Display a selection of local animals the group of children can pick from to be their mascot. Select three or four candidates to prevent overwhelming the children. Choose local animals that children should already know about. For example, if you live in California, the animals might be the American black bear, coyote or Red-tailed Hawk.
Divide the children into groups of three or four and give each group one of the mascot candidates. Tell the groups to research their animals at the library or with preselected books.
Pass out paper, crayons and pencils for the children to write and illustrate their research papers. Ask each group to draw or write important information about the animal it is studying to present to the rest of the class.
Invite each group to present information about the animal it researched. Exhibit each group's pictures, facts and the books that were used. After the presentations, tell the children to vote for the animal they want as the team mascot. Tally the votes and announce the winner.
Draw or paint a team mascot poster with crayons or paint. The poster should depict the selected mascot. Come up with a team name based on the winning mascot, such as the Black Bear Cubs.
Display the poster with a stuffed toy of the mascot. Put them at a door, window or other place where they can be seen by everyone. Every time the children are called, use the team mascot name.
Write a script with the children to create a documentary about the mascot. For example, if it is a black bear, the children can pretend to be scientists watching bears in their habitats. Some children would act as bears while the others are scientists. Adults should help with this task and use paper and pencils for a simple script.
Collect costumes and props from the children and their families. This also fosters a team-building spirit with the parents. The types of costumes and props will depend on the script and what animal was chosen as the mascot.
Use a video camera to shoot scenes for the documentary. Use a local park or school as the backdrop. Shoot the entire documentary in sequence to avoid having to extensively edit it, which can be time-consuming.
Upload the footage into your computer's video editing software. If you do not have software, download free software from NCH Software, Magisto or other online sites. Edit and package the video to create the documentary.
Invite parents and the children to watch their documentary. Offer popcorn and place chairs in front of the screen.