Mardi Gras School Activities
Mardi Gras is a festival known by many names --- Shrove Tuesday, Carnival and Pancake Day. Mardi Gras falls just before Lent, which is the 40 days leading up to Easter and is a time of self-denial, prayer and penitence for Christians. As such, Mardi Gras is seen by many as the last chance to let loose and have fun before Lent. Mardi Gras activities include parades, costumes, bright beaded necklaces, masked balls and dancing in the streets. Many of these elements can be tailored for classroom activities. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mask Making
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Have your students make their own Mardi Gras masks. Some supplies you might want to provide include poster board, construction paper, tissue paper, felt, pipe cleaners, feathers, glitter, sequins, glue, scissors, markers and straws (for holding the mask up to the face). Many free mask templates can be found online for you to print and distribute to your students, or you can allow them to make their masks from scratch. For added fun, consider having a mask contest.
Mardi Gras Beads
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Provide your students with brightly-colored beads and enough string or fishing line to create a long necklace (most drop down to the middle of the chest). Have each child tie several knots at one end of their string or fishing line or do this for them ahead of time. Then tell them to fill the string or fishing line with beads, leaving a couple inches free at the end. Finally, have them tie their necklace in a knot or, for older students, provide them with clasps to attach.
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Float Making
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Although you won't have the time or resources to make actual parade floats with your students, you can provide them with the necessary materials to make mini floats. Give each student (or pairs of students) a shoe box, tissue paper and various decorations, such as Mardi Gras beads, glitter, sequins, stickers, construction paper, feathers, glue and scissors. Then have them glue tissue paper all over the shoe box and decorate it as they wish. You can even buy miniature plastic dolls from a dollar store to place in their floats. As with the mask making activity, you can turn this project into a contest.
Mardi Gras Party
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Consider throwing a classroom party. Students can wear the masks and beaded necklaces they made while listening to music, eating and socializing. Food is a crucial element to almost any Mardi Gras event, so ask each student (or their parents) to bring a dish to share with the class. You could also push the chairs to the side and teach the class a simply dance routine.
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References
- Photo Credit mardi gras image by Edward Cooper from Fotolia.com
