how to make biography bottle project

Biography Bottles With Makey Makey

Introduction: Biography Bottles With Makey Makey

This project demonstrates the way our students use the Makey Makey combined with Scratch to create an interactive "Wax Museum". Students conduct research on the historical figure of their choice and program a Scratch project to share what they learned. They next make use of the recycling bin to create models of their person which are then connected to the Scratch Project with a Makey Makey. This project is a joint endeavor with bquentin3

Makey Makey Classic , Makey Makey Inventor Booster Kit , brass fasteners, alligator clips, 3X5 inch piece of display board (cardboard, chipboard, poster board, card stock), plastic bottle, general art supplies (yarn, crayons, glue, markers, chenille sticks, scissors, construction paper, fabric scraps).

Step 1: Create a Scratch Project

Create a Scratch project sharing the facts you have learned about your historical figure. From the "Events" block palette use the "when green flag clicked" to introduce yourself (Hi! I'm Ada Lovelace!). Use the "when space key pressed" block to trigger your facts. Each fact should be on a different key press (up arrow, down arrow, etc.). Use the "say __ for X seconds" to share your facts.

You can draw your own portrait of your person for your sprite or upload a picture (make sure it isn't copyright protected!). After the base project is completed, you can add relevant backgrounds, add music or voice overs to your facts, or any other elaboration you chose. Don't forget to cite your research and image sources!

Educator Tip:

We assign this in stages. Students must complete their research and turn in notes before beginning their Scratch project. They must have programmed the basic sharing of facts before they can elaborate the project or start raiding the maker material bins. You can explain it like a video game - you must "master" different levels to get more "powers".

Step 2: Create the Biography Bottle

Design and build a model of your historical figure using reused or scrap materials. Start with a sturdy base (a bottle, or other cylindrical container, make a good choice) and add a head. You can draw this on paper or get fancy with yarn or cotton ball hair, googly eyes, chenille stick limbs, or other extras. Dress your person appropriately for their time period/ work. The clothes can be drawn on construction paper, or assembled from fabric scraps, felt, or anything else you have available.

Before starting this activity review expectations for material use and conservation. I assign a manager for each material and tool they have out to facilitate clean up (glue manager, marker manager, cardboard manager, etc.)

Step 3: Make the Conductive Plate

Punch holes along the long edge a 3x5 piece of display board (cardboard, chipboard, card stock, etc.). Make sure the holes do not touch. You will need a hole for each key press you programmed. Insert a brass fastener into each hole and separate the prongs until they are flush with the display board. One set of legs will extend past the edge of the conductive plate. These are the buttons for your "Wax Museum" display.

Create a label for your plate and attach your Biography Bottle.

Unless you have kid-safe cardboard tools (MakeDo is one brand that produces these), you will need to punch all the holes in the conductive plates with an X-acto or similar tool.

Step 4: Connect the Makey Makey

Now you are ready to connect the Makey Makey! Connect alligator clips to the legs of the brass fasteners that protrude from the conductive plate. It is a good idea to mark which button you want to trigger each key press. Connect the other end of each alligator clip to the matching input on the Makey Makey. Make sure you have a clip attached to the ground. Connect the Makey Makey to the computer. Run your Scratch program. Hold the ground clip (making sure you are touching the metal part) and lightly touch each button.

If this is your students' first experience with the Makey Makey, it is a good idea to teach a mini lesson about its components, setting up, and packing it away.

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Bottle Buddies? What in the World is a Bottle Buddy?

by Paula | Jan 5, 2020 | Random Thoughts , Toys | 2 comments

Every time my kids come home with a project sheet, I immediately start to panic!  What will they need to create this time?  I close my eyes and chant “please let it be a poster, please let it be a poster.”  That’s what I’m good at – helping them make posters!  All other projects scare me.  They all seem to require some sort of creative sewing skills, of which I have NONE!

So when Zach brought home his project sheet a couple of weeks ago, I did my normal “please let it be a poster” chant, but no such luck!  This project was called “Bottle Buddies,” and it was due in one week!  What??  What in the world is a Bottle Buddy?

I sat down with Zach, and it said that he needed to convert a 2-liter soda bottle into his character – Daniel Boone!  You want me to help him convert a 2-liter soda bottle into Daniel Boone?  Oh my…  This was going to be “fun”!

The directions were pretty easy…  The assignment sheet said “Make a bottle buddy – use a 2-liter bottle for the body and a painted 4″ styrofoam ball (found at Hobby Lobby, Wal-mart or other craft stores) for the head.  Fill the bottom with 2 inches of sand or dirt.  Make the bottle look like your person.”

I was okay with everything except “make the bottle look like your person.”  First of all, what did Daniel Boone look like?  And second of all, I don’t sew, so how were we going to dress him??

It went on to say “To make your bottle look like your person use any material available: felt, paint, fabric, rocks, sticks, hats, construction paper, aluminum foil, etc… to create their costume and props.”  Okay…well we all  know that you don’t want your child to be the one who takes in a bottle covered in aluminum foil – you win the “Epic Mom Fail Award” if you do something that simple.  So panic set in…

Zach and I started by talking about who Daniel Boone was, and then went to the computer to Google him for some facts and a picture!  It was all gonna be okay, right?  We printed out a couple of pictures of Daniel and discussed how Zach wanted to dress him up.

Tired of Paying Too Much For Home Insurance?

“Well, he is a frontiersman, so he needs to have on something made out of leather with fringy sleeves, and I want him to hold his rifle.  He’s famous for his rifle too – he named it ‘tick-licker’ and he needs a coon-skin cap.”  Okay…my mind was reeling.  Where would I find a rifle to attach to a 2-liter bottle, and where would I find a very small coon skin cap?  Let the fun begin…

For those of you who (like me) are NOT crafty with a needle and thread, these kinds of projects are unnerving!  I was thinking I’d just go to my neighbor next door – a very accomplished seamstress, and beg and plead!

“Can you please sew me a leather fringy outfit that will make this 2-liter bottle look like Daniel Boone?”  Once I realized how pathetic and ridiculous that sounded, I pulled myself together and decided that Zach and I could do this thing…

We headed upstairs to my art closet!  Yes…I have an entire closet devoted to art supplies – poster board, paints, googly eyes, hot glue, and all kinds of fabric scraps!  I keep my closet stocked for projects like this one.  But I do not keep styrofoam balls, so I headed off to Hobby Lobby while Zach was at school to begin my search for Daniel Boone’s head!

I’m always happy to go to Hobby Lobby – I can roam the aisles for hours, so I was glad to have this on my list of things to do…  I quickly found the styrofoam ball I needed, but then I had to find the right kind of paint.  According to the Hobby Lobby worker, “the wrong kind of paint will dissolve this styrofoam!”  Dissolve Daniel Boone’s head?  Yikes…

She led me to the spray paint aisle, and I picked out a very nice peach color to transform the green styrofoam ball into Daniel Boone’s head.  Well…when Zach spray painted the head that afternoon, he decided that the color I chose looked too orange.  “He looks like a pumpkin,” Zach told me.  “I need some white paint.”

So…off to Hobby Lobby we went and picked up white spray paint to try again.  So please direct your comments about the color of the Bottle Buddy’s head to Zach – not me!  And don’t even get me started on the fact that Daniel Boone does not have a nose.  But after all…it is Zach’s project.  If he chooses not to put a nose on his Bottle Buddy, there’s not much I can do about it…  And believe me, I tried to convince him to add a nose to OUR (I mean HIS) Bottle Buddy project.  (As a former school teacher, I sometimes find it hard to let go and let him be in charge of his projects, when I could totally do it all by myself!)

We were not able to find a coon-skin cap at the store, but my favorite “place” in the world, Amazon.com, did in fact have several coon-skin caps to choose from.  So we added it to our cart and had it sent immediately.

Luckily, I’m an Amazon Prime customer, so the coon-skin cap arrived in just 2 days!  We had all of our supplies (except the hat), and we were ready to begin – the glue gun was all warmed up.  One of my many glue guns!  I have found that you can never have too many of these when you have school-aged kids (especially if you don’t sew)…

Zach decided he wanted Daniel Boone to wear a short sleeve tan shirt, so he traced a pattern on the felt and he cut out 2 pieces.  Perfect fit, so we hot glued them together.  He only burned one finger and handed the glue-gun fun over to me…  “I’ll hold the material, you work the glue gun.  That glue is really hot!”  Yep…

Daniel’s shirt was on, we wrapped some dark brown felt to the bottom of the bottle for his legs, made him a belt out of some rope, and Zach made a frontiersman necklace for Daniel from a kit I had picked up at Hobby Lobby.  We were well on our way…

Then Zach looked at the printed picture again, and decided he wanted Daniel to be wearing long sleeves with fringe, so we hot glued some more felt to the short sleeves – look closely and you can see my lack of sewing skills!  Zach glued on googly eyes and cut out a mouth, and this is when he decided that his Bottle Buddy didn’t need a nose.  Whatever…

Now all we had to do was hope that the coon-skin cap would make it in time!  While we were waiting, I learned quite a bit about Daniel Boone.  I was surprised by all the little details Zach knew about him.

He was born in 1734 and was known as an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman.  All of his adventures as a frontiersman made him one of the first folk heroes from the United States.

Boone explored lots of land, and settled the village of Boonesborough, Kentucky – one of the first American settlements west of the Appalachians.

He was an officer in the Revolutionary War, and he was captured by Shawnee warriors in 1778, but he was able to escape and warn settlers that the Shawnee were planning an attack.

To this day, Boone remains an iconic figure in American history.  He was considered a legend in his own lifetime, and an account of his adventures was published by John Filson in 1784.  He became famous across the United States and Europe.

After he died, Daniel Boone became the subject of many tall tales and fictional stories.  In American culture, he is remembered as one of the earliest frontiersman.  Zach knew so many interesting facts about him, but he really loved the story of his rifle named Tick Licker. “Tick Licker” was a gift from his gunsmith older brother and it is said that he boasted of his marksmanship saying he could shoot a tick off an animal without hurting the beast.

Enough about Daniel Boone.  Back to me and Zach…  We survived a project that wasn’t a poster!  Zach was very proud of his finished Bottle Buddy.  I was too!  I was so happy that his teacher allowed me to come up to the classroom to take pictures of the other Bottle Buddies.  I was eager to see how Daniel Boone compared to them…

I was so pleased with Zach’s buddy.  They were all great, but of course I was most impressed with Zach’s.  Maybe because I had invested lots of time too – burning my fingers, and trying not to cringe when he told me Daniel Boone did not need a nose.

And it wasn’t until after this project that we read that Daniel Boone wore a black felt hat – not a coon skin cap.  Oh well…I’m sure we all agree that the coon skin cap looks better!

If you get a project sheet like this one, check out Pinterest .  They had several pictures of Bottle Buddies too!  But be careful….there are some over-achievers on Pinterest!  I suggest keeping it simple and have some fun.  Just be careful with the glue gun.  It’s not called a Hot Glue Gun for nothing!  Until next time…

If you’re like me, and you never have the right craft supplies, you’re going to need one of these arts and crafts supply centers like the one below!  It comes with so many crafting treasures.  The kit includes pom-poms, google eyes, stickers, pipe cleaners, and much more!  And…even better than all the treasures, it stores them neatly in these little plastic drawers.  When you run out of something, you can easily order more supplies to fill the drawers again and again!  As my kids have gotten older, the supplies have changed quite a bit, but they always will know where to find what they need for their school posters and projects! And don’t forget your hot glue gun…

If you need help with photos of your school projects or if it’s time for updated pictures of your family, you can find me and my camera over at Paula Mason Photography . I’d be happy to help you with any photography projects!

Until next time…

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What kind of paint did you use for painting the face. I just don’t want to ruin the head….

Wish I could remember the name – – I had a long conversation with an employee at Hobby Lobby. They know a lot about paint. Apparently, some of the paints will melt the styrofoam!

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Monday, April 16, 2012

• Biography Bottle Buddy Pics

4 comments:

These are awesome! My 4th graders usually research inventors and then dress up as their inventor when they present. Unfortunately, my colleague already had our kids do this in her class, so I was looking for something different. Thank you so much for sharing this idea....it couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

So cute! How was the Abraham Lincoln costume made? Do you have a template?

your blog is very interesting, I will visit again in the next article rahasia besar cara memikat wanita idaman anda

This content is really great. Thanks for sharing.. কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম

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MakeyMakey Inventor Biography Bottle

What you'll need.

• Instruction

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Lesson Details

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Students will choose a scientist or inventor from the past or present to research in order to write an informational report.

While the students are progressing through the writing process, they will design and create a bottle that looks like their chosen innovator.

Students will then code with an online program called Scratch and set up a Makey Makey to make their bottle “talk.”

For the research part, you need

• a computer with access to the internet

For the building part, you need

• An empty half-liter/16.9oz soda bottle
• 4 inch styrofoam ball
• 1 sheet paper
• Ballpoint pen
• Butter knife
• Hot glue gun
• Flesh-colored cotton sock
• Permanent markers, assorted colors
• Felt , several colors
• Brad Fasteners

For the programming part, you need

• a MakeyMakey
• alligator clip wires

Lesson Materials

• Worksheet Biography Bottle Inventors

The Instructions

Introduction & research.

In this step, the children do research on their inventors by using the form attached.

Introduction (10 minutes):

Start by explaining what a biography is in simple terms. Let students know that they will be researching and learning about inventors and scientists.

Inventor Selection (10 minutes):

You can either provide a list of suggested inventors for students to choose from or allow them to select any inventor they find interesting. If providing a list, make sure it includes a diverse range of inventors.

Research (15 minutes):

Provide age-appropriate resources for students to research their chosen inventor. This could include books, websites, or handouts with basic information.

Encourage students to answer the questions on their Biography Bottle Worksheet (see attachments) based on the information they find.

For grades 4 and lower, you might want to guide them through this process and emphasize key details.

Remind students to record the source of their information, even if it’s just “book” or “website.”

Discussion (10 minutes):

Have a class discussion about what students learned during their research. Encourage students to share interesting facts about their chosen inventor.

Make the Biography Bottle

In this step of the project, we will actually build the biography bottle

Begin recapping the last lesson about the biographies of the inventors with the students. Explain that they have researched a famous inventor and will create a unique biography bottle to represent their chosen inventor’s life and achievements.

Step 1: Preparing the Bottle (5 minutes):

Instruct students to remove the plastic label from the soda bottle. Have them wash and dry the bottle and its lid thoroughly, ensuring that they are completely dry.

Step 2: Adding Stability (5 minutes):

Insert a funnel into the bottle and fill the bottom of the bottle with craft sand, enough to stabilize the bottle so it won’t tip over. Securely screw the lid back onto the bottle.

Step 3: Creating a Face Pattern (10 minutes):

Have students create a face pattern by tracing a 4-inch circle onto a piece of paper using a Styrofoam ball as a brace for their pen. Then, they should draw two eyes and a mouth onto the circle, cut them out to create a stencil pattern, and set it aside.

Step 4: Adding the Face (15 minutes):

Instruct students to press the Styrofoam ball onto the soda bottle over the cap and neck section, creating a hole. They can use hot glue to secure it in place.

Step 5: Adding Facial Features (15 minutes):

Have students slide a flesh-colored sock over the Styrofoam ball and trace the facial features onto the sock using the stencil pattern. Then, they can add details to the face using permanent markers.

Creating the Neck (5 minutes):

Instruct students to fasten a twist tie underneath the head (Styrofoam ball) to create a neck-like area.

Step 6: Adding Clothing (10 minutes):

They should use felt fabric to create clothing, arms, and any accessories needed for their inventor’s representation.

Assessment:

Evaluate students’ completed biography bottles based on their creativity, accuracy, and how well they represented the chosen inventor. Provide positive feedback and guidance for improvement.

Recording the information of the student's research in scratch

Students will record themselves in Scratch, which will be used later to make the Biography Bottle interactive

Introduction:

Start by introducing the concept of adding audio recordings to Scratch projects. Explain that they can record their voices, sound effects, or music to make their projects more interactive and engaging.

Setting up Scratch (5 minutes):

Ensure that each student has access to a computer or tablet with internet access and a Scratch account. If they don’t have accounts, guide them through the process of creating one.

Accessing the Scratch Sound Editor (10 minutes):

Instruct students to log in to their Scratch accounts and open a project they are working on or create a new one.

Recording Audio (20 minutes):

Show students how to access the Scratch Sound Editor:

Click on the “Sounds” tab in the bottom-left corner.

Click on “Choose a Sound from Library” to explore the existing library of sounds.

Alternatively, click on “Record” to access the recording feature.

Demonstrate how to use the recording feature:

Click on the “Record” button.

Allow Scratch to access the microphone if prompted.

Have students record a short message or sound effect.

After recording, show them how to listen to their recording and adjust the volume.

Adding Recordings to the Project (10 minutes):

Instruct students on how to add their recordings to their project:

Go back to the “Code” tab.

Use blocks like “play sound” or “when this sprite clicked” to trigger the recordings.

Experiment and Create (20 minutes):

Allow students time to experiment with adding their recordings to their Scratch projects. Encourage them to be creative and think about how audio can enhance their stories or games.

Sharing and Feedback (10 minutes):

Have students share their projects with a partner or the class. Encourage them to explain how they used recordings to enhance their projects.

Evaluate students based on their ability to successfully record and add audio to their Scratch projects, as well as their creativity in using sound to enhance their projects.

Connect the Makey Makey

In this last part, the students will connect the Makey Makey to their computer and the biography bottle and will use the parts to make their Biography Bottle interactive

Start by explaining to the students the goal of the activity: to make their biography bottles interactive by connecting them to a Makey Makey and their Scratch projects. Emphasize how this will allow them to share information about their chosen inventor in a unique and engaging way.

Setting up Makey Makey (15 minutes) :

Ensure that each student has access to a Makey Makey kit, a computer or tablet, and their biography bottle project in Scratch.

Provide an overview of the Makey Makey kit, including the various components such as the alligator clips and the board itself.

Instruct students to connect the Makey Makey board to the computer or tablet using the provided USB cable. Explain that the Makey Makey board acts as a keyboard when connected.

Connecting the Biography Bottle (20 minutes):

Explain the concept of conductive materials to the students and how the Makey Makey works by completing a circuit when they touch conductive objects.

Instruct students to identify areas on their biography bottles where they want users to touch to trigger audio recordings about the inventor. These areas should have conductive brad fasteners (metal) attached.

Have students connect alligator clips from the Makey Makey board to the conductive Brad fasteners on their biography bottles. Ensure they connect one end of each clip to the Makey Makey’s arrow keys (e.g., up, down, left, right) and the other end to the conductive areas on the bottle.

Testing and Programming (30 minutes):

Demonstrate how to program their Scratch projects to respond to specific key presses. For example, when the Makey Makey board triggers the “up” arrow key, it should play the inventor’s biography recording.

Guide students through the programming process in Scratch. They should use the “when [key] key pressed” blocks to trigger audio recordings and display information about their chosen inventor.

Testing the Interactive Biography Bottles (15 minutes):

Allow students to test their interactive biography bottles by touching the conductive areas. Ensure that they can access the inventor’s information as intended.

Sharing and Feedback (10 minutes ):

Have students share their interactive biography bottles with a partner or the class, explaining how they connected the Makey Makey and Scratch to create an interactive experience.

Conclusion (5 minutes):

Conclude the activity by discussing the benefits of making learning interactive and how technology like Makey Makey can enhance educational projects.

Evaluate students based on their ability to successfully connect the Makey Makey to their biography bottles, program their Scratch projects, and create an interactive learning experience.

This activity not only teaches technical skills but also encourages creativity and critical thinking as students design an interactive project that shares information about their chosen inventor.

Below are a few presentations from Grade 3 students

• (3.RI.3): Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
• (3.RI.7): Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
• (Fab-Safety.1): I can safely conduct myself in a Fab Lab and observe operations under instructor guidance.
• (Fab-Programming.1): I understand the basic structure of a simple program and can modify values, variables, or other parameters to alter its output, function, or behavior.
• (Fab-Electronics.1): I can follow instructions to build a simple electrical circuit using conductive material, basic components, and power.
• (Fab-Modeling.1): I can arrange and manipulate simple geometric elements, 2D shapes, and 3D solids using a variety of technologies.
• (Fab-Fabrication.1): I can follow instructor guided steps that link a software to a machine to produce a simple physical artifact.

Common Core Standards

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2 Liter Soda or Pop Bottle People Project

Yep.  This dude has a 2 Liter bottle body.

Have your kids had to do the “Make a person out of a 2 liter bottle and a styrofoam ball project?” What a PAIN!!

DS had to do that recently and his guy to create was Nikita Kruschev . Geeze!

Here’s how you do it: 1. Put sand in empty 2 liter bottle, for stability. 2. Buy medium styrofoam ball and cut a hole in it so that it can fit on the cap of the 2 liter bottle. 3. Decorate.

Here’s what we did: Covered the head with a white paper bag because just sytrofoam was ugly and we didn’t have any paper mache, which I thought would work well. Then, we rubber banded the bag into place. His outfit is made with some leftover polar fleece I had when I made DS#1 an Ash (from Pokemon) vest.  We had an idea of what he should look like from this photo .  Looking at the photo, I just cut out some material and folded it into the correct shapes for his clothes.  Then I used a very hot glue gun (too hot for DS to use) to seal the pieces together. Nikita turned out great! You can even put things in his pockets.  His tie and white shirt are polar fleece too. His little Russian hat is so cute. We used poly-fil for his hair and eyebrows…which we took outside and spray painted with black. We used the Cricut Expression to cut out the little stars and circle. DS added a face (of course), which is not shown here.

The back of Nikita.

Nikita to the Right.

Nikita to the Left.

Yes, I did feel the need to make Nikita Pop Art.  Can you say, “geek”?

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wow. I hope my son neeeeeeeeeeever has to do anything like this! LOL You did a great job and the instructions are really clear! Love it!

Unfortunately my son has to make James Cook, the famous explorer, out of a 2 liter bottle! Thank you for your detailed information, as I am not very creative! I hope mine comes out half as good as yours!

My son was just given this project for Black History Month. We’re currently working on a Scott Joplin doll! He’s not perfect (or done yet), but I think he’ll be pretty cute. 🙂

And I wanna’ learn to do the pop art too!!!! (Yeah, I can say “geek”! LOL)

OMG!! Thanks for the tips my son has to do one on JFK and its due in two days (he forgot to tell me about it) so thanks for the great tips

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Zion Lutheran School 1810 McClintock Ave Belleville, IL 62221

Phone: 618-234-0275

Biography Bottles for Black History Month

• Post author By Erica
• Post date February 4, 2021
• No Comments on Biography Bottles for Black History Month

In recognition of Black History Month, our fourth graders are working on a Biography Bottle Project. Each student chose an historical figure, researched the individual’s contributions to the civil rights movement and is putting together a diorama of that person. This week, it’s been fashion design, painting and creating patterns for the bottles.

We strive to help students develop critical minds and a life-long love of learning that guides choices and can transform lives.

Our focus on individual strengths ignites curiosity, creativity, grit and resilience in our students.

We are committed to each and every child growing their faith and love of God, and our students emerge ready to serve and succeed with Christ as their compass.

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5th Grade Bottle Buddy Biography Project

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The Castle Pines Connection

Biographies on a bottle.

By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Ilana Bove

Not only is Chelsea Werner a four-time Special Olympic USA Gymnastic champion and two-time world champion, she is also the muse behind Grace Creeden’s biography bottle.

Timber Trail Elementary second grade students created “Biography Bottles” in the likeness of a famous person they chose to study and research. Using 2-liter soda bottles and other select craft supplies, the students created unique biography bottles of figures like Queen Elizabeth I, King Tut and Helen Keller. Incorporating their research, writing and presentation skills, students delivered a biography slide show presentation to their classmates.

Evan Rodriguez showcasing his biography bottle of Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian painter credited as the founder of the High Renaissance.

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How to Make People Figures From Plastic Pop Bottles

Things you'll need.

2-liter soda bottle

Small package of craft sand

4-inch Styrofoam ball

1 sheet paper

Ballpoint pen

Butter knife

Hot glue gun

Flesh-colored cotton sock

Permanent markers, assorted colors

Felt , several colors

Get crafty and upcycle empty soda bottles to make little people. You can use any shape or size of bottle to make one of these whimsical dolls for play or display. This tutorial is for a large soda-pop-bottle person, but the technique is the same for smaller bottles. Use these bottle people for decoration, school projects or a kid's craft project.

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2-Liter Bottle Person

Remove the plastic label from the soda bottle. Wash and dry the bottle and lid. Allow the bottle to dry completely.

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Insert a funnel into the bottle and fill the bottom of the bottle with craft sand -- just enough to stabilize the bottle so when it is a doll, it won't tip over. Screw the lid back onto the bottle.

Create a face pattern: Using the Styrofoam ball to brace your pen, trace a 4-inch circle onto a piece of paper. Draw two eyes and a mouth onto the circle. Cut the eyes and mouth out of the circle to create a stencil pattern. Set the pattern aside.

Press the Styrofoam ball onto the soda bottle over the cap and neck section of the bottle. Guesstimate the center of the ball -- it doesn't need to be exact. Remove the ball. There should be a hole the size of the bottle cap and neck pressed into the surface. If necessary, use a butter knife to remove excess Styrofoam from the hole. Dab hot glue into the recess, and quickly place the ball back onto the cap. Let the glue dry.

Slide a flesh-colored sock over the Styrofoam ball. Lay the face-pattern stencil against the ball and pin it in place with a sewing pin. Trace the facial features onto the sock with a permanent marker. Remove the pattern.

Add details to the face with permanent markers. Color in the eyes and lips; if desired, draw rosy cheeks or any other distingushing features for the figure you're creating.

Fasten a twist tie underneath the head (Styrofoam ball). The tie should pull the sock tight and create a neck-like area.

Place a thin line of hot glue underneath the end of the sock and press it onto the bottle.

Hot-glue doll hair to the top of the doll's head.

Mentally divide the bottle into two sections. The bottom section should be longer than the top. Now wrap a wide rectangular piece of felt around the bottle for pants or skirt, and trim it to fit. Hot-glue it in place.

Wrap a narrow rectangular piece of felt around the bottle for a shirt or other top. Make sure to fit the felt over the twist tie to conceal it. Trim it to fit the bottle. Hot-glue it in place. If desired, roll a strip of felt to make a collar for the shirt and hot-glue that in place.

Cut two rectangular strips of felt the same color as the shirt felt for arms. Make sure that the strips are long enough to sit just below the collar and just over the top of the pants. Roll the fabric and hot-glue it to the sides of the bottle.

Add clothing details to your doll's felt clothing with permanent markers.

Add a cone-shaped Styrofoam piece to create a witch's or gnome's hat.

Add buttons for decoration.

Layer tulle over flesh-colored felt to make a ballerina tutu.

• Free Kids Crafts: Recycled Bottle People
• Joys LIfe: 2 Liter Soda or Pop Bottle People Project
• Susan Kramer: Page 4 Techniques for Making Cloth and Fabric Doll Bodies

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US Presidents | Biography Bottle Person Project | Social Studies | 3rd Grade

What educators are saying

Description.

Meet the US Presidents is a project-based learning activity about the United States of America's presidents.

• This teaching resource includes guidelines and handouts for the teacher to create a significant Social Studies project.
• This project includes reading a biography about a US President and then writing a research report on that President.

Included in this resource :

• Letter Home to explain the project
• Graphic Organizers to help with the writing assignment
• Directions on how to create a bottle president
• Examples of Bottle Presidents to see the idea
• Graphic Organizers to help with essential facts, sequence in the research, highlighting important information
• Flash Cards of 46 US Presidents for pocket display and discussion
• Drawing a portrait of the President
• Graphic Organizer for listeners to take notes when reports are presented
• Teacher Guidelines and other notable information
• Book recommendations for this project
• This biography project includes reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking . Most of the work is assigned for homework.
• Students LOVE creating these bottle presidents!

You will LOVE the excitement and quick engagement you will readily see from your students. It's a great way to share information. This project will also allow students to research on the computer to find facts and details for their president's report. You can be flexible with how much time you would like to allot at school for this project, from 0% - 100%. I have had much success with 100% of this report/project done at home. Children show ownership as they will be presenting their research to the class.

US Presidents Biography Project –

Your Comprehensive February Resource for Social Studies!

Engage your students in enriching American history exploration with this engaging US President's Biography Project!

This resource is perfect for educators seeking an immersive and educational experience for their students during February.

Key Features:

In-Depth Biographies: Dive deep into the lives of US Presidents, unraveling the stories that shaped the nation.

Interactive Learning: Foster critical thinking and research skills as students actively uncover historical facts and events.

Creative Projects: Encourage creativity with project-based assessments, allowing students to showcase their understanding through various mediums.

Timeline Exploration: Explore the chronological order of presidencies, fostering an understanding of American history.

February Focus: Tailored for educators planning engaging lessons for February, aligning with key historical events and Presidents' Day.

Elevate your social studies curriculum and captivate your students' curiosity with this dynamic and informative US President's Biography Project . Perfect for 3rd and 4th-grade students, this resource is designed to make history exciting and leave a lasting impact on your student's learning journey.

Download and embark on an educational adventure transcending textbooks, making history a captivating experience for your students!

#PresidentsProject #SocialStudies #Biography #FebruaryResource #EducationInnovation

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Teaching Resources for February:

Meet the Presidents - Biography -Bottle Person Project

Abraham Lincoln - One Page Graphic Organizer

Presidents' Day - Writing Prompts

Rosa Parks - Read and Write - Black History

George Washington Carver - Black History - Writing Prompts

Ruby Bridges - Black History - Writing Prompts

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