yarn into one bead. Repeat with the other two beads.

4. Place a drop of glue on the back of each wiggly eye. Attach two eyes to a side of each bead, about a third of the way down from the hair.

5. Glue a pom-pom halfway down the bead under the eyes to represent the nose. Draw a mouth on each bead under the nose. Let the beads dry.

6. Attach the beads to the other beads with glue. You should have a triangular shape of bead faces.

7. Wait for beads to dry again, and then carefully turn them over so that you're looking at the back of the beads. Glue the pin-back to the back of the beads. Wait until dry before handling.