POPPERS FOR OUR SOLDIERS PROJECT

                                                                                                                                    

This projects is a spin off from I'M AN EXPERT PROJECT  assigned to 

Third Graders to

meet a Language Arts Concept.  It would be given out late October as a Home Project.  Projects would be presented in class the last three days of December.  The Popper Project went over so well, we adopted it as a yearly Service Project for our Soldiers.  Students brought in toilet paper rolls they had been collecting since September, red, white, and blue tissue papper, ribbon, and decorations, such as glitter, sequins, stickers.  They also brought in bags of wrapped candy.  One afternoon we made poppers at different stations manned by parent volunteers.  Stations included the STEP 2 - wrap popper and tie one end, STEP 3 - fill the popper with candy, sequins, glitter, stickers..., STEP 4 - tie the other end, STEP 5 - decorate the popper with stickers (less is better), LAST STEP - curl the ribbons and attach a signed note card.  Classes chose to make their own poppers in their classroom or they came down to our room in small groups to make one.  Teachers also came to make a popper during their break time.  Parents, Teachers and Students (students did in class) were asked to write short Valentine Cards telling the soldiers how much we appreciate them. All poppers were packed in paper boxes that the school saved for us.  Each box had some of the Valentine Cards.  Before the lid was put on - the extra sequins, glitter, stickers and candy were sprinkled on top.  All boxes were packed ready to be shipped prior to break.  We then found families in our school that had loved ones overseas and gave them boxes to ship in January to be received for Valentines.  Everyone enjoyed this project.  One year a soldier responded back to us and sent us the flag below!