Let's go out with a BANG!

As the end of an exciting unit coincides with the imminent end of (a long) term, what better excuse do we need than to have a morning of FUN?  Pattern-themed seasonal fun into the bargain!

First, paper-chains.  Your challenge is to use up to 4 different colours of paper strip in a repeating pattern

to make a chain of 12.  While you stick.....

have a bit of a think.....

and see if you can work out how many loops of each colour you would end up with if you chose to use two colours.  What about if you used three?  Four?

Next, how about making a repeating pattern all the way round the border of a 'special' greetings card (I wonder of you can keep a secret)?

You might like to use stamps and ink pads.....

or maybe shiny, glittery stickers.

You may prefer to draw your own designs.....

Look carefully.  What's so 'special' about our cards? 

Now; pause a while and sniff.  Breathe d e e p l y.  Mmmm!  What do you smell?  Something warmly spicy?  Could it be cinnamon?  Ah yes.  Cinnamon.  Two HUGE containers of it.  Mixed (by hand!) with an equal volume of applesauce.  Mixed - and squashed and squished and bashed.....

until it turns into a pliable, roll-able, mud-like dough.

Flatten your lump with your hand.....

and then choose two or three different pastry-cutters to cut out some shapes.

Next, use a drinking straw to poke a hole in each shape (you'll see why later).

Leave them somewhere to dry - this will take two or three days (much patience required!)

Finally, when they are completely dry (and quite hard) but still smelling oh-so-deliciously of cinnamon, thread them (remember those holes you poked?) with pretty ribbon.

Now they are ready to be hung somewhere.  Maybe in a repeating pattern.....

All that spicy-smelling cinnamon.  It surely must have been good enough to eat.  But trust me, it was absolutely not edible in any way.  The teeniest taste and - blah!

However, our next (and last) activity was quite definitely edible.  Star-shaped biscuits (or cookies - we're bilingual in our class), already baked, were sitting there plumply.  Pale and interesting.....

waiting for a slick coating of icing (frosting!)  Followed by all kinds of colourful goodies to press into the icing layer.  Smarties.....

the cutest pink and white h e a r t s .....

and edible confetti.

Now - let your imagination run wild as you press your choice of goodies onto your biscuit - in a pattern (of course!)

(And yes.....

the odd taste.....

is OK!)

A last few adjustments, et voilà!

Now; don't they look just too good to eat?

Once again, with especial thanks to Kathy as well as to Viivi's mum.  Thank you both!