Mother's Day Beadmaking Craft

For this lesson, we cut out hearts as the background of our Mother's Day cards. We were to finish the sentence "I love my mom because...." and I added "she is my best friend." We then designed them with markers to add any detail we wanted to. Then, we used six inch strips of magazine paper to create varying "beads" for a bracelet. We had to use different kinds of beads, which were made by cutting different types of strips, rolling them up, and gluing the ends. These different beads were then arranged to create pattern, whether it be by color, size, or design. Lastly, they were strung on yarn, tied, and taped to the card made at the beginning of class. 

As an extension activity, I would have the students make necklaces using the same bead making technique. This would allow them to use more colors, patterns, and types of beads to create a necklace that they could use as name tags in the classroom. The construction paper could be used to write their name on and attached to the necklace. It could help the students and the teacher get to know each other's names at the beginning of the year and would be fun for them to make as well!