Cityscape Collage Mural

materials - heavy paper; old magazines; scissors; pencil; glue; poster board (optional); tape (optional) 

1. Draw a city building.

2. Cut out images from old magazines.

3. Use the images to design a mural on the building.

4. Cut out windows and doors.

5. Add your building to the cityscape!

Bonus - Mexican Muralists filled their murals with history and symbolism. Include images that tell a story or represent ideas important to you or to your heritage. 

The modern mural art movement began in Mexico at the end of the Mexican Revolution just over 100 years ago. The new government asked artists to paint the history of the people of Mexico on public buildings in order to educate and unify the war torn nation. Artists created larger-than-life murals of indigenous people, early Spanish explorers, Catholic missionaries, and contemporary national heroes. By also depicting farmers, workers, and other people not usually included in the history books, they were successful in creating a shared national Mexican identity. 

During the 1930s and 40s, Mexican muralists Diego Rivera along with his wife Frida Kahlo, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Sisqueiros moved north and painted large scale public murals throughout the United States. They continued to tell the history of all Americans, often speaking to issues of social justice. While their work was controversial, it also inspired new generations of artists in the years to come. Chicano Civil Rights activists of the 1970s leaned into the tradition of the Mexican Muralists by creating street art that celebrated Latine people and history, while giving a voice to contemporary concerns.

Murals and street art continue to be an important way for Latine artists to share history and embrace cultural identity. In Philadelphia, dozens of our famous murals, such as Fuego Nuevo, celebrate the depth and diversity of Hispanic heritage or, like Sanctuary City, Sanctuary Neighborhood, express the community’s experiences with immigration. Throughout the city, our unique, mural-filled cityscape stems from this great legacy of Hispanic artists who changed the way we see ourselves and our histories. 

Diya

materials - paper cup; scissors, markers; conductive tape; LED light; coin cell battery; push pin  

1. Cut the rim off of the paper cup.

2. Cut strips about one inch apart down the sides of the cup.

3. Curl and decorate each strip to make petals.

4.  Poke two holes in the bottom of the cup for the LED light legs. Thread the legs through the bottom of the cup.

5. Fold the negative (shorter) leg in half and secure it to the cup with conductive tape.

6. Make a loop with the conductive tape and place it over the negative leg.

7. Secure the negative side of the battery to the tape loop.

8. Fold the positive leg over the battery and secure it with conductive tape. Celebrate with light! 

Bonus - Learn more about Diwali and why people throughout India celebrate it by lighting diya. 

Watch the video instructions.

Object Poetry

materials - paper or index cards; scissors; pencils; crayons or markers  

1. Gather interesting objects.

2. On pre-cut slips of paper or index cards, have young poets write down 5-10 descriptor words for each object (like rough, smooth, blue, or heavy).

3. Put them all in a “word basket” and have each poet choose 5-10 words.

4. Arrange them on paper and fill in extra words to form a poem! 

Bonus - Take turns writing each line of the poem. 

Read more about this activity and more in the Reading Champs Guide.

You're So Funny!

materials - paper; pencil; markers; sticky notes (optional); comic templates (optional) 

1. Separate a piece of paper into 3 or 4 areas or choose one of our comic templates.

2. Draw images in each panel to create a story.

3. Swap your images with a friend to have them write the dialog. 

Bonus - Write different dialog ideas on sticky notes, then share them with your friends. Which ideas do they like best? Which are the funniest? Work together to come up with the best and funniest captions and dialog.

Download and print our comic templates.

Positive Signs

materials - paper; markers; tape or push pins  

1. What do you need to hear when you’re having a hard day?

2. Talk with your friends about what helps them feel calm, happy, or encouraged.

3. Write your favorites on paper and decorate them. 

4. Post your signs in places so others can feel their positive energy! 

Bonus - Create a positive sign just for you and put it in your backpack, notebook, or locker.