Hands On Crafts for Kids

Show 702

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware

702-1 Garden State Flowers- New Jerseys nickname is "The Garden State" and for good reason. One million acres of New Jersey is productive farmland (about 20% of its land area). Garden vegetables, cranberries, blueberries, and peaches are their prime crops but today let’s not forget New Jersey’s beautiful flowers!

702-2 Pizza Game- The origin of pizza actually goes back to ancient times, but pizza, as we know it today began in Naples, Italy. In the late 1800s an Italian baker, created a dish for visiting royalty. To show his patriotism the baker chose to top flat bread with food that would represent the colors of Italy: red tomato, white mozzarella cheese and green basil. By the beginning of the 1900's pizza made it's way to the cities of the United States, especially New York and Chicago, through Italian immigrants.

702-3 Big Apple Jewelry- Today we’re talking about apples – but not any apple, this is the Big Apple – New York. This popular nickname for New York City reminds us of the prominence and size of New York City. We’ve incorporated apples into bookmarks and jewelry; in fact they’d be a great teacher gift.

702-4 Pennsylvania Dutch Wood Plate- Many of the inhabitants of Lancaster County are Amish, a religion that is known for humility, family and community, and separation from the world. Although Lancaster Amish are Pennsylvania Dutch, all Pennsylvania Dutch are not Amish. The Pennsylvania Dutch live in Central Pennsylvania. Their common bond is a mainly German background. There are many traditional designs found in this region and on the plate we’re making.

702-5 Blue Hen Pottery – The Blue Hen chicken was adopted as Delaware’s official state bird in 1939. Sometime during the 1400’s a potter in Germany bought inexpensive wood to fire his kiln. This wood was from crates in which fish had been salted. When the potter opened his kiln he expected to take out his pots, glaze them and fire the pottery again as usual. But to his surprise he found that the stoneware was completely finished with a beautiful clear glaze after only one firing. It was the salt in the wood that left the glaze. When the colonists came to this country they brought salt glazed stoneware and the unique technique for making it.