At www.southfloridamuseum.org you can get a coupon towards admission to the museum . Then click on the Education link on the left side of the page and then on the new South Florida Museum FCAT Education Guide to learn to make: • a wampum necklace or a deer skin vest similar to the ones worn by Native Americans in Florida • a native shell picture frame • a dream catcher (middle & high school )
You can also make a sword and shield like the ones used by Hernando DeSoto and the Conquistadors. Conquistador's Sword Supplies: Foam core board (You can find this in the same place you buy poster board.) or card board, Exacto knife or scissors, ruler, pencil, heavy duty aluminum foil, tape, brown and gold other colors of paint. What to do: 1. Cut out the blade shape from the foam core board. I made mine 20" long. It is 3 inches across at the bottom and 1" at the top. Round off the top point. 2. Have an adult cut out a handle from foam core board using an Exacto knife and use it to cut two more handle shapes from the foam core board. Glue one handle shape to one side the blade at the bottom. Glue the other to the other side. Cut the third shape apart so that you can slide the pieces in between the other two handle pieces glued to the sword. Place glue on each side of the pieces and insert them between the two pieces you glued onto the blade. Use sand paper if you would like to make the edges smooth. 3. Paint the handle brown like wood and add some decorations. 4. Wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the blade and tape it on.
Conquistador's Sword
Shield - Cut a shield shape (see picture) from half a sheet of foam core board or cardboard. Paint the shield with child safe paint. Add colored stars, strips, suns, animals etc. to personalize their own shield. Cut a strip of card board and glue to the back for a handle.
