Personality Name Tent

Discover the origins of names and naming ceremonies. Express individuality with each name discovery as you create a unique nameplate.

• 1.

  Research the origin and meaning of your name to see if it began with a specific culture or has a meaning. Check out your friends’ and families’ names, too. If you have a unique name, ask your family about its origins, invent your own meaning that describes your personality, or combine the meanings of similar names from cultures that are part of your heritage.

• 2.

  Learn about naming ceremonies in different cultures. In the Balinese Hindu-Buddhist tradition, children are formally named at their first birthday. When are children named in other cultures and faith traditions? Why are these times chosen? After you know about the origins of your name, create a bright nameplate.

• 3.

  Fold double-sided Crayola Neon Color Explosion® Paper in half, either horizontally or vertically to start your name tent. With Neon Color Explosion Markers, write your name in big, bold shapes and colors. Be sure to leave room for fun cutouts and pictures.

• 4.

  Think about a shape that expresses your name’s personality. Is it a smooth swirl or an angled rectangle? Draw several simple shapes down from the fold, such as an animal tail or a pointed triangle. Make sure the shapes are enclosed.

• 5.

  Unfold your name tent and cut out only the shape that is in the front, making sure not to cut along the fold. Fold your shape up so it sticks out from the fold. Continue decorating your name tent with more cutouts. Draw images and designs that represent y

• 6.

  Open up your tent and draw on the inside. See how the designs are revealed through the cutout shapes.

• 7.

  With classmates, create a naming ceremony for yourselves. Present your name tents to each other.

Benefits

• Students research origins of personal names and naming ceremonies.
• Students design a name tent using cutout shapes and original drawings.
• Students orally present their name tents to their peers.

Adaptations

• Research naming ceremonies from Africa, North America, and Europe. Reproduce a ceremony including simple costumes and props.
• Learn about nameplate and tent usage, such as in a very formal setting at the United Nations. Expand on name tent designs to include images indicating neighborhoods, hobbies, or clubs.
• Students create new descriptive animal names for themselves such as "Running Bear." Learn about native North American cultures and their naming rituals.
• Assessment: Did students create a well-thought-out design using the three-dimensional space? Was student’s oral presentation thoughtful and clearly spoken?