Speaking Of Crafts

I’ve been teaching art at the elementary school level for several years now, and it recently occurred to me that the old curriculum was growing stale. First I asked around for ideas from other teachers and classroom aides. They had a few inventive suggestions, but nothing that stood out as creative yet simple enough for a grade-schooler to handle. Obviously the project needed to be fun – the messier the better to get a kid enthused about it.

Then I found some instructions online for soy candle making. It was just the sort of idea I needed, and I knew just when to introduce the project. Each spring, after farmers around town plant their crops, they begin spreading manure over top. Needless to say, the odor isn’t exactly pleasant and it permeates the entire school. By making fragrant candles during that week, our class will be getting a temporary respite.