In September I started an Eco Crafting curriculum with a test group of kids at a local pre-school. (there are 70+ kids ages 2 to 5). This project has been designed to help teachers, group leaders, (or you!) etc to teach children recycling or Eco Crafting. As many schools across the country have had their art programs cut from their school. This is designed to show kids creative recycling. It’s a nine month program… one design a month for each month of the school year. September’s project is below. I’ve tried to add hints for the project to help you teach the recycling part and the collection of materials.
Tic Tac Toe game from cereal boxes
Eco-Tic-Tac-Toe
By EcoHeidi/Heidi Borchers
9-21-10
Teaching Lesson:
*Teaching kids to be EcoFriendly and Creative at the same time.
*When teaching in a class room, you may want to prepare the cereal box
cardboard with pencil lines pre-drawn and use this as a cutting with
scissors lesson. I pre cut all pieces for teaching a large group.
*Counting out the pieces they need. Place each item into a separate
container, with the number of how many they can pick from each
container. Perhaps have the kids gather the pieces on a paper plate then
return to their desk.
*Gluing properly- Show how using a small amount of glue works well with
cardboard. Be sure to use a good glue (then you don‘t have to use too
much). Teach the kids a little goes a long way. Even if the kids want to
squeeze their own bottle of glue, I usually will put out a small amount on a
piece of wax paper and let them use a toothpick to apply to projects. (If
you let them use the squeeze bottle, teach them to use in small amounts)
*To make the playing pieces you can choose to put inside the water bottle caps for the playing pieces. Suggestions- buttons, colored paper or cardboard, washers for the ‘o’/ tile spaces for the ‘x’. Have the kids help give suggestions of what else could be used that’s eco- friendly.
Materials needed to make 1:
Cardboard Cereal Boxes (1 piece 6-¾” x 6-¾” for the board
and 9 pieces 2” x 2” for the squares)
Glue (I’ve used Aleene’s quick dry Tacky Glue)
Magnets (I’ve used the self adhesive magnet tape ½” wide and cut ½” pieces) you will need 9 cut pieces ½” x ½”
Metal washers approximately 5/8” diameter- you need 10
Plastic water bottle caps- 10 for the playing pieces
Items to go into bottle caps/playing pieces- You will need 10 items ( two sets- 5 each item or color) Example 5 green buttons, 5 red buttons
*You will be using the back side or non color side of the 6-¾” x 6-¾” board
*Glue the 9 – 2” x 2” pieces onto the board, evenly spacing each onto this
background.
*Place a piece of the self adhesive magnet into the center of each 2” square
that is on the board. (note: you will have the kids remove the paper
backing for the adhesive to stick)
* The top part of the plastic water bottle cap will be the bottom of each
playing piece. Using a small amount of glue, glue a metal washer to the flat
part of each plastic water bottle lid. Let glue dry.
* Choose which item you will use in the center of each cap to create the ‘o’
or the ‘x’. You will need 5 of each. It can be from suggestions above. Glue
into place inside each cap. Let glue dry.
*When glue is dried, the metal washer sitting on the magnet will hold each
playing piece on game board.
Tic… Tac… Toe…. You are being Eco right in a row…. Enjoy
EcoHeidi
I will post the October project (smashed can black cat) in a couple of days.
Heidi@ecoheidi.com
Heidi Borchers – 
