Monthly Archives: June 2018

KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

Fourth of July Banner

Red, White and Blue Banner

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: one hour

MATERIALS:

White felt 14” x 18”

Red, white, blue craft foam sheets

Sharp tool like an awl

¼” red, white and blue ribbon

Dowel rod 18”

String – double the length of the dowel rod

Measure and cut white felt to 14” x 20”. Place felt horizontally. Make a loop by measuring and folding and ironing a 1” seam. Measure and fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop. (This piece of felt should now measure  14” x 16”.)

Using templates or stencils trace the large star pattern and cut one large star out of the white craft foam sheet. Cut 13 smaller stars out of the white craft foam using the smaller star pattern. Trace and cut a large circle out of the blue craft foam sheet. Glue the large star in the center. Arrange the smaller stars around the circle. Make sure that they all face the same way. Lay aside.

Measure and cut 7 stripes ¾” x 16” out of the red craft foam sheet. Arrange the stripes on the banner so that there is a ¾” stripe of white felt showing between them. (Refer to the photo of the banner.) Glue the stripes down and trim if necessary.

Glue the blue circle with the stars in the center of the red and white stripes.

At the bottom of the banner, poke holes every 1” with a sharp tool like an awl. (Small children should let adults do this for them.) Insert the ribbon in the holes, alternating the colors. Pull the ribbon through and tie a knot in the back.

Trim the dowel rod to 18”. Cut a piece of string to a length suitable for hanging. Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod. The first Fourth of July celebration occurred in Philadelphia, PA. Eventually, all the states celebrated the holiday which included parades, picnics, military displays and fireworks.

VARIATION: You can also hang your banner on Memorial Day or Labo

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JUST LOVED READING: My America: Home at Last, Sofia’s Immigrant Dairy, Book Two

JUST LOVED READING: My America: Home at Last, Sofia’s Immigrant Dairy, Book Two

Just Loved Reading:

My America: Home at Last, Sofia’s Immigrant Dairy, Book Two

Middle Grade Novel

Lasky, Kathryn. My America: Home at Last, Sofia’s Immigrant Dairy, Book Two. New York: Scholastic, 2003.

 

 “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

EMMA LAZARUS

Sofia Monaris is released from quarantine on Ellis Island and moves to Boston’s North End with her family.

She learns a new language and slowly adjusts to a new culture and way doing things. Learning a new language means going to an American school, making new friends and adjusting to new teachers.

Sofia makes friends with a fellow Italian-American and joins one of their social clubs.  In the meantime,  Sofia’s older sister and younger brother have adjustments of their own to grapple with.

Her family encounters the good and bad in Boston’s Italian-American family. Her parents work hard to make ends meet but take advantage of any and all opportunities that come their way.

When near tragedy strikes Sofia, her courage and spunk carry the day.

WHY I LOVED READING THIS BOOK:

Sofia is a spunky character who could probably survive many difficult situations and it was easy to relate to her and her adventures in America.

 Further Reading:

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island:

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org

Italy:

www.italia.it

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JUST LOVED READING: My America: Hope in My Heart, Sofia’s Ellis Island Immigrant Dairy, Book One.

JUST LOVED READING: My America: Hope in My Heart, Sofia’s Ellis Island Immigrant Dairy, Book One.

Just Loved Reading:

My America: Hope in My Heart, Sofia’s Ellis Island Immigrant Dairy, Book One.

Middle Grade Novel

Lasky, Kathryn. My America: Hope in My Heart, Sofia’s Ellis Island Immigrant Dairy, Book One. New York: Scholastic, 2003.

 

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Emma  Lazarus

 

            Sofia Monaris and her family leave their native Italy for America. It’s a long uncomfortable journey on board a ship teeming with people yet Sofia’s heart skips a beat when she spies the Statue of Liberty on the horizon.

As the ship draws closer to New York harbor, she positions herself to get a better look. A cinder gets in her eye. When the family goes through customs, Sofia is diagnosed with trachoma and quarantined.

Separated from her family for the first time in her life, speaking very little English, Sofia feels isolated and alienated in America. She has company, though. In the state-run hospital, she meets Maureen who is from Ireland and Madame Coco from France. Madame introduces the girls to Rafi, a gypsy stow-away. The four befriend each other during their ordeal as they face mean anti-immigrant bureaucrats and which lasts longer than any of them would like.

Sofia’s life in America had just begun.

WHY I LOVED READING THIS BOOK:

Although my immigrant ancestors didn’t arrive until years after Sofia and her family came to America, I heard many of their stories. Many struggled in their first years and many came illegally. They had to navigate America’s ever-changing immigration laws but they became found work, became American citizens and raised their families.

Not every story was about those struggles; some of their stories were funny and uplifting. Sofia is a spunky character who could probably survive many difficult situations and it was easy to relate to her and her adventures on Ellis Island.

Further Reading:

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island:

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org

Italy:

www.italia.it

Italy:

www.italia.it

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