No-Mess Mini-Piñata

No-Mess Mini-Piñata lesson plan

Say goodbye to a student teacher. Welcome a new classmate. Decorate for Cinco de Mayo. This easy-to-make piñata is sure to be a hit at any festivity!

  • 1.

    Have something to celebrate? Find out how children around the world have fun on special occasions. Choose a theme, games, food, skits, and decorations to match.

  • 2.

    In many countries, piñatas are favorite party games. They’re usually made with paper maché, but here’s a quicker way. We designed a bright fish piñata to finish an ocean unit. Design your piñata to fit your theme.

  • 3.

    <STRONG>Color a grocery bag.</STRONG> Use Crayola® Markers to color fish scales and eyes.

  • 4.

    <STRONG>Finish fish features.</STRONG> Use Crayola Scissors to cut paper bag scraps to make a fish mouth, fins, and tail. Color with markers. Hold in place with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry the piñata.

  • 5.

    Fill your piñata with goodies such as colored pencils and little bags of pretzels. Tie it closed with colorful ribbon. Hang and enjoy playing your piñata game together!

Benefits

  • Students research diverse ways to celebrate special occasions.
  • Students apply their research to plan a themed celebration including a piñata.
  • ?Students create party decorations and activities based on a theme.

Adaptations

  • Take photographs during all phases of the project, including the final celebration. Mount them in an album. Add funny captions and personal notes. Present the album as a final gift.
  • Decorate a piñata as part of the party! Fill it with gifts for the honoree to take home.
  • Assessment: Assign a procedural writing piece entitled How to Plan a Festive Party for students’ writing folders. Younger students draw the events and then label them in a cartoon-strip format. Older students sprinkle their writing with illustrations. Look for correct sequence of events as well as essential details.