Complement your social studies lessons on the Empire of ancient Rome by making warrior shields. Start by cutting out a large oval, measuring 2.5 feet high and 1.5 feet wide, from a piece of cardboard. Pant the shield in red and let it dry. Next, have children decorate the outer edge of the shield with a simple design, using yellow paint. Children can choose their own design or use textbooks for inspiration. Using a safety pin, poke several holes in the middle and top ends of the shield and insert brass brads into the holes. This gives the shield an authentic stud look. Finish by cutting a short piece of yarn and gluing it to the back of the shield to make a handle.
Introduce children to Greek mythology with this craft activity. Have kids make their own Medusa, the gorgon who could turn people to stone. You will need a toilet paper roll to form the body. Next, download the template for the head and arms from the DLTK website, or have children draw and cut out their own on a piece of card. Color in the templates and attach to the body roll using glue. You can use this method to create other figures from Greek mythology, like the hero, Perseus, or a Cyclops.
In this activity from Scholastic, children create their own Mayan mosaic mask. Start by having students draw and cut out a mask shape on an 8-inch by 10-inch piece of card or oak tag. Cut out holes for the eyes, mouth and nose. Next, make the mosaic tiles by cutting 1-inch strips of different colored tissue paper. Glue on to the mask in the desired pattern. Once they are dry, have students share their masks with the rest of the class.
In this activity, students create their own cuneiform writing tablet, as used by the ancient Mesopotamians. Each student will need a square block of clay, as small or large as you like. Start by kneading the clay before rolling it out to produce a 6- to 8-inch thick slice. Download and distribute a copy of the Mesopotamian alphabet from the Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) website. Have students etch their name or a favorite phrase onto the clay, using a bamboo skewer. The tablets can then be dried outside in the sun or fired in a kiln.