- craft sticks
- glue
- large paper bags (one per child)
- orange paint
- paintbrushes
- pictures of construction workers and construction sites
- scissors
- strips of yellow construction paper
- yellow and orange poster board
- arm
- opening
- safety
- vest
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Language/L.PK.MA.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, listening to books read aloud, activities, and play.
English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners during daily routines and play.
English Language Arts/Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.3.c Recognize one’s own name and familiar common signs and labels (e.g., STOP).
Head Start Outcomes:
Language Development/Receptive Language Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
Language Development/Expressive Language Engages in communication and conversation with others.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 2 Participate actively in discussions, listen to the ideas of others, and ask and answer relevant questions.
Paper Bag Vests
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
Skill Focus: Environmental Print, Fine Motor Skills, Vocabulary
Show pictures of construction workers and construction sites to children. Talk about the bright colors workers wear and the safety signs around the site. Talk about how the bright colors of the vests help to keep workers safe because people can see them easily.
Then help children make paper bag construction-worker vests and safety signs for their “construction sites” while they are building structures during the week. Keep the pictures handy as reference for children as they work.
Instructions for building vests:
- Cut a line down the center of the wide side of a paper bag for the vest opening.
- Cut a large hole in the bottom of the bag for the neck.
- Cut large circular holes in the sides of the bag for arm openings.
- Trim the front of the vest so it has a V-shape near the top.
- Write each child’s name on the inside of the vest.
- Paint the outside of each vest orange.
- Glue on yellow accents once the paint has thoroughly dried.
- Remind children to handle carefully since they are only made of paper.